An Introduction to Data Science for Clinicians

This online course introduces clinicians to data science and equips them with basic skills to handle data confidently and effectively. Developed by Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology—leaders in clinical research—the course is taught by world-class clinicians with data science experience, providing real-life insights from authentic clinical perspectives.

The course comprises approximately 16 hours of self-paced learning structured across five sections:

• Introduction to data science (exploring clinical data, data science in clinical practice, databases, and telemedicine)
• Coding and computer languages (overview of coding, language selection, and online resources)
• Common statistical tests and challenges with clinical data (requires basic statistical knowledge)
• Commonly encountered errors and misconceptions in statistics (requires basic statistical knowledge)
• Principles of data visualisation (aesthetics, scales, colour use, and common visualisation pitfalls)

The course concludes with a live evening Q&A session with the course contributors. This session is repeated on different dates throughout the year as learners complete the material. Once purchased, you will be enrolled manually and receive access instructions via email.

This course is intended for junior doctors, allied health professionals (nurses, optometrists, health technicians), researchers, and students undertaking scientific and medical research who wish to develop skills in handling data for academic work, particularly involving Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. A follow-up course—'Data science for clinicians: Intensive course in R'—is available for those wishing to deepen their technical skills with the R programming language. A discounted package price applies when both courses are purchased together.

You will need access to a computer (laptop or desktop) with a webcam and microphone for the Q&A session. The course is hosted on UCLeXtend, UCL's learning platform for professional education, and enrolment is carried out manually after purchase; there may be a short delay before you receive login details.