Ecraid x ESCMID Postgraduate Course 'Better Methods for Clinical Studies' is Back
The fifth edition of Ecraid and ESCMID’s postgraduate course 'Better Methods for Clinical Studies in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology' returns this year from 6 to 8 October 2026 in the beautiful city of Verona, Italy.
Jointly organised by Ecraid and ESCMID, this postgraduate course schedule is designed for (early-career) researchers who are seeking to advance their knowledge, skills, and expertise in the fields of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology.
Are you working in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases using epidemiological and statistical methods? If yes, then this course is for you. A slate of distinguished experts from across Europe and beyond will help you enhance your skills in the field.
The purpose of the workshop is providing the participants with tools on how to phrase a research question; choose the appropriate design and methods to address it; avoid biases; and write an optimal report. It will focus on new developments in methods, with a special emphasis on clinical trials, and use the participants’ projects as examples.
Last year, the course gathered 50 participants from across 16 countries.
Ethar Amin was one of them - a Teaching Assistant from the Faculty Of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt. To her, this postgraduate course was an exceptional experience: "The quality of the faculty and the relevance of the topics to designing robust clinical trials were outstanding. A particular highlight was the session by Professor Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, whose insights on clinical research methodology were incredibly inspiring and directly applicable to our work. I would highly recommend this course to any colleague looking to deepen their expertise in this critical area." said Ethar.
Workshop goals
The three-day course will enable participants to craft clear and focused research questions that drive meaningful inquiry while identifying and addressing potential biases that may influence research outcomes, ensuring robust and reliable results. Participants will gain insights into selecting appropriate research designs and methodologies tailored to specific research objectives and acquire the necessary techniques for writing concise and informative research reports that effectively communicate findings to relevant stakeholders.
Our experts will cover topics relevant to a wide variety of research approachers, including:
- Observational studies and adaptive designs
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- Large databases, predictive AI, and more.
The full programme is available on the ESCMID event page.
"This course is a rare blend of theory and practice, covering everything from propensity scores to pragmatic trials. For anyone working on clinical development or diagnostics, this course provides tools to design better studies and interpret evidence more critically. I would also add that the peer review of the protocol was a great moment, it was a collaboration with constructive feedback, making the learning experience more impactful." - Benjamin Hommel, 2025 course participant