NCRM: SQL for Biomedical Researchers

Database systems are increasingly being used for working with medical data and enable the rapid querying of complex data in health and social care. This short course will introduce the theory behind the relational data model and enable participants to gain an understanding on how data can be modelled and stored in a relational database system and what different data types are used. Through a series of practical-driven sessions using real-life data, students will learn how to load existing data in a contemporary relational database management system and how to craft simple and complex queries for analysing the data. By the end of the course, students will be able to load, format and export data in a format suitable for analysis by common statistical packages.
The course covers:

• Introduction to relational database management systems (RDBMS)
• Relational database modelling, conceptual database design
• The case of electronic health records
• Setting up a relational database
• Database administration
• Database querying:
  • Basic SQL
  • Intermediate SQL

By the end of the course participants will:

• Understand the relational data model, data types and basic data modelling techniques
• Learn how to pre-format, load and setup their data in a database system
• Learn how to create simple and complex queries using SQL

This course is suitable for Epidemiologists, medical statisticians and other researchers working with electronic health records data.

The fee per teaching day is:

• £30 per day for UK/EU registered students
• £60 per day for staff at UK/EU academic institutions, UK/EU Research Councils researchers, UK/EU public sector staff and staff at UK/EU registered charity organisations and recognised UK/EU research institutions.
• £220 per day for all other participants

All fees include event materials, lunch, morning and afternoon tea. They do not include travel and accommodation costs.