Systematic Review Academy

Join our series of academic sessions hosted by Dr. Arshbir Aulakh, focused on conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. These workshops are designed for students, residents, and early-career researchers interested in building strong foundations in evidence-based research and publication.

The series will be divided into the following categories:

1. Introduction to Systematic Reviews

• Developing a focused research question (PICO framework)
• Overview of PRISMA guidelines
• Database searching strategies (PubMed, Embase, Scopus)

2. Screening and Data Extraction

• Title, abstract, and full-text screening
• Data extraction templates and reference management
• Using EndNote or Zotero effectively

3. Quality Assessment and Risk of Bias

• Applying ROB2, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and ROBINS-I
• Interpreting bias domains and assessing study quality

4. Meta-Analysis Fundamentals

• Understanding fixed and random effects models
• Calculating and interpreting effect sizes (OR, RR, MD, SMD)
• Generating and interpreting forest and funnel plots

5. Advanced Statistical Methods

• Assessing heterogeneity (I², τ²)
• Evaluating publication bias (Egger’s, Begg’s tests)
• Conducting subgroup and sensitivity analyses

6. Writing and Publication Strategy

• Structuring a PRISMA-compliant manuscript
• Selecting appropriate journals
• Navigating the peer review and revision process

Sign up here to receive the Zoom link for our upcoming workshops:

• October 30, 2025
• November 20, 2025

Sessions are open to all levels of experience. Participants will gain step-by-step guidance, templates, and resources to help them initiate and complete their own systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Research Workshop Series with Arshbir Aulakh
Research Director, Med Connect
Recent Graduate, UBC Southern Medical Program (Kelowna)