Clinical Research (Decentralised Observational Trials)

This internship provides students with practical skills in clinical research, focusing on decentralised observational trials for herbal and nutraceutical products. The program spans four section and blends theory, AI tools, and project-based learning.

---

Literature & Hypothesis
Students learn the basics of observational study designs (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional) and how they differ from randomized clinical trials. They identify gaps in herbal/nutraceutical evidence and frame hypotheses for observational trials. Assignments and resources focus on searching PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov for trial gaps and translating them into research questions.

---

Scientific Prompting for Protocols
This section trains students to use AI prompting to draft key protocol elements: inclusion/exclusion criteria, case report forms (CRFs), and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). They also study the structure of clinical trial protocols and practice creating AI-assisted outlines for herbal observational trials.

---

Designing Decentralised Trials
Students explore decentralised clinical trial (DCT) tools such as remote recruitment, e-consent, and app-based monitoring. They gain exposure to Swalife’s AI tools (Telemedicine portal, Trial Dashboard, ImageXpert, MyHerbFormula) for patient and clinician data collection. Assignments guide them to design a workflow for a decentralised herbal product trial.

---

Data Interpretation & Project Submission
The final section emphasizes interpreting simulated clinical data (adherence, outcomes, PROs). Students learn to present findings in tables and graphs, structure results and discussion sections, and write a complete mini project report (3–5 pages) using the IMRaD format. This serves as the capstone project for the internship.

---

Outcome for Students
By the end of the internship, students will:

• Understand and apply observational study designs.

• Use AI to draft clinical trial protocols.

• Design decentralised trials with digital and AI tools.

• Interpret trial data and prepare professional reports.

This program equips interns with skills in modern clinical research design, bridging traditional methodology with digital health and AI-driven tools.