Presenter: Dr. TAM Wai San, Wilson
Date: 12 June 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 16:00 – 17:30
Location: Zoom
Presenter's Bio:
Dr. Tam is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) at Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (ALCNS), National University of Singapore. He is an epidemiologist and statistician by training, obtained his M.Phil. degree in Statistics at the University of Hong Kong and PhD degree in Medical Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has been working in the field of Public Health and Nursing for more than 20 years. His research interests include the exploration of different risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, statistical analyses on health data, methodological issues in meta-analyses, and environmental health. He has published over 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals including publications in top medical journals such as Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Br. Med. J., Cochrane Database Syst Rev., Lancet Public Health, and N. Engl. J. Med.. He is recently listed in the top Asia Top 10,000 Scientists by the World Scientist and University Rankings 2023. Besides conducting research, he is currently the principal lecturer for four research-related modules including Applied Research Methods, Statistics in Health Research, Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, and Measurement Theory and Instrument Development. He has supervised more than 30 honor students and 6 postgraduate students for their theses. He is the recipient of the NUS Teaching Excellent Award for the AY2017/2018 and NUHS Healthcare Education Research Award 2021. He co-developed a Massive Open Online Course, “Quantitative and Qualitative Research for Beginners” which was launched at edX in Jun 2021.
Abstract:
A systematic review is a rigorous and methodical type of literature review designed to answer a specific research question by identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing all available evidence in a transparent and reproducible manner. This approach aims to minimize bias, enhance objectivity, and provide a comprehensive summary of current knowledge on a given topic. A meta-analysis complements the systematic review by applying statistical techniques to quantitatively combine the results of multiple independent studies, offering a more precise and reliable estimate of the effect or association being investigated. This workshop led by Dr. Tam focuses on teaching the essential principles and steps for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, employing Muka’s 24-step framework. Participants will learn how to formulate clear and focused research questions using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) approach, set explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, and conduct comprehensive literature searches, particularly utilizing the PUBMED database. Attendees will gain hands-on experience in conducting meta-analyses using the free statistical software jamovi, and learn how to interpret and present findings in a transparent and replicable manner, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
