Before you join the program

ESMP is designed for researchers and healthcare professionals who want structured training in systematic review and meta-analysis. Cohort-specific eligibility requirements, if any, are published on the application page.

No. The program is beginner-friendly and starts with foundational concepts. Participants do need to be ready for consistent project work, feedback, and independent practice between live sessions.

Each week combines live weekend teaching with practical work on weekdays. The time needed outside class varies by the project stage and the participant's pace, so applicants should plan for steady work rather than treating the program as a lecture-only course.

Teaching takes place live on weekends. The main session introduces and demonstrates the week's methods; an additional weekend session may be used when more time is needed. Exact timings are confirmed for each cohort through the centralized cohort notice.

The program emphasizes practical meta-analysis in R, including data preparation, models, heterogeneity, forest plots, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias. RevMan may also be used where it is appropriate for the project and learning objective.

A feasible research topic is provided at the start of the mentorship so participants can begin applying the workflow without being stalled by topic selection. Feasibility and novelty are still examined as part of Week 1 so the reasoning behind topic selection is learned, not bypassed.

Authorship follows ICMJE criteria and depends on actual contributions. The mentee who contributes most substantially may be eligible for first authorship, while the mentor is expected to serve as senior or last author when the relevant criteria are met. Joining the program alone does not determine authorship.

No. Publication decisions belong to journals and cannot be guaranteed. ESMP supports rigorous project development, manuscript preparation, journal selection, submission planning, and responses to editorial or peer-review comments.

The structured teaching phase lasts eight weeks. If the manuscript later receives editorial or reviewer comments, journal-revision guidance can cover the response letter, manuscript changes, and resubmission. Extended mentorship may also support later analysis, interpretation, and manuscript questions.

Certificates are issued to registered participants who complete the program requirements communicated for their cohort. Each issued certificate has a unique ID that can be checked through the ESMP verification portal.

Because the curriculum is cumulative, regular attendance is important. Participants should notify the mentor as early as possible and consult the cohort-specific attendance and catch-up arrangements; applicants should not assume that every live session can be replaced.