By the end of the course, students will be better able to:

• Analyse the factors influencing asthma development, progression and persistence, on how this may apply to individual patients
• Evaluate research regarding the nature of the interaction between genetics and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of allergic airway disease
• Plan and communicate a rational evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of allergic airways diseases, and be able to communicate this to colleagues and patients
• Appraise the new research findings in allergic airways disease and apply them to improve patient care in clinical practice both independently and as a team
• Assess the risks and benefits of allergen-specific immunotherapy for the treatment of asthma in children and adults in clinical practice

Teaching delivery format
The course has been designed in an innovative format combining asynchronous materials (e.g. pre-recorded sessions, reading lists and web-based resources) to revise in your own time, and live interactive sessions both online and on campus which will include focused discussions and case-based elements. A range of formats will be used to encourage active learning, including expert panel question & answer sessions, group work, workshops, role-play, pro-con debates and scenario-based sessions.

A ‘course launch webinar’ will be held in January for registered participants to introduce the course and help you get organised to maximize your learning experience. 

Key Dates (UK time): tbc

*The on-campus teaching will be held at our St Mary's Campus – where possible, live streaming of the sessions will be made available for those that are not able or do not wish to attend the face to face teaching sessions. 

Planned sessions (provisional)

Pre-recorded sessions may cover:

• Pathophysiology of asthma
• Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of asthma
• Asthma across the life course: what have we learned from cohort studies?
• Asthma in a low and middle income setting
• Asthma Genetics
• Occupational lung disease
• Early life influences last lifelong
• Asthma: how the allergist can help
• Effects of environmental pollution
• Clinical trials in asthma
• Airway Microbiome
• Biologics in severe asthma

 Live interactive sessions may include:

• Meet the expert ‘Q&A’
• Live interactive cases session: Preschool wheeze
• Live interactive cases session: Difficult School age asthma
• Live interactive cases session: Adult asthma
• Student-led journal club session
• Workshop - Lung Function testing
• Workshop - Breathing control – role of physiotherapy
• Workshop - Asthma medication delivery devices

The course is suitable for doctors (GPs, specialist trainees and consultants in Allergy, Paediatrics, Respiratory Medicine or ENT), as well as nurses and other healthcare professionals wishing to improve their ability to manage patients with allergic airways disease in daily practice. The course is also relevant for basic scientists and professionals working in industry in the field of asthma and allergy.

Participants have the option of completing an assessment component and on completion will be provided with an official Imperial College London transcript of results. Details of the assessment and deadline for submission will be given during the course. Please note that there is an additional assessment fee payable in full prior to submission date. Please contact us for further information.