Paediatric infection
This short course synthesises core scientific knowledge with practical clinical scenarios to encourage a deeper understanding of infectious diseases in neonates and children.
Course key facts
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Date
27 Apr - 29 May 2026
Duration
5 weeks
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Credits
Non credit bearing
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Format
Online
Fee
£495
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Location
Online
Overview
This short course synthesises core scientific knowledge with practical clinical scenarios to encourage a deeper understanding of infectious diseases in neonates and children, and to help you to develop your own framework to address any clinical infection problem. The course will encompass the common and important pathogens causing infections in children, the host and pathogen factors which contribute to severity and spread of infection, and the ways in which medical interventions, health systems and societal factors can influence the outcomes of infections.
Learning journey
Throughout the course you will be helped to develop confidence in accessing and critically evaluating relevant basic science and clinical research literature. You will also be encouraged to critically appraise the basis of your own clinical practice, from cognitive biases to the evidence base for the guidelines employed in your day-to-day work, and to consider the consequences of each practice for individual patients and for public health.
The programme has been designed for paediatric health or allied health practitioners who are interested in infectious disease management within the field of paediatrics. It is anticipated that many of the attendees will be postgraduate Specialty Trainee doctors in Paediatrics, however this online programme will be specifically designed to be multidisciplinary and therefore also suitable for other healthcare professionals working with children and young people.
The course is part of a range of short courses spread throughout the academic year which are available both to students who are enrolled on the MSc Applied Paediatrics course and as stand-alone CPD programmes for all healthcare professionals.
The course consists of several synchronous sessions on a video-conferencing platform which participants are expected to attend on the following dates (UK time):
- Wednesday, 29 Apr 2026: 14.00 -16.00
- Wednesday, 6 May 2026: 14.00 - 16.00
- Wednesday, 13 May 2026: 14.00 - 16.00
- Wednesday, 20 May 2026: 14.00 - 16.00
- Wednesday, 27 May 2026: 14.00 - 16.00
Course details
For participants who have successfully completed the course, the learning outcomes will be:
- Propose the most likely pathogens causing common and severe infection syndromes in children
- Relate host-pathogen interactions to the severity of infectious diseases in children
- Appraise the influence of individual and societal behaviours on infectious diseases in children
- Critically evaluate the benefits and risks of current and developing approaches to diagnosis, prevention and management of infections in neonates and children
This fully online course is run over 5 consecutive weeks and you are expected to conduct 7 - 10 hours per week of guided and self-directed asynchronous learning, which also incorporates group work online. There are also planned synchronous sessions during the course to discuss ideas, present group and individual work and to facilitate further learning.
The course consists of several synchronous sessions on a video-conferencing platform, where you will experience active learning, as well as weekly online tasks and related activities for you to complete individually or in small groups. These learning tasks will cover the cutting edge of issues in paediatric infectious disease. This is supported by case-based learning and practical guidance.
The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) hosts guidance and support with resources and tasks that you can study at your own pace within the suggested parameters. The VLE supports your academic journey and helps you to connect with other students for networking, community building and active co-construction of your learning.
Evidence of sufficient participation will be required to obtain a course certificate.
This course will benefit paediatricians, GPs, nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals involved in child health.
As the course is a multi-professional programme, students will develop an understanding of how their own individual behaviours, and those of the teams within which they work, can have a significant influence on the quality of care delivered.
The fee covers tuition and online resources but does not cover, refreshments, travel or accommodation.
If you have any queries regarding your booking please contact us via email or by phone: +44 (0)20 7594 6885
Detailed joining instructions will be sent to all participants 10-14 days prior to the commencement of the course. Places on these courses are limited, EARLY BOOKING IS ADVISED.
A 20% administration fee will be levied for cancellations made up to two weeks prior to the start of the course. Cancellations thereafter will be liable to the loss of the full fee. Notice of cancellation must be given in writing by letter or fax and action will be taken to recover, from the delegates or their employers, that proportion of the fee owing at the time of cancellation.
Imperial College London reserves the right to cancel an advertised course at short notice. It will endeavour to provide participants with as much notice as possible, but will not accept liability for costs incurred by participants or their organisations for the cancellation of travel arrangements and/or accommodation reservations as a result of the course being cancelled or postponed. If a course is cancelled, fees will be refunded in full. Imperial College also reserves the right to postpone or make such alterations to the content of a course as may be necessary.
Module leaders
Dr Aubrey Cunnington
Dr Aubrey Cunnington is the Head of the Section and Reader in Paediatric Infectious Disease, and also an Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. His research focuses on the interactions between hosts and pathogens which result in severe infectious diseases, particularly severe malaria. Aubrey is interested in understanding why some people get very ill and die from malaria, whilst others have a less severe illness.
Dr Jethro Herberg
Dr Jethro Herberg is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London. He holds honorary consultant positions at St Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust), and at the Royal Brompton Hospital. Following an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at Oxford, and a PhD in human immunogenetics at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, he undertook medical training in London. He has worked as a clinician scientist at Imperial College since 2008.
Contact us
Have a question?
We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and a member of the team will be happy to help.
- Phone: +44 (0) 20 7594 6884
- Email: cpd@imperial.ac.uk
