Clinical Data Analysis with SAS for Beginners — PickAClass
⏱ 3h 1m 📚 30 lessons

Clinical Data Analysis with SAS for Beginners

Learn to process, analyze, and report clinical trial data using SAS, starting from foundational programming concepts to industry-standard data structures.

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About this course

Understanding clinical trial data is crucial for bringing safe medical treatments to market, but navigating specialized programming requirements can feel daunting. This course simplifies the path to analyzing health and pharmaceutical data using the power of SAS. You will transition from having no programming experience to confidently reading, processing, and summarizing clinical datasets, building a solid foundation in both basic SAS syntax and the essential data standards used in clinical trials today. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational concepts of clinical trials and SAS programming syntax - Import and clean raw clinical data to ensure accuracy and compliance - Apply CDISC data standards, including SDTM and ADaM concepts, to structure your datasets - Generate key statistical summaries and frequency tables for clinical study reports - Perform basic data validation and error-checking routines to maintain data integrity The course begins with core terminology and the fundamentals of the SAS environment before guiding you through practical data manipulation, regulatory standards, and reporting techniques. This course is designed for aspiring clinical data analysts, researchers, and beginners with no prior programming experience. Start reading today to build your practical skills in clinical data analysis.

Course contents

6 modules · 30 lessons · 3h 1m

1 Introduction to Clinical Trials & SAS Environment
Understand the clinical trial landscape and the basic SAS programming structure.
5 lessons · 30 min
  1. The Lifecycle of a Clinical Trial
    Understanding how data flows from a patient to a regulatory submission.
    6 min
  2. Navigating the SAS Interface
    Getting comfortable with the SAS Studio editor, log, and output windows.
    5 min
  3. SAS Syntax 101: Rules of the Game
    Learning the basic structure of DATA steps and PROC steps.
    7 min
  4. Regulatory Requirements in Programming
    Why traceability and documentation are mandatory in clinical trials.
    6 min
  5. The Role of the SAS Programmer
    Understanding the programmer's contribution to the Clinical Study Report (CSR).
    6 min
2 Data Acquisition and Basic Manipulation
Learn how to bring external data into SAS and perform basic modifications.
5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Importing Raw Data Files
    Using PROC IMPORT to read CSV and Excel files into SAS datasets.
    6 min
  2. Defining Variable Attributes
    Setting labels, formats, and lengths to make data readable.
    6 min
  3. Filtering Data with WHERE
    Selecting specific subsets of clinical data for analysis.
    5 min
  4. Sorting and Organizing Data
    Using PROC SORT to prepare data for merging and reporting.
    6 min
  5. Creating New Variables
    Using assignment statements to calculate new data points.
    7 min
3 Data Cleaning and Integrity
Master the techniques for ensuring clinical data is accurate and compliant.
5 lessons · 32 min
  1. Identifying Missing Values
    Detecting null entries in critical clinical fields.
    6 min
  2. Handling Outliers
    Using logic to flag values that fall outside expected clinical ranges.
    6 min
  3. Data Type Conversions
    Converting character strings to numeric values for calculation.
    7 min
  4. Conditional Logic with IF-THEN
    Cleaning data based on specific clinical conditions.
    6 min
  5. Merging Datasets
    Combining demographic data with clinical findings using MERGE.
    7 min
4 CDISC Standards: SDTM and ADaM
Understand and apply the industry-standard data models for clinical submissions.
5 lessons · 31 min
  1. Introduction to CDISC
    Why standardized data is required by the FDA and EMA.
    5 min
  2. SDTM: Tabulating Raw Data
    The structure of Study Data Tabulation Model domains.
    6 min
  3. Mapping to SDTM Domains
    Converting raw source data into the SDTM DM (Demographics) domain.
    7 min
  4. ADaM: Analysis-Ready Data
    The purpose of the Analysis Data Model in statistical testing.
    6 min
  5. Creating ADaM Variables
    Deriving analysis flags and baseline indicators in ADaM.
    7 min
5 Statistical Reporting and Tables
Generate the core tables and summaries required for clinical reports.
5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Summarizing Continuous Data
    Using PROC MEANS to calculate mean, median, and standard deviation.
    6 min
  2. Frequency Counts for Categorical Data
    Using PROC FREQ to generate counts and percentages for adverse events.
    6 min
  3. Formatting for the CSR
    Applying user-defined formats to make tables professional.
    6 min
  4. Subgroup Analysis
    Generating summaries by treatment group or site.
    6 min
  5. Exporting Results
    Using ODS (Output Delivery System) to create PDF or RTF reports.
    6 min
6 Validation and Quality Control
Verify the accuracy of your work through systematic error-checking.
5 lessons · 28 min
  1. Reading the SAS Log
    Identifying errors, warnings, and notes that impact data integrity.
    5 min
  2. Comparing Datasets
    Using PROC COMPARE to validate data against a gold standard.
    6 min
  3. Logic Checks and Range Validation
    Writing code to verify that clinical dates and values are logical.
    6 min
  4. The Concept of Double Programming
    Why two programmers write the same code to ensure accuracy.
    5 min
  5. Final Data Integrity Review
    A checklist for ensuring your dataset is ready for submission.
    6 min
Final project

The Mini-Clinical Study Report

You will take a raw dataset of patient vitals, clean it, map it to a simplified SDTM structure, and produce a validated summary table showing the average heart rate by treatment group.

What you'll get

  • 📜 Certificate of completion
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  • 💬 Personal AI tutor
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  • ♾️ Lifetime access
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  • 📱 Phone or computer
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  • 💸 14-day refund
    No questions asked
  • ⚡ Short & focused
    3h 1m of practical content

Certificate of completion

Every course you complete on PickAClass issues a credential like this — original, with its own code, verifiable by URL, and detailed about what was actually demonstrated.

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PickAClass
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Certificate of Mastery
This certifies that
Name Surname
has successfully demonstrated mastery of
Clinical Data Analysis with SAS for Beginners
Skills demonstrated
✓
Behavioral pattern analysis
Foundational
1.2 hrs
✓
Decision-architecture frameworks
Proficient
1.4 hrs
✓
A/B test design
Proficient
1.7 hrs
✓
Behavioral copywriting
Advanced
1.9 hrs
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PickAClass — Name Surname
Clinical Data Analysis with SAS for Beginners
Page 2 of 2
Performance detail
Coursework summary
Lessons completed 14 / 14
Practice questions 26 / 28
Assignments submitted 4 (avg 4.5 / 5)
Capstone project Reviewed — 4.6 / 5
Total practice 6.2 hrs
Performance benchmark
Cohort rank Top 12% of 1,625
Time to completion 11 days (median: 22)
Mastery score 91 / 100
Practice-question score 94%
Skill verification Verified Skill Path
Verify this credential
pickaclass.com/certificates/PCC-2026-X4F7-AP19
Issued under the academic standards of PickAClass. Skill levels reflect assessed performance against the course's competency rubric. This is an original credential of this platform.

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