Natural Language Processing (NLP) - A One-Day Introductory Workshop

This one-day workshop provides a practical introduction to Natural Language Processing (NLP) with a focus on health records. Designed for MQ Mental Health Research and DATAMIND, and led by Dr. Angus Roberts from King’s College London, the workshop covers key NLP techniques, such as representing language as data, machine learning for text classification, and using neural networks. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Python-based tools and learn how to apply these methods to analyze electronic health records, with a focus on health research.

What is Natural Language Processing (NLP)?

Natural Language Processing (NLP) combines computer science, linguistics, and artificial intelligence to enable computers to understand and process human language. In health research, NLP is essential for analysing large amounts of unstructured text data, such as electronic health records, medical notes, and research documents. It helps extract meaningful information, identify patterns, and improve outcomes like diagnosis, treatment, and decision-making.

What will you learn?

This course offers an introduction to NLP and its application in health research, with a focus on electronic health records. You’ll learn essential techniques for representing and analysing text, explore neural networks and generative AI, and gain practical experience building simple NLP tools using Python. The course also explains how NLP fits into health research and how to apply it effectively.

Who this course is for?

This course is aimed at early-career health researchers who are interested in learning the basics of NLP and its application to electronic health record text. It is not intended for those with a strong background in computer science or data science, though they are welcome to join and may gain a fresh perspective. The course focuses on practical skills rather than theory, though additional reading resources will be provided for further learning.

Introduction to NLP
Representing Language: Documents
Representing Words: Vector Semantics
Exploring Word Embeddings
Supervised Machine Learning for Text Classification
Introduction to Neural Networks
Generative AI & Transformers

You’ll be learning from Dr. Angus Roberts, a Senior Lecturer in Health Informatics at King’s College London. Angus has a background as a Biomedical Scientist in the NHS and transitioned into computer science, working as an NHS software developer. His interest in electronic health records led him to complete a PhD in Natural Language Processing (NLP) at the University of Sheffield. He currently researches various aspects of NLP applied to the electronic health record (EHR) and collaborates with the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, with much of his research focusing on mental health records.

Course Duration

The course includes pre-reading material and a one-day workshop session

When Can You Start?

You can begin by reviewing the pre-reading materials that were provided before the workshop. Although the live one-day session has already taken place, the materials are available below for you to explore and continue learning at your own pace.