ResearchIn 2001, the RPAP began targeted work on physician retention in support of its recruitment and medical education initiatives. The RPAP has developed initiatives that assist rural physicians to become involved with all types of medical research, and the RPAP has supported research studies in rural medical education, and rural physician recruitment and retention in the Province of Alberta.
Why Get Involved in Research?
Rural physicians may be compelled by certain patterns, questions or conundrums they witness or struggle with in their clinical practice. Maybe they have interest in a trend they see with a particular population. They may have hunches about treatment or diagnostic approaches that they want to better understand and share with others. Perhaps they want some data to make the case to decision makers or policy makers to support a particular program or treatment approach in their community. Research can be the centerpiece of much personal, professional and community development.
What are the barriers to research?
Barriers to conducting research include finding time to review the literature and write a protocol, securing funding, collecting and analyzing data and disseminating the results. Clinicians can find the conduct of research a challenge as a result of the day- to- day realities of a busy practice. Finding ways to overcome the barriers, however is do-able (Granger & Chulay, 1999).
The Research Process
What are the steps in the research process?
Research is not a strictly linear process, but there are some required steps to move an idea forward into a feasible research project. They include but are not limited to:
- Selecting important clinical research questions with significant clinical importance
- Compiling a research team
- Seeking funding if necessary (funds may be required to purchase equipment, pay for the services of data collectors, statisticians, typists, photocopying, etc)
- Simplifying the protocol development process to fit the busy clinician's day
- Getting protocols approved quickly by the appropriate ethics committees by understanding the approval process before you begin
- Making a plan for data collection and analysis
- Collecting data relevant to the research question
- Completing data analysis
- Communicating findings locally and regionally through presentations and publications.
Where and how do I get ethics approval?
Be informed about the ethical responsibilities associated with your study and document them clearly in your proposal. It is essential that you obtain formal ethical approval from a recognized ethics review board before you undertake any research project. If you are unsure whether a project is research or quality improvement, check with the research ethics board.
There are several places that can help you obtain ethical approval for a research project:
College of Physicians & Surgeons Research Ethics Review Committee
Reviews research proposals for all Alberta physicians not affiliated with the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, or the former Alberta Cancer Board.
www.cpsa.ab.ca/Services/Research_Ethics/Research_Ethics_Overview.aspx
University of Alberta Panel B (Health Research Ethics Board)
All research that involves living human participants.
www.hreb.ualberta.ca/
You can access an online tutorial to assist in your understanding of the ethical considerations in human subject research. The "Human Participant Protection Education for Research Teams" is intended for those involved in the design and conduct of research involving human subjects. The tutorial presents common concepts, principles and issues related to the protection ofdesigned for an American audience, it is recommended for those engaged in research that requires collecting data from human subjects, including the use of surveys and focus groups. Simply go to: http://cme.nci.nih.gov/.
Where can I find funding?
Depending on your topic, many organizations will fund specific research projects. The MS society funds research on multiple sclerosis, and other agencies fund research in their areas of interest. Many agencies such as the Cancer Society and the Lung Association fund smaller projects. Use Google or another search engine to look for sources of funding particular to your research project.
Canadian Institute for Health information (CIHI) has funding available but it is generally for larger research projects. There are funds available for graduate students.
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR): www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/779.html
AHFMR funds senior researchers in the province. The Foundation also provides support to students through studentship, fellowship, and clinical fellowship programs. Funding information is available at: www.ahfmr.ab.ca/researchers.php
Who can help me in the research process?
At the RPAP we realize that research in a rural setting can present barriers to the practicing physician. To that end, a research toolkit was developed. It is intended to help the novice rural Alberta "researcher". If you would like a copy of the toolkit, please go to the Contact Us page, which can be accessed via the RPAP home page.
If you are thinking about research, or are in some phase of your project that needs some assistance, contact the RPAP and we will direct you to the available research supports. Refer to Contact Us for the coordinates.
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