So why should you care or even think or try research?
How can you as a ‘everyday’ GP do/partake in research?
Objectives/overview
• Background to me and my role/journey• Different ways to be part of research• Research types/methods• How to come up with an idea• Research Process• Ethics Applications
Who am I?
• GPEP2 Research Registrar • Waikato Faculty Rep• Honorary Academic in General Practice
– UoA• GP in Te Awamutu• Medical Advisor – Midlands Health
Network
Who are you all?
• Where are you currently working?• What stage of GPEP are you at?• Any prior experience in research?• Any interest in research?• If so where/what field?
Asking a question
• Each day health care practitioners have questions about patients they are treating:– How common is this condition? – How accurate is this diagnostic test? – What is the best treatment? – What is the likely prognosis for this
patient?
Research Types
• Quantitative– RCT/case control/cohort etc – all the usual
big medical stuff
• Qualitative– Talking to people – education/ lifestyle
change
Ways of doing research
• In practice audit – CQI• Local audit – groups of practices• Part of university course• Join up with other experienced
researchers• Lead own project• Academic Teaching
Why is research important?
• Informs our decision making• Furthers the cultural growth of primary
care• Real in the field work – not academic• Not top down - secondary based
– Do we know this applies to primary care?
Why is research important?
• Studying the natural history or prevalence of common problems and major diseases
• Understanding how patients, families, communities, and systems deal with health and illness
• Improving doctor-patient communication, decision making, and partnership
• Testing systems to improve patient satisfaction, safety, and outcomes
Primary care research includes: – Translating science into the practice of medicine
and caring for patients – Understanding how to better organize health care
to meet patient and population needs – Evaluating innovations to provide the best health
care to patients – Engaging patients, communities, and practices to
improve health
Simplified & Repeated
• Observational study to show what is really there
• Show how well we are or aren’t doing things
• Show how hospital studies show one thing – real world shows another
• Shows things with a patient focus
• Master of Medical Science/Masters of General Practice
• Taught masters– Dissertation (60 Points)– and 60 points from the courses listed in the Master
of Medical Science Schedule, including an approved research methods course if such a course has not already been passed.
• Research masters– Research Portfolio (90 Points) and 30 points from
approved courses listed in the Master of Medical Science Schedule.
A group of practices devoted to the primary care of patients, and affiliated in their mission to investigate questions and to improve the quality of primary care.
PBRNs often link practicing clinicians with investigators experienced in clinical and health services research, while at the same time enhancing the research skills of the network members.
1. Choose a broad topicCLINICAL QUESTION OR INTEREST
2. Get and overview of the topicWHAT HAS BEEN DONE ALREADY
3. Narrow the topicACTUAL CLINICAL PART YOU WANT TO
KNOW4. Develop thesis/ purpose statement
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL AIM/ RESEARCH QUESTION
Research process
Research process
• Plan for research and production• QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU
• Find, analyse, evaluate sources• HOW YOU MIGHT OBTAIN INFO• Have practice runs – need collection form for
ethics
Ethics Committees
• POPLHLTH 701 – essentially the assignment is ethic application so can do both with one go
• Expedited review cover here – full ethics a lot more work and definitely needs input
• Essential for publishing, even things covered under QI initiatives
• We all need to know how to answer clinical questions
• Using local info far more powerful than overseas
• If nothing else – audit in your own practice, but think about getting ethics application and teaming up with others in your area
• Think about a PG Dip – can always add the masters part later
General Tips
• If you have an idea – talk to someone• If you are interested in research but
have no idea talk to someone• Watch for scope creep• Be prepared for set backs
Some resources
• http://www.researchtoolkit.org/• www.annfammed.org • Journal of Primary Health Care
Limits – different year/study types etc
*Truncation - Search for different word stems and word endings
$Wild cards – search for spelling variants
Database searching