How to set up and manage a trainee-led research collaborative

Abstract

BackgroundEnsuring that doctors in training acquire sufficient knowledge, experience and understanding of medical research is a universal and longstanding issue which has been brought into sharper focus by the growth of evidence based medicine. All healthcare systems preparing doctors in training for practice have to balance the acquisition of specific clinical attitudes, knowledge and skills with the wider need to ensure doctors are equipped to remain professionally competent as medical science advances. Most professional medical bodies acknowledge that this requires trainee doctors to experience some form of research education, not only in order to carry out original research, but to acquire sufficient academic skills to become accomplished research consumers in order to remain informed throughout their professional practice. There are many barriers to accomplishing this ambitious aim.DiscussionThis article briefly explains why research collaboratives are necessary, describes how to establish a collaborative, and recommends how to run one. It is based on the experiences of the pioneering West Midlands Research Collaborative and draws on the wider literature about the organisation and delivery of high quality research projects. Practical examples of collaborative projects are given to illustrate the potential of this form of research organisation.SummaryThe new trainee-led research collaboratives provide a supportive framework for planning, ownership and delivery of high quality multicentre research. This ensures clinical relevance, increases the chances of research findings being translated into changes in practice and should lead to improved patient outcomes. Research collaboratives also enhance the research skills and extend the scientific horizons of doctors in training.

Surgical Collaborative Research (SCoRe): a model to improve research output among surgical trainees

“…Drawing lessons learnt from the successful development of trainee‐led research collaborative in the UK, we propose that a modified team‐based research model to fit a local setting may be the solution to improve research productivity and output among surgical trainees in Australasia. Apart from sharing the workload, having small groups of trainees working together has other benefits such as maintaining high levels of motivation and commitment, supporting complex problem‐solving and brainstorming for new ideas.…”

The Breast Cancer Trainees Research Collaborative Group: A New Multidisciplinary Network to Facilitate Breast Cancer Research

“…Trainee-driven collaborative research is a relatively recent phenomenon in the UK, but has already led to a substantial increase in trainee research participation [3]. Initial advances were pioneered by the surgical trainee-led West Midlands Research Collaborative (WMRC), which was set up in 2007 to deliver high-quality, multicentre clinical research that will positively affect clinical practice and patient care [4]. One of its major achievements was the prospective, multicentre, randomised controlled ROSSINI trial [5], which investigated the application of wound edge protector devices to prevent surgical site infections.…”

Launch of the Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative

“…5 To date, at least 27 collaboratives have been established in the UK, with the evidence suggesting that these geographically distant groups working in collaboration not only facilitate the completion of large-scale research studies but also enhance the research skills of their participants. 6 Given the evidence favouring the role of trainee-led research collaboratives in facilitating high-quality multicentre studies, we launched the Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative (CNRC) 7 in December of 2015 (www.neuronetwork.ca). The objectives of the CNRC are as follows:…”