I am asking this for a member... hoping to get some discussion / dialogue.
What resources would you suggest for learning how to conduct clinical research?
Books?
Online Courses?
etc.
Thanks!
Laurie
Resources for Conducting Research
Resources for Conducting Research
LAURIE EDGE-HUGHES
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David Lane
- Posts: 164
- Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:51 pm
Re: Resources for Conducting Research
From my own n=1 experience….
I was in private practice, and had zero experience with research, but suddenly needed to get 2 papers under my belt if I wanted to become an ACVSMR. I started by reading a book on stats (I think LEH recommended it), which gave me a rudimentary refresher course that at least allowed me to sound like a 1st year BSc student when talking to my statistician. However, it would not have allowed me to do my own statistics. In fact, nothing that I could have read would have enabled me to complete the research on my own – having a mentor was essential.
As it was, facebook saved my bacon; I was facebook friends with someone I was a casual friend with in high school (Sarah), whom I hadn’t seen in over 20 years, whom I otherwise would have completely lost touch with and never noticed, and who lives on the other side of the country. Because of her status updates though, I learned she taught statistics at a military college. I still haven’t seen her face to face since high school, but we’ve written 3 papers together. Without her, I would never have been able to pull it off. I designed the research, executed the data collection, and wrote early drafts of the papers, but without Sarah’s guidance and statistical knowledge, the papers would have died there.
So that is my advice… find someone with research experience. It doesn’t have to be vet specific experience, just experience. Someone with academic connections is even better. One of the 1st barriers that you need to address is ethics approval of the research – if you are not affiliated with a university, then getting it can be tough and no publisher will go near you if you haven’t confirmed that you are playing by the rules. Aside from facebook friending your old high school buddies, I have no idea how someone in private practice convinces a person to be your mentor.
David Lane
I was in private practice, and had zero experience with research, but suddenly needed to get 2 papers under my belt if I wanted to become an ACVSMR. I started by reading a book on stats (I think LEH recommended it), which gave me a rudimentary refresher course that at least allowed me to sound like a 1st year BSc student when talking to my statistician. However, it would not have allowed me to do my own statistics. In fact, nothing that I could have read would have enabled me to complete the research on my own – having a mentor was essential.
As it was, facebook saved my bacon; I was facebook friends with someone I was a casual friend with in high school (Sarah), whom I hadn’t seen in over 20 years, whom I otherwise would have completely lost touch with and never noticed, and who lives on the other side of the country. Because of her status updates though, I learned she taught statistics at a military college. I still haven’t seen her face to face since high school, but we’ve written 3 papers together. Without her, I would never have been able to pull it off. I designed the research, executed the data collection, and wrote early drafts of the papers, but without Sarah’s guidance and statistical knowledge, the papers would have died there.
So that is my advice… find someone with research experience. It doesn’t have to be vet specific experience, just experience. Someone with academic connections is even better. One of the 1st barriers that you need to address is ethics approval of the research – if you are not affiliated with a university, then getting it can be tough and no publisher will go near you if you haven’t confirmed that you are playing by the rules. Aside from facebook friending your old high school buddies, I have no idea how someone in private practice convinces a person to be your mentor.
David Lane
David Lane DVM
ACVSMR, CVA, CVSMT, CCRP
ACVSMR, CVA, CVSMT, CCRP
Re: Resources for Conducting Research
Members;
I am very interested in doing some research in testing fitness in dogs. I have an outline of the research parameters, and a partial sponsor. What i don't have is support from someone to mentor me. From What David posted, it looks like i need to find someone that knows research and how to do stats...Anyone have any ideas on how to proceed? My thought process for this research is that we need to figure out how fitness plays in injury prevention...Thoughts?
tania
I am very interested in doing some research in testing fitness in dogs. I have an outline of the research parameters, and a partial sponsor. What i don't have is support from someone to mentor me. From What David posted, it looks like i need to find someone that knows research and how to do stats...Anyone have any ideas on how to proceed? My thought process for this research is that we need to figure out how fitness plays in injury prevention...Thoughts?
tania