Researcher Development Course

The course aims to enable participants to:

Module 1

• Search the literature comprehensively, in order to research the published literature prior to developing research or audit projects.  Also to enable participants to find appropriate papers for journal club review.
• Understand the commonly used terms and statistical techniques, and to interpret statistics used in quantitative research.
• Critically evaluate research papers so they can assess the value of the available evidence, and ensure it is incorporated into practice.
• Understand the processes required to set up a research project in clinical practice and appreciate why governance is required and what ethics committees look for in applications.
• Describe the stages involved in developing and completing a research project successfully, and describe the purpose and content of a research protocol/proposal.
• Understand the value of involving the patients and public in the research process.

Module 2

• Apply an evidence-based approach to the selection of outcome measures which are psychometrically robust and clinically practical.  
• Begin to understand qualitative research designs and methods of analysis.
• Describe the stages involved in preparing a grant application and appreciate some of the challenges faced.
• Understand the relevance of assessing the impact of research.
• Identify strategies to disseminate research results and findings, and to prepare successful conference presentations and papers for submission to peer review journals. 

The workshops have been designed specifically for healthcare staff.  Anyone interested in research and preparing to develop a research project will find them helpful.  All the workshops are designed to give basic skills and assume little prior knowledge.

The topics covered include:

Module 1 (Online)

• Searching the literature
  
• Understanding statistics in quantitative research
• Critical appraisal
• Writing your research protocol
• The setting up of a project
• Patient and public involvement in research

Module 2 (In-person)

• Selecting robust outcome measures
• Qualitative research methods
• Assessing the impact of research
• Getting research funding
• Disseminating your research 

All sessions incorporate mixed learning methods remotely and in-person, including lectures, discussion and practical exercises.  The searching the literature session is hands-on, giving you the opportunity to use the databases and undertake a small search during the workshop. The statistics session is very practical and apart from basic maths you would learn at school, makes no assumptions about prior statistical knowledge. 

For Module 1 you will need a reliable internet connection and a desktop computer or laptop. Further details will be sent to registered participants nearer the time of each module.

A limited number of bursary funded places are available for NMAHPPs (Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals, Healthcare Scientists, Pharmacy Staff and Psychologists) working at Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Complete application form before 16 August 2024 to be considered for a funded place.

Other funding opportunities are available for AHSC staff (Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research).

To find out more visit the CATO website or contact CATO for further information.