Training activity information
Details
Discuss and agree a research question for your MSc project with your training officer/workplace supervisor, including the reason this question needs answering.
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
What are the intended outcomes of the training activity?
- Consider the aims of developing and agreeing the project proposal.
- Review the learning outcomes which relate to identifying a valid project question and planning/preparing for a project to improve patient care, to help contextualise your preparation and focus your attention.
- What specific knowledge of research methodology, ethics, data protection, or Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) do you need before embarking on this activity?
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain regarding the validity and necessary justification of your proposed research question?
- Think about what you already know about the task/activity of defining a robust research question.
- What assumptions about your project’s scope or feasibility do you anticipate testing or confirming during this agreement process?
What actions will you take in preparation for the experience?
- Preparation involves planning how you will ensure a productive discussion to agree on the research question and its justification.
- Discuss the training activity with your training officer/supervisor to gain consensus for the research question.
- Consider possible challenges you might face in defining the project scope, incorporating PPI standards, or planning data analysis, and think about how you might handle these potential challenges.
- Identify how you feel about embarking on the process of agreeing the research question for your project. What is your justification for the question you wish to propose? What barriers do you anticipate to gaining agreement?
In action
What are you doing?
- As you draft the proposal, are you ensuring the project question remains valid and focused and aligned with the intended outcomes?
- What decisions are you making regarding the classification of the project (i.e., research, service improvement, or audit) as the proposal progresses?
How are you adapting to the situation?
- How are you actively considering and incorporating ethical requirements and PPI standards throughout the drafting process?
- What challenges are you facing during the agreement process, and how effective are you in reaching a consensus?
- How are you adapting your approach based on feedback or guidance sought from your training officer/supervisor while developing the proposal?
On action
What did you notice?
- What were the key elements of the research question that were agreed upon, and what specific issues regarding methodology or ethics required discussion?
- Were there any unexpected challenges or successes during the activity? What did you learn from these?
- Was patient care improvement central to the formulation of the research question?
What did you learn from the activity?
- What skills (e.g., structured planning, risk assessment, synthesis of complex requirements) did you develop or improve during the process of drafting and agreeing the research question?
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- What specific actions or ‘next steps’ will you take to address any outstanding development areas identified, such as refining the data management plan?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- How has the experience of developing this research question contributed to your holistic understanding of the research project lifecycle in healthcare?
- How does the learning from this training activity relate to the wider requirement for evidence-based practice in healthcare?
How have these experiences impacted upon your current practice?
- How have you applied the knowledge and developed your skills (e.g., in communication or planning) since the original experience?
- How will the learning support you to develop skills for other training activities, such as communication skills, presentation skills, or writing reports?
How might these experiences contribute towards your future practice?
- Identify how the lessons learned from defining the research question will inform your approach to professional work in your future career.
- Considering this training activity, how might you refine your approach to managing a project, including aspects like time management and risk, in your future career as a Clinical Scientist?
- What strategies will you continue to employ in the future to ensure you efficiently define and justify necessary projects for continued professional development?
- Identify clear actions for continued development of the skills introduced through this activity.
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Identify a valid project question. |
| # 2 |
Outcome
Plan and prepare for a project to improve patient care. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Critically appraise the needs and drivers for a project |