residency Research Projects
cprb competency based standards
CPRB Competency 3.6 - Demonstrate Project Management Skills
Standard
"The resident shall use effective project management skills to undertake, conduct and successfully complete a project related to pharmacy practice."
Requirement(s):
The resident shall be involved in project development, data collection, analysis and interpretation.
The resident shall prepare a written report of the project in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
The resident shall present and defend the outcomes of the project.
Project-Specific learning Goals & Objectives
Goal: Develop effective project management and research skills.
Objectives:
The resident will demonstrate the following skills as evidence of achieving the relevant competency:
Conduct of a systematic and thorough literature search, effective appraisal of the relevant literature, and demonstration of sound knowledge of the research topic. (CPRB 3.5.1.b.c, 3.6.1).
Active involvement in establishing the background and rationale for the project. (CPRB 3.6.1)
Active involvement in defining the research question(s) and designing suitable methodology to address the question(s). (CPRB 3.6.1)
Effective preparation of a study protocol, and obtainment of all required ethics and institutional approvals as required. (CPRB 3.6.1)
Conduct of the study as per protocol, and collection of relevant data in an appropriate, accurate, and timely manner. (CPRB 3.6.1)
Application of sound scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills in the analysis and interpretation of project data. (CPRB 3.4.1, 3.6.1)
Effective preparation of a project poster, presentation of the project, and defense of the conclusions at the annual BC Pharmacy Practice Residency Programs Residency Research Night and the Island Health Pharmacy Residency research event. (CPRB 3.5.2, 3.6.3)
Demonstration of sound scholarly writing skills through effective preparation of a project manuscript in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. (CPRB 3.6.2)
Effective teamwork and collaboration through application of skills in communication, negotiation and delegation. (CPRB 3.4.1)
Ability to work independently, with seeking out of input and guidance from other project team members as appropriate. (CPRB 3.4.1)
Reliability, follow-through on all assigned tasks, and the meeting of all deadlines set forth by the project team. (CPRB 3.4.1)
Project Development Process - From Idea to Proposal
Idea generation. Great projects can often be generated from questions or issues encountered in day-to-day practice. Consideration should be given to areas where existing literature is unavailable or incomplete. At this stage, collaboration with others can be an invaluable tool in moving a loosely defined idea along the path to becoming a meaningful research question. Potential preceptors are encouraged to contact the Program Coordinator for assistance even in the early stages of research idea development.
Closer examination - proposing the right project. Given time limitations, most residency projects should be retrospective or non-interventional (e.g. observational) in nature. Overall feasibility of the project and potential barriers that might exist, including access to patients and/or data, need for consent, and potential to reach sample size within a single site, must be considered. Careful thought should also be given to how results from a project will be applied.
Putting pen to paper – synthesis of the project proposal. Prior to offering the project to the residents, the preceptor is expected to submit a project proposal to the Program Coordinator. The proposal will include the following components:
Working title
Primary preceptor and co-preceptors
Practice issue and background information
Focused clinical/practice question (often expressed in "PICO" format - Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes)
Proposed study design and methodology
Anticipated benefit to the organization and/or patients
Plan for application of results
Project proposals are to be submitted using the Research Project Proposal Template (click on link to download form).
Project Proposal Review Process
Potential project preceptors will submit project proposals to the Program Coordinator for preliminary review, incorporating the input of other subject experts as required. Potential project preceptors will then have an opportunity to present their projects to the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC).
The proposals will be evaluated by the RAC using the following criteria:
Scientific merit of the study
Learning opportunities for the resident
Benefits to the pharmacy department/organization
Alignment with strategic priorities of the department and the organization
Feasibility to be completed within the residency year
Probability of meeting the requirements of the associated research ethics boards (e.g. UBC and Island Health)
A majority vote is required for the project to be considered viable and approved for inclusion in the year’s list of potential projects.
Project Assignment
Resident preference is taken into account insofar as possible in project assignment. Projects are matched to residents using the following process:
Project list. Approved project proposals are offered to the residents for consideration prior to the start of their residency.
Resident review of project list. Residents are encouraged to review the project offerings in detail, explore the related literature, and to contact the potential preceptors directly to confirm any projects of particular interest. This is the opportunity for the resident to confirm preceptor expectations around project timeline, co-investigator involvement (if applicable), time commitment, long-term strategy, etc.
Resident ranking of projects. Residents provide a ranked list of projects which is used in the project assignment process.
Project assignment. The Program Coordinator applies the residents’ ranked list to determine project assignment and then communicates the results to the residents. Every effort is made to assign projects before the beginning of the residency program; however, in the event of unforeseen circumstances, projects may be assigned no later than 30 days into the residency.
Preceptor Expectations
The primary preceptor is a pharmacist in Island Health who will assume the main responsibility for directing the resident’s project. The primary preceptor may choose to involve other individuals, internal and external to the Pharmacy Department, to share some of the precepting responsibilities.
Specifically, the primary preceptor is responsible for contributing the following to the residency project:
Time. Dedication of sufficient time to develop and lead the project, as well as guide the resident throughout the residency/project year. This will likely take some concentrated time at the beginning (10-20 hours the first month or two) and a minimum of approximately 4-5 hours per month.
General research knowledge and experience. Previous experience and knowledge in conducting research projects is ideal, but not always necessary. Collaboration with experienced investigators is often an effective strategy to overcome the barrier of limited knowledge and experience while at the same time dividing workload.
Knowledge of research ethics. Completion of the Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (TCPS 2) Tutorial Course on Research Ethics (CORE) is a requirement for all individuals conducting research in Island Health.
Familiarity with residency-specific research. An informed understanding of the requirements, timelines, and limitations of a 1-year residency project. These are outlined in the citation: Barletta JF. Conducting a Successful Residency Research Project. Am J Pharm Ed 2008;72(4): Article 92. (available upon request)
Regular contact. Commitment to be in communication with the resident regularly to ensure that timelines are established and respected and that the resident receives ongoing feedback on work completed. Intensity of feedback will vary, depending on the stage of the project (e.g. higher intensity during preparation for the annual BC Pharmacy Practice Residency Research Event).
Meaningful feedback. Commitment to provide informal and formal feedback, as required, at key stages of the residency project. Examples include participation in the editing process for: the project submission to ethics, project presentations, the final poster, and the final manuscript.
Formal evaluation. Commitment to provide written, substantive feedback on all aspects of the project.
Approval of final manuscript. Sign-off on the final version of the project manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.