The world of research and academia from an outsider’s perspective looks different to different people; some people long to make the next biggest breakthrough in health care research, some long to lecture in their chosen subject, some people wish it all made more sense when they read through a journal for the next in-service training.
My view was a mixture of all three. I loved the perceived excitement of finding novel research and sharing it with the world but the unpredictability of research scared me. I was intrigued as to what it might be like to educate the physiotherapists of the future but was worried I didn’t have enough knowledge or experience to share with them. I experienced problems in the clinical workplace that I didn’t have the answers to and couldn’t find the answers in the research but thought I just wasn’t looking in the right place.
That’s where my journey into the world of research and academia started. It began with what seemed like a small and unassuming service development project, well so I thought. But, you were right to think that the phrase ‘unassuming service development project’ is a complete oxymoron. The project itself was broad and multifaceted, even including a feasibility study of a developed resource. I began my journey thinking my project was going to done and dusted at the end of my leadership course (CSP Leadership Development Course), however I was so naïve. The project was so much more than a service development project and I realised quickly that my undergraduate research skills weren’t going to equip me for working full time in an already stretched department, with limited time to manage a project of this size. So I looked to other options. The short version is a few months later, after a testing application and interview process, I was awarded a National Institute of Health Research/Health Education England funded place to complete a Masters by Research at Coventry University.
Sorted I thought, I will take my project and with my protected time I will be able to make a change in the next two years. Again, I was naïve in my approach for thinking I would be able to undertake such a large study as part of a masters’ programme. With the help and guidance of my supervisory team I was able to narrow down my area of research, such that, I was able to focus my research question to answer one of my questions and hopefully inform future research into the topic. As a community paediatric physiotherapist, I had a real interest into how we can use information to empower children and young people to manage their long-term conditions, particularly those children with cerebral palsy. NICE guidelines suggest that information can help towards successful management of these children and suggest topics of information, that as healthcare professionals, we should share with families. What I didn’t know is how this was currently implemented into clinical practice, particularly by physiotherapists and occupational therapists. As providers of information, therapists are often key resources in bridging the gap between medical management and management of the child’s wider environment. Therefore, my research aims to find out the current physiotherapy and occupational therapy information needs of caregivers of children, living in the UK with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. My research aims to focus around the period of transition from primary to secondary school and how information can be used to support this time in children’s lives.
As I start the second year of my masters I have already learnt so many value research skills that I plan to integrate into clinical practice as I hopefully continue onto develop a clinical academic career pathway. The aim is to continue to use connections and networks to direct new research to answer prominent clinical problems, helping to build the body of evidence for the benefit of therapies in the community and in particular, paediatrics. This body of evidence is essential in showing the worth of therapies and helping to secure funding for vital services throughout the country. As therapists we are perfectly placed to do this and use of skills and knowledge to empower our patients and their families.
To this end, it is key to remember that no matter what grade therapist you are, or where you are in your career, you have something to offer to the world of research and in turn clinical practice. What I have learnt is the world of research and academia is at times challenging to the ‘outside’ clinician but we all have so much to offer and in turn it has so much to offer us in our clinical practice. So, for those of you debating if you are reading the right research or have a clinical problem that you can’t find the answer to, look to the research and challenge yourself to find the answer. The uncertainty, the ups and downs and stepping out of your clinical comfort zone is definitely worth it!
Amy Howells
Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist – Sunflower Centre, Stourbridge
NIHR/HEE Masters in Research Student – Coventry University
APCP regional Treasurer – West Midlands