| Medical advances are moving at a rapid pace in nearly every therapeutic area. However, the translation and implementation of these advances into clinical practice fall sharply behind. Moving the latest, most effective medical treatments from bench to bedside is critical in order to provide the best patient care and to achieve optimal health outcomes. Physicians and other research professionals possessing strong fundamental research skills with a deep understanding of the scientific method are essential to the successful translation of new treatments and therapies. For several years, the scientific community has witnessed a steady decline in the number of physicians choosing to serve as research investigators, significantly impacting the availability of research studies for patients seeking alternative treatments for their medical conditions, and delaying much needed medical advances in clinical practice. A primary identified cause for the declination of physician research investigators is a lack of research education among residents in our nation's residency training programs. The purpose of this research was to develop, implement, and evaluate an 8-week clinical research curriculum for neurology residents. Courses were designed to provide education in research methodology, study design, and statistical analysis in order to increase both knowledge and self-perceived competency in clinical research. This research provided a model for research education that consisted of protected research education time, while addressing residency accreditation requirements through advancing knowledge of basic research principles and building self-reported competency in research methods, design, and analysis. |
