Picking the Right Research Question (2015)

Item Type Lecture/Address; Poster/Presentation

Authors Roghmann, Mary-Claire

Publication Date 2015-08-03

Keywords clinical research; research mentor; research question; Research--Methodology

Download date 01/10/2021 22:17:08

Item License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10713/4820 Overview

• Why should I do research? Picking the Right • How do I find a mentor? Research Question • How do I pick my research question? Mary-Claire Roghmann, MD, MS • How do I answer the question? Department of Epidemiology and Public Health

Why do research? Overview

• Explore research as a career option • Why should I do research? – Undergraduate Student • How do I find a mentor? • Grad School vs. Professional School • How do I pick my research – Professional Student/Resident/Clinical Fellow question? • Academic Medicine/Pharma • How do I answer the question? • Develops critical thinking/problem solving skills/team work that is needed in healthcare (and other fields)

Before you look for a mentor Before you look for a mentor I II • Know what you want from mentor • List the specific opportunities you – Personal role model want – Academic guidance – Lab skills vs. presentations vs. – Research mentor manuscripts vs. grant writing • Know what you want out of the • Write down your professional goals research experience – Immediate: 3 months –Time frame – Short term: 1 year – Skill set, poster, publication – Long term: 5 years

Roghmann 1 Expectations for a Research Surveying the Landscape Project- MD et al. Scientist Track • Meet with faculty you know throughout • High school • Resident the institution – Do anything your – Initiate a simple – Ask for other recommendations for people mentor wants you to project who might be a good fit do • Clinical Fellow •The time issue • Undergraduate – Initiate and/or – Make clear from initial meetings what you want – Follow a single participate in multiple project projects – Be persistent- follow through • Market yourself • Professional •Junior Faculty • Tell the mentor how s/he can be helpful – Participate in all – Initiate a complex aspects of a project project • Be appreciative from the start

Expectations for a Research Overview Project- PhD Scientist Track • High school •Post doc • Why should I do research? – Do anything your – Initiate and/or mentor wants you to participate in multiple • How do I find a mentor? do complex projects • How do I pick my research • Undergraduate •Junior Faculty – Follow a single – Initiate a portfolio of question? project projects • How do I answer the question? •Graduate – Initiate multiple simple projects

Review Review literature, Critically literature, Critically Research Conceptual Research Conceptual clinical synthesize clinical synthesize question hypotheses question hypotheses experience, information experience, information theory theory

Use Use Process Process information information Test Test about study about study hypotheses hypotheses design and design and Content Content data data

Specify Specify Data from Specific steps to Operational Data from Specific steps to Operational study aims test hypotheses study aims test hypotheses hypotheses hypotheses

Roghmann 2 Research Questions Problem vs. Topic

• Capture the uncertainty about a • A difficult problem • Brain tumors are a health problem that the in treating brain difficult problem as tumors is their reflected by their investigator can resolve resistance to poor prognosis. We – Specific, clear and focused traditional are interested in chemotherapy due learning more about –Not a topic partly to the blood the blood brain • No shortage of questions brain barrier which barrier, an important – But defining the problem takes time prevent access. In first step in order to address…. developing more effective therapy

Topic vs. Problem Develop a Research Problem that

•Patients with MRSA •Patients with MRSA • Matches your (and your mentor’s) infections have a infections often background and training higher mortality receive inadequate – Closeness of match to mentor depends on than patients with empiric antibiotic your level of training MSSA infections. therapy which may • Will have an impact on the field Understanding the contribute to their – Advance scientific knowledge (concepts, risk factors for poorer outcomes. In methods, technologies) MRSA infection will order to address • Is a logical next step from what is known help us prevent this issue, we have – what you have done if you are faculty these infections. developed a new – Change how we diagnose, treat, prevent algorithm for empiric disease (clinical practice) …

Origins of a Research Origins of a Research Question I Question II • Master the literature • Be alert to new ideas and techniques – Gain from the experience of others – Skeptical attitude towards prevailing • Mentors, colleagues beliefs – Learn about new technologies – Write a meta-analyses or systemic review in your area of interest • Keep your mind open to questions – Observation of patients • Health Sciences Library Resources –Teaching – Attend professional meetings • During rounds • Recent work in posters and presentations • Preparing a lecture

Cummings, Browner, Hulley, Designing Clinical Research, 2001 Cummings, Browner, Hulley, Designing Clinical Research, 2001

Roghmann 3 Research Question must be Is it Feasible?

• Are there an adequate number of FFeasible subjects? I Interesting – Sample size calculations • Is there adequate technical expertise in NNovel how the variables are measured? EEthical • Affordable in time and money R Relevant – <250K/year • Manageable in scope Cummings, Browner, Hulley, 2001

Is it Interesting? Is it Novel?

• Anticipate the Results before Doing • Will it contribute new information? the Study (Expected Outcomes) – Thorough review of the literature –Consultation with experts – Is it interesting to you? – Searching NIH Reporter • What would you do next? • Does the project employ or develop new – Is it interesting to others? concepts, approaches, methodologies, •Mentors tools or technologies? • Colleagues – Peer-reviewed publication/Study Section Adapted from Kahn, NEJM, 1994 • Funding agencies http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm

A question need not be totally Is it Ethical? original. • whether a previous observation can • Can the question be answered without be replicated harming the patient? • whether the findings in one • Benefits must outweigh risk. population also apply to others • confirmatory study is particularly useful if it avoids the weaknesses of • Seek IRB approval before you submit previous studies your grant – Human Subjects Section

http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm

Roghmann 4 Review literature, Critically Research Conceptual clinical synthesize Is it Relevant? question hypotheses experience, information theory • Will it

Use – guide further research? Process information Test •logical next step about study hypotheses design and Content – change clinical management? data • diagnosis, treatment, prevention – influence health policy? • Clinical or public health guidelines Specify Data from Specific steps to Operational study aims test hypotheses hypotheses Adapted from Kahn, NEJM, 1994

Hypotheses Hypothesis Template

• Testable propositions that can be accepted or rejected on the basis of empirical observations derived Exposure Disease from your study Study Variable Outcome Variable – Specify two or more variables • measurable Independent Dependent – Specify how the variables are related Variable Variable •increase •decrease

Outline for Evaluating Hypotheses

• What is the hypothesis? Is it Classroom Exercise: testable? Critique of Hypotheses • What are the variables? – Which is the outcome variable (dependent variable, disease)? – Which is the study variable (independent variable, exposure)? – Are they measurable? – How are they related?

Roghmann 5 Write a hypothesis from a Write a hypothesis research question I from a research question II • Data set: 1400 women who • Study variable • Hormone underwent elective hysterectomy replacement for non-malignant reasons; followed therapy for complications and quality of life measures over the next two years • Outcome variable • Weight change • Research question: Do women on hormone replacement therapy • Relationship •Increase (HRT) gain more weight?

Write a hypothesis Overview from a research question III • Women on hormone replacement • Why should I do research? therapy will have an increase in • How do I find a mentor? their weight compared to pre- • How do I pick my research hysterectomy compared to women question? not on hormone replacement • How do I answer the question? therapy.

Review literature, Critically Research Conceptual clinical synthesize question hypotheses Specific Aim experience, information theory • Exact statements of what you want to do in the proposed project Use Process – What you need to do to test the hypotheses information Test about study • “Experiment” or study hypotheses design and Content • Design and methods data – An aim has a working hypothesis • Project = 1-2 aims at most • Grant = 3-5 aims at most Specify Data from Specific steps to Operational study aims test hypotheses hypotheses

Roghmann 6 Specific aims direct your grant Specific aim (and your research project) •For each aim • Perform a secondary analysis of an – Experimental design and methods existing cohort study of women –Hypothesis immediately post-hysterectomy to – Data and Analysis estimate the effect of hormone • to test your hypothesis replacement therapy on weight gain after hysterectomy • Hypothesis: Women on hormone replacement therapy will have an increase in their weight compared to pre-hysterectomy compared to women not on hormone replacement therapy.

Sub-aims for testing Hypothesis

• Define and measure HRT • Define and measure change in weight Homework Assignment: • Evaluate the association between HRT and Review of Specific Aims weight change • Identify potential confounders and effect modifiers Will go over on Friday during • Develop a multiple variable model to estimate my grants talk the association between HRT and weight change

Course Objectives Conclusions

 Identify a research • Identify institutional question resources • Research provides tremendous • Pick a study design • Appreciate the ethical, opportunity for personal growth and legal and regulatory • Collect and manage data issues in human subjects professional advancement • Analyze data research • Write an abstract • Understand the • Choose your mentors and projects • Present a poster multidisciplinary nature with thought of research • Give an oral presentation • Recognize career opportunities in clinical • Publish a paper and translational •Have fun! • Prepare a grant research

Roghmann 7 Bibliography

• Chapter 2 Conceiving the Research Question in “Designing Clinical Research”, Hulley et al 4th Edition • Office of Research Career Development Grant writing workshops – http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/biomedical/ • Ronald Kahn. Picking a Research Question. NEJM, 1994, Vol 33, No. 21 p.1530

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