Case

Margaret Bearman (@margaret_bea) was our special guest for this month’s episode. She is the course convenor of the Grad Cert in Clinical Simulation at Monash University in Melbourne, and Deputy Director of the NHET sim program (listen also to our Pause and Discuss on this program)

Margaret’s first piece of advice was to read widely; to think about how our scholarly work can contribute to ‘the research conversation’. This means we can see what others have done, how they did it, and where the gaps and new questions are. Margaret credited the concept of this conversation to Lorelei Lingard, who has also a written wonderful series on academic writing well worth reading for budding manuscript authors.

The journals recommended were:

• Simulation in Healthcare

Plus general health professional education journals like The Clinical Teacher

Various experts / research summits have also resulted in publications on current opportunities and priorities in healthcare research ( and here)

Acquiring and refining research skills was the next recommendation. Our ‘positivist’ world view (think hypothesis testing, RCTs etc) that many clinicians share may not prepare us well for all the methods that are needed for the current research questions in healthcare simulation. Those interested might consider looking at approaches like realist evaluation.

A range of strategies was suggested including courses (including broader health professional educational research skills), mentors and collaboration, using library resources, and conference workshops/ sessions (like this one by William McGaghie planned for Sim Health in September this year).

Margaret also shared some of her current work as an example of the elements of putting a research project together. Thanks again to Margaret Bearman for such an insightful and informed perspective.