Conducting and publishing clinical research

Abstract

Conducting and publishing clinical research Reflexões sobre elaboração e publicação de pesquisas clínicas L earning how to devise and conduct clinical studies can be an ambitious goal, but it is perfectly feasible. The most important step in this learning process is perhaps the initial reflection, which is the basis for planning each step of the training requirements, bearing in mind that even the great researchers have not learned overnight (1). Even if the ultimate goal (learning to research) is intimidating, the challenge becomes more manageable if it is taken in steps. Thus, a novice researcher must first get organised in order to set and meet his/her learning tasks, which can be further divided into mini-tasks. Completing each mini-task is a rewarding experience, providing immediate satisfaction for a long-term task. The human brain prefers activities that are immediately rewarding, such as hunting, to long-term rewards, such as saving firewood. Therefore, we have a tendency to postpone tasks that will provide a distant benefit (for example, studying for a test) in favour of those providing instant pleasure (for example, going out with friends) (2,3). Thus, to achieve the ultimate goal, we suggest that training should be broken down into tasks, and these into mini-tasks that are objective and easy to perform, as follows: 1) The first task is to learn how to find articles in electronic databases, which can be subdivided into mini-tasks: finding a local library and scheduling a practical training with a librarian (main databases, keywords, search tools, etc.); searching for papers on topics related to your area of expertise; checking the bibliography of papers found in your search in order to identify recently-published, relevant studies not found in the initial search, and then determining and correcting the reasons why these articles were not found initially. 2) The next learning task would be to critically analyse the literature in order to determine which of the articles found in your electronic search are methodologically correct and therefore reliable. The mini-tasks in this case would include: reading books and texts on scientific methodology, with particular attention to chapters on systematic errors (bias); carefully reading the Methods section of papers published in scientific journals, practicing how to identify the methodological qualities of some papers and the biases of others (4). After completing these two tasks you will feel more confident, especially when you realise that you can now continuously update your medical knowledge through scientific publications, determining the subject of articles to be searched and discarding studies that are methodologically inadequate. Furthermore, setting smaller tasks that are easy to perform and provide immediate rewards (readily apparent benefits) while keeping the focus on your main goal helps to optimise the learning process and to make it more enjoyable. 3) The next step would be to choose a research topic. Its mini-tasks would include: choosing, within...