Occupational Therapy News OTnews October 2018 | Page 41

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FEATURE
A summary of research-related roles
Role What’s involved?
Clinical academic Being engaged in clinical practice and research at the same time. Clinical practice can be
anywhere between 10 per cent and 50 per cent of the role.
Research assistant Being employed by a university or a research institute, often on a temporary contract, for the
purpose of assisting in academic research.
Teaching and research
associate Scholars and professionals that usually have an advanced degree beyond a bachelor’s degre e
who are involved in teaching. New teaching roles have been developed that allow people to
complete their PhD alongside teaching.
Research fellow An academic research position at a university who either leads a project as an independent
investigator or researches under the supervision of a principal investigator.
One occupational therapist described her research role: ‘I am
currently doing small research projects focused on acquired brain
injury cognitive functional… problems using whatever funding I
can get my hands on. Currently choosing to work just four days
clinical in a permanent contract in order to participate in research’ thinking about the future and plan the next stage of your career in
advance.
Speak to your supervisor and/or mentor. Supervisors, especially
at PhD level, have a responsibility to help students think about ‘What
next?’ If you do not have a mentor try to find one. Universities and
(@SimpsonResearch).
The twitter discussion suggested that, although pure research
roles may be hard to find, the general consensus was that a ‘clinical-
part-research’ role may help to ensure financial security and to
maintain the identity as an occupational therapy practitioner.
Taking on such a role may involve a little creative thinking and a
having a different approach to work roles. NHS trusts often have mentorship programmes if you are struggling
to locate someone yourself. It is important to keep researching to
develop and extend your skills.
Rewards and pitfalls in research
It is clear that having a research career may not be an easy ride,
with full-time research roles sometimes described as ‘isolating’
and generating feelings of ‘disconnectedness’ from the reality of
occupational therapy practice.
However, by using the skills and knowledge gained from clinical
experiences to help focus on what needs to be researched, working
in research has the potential to be a successful and rewarding career.
When discussing the desired position of a ‘clinical-part-research
role’ @BillWongOT tweeted: ‘I think the clinical aspect helps you
keep in touch with what needs to be researched.’
Arguably, the potential rewards compensate for the pitfalls of
working in a research role, benefitting not only our patients but
progressing the future of the occupational therapy profession.
Got my MSc or PhD, so where do I go now?
One of the issues that arose within occupational therapy was the
tendency for people to gain their occupational therapy qualification,
or to pursue postgraduate studies such as a master’s degree or
PhD, and then do no further research.
This is a loss of research capacity to the profession and appears
to be rooted in occupational therapists having no idea where to go
next to start, or continue, their research career.
One tweet, by @Amie_OT, summed this up as: ‘I just have no
idea where to go since finishing my MSc.’
Given that this transition from qualification to research career is
difficult, it makes sense whilst completing your MSc, or PhD, to start
Where do I find out about research roles?
One of the biggest barriers is the lack of awareness of information
regarding what research roles are available. Within our #OTalk
discussion, participants tweeted about the National Institute
for Health Research (NIHR) Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA)
Programmes, which provides personal research training awards for
healthcare professionals wishing to develop research careers (NHIR
2018).
The NIHR also provides funding for internships and fellowships.
These opportunities are also provided by charities such as the
Alzheimer’s Society and offer a way in for occupational therapists
wanting to work in research.
Networking at conferences and CPD events can also help, but
we have to have the confidence to create our own research career
paths and be prepared to make compromises along the way.
One person tweeted: ‘Applied for @CAHPRNNorthEast grant
as an NHS OT – a good way into research and money for service
developments too’ (@andy83gI).
Close liaison and involvement with NHS research and
development teams was recommended by one participant. Another
tweet suggested that Health Education England have started to
open up their leadership fellows to allied health professionals.
More opportunities are opening up so it is important to keep
looking, keep pursuing and do not give up.
If it’s a viable option, what’s stopping you?
Your patients and researchers need you. It can be challenging to
make working in research a viable option, but the research world is
the occupational therapist’s oyster.
Time will always be an issue, but we need to recognise that
research is all of our business and making just a small contribution to
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