Research and development
We need to grow our personal networks , make international connections , seek out collaborations , be brave and dive into research .”
Research and development
Feature
However , my RCOT placement exceeded my expectations and afforded me many additional opportunities . I was inspired to continue my research journey ; seeing first-hand how the staff at RCOT work to support members and champion the profession by supporting innovation and research has been very encouraging .
I was connected to other occupational therapists , researchers and international doctorate students , who shared my research interests . I joined the LinkedIn RCOT Research Connect Group and connected with like-minded peers . I co-hosted a Research Café and I attended RCOT ’ s annual conference . My time with the professional body has truly enriched my research journey , skills , connections and passion .
Reason number three , of course , was travel . My goal was to make the placement a truly immersive experience by travelling on weekends and exploring London after the workday . This allowed me to make the most of my time and observe the day-to-day differences in another country .
What could I offer to you ?
I joined the research placement to review the top 10 priorities for occupational therapy research in the UK . The priorities were published almost three years ago , in July 2020 . However , this coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic , which meant that focus was directed away from research , as occupational therapists were redeployed to clinical duties to cope with the increased demand for healthcare services .
Now , as business returns to normal , it was important to review progress . The aim of my placement was to understand what research has been done , refocus attention on the top 10 priorities after the pandemic , and understand how RCOT can best support the research agenda moving forward .
During my placement , I searched for relevant evidence published after 30 July 2020 , discussed the top 10 priorities with RCOT members , and interviewed key stakeholders who were involved in the original priority setting partnership .
This was an insightful process , through which I experienced the breadth of research that is happening in occupational therapy . For example , published evidence was based across community , hospital , rehabilitation , primary care , telehealth and school settings , and included various populations such as people with stroke , dementia , cancer , orthopaedic conditions and chronic conditions .
Clearly , the breadth of knowledge and skill in one profession is outstanding and for that alone occupational therapists and researchers are to be commended .
When reflecting on the research placement more broadly , I believe that my clinical experiences as an
We need to grow our personal networks , make international connections , seek out collaborations , be brave and dive into research .”
occupational therapist , and research skills as a PhD student were equally important for my project .
I was able to look at the data and interpret the results from two perspectives – that of an occupational therapist and a researcher ( in training ). While being Australian wasn ’ t a vital or necessary aspect , I think coming from another country did add value .
The occupational therapy profession becomes stronger when we collaborate across borders and learn from each other . This was reinforced from the literature search I completed , where 59 % of sources included in the review were published by authors outside of the UK .
Even if it wasn ’ t the primary purpose for these authors , they have directly contributed to advancing the occupational therapy research agenda in the UK .
What ’ s next for the top 10 priorities ?
My project concluded with recommendations designed to support occupational therapists and researchers to continue to address the top 10 priorities for occupational therapy research in the UK , which I am currently writing up to submit to the British Journal of Occupational Therapy ( BJOT ).
While recommendations were largely directed at RCOT to help shape future work , education and guidance for members , there was one key recommendation that everyone can contribute to . We need to talk more about our work , service evaluations , service innovations and research , and talk more about how we are addressing the top 10 research priorities and adding value to the profession .
We can do this by sharing our work via publications , conferences , informal discussions , social media , reaching out to others and organisations . We need to grow our personal networks , make international connections , seek out collaborations , be brave and dive into research .
Great things are happening in occupational therapy and research and the world needs to hear all about it .
Words ALEYSHA MARTIN , occupational therapist and PhD Student , Mater Research Institute . For more information contact gillian . ward @ rcot . co . uk
December 2023 OTnews 43