Research requirements enable you to gain experience:
- in research methods
- in interpretation of research literature
- in participation in research at some stage of your career
- to develop quality improvement skills
Submission of a research project provides:
- evidence of the skills of considering and defining research problems
- the systematic acquisition, analysis, synthesis and interpretation of data
- effective written communication
Requirement for trainees commencing training in 2017 onwards
One over the course of training due by 31 March or 31 August in the trainee’s second year of training.
Preparation of a project requires you to demonstrate an understanding of research methodology in order to have a better understanding of scientific material that you will be exposed to during their practice as a community paediatrician. Projects require you to demonstrate an ability to communicate original thought in an articulate and succinct manner.
The project is a major requirement for Advanced Training and should be of an appropriate standard. They are marked by at least two independent reviewers. The projects are assessed on scientific merit, relevance to the field of community child health, interpretation of the material, and the relevance of the literature review to the case study or research being presented.
Projects are assessed on their unique and honest intellectual content. The ability to accurately paraphrase the literature is not adequate; excellent summaries of the literature are already widely available (e.g. “UpToDate”). Work that is of publishable standard is usually satisfactory; a project that is scientifically sound, but could have been undertaken by a medical student, or junior doctor, is not.
The project should be presented in a standard scientific format. Care should be taken with the presentation, including spelling and grammar. PowerPoint and other electronic formats are not acceptable, although a project discussing an online production or PowerPoint presentation may be acceptable. You are required to seek advice from a member of the overseeing committee before embarking on such a project.
Role of the project supervisor
The role of the project supervisor is to guide trainees with respect to choice of project, methodology, statistical analysis, interpretation, and quality of presentation. The project supervisor is not a joint author. Physicians are expected to be able to write clear, succinct
Requirement for trainees who commenced training before 2017
One over the course of training due by 31 March or 31 August in the trainee’s second year of training.
Preparation of a project requires the trainee to demonstrate an understanding of research methodology in order to have a better understanding of scientific material you will be exposed to during your practice as a community paediatrician. Projects require the trainee to demonstrate an ability to communicate original thought in an articulate and succinct manner.
The project is a major requirement for Advanced Training and should be of an appropriate standard. They are marked by at least two independent reviewers. The projects are assessed on scientific merit, relevance to the field of community child health, interpretation of the material, and the relevance of the literature review to the case study or research being presented.
Projects are assessed on their unique and honest intellectual content. The ability to accurately paraphrase the literature is not adequate; excellent summaries of the literature are already widely available (e.g. “UpToDate”). Work that is of publishable standard is usually satisfactory; a project that is scientifically sound, but could have been undertaken by a medical student, or junior doctor, is not.
The project should be presented in a standard scientific format. Care should be taken with the presentation, including spelling and grammar. PowerPoint and other electronic formats are not acceptable, although a project discussing an online production or PowerPoint presentation may be acceptable. Trainees are required to seek advice from a member of the overseeing committee before embarking on such a project.
Role of the project supervisor
The role of the project supervisor is to guide trainees with respect to choice of project, methodology, statistical analysis, interpretation, and quality of presentation. The project supervisor is not a joint author. Physicians are expected to be able to write clear, succinct reports. Trainees who have language difficulties should undertake additional courses or training to address this problem.
The project supervisor is asked to certify that the project is ready for submission. You must allow adequate time for your project supervisor to read and provide feedback prior to the submission date.
It is important that you choose project supervisors carefully. In some circumstances, you may require both a clinical supervisor and a project supervisor. If you nominate the same supervisor for both roles, it is important that the project supervisor has the skills required to appropriately supervise the project.
You are advised to consider choosing an additional supervisor for your project, rather than expect their clinical supervisor to fill both roles.
Acceptable standard for projects
The written piece must have direct relevance to the practice of community child health. Emphasis will be placed on evidence of ongoing research over time throughout the period of Advanced Training. Projects should be novel and incorporate original thought.
You will sometimes be working as part of a larger group or project. In such circumstances, you must be able to demonstrate that you have made an original contribution to the planning or interpretation of the study. Projects should be presented in a standard suitable for publication to a peer-reviewed journal and should adhere to the usual norms of scientific writing.
Projects should provide defined aims, clearly articulated objectives and prospectively defined methodology. The conclusions should relate to the aims. Discussion should place the new work in the context of the existing published literature. In addition, projects should be written in sound English and be free from grammatical and typographical errors. A standard, consistent method of citing the literature should be used. Projects can take
Acceptable formats
Projects can take any of the following formats:
- Clinical or laboratory research presented in a form suitable for, or already submitted for, publication to a peer-reviewed journal (using the Vancouver guidelines).
- A substantial research proposal, including background, rationale, hypothesis, methodology, feasibility, ethics issues and approval, parent information sheet, and budget, accompanied by a comprehensive literature review (standard equivalent to an NHMRC Project Grant Application or Health Research Council New Zealand).
- A report and commentary on a substantial piece of original work, which is complete, e.g. doctorate (PhD, MD, Masters) or thesis for another higher degree (this piece of work must be relevant to the practice of paediatrics and child health). The project reviewers must receive the official academic record certifying completion.
- Completion of a higher degree alone does not fulfil the project requirement. NB: Trainees should be aware that a higher degree-based project will not be deemed complete until the overseeing committee has reviewed the transcript of the academic record certifying completion of the project from the relevant institution. Often there is a significant time delay, i.e. months, between completing coursework and thesis work, marking and rewrites, and the institution issuing an academic transcript certifying completion. A similar delay in the receipt of FRACP may result. The overseeing committee will not make exceptions, even if job opportunities are pending.
- Quality assurance, action research or an audit linked to evaluation of a service or clinical program, accompanied by a literature review; ideally, this should follow the paradigm of ‘joined-up research’, which would begin by assessing a problem, moving on to implementing change, and completing the circle by evaluating change over an appropriate period. Projects incorporating an advocacy element are encouraged. A single cross-sectional audit may not be accepted.
- A systematic review of the literature adhering to the Cochrane, or equivalent, methodology.
Further guidelines
By the end of the first year of Advanced Training, you should submit a project plan and name your supervisor in the application for approval for the following year of training. If you intend to meet your project requirement through completion of original work for an acceptable higher degree, documentary evidence of enrolment and topic will be required at this time.
You must have a project submitted by the end of your second year of training in order for your third and final year of training to be approved. Trainees who submit projects in their final year of training must be aware that admission to Fellowship may be delayed as a result of the assessment process. The overseeing committee will not, under any circumstance, assess projects out of session.
More information