Developing a Research Program Within a Respiratory Care Department

Scientific research traditionally has been the domain of graduate school training, and it is based on higher cognitive levels associated with reflective thought. Such skills differ markedly from those needed to train competent respiratory therapists at the undergraduate level. Trainees at the undergraduate level need to acquire, comprehend, and apply large amounts of functional knowledge within a relatively brief time period. As a consequence, there is a pragmatic restriction on the level of complexity that characterizes pathophysiology, therapeutics, and associated technology that can be taught without causing confusion and thereby impeding the learning process. The era of evidence-based medicine is characterized both by the increasing complexity of medical technology and therapeutics. Because respiratory care is fundamentally a technology-driven profession, cultivating research skills among a select group of motivated practitioners is essential. Moreover, it is incumbent on all respiratory therapists to possess a rudimentary understanding of scientific methodology and a familiarity with the processes of reflective thought to become more discerning consumers of medical information. Organizing and implementing a research program within a respiratory care department or training program require forethought and devoted leadership. Crucial to this endeavor is developing mentors to guide those with little or no exposure to scientific inquiry. This article provides an overview of the pedagogical issues that underlie this predicament and then describes practical steps that can be taken to slowly build such a program.