Physician interest in collaborative research.

Area of Science:

• Medical research methodology
• Health services research

Background:

• Assessing faculty interest in collaborative research is crucial for developing effective research programs.
• Understanding physician preferences for research methodologies can guide study design and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify clinical faculty interested in participating in collaborative research.
• To determine faculty preferences for different collaborative research approaches and methodologies.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study surveyed over 400 clinical faculty at the University of California, San Francisco.
• Respondents indicated enthusiasm for six defined collaborative research approaches and their associated methodologies.
• Data were collected via mail and phone surveys.

Main Results:

• An estimated 40% of clinical faculty expressed interest in collaborative research.
• Physician preferences included: randomized trials (63%), patient surveys (60%), practice evaluations (59%), patient referral (54%), chart review (53%), and clinical practice changes (38%).
• A preference for more complex study designs was observed.

Conclusions:

• Significant interest exists among clinical faculty for collaborative research, particularly in complex methodologies.
• The preference for complex studies may present challenges for engaging less experienced investigators.
• Findings can inform strategies to foster research participation and development within academic medical settings.