Enhancing pharmacy practice doctoral research with patient and public involvement

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice Research
• Health Services Research
• Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

Background:

• Patient and public involvement (PPI) is recognized for improving health services research quality and relevance.
• Implementing PPI in doctoral research presents unique opportunities and challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experiences of PPI contributors in a pharmacy practice doctoral research project.
• To provide practical examples of PPI's contribution and impact on the research.
• To present reflections and learning points for researchers planning PPI.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative description of PPI contributor experiences.
• Documentation of PPI's integration into a pharmacy practice doctoral project.
• Analysis of reflections from both PPI contributors and doctoral candidates.

Main Results:

• PPI significantly influenced the quality and relevance of the pharmacy research project.
• Practical examples illustrate how PPI shaped research questions, methods, and dissemination.
• Reflections highlight mutual learning and the value of diverse perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Patient and public involvement is a valuable component of doctoral pharmacy research.
• Sharing experiences and learning points can facilitate successful PPI implementation in future studies.
• PPI enhances research by ensuring relevance and applicability to patient and public needs.