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Clinical Research Capacity Building in Pediatric Oncology in Resource-Limited Settings: Application and Early Results
Raya Saab1, Rihab Nasr2, Iman Sidhom3
1Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA.
Purpose:
The global need for training in clinical research is substantial, particularly in resource-limited settings. We describe an international collaboration to build capacity in clinical research skills through a semi-personalized curriculum.
Methods:
Five sequential workshops (2020-2025) combined online modules with on-site, project-based learning. The curriculum across workshops included research project planning, proposal writing, and manuscript publishing. Topics included fundamentals of clinical study design, data registries, statistical considerations, research ethics, and scientific writing. At registration, applicants submitted an abstract for further development. An average of 35 applicants per workshop were selected. Participants' experiences were evaluated through postworkshop surveys.
Results:
Participants across the workshops presented from 17 countries and seven disciplines, with the majority being physicians (66%) and nurses (16%). During each 2.5-day workshop, participants refined their abstracts with structured guidance and shared their work in a 10-minute presentation. Workshop 1 used a group-based model where each group developed one common abstract. Workshop 2 focused on quality improvement research; each group worked on preselected mock concepts through a structured learning exercise. Workshops 3 and 4 involved individualized learning, with each participant developing their own abstract into a study proposal. Workshop 5 focused on scientific writing, guiding participants to develop their abstracts into a manuscript outline. Surveys after each workshop consistently demonstrated a high level of satisfaction and perceived gain in knowledge and skill.
Conclusion:
These workshops effectively engaged trainees with various levels of clinical research training and imparted skills for research planning and manuscript writing. Future iterations will include thematic workshops including advanced statistical methods. Combining asynchronous learning modules with on-site, project-based training can be implemented across other regions and specialties in context-relevant settings.
