Collaborative research between a Department of Pediatrics and its clinical faculty

Collaborative research involving members of the full-time and clinical faculties of a Department of Pediatrics increases our knowledge of problems encountered in primary care practice by bringing the practitioner's perspective on the nature of such problems and the population of patients he serves to the investigative arena. For the practitioner, active involvement in collaborative research is rewarding because he or she formulates the questions to be addressed and takes part in planning and implementing the research and reporting results. Through such collaboration, the academician gains immeasurably by being able to study common clinical problems in primary care settings, where they are encountered most often. To be successful, collaborative research must be a joint effort with ongoing communication and sharing of responsibilities between academicians and practitioners.