Starting your first research project can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks the process into manageable steps specifically for vascular surgery trainees.
Step 1: Find your question. The best research questions come from clinical practice. What treatment decisions do you find yourself uncertain about? Talk to consultants, attend MDTs, and read recent systematic reviews to identify genuine knowledge gaps.
Step 2: Refine with PICO. Frame your question using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome format. For example: In patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (P), does carotid artery stenting (I) compared with endarterectomy (C) reduce the rate of periprocedural stroke (O)?
Step 3: Choose your study design. Not every question needs an RCT. Consider whether a cohort study, registry analysis, or systematic review might answer your question more feasibly. Discuss with your supervisor what is realistic within your training timeline.
Step 4: Write the protocol. Use a structured template — the SPIRIT checklist for trials or STROBE for observational studies. Your protocol should cover background, objectives, methods, sample size, analysis plan, and ethical considerations.
Step 5: Get ethical approval. In the UK, studies involving NHS patients need HRA approval. Use IRAS (Integrated Research Application System) and allow at least 3 months for the process. Your local R&D office can guide you through.
Step 6: Engage your team early. Research nurses, data managers, and statisticians are invaluable. Involve them from the protocol stage, not after data collection.
Remember: a well-designed small study is far more valuable than a poorly designed ambitious one. Start with something achievable and build from there.