Building AHP Capacity for Research: an example from an NIHR Professor

Nadine FosterNIHR Professor of Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care

Clinical Research

• Context– Of physiotherapy research

development• Personal experience

– My story• Tips

– For career planning

Clinical Research

Context – in physiotherapy ‘Emergent profession’ First degrees - 1979 2 physiotherapists with PhDs All degree entry – 1993 Idea of a ‘research career’ is

relatively new Many PhDs conducted through

other more academic disciplines

Context – in physiotherapy ‘Punching above our weight’ Working at all levels

Assisting research Carrying out research as an individual or

team member Conducting research projects Leading research teams Developing and managing research

programmes 1st meeting of UK professoriat

46 professors in 2011 53 professors in 2016 0.1% of profession

Personal experience

Personal experience

Personal experience• 1996 – my first year of change

– Early disappointment– Opportunity ‘abroad’

• 1996-2000 - early post-doc years – Wearing many hats

Highlights from this time

Personal experience• 1996 – year of change 1

– Early disappointment– Opportunity ‘abroad’

• 1996-2000 - early post-doc years • Strategic collaborations and another move

– Realising where I needed to be • People • Institution

Keele University

Teaching and research Professional activities Research

- Increasing involvement in research with the Primary Care Research Centre

Personal experience• 1996 – year of change 1• 1996-2000 - early post-doc years • Strategic collaborations and another move• 2000-2004 - Increasing focus on research

– Number of projects, PhD students, grant writing, publications...– Increasing involvement with a dedicated research centre

• Visionary leadership• Great infrastructure for research• Excellent teams

2004 – year of change 2

Personal experience• 1996 – year of change 1• 1996-2000 - early post-doc years • 2004 – year of change 2• 2004-2009 - Dedicated research role

– ‘Galvanised’ success• Research activity• Publications• Grants• Collaborations• Building AHP research capacity

Highlights from this time

Building AHP capacity Clinical academics

AHPs, nurses and doctors Academics

AHPs and methodologists Clinical research facilitation

AHPs and doctors Local MSK CAT group

Hub and spoke model

Personal experience• 1996 – year of change 1• 1996-2000 - early post-doc years • Strategic collaborations and another move• 2004 – year of change 2• 2004-2009 - Dedicated research role• 2009-2016 - Further growth and success

– Promotion to Professor– Increased leadership roles– NIHR Research Professorship 2012-2017

NIHR ‘hats’• NIHR supports > 360 personal fellowships and > 4,000 NIHR trainees • NIHR Health Research Mentor, Deputy Chair of HEE/NIHR ICA panel• NIHR Academic Training Advocates

– a cohort of proactive researchers working as ambassadors for health research careers, supporting and advocating for non-medical professions

a.forster@leeds.ac.uk

n.foster@keele.ac.uk

caroline.alexander@imperial.ac.uk

l.c.roberts@soton.ac.uk

sally.singh@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

NIHR Advocates• NIHR Academic Training Advocates

– http://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-faculty/academic-training-advocates.htm

Psychology Lead: Professor Richard G Brown, Neuropsychology and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, MaudsleyAudiology Lead: Dr Melanie Ferguson, Honorary Associate Professor and Research Lead, NIHR Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research UnitPhysiotherapy Lead: Professor Nadine Foster, Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care, Keele University Dietetics and nutrition Co-Lead: Professor Gary Frost, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics Imperial College London. Co-Lead Dr Steve Wootton, NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, SouthamptonPodiatry Lead: Professor Anne-Maree Keenan, Assistant Director NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, LeedsNursing Lead: Professor David Richards, Mental Health Services Research, University of Exeter Midwifery Lead: Professor Jane Sandall, Professor of Social Science and Women’s Health, King’s College London Occupational therapy Lead: Professor Marion Walker, Stroke Rehabilitation, University of Nottingham 

Tip 1

Find out what you really want to do....

and be tenacious about doing it...

Tip 2

Work with good people....in terms of - their ability (of course!)

but also

- their willingness to support you

Tip 3

Write papers & grants- Important ‘indicators’ of research

Enables

- you to develop

- you to develop others

Tip 4

Secure dedicated time for research (eg. a fellowship)

- with a unit that matches your needs

Facilitates - Dedicated time to focus

- Further knowledge and skills

- Networking

Tip 5

Work with a mentor- External to your team/Institution

Facilitates

- Periodic reflection on your career

- External benchmarking of your CV and future plans

Tip 6

See your career as a continuumIt needs to be- ‘Sufficiently focused’ yet ‘flexible’

- Taking ‘the long view’ yet with a series of ‘short views’

- Interspersed with ‘years of change’