Primary care research has recently garnered greater attention at the national level.

• Abstract
• Background
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Abbreviations
• References
• Tables

Biology Articles » Medicine » Internal Medicine » Overcoming obstacles to implementing a primary care research framework » Methods

Methods

- Overcoming obstacles to implementing a primary care research framework

The Division of Education and Research (DEAR) in the department of family medicine at UNTHSC was established in 1997 with a vision to foster an environment conducive to conducting primary care research. The following goals and objectives were established:

Goal 1. Offer clinicians educational opportunities to better understand the research process and how to improve the provision of care

Objective 1.1. Design and implement an evidence-based medicine (EBM) curriculum.

Objective 1.2. Offer continuing medical education credit for all EBM lectures.

Objective 1.3. Create a website with PowerPoint^® lectures and links to EBM resources.

Objective 1.4. Ensure EBM educational opportunities are offered regularly.

Goal 2. Create a "population laboratory" to perform research that is pertinent to family medicine/primary care and the surrounding communities

Objective 2.1. Create a practice-based research network in North Texas.

Objective 2.2. Establish scientific review and community advisory boards to ensure the research agenda is pertinent to primary care and the communities.

Objective 2.3. Foster interdisciplinary support within the institution, including administration.

Objective 2.4 Conduct research to better understand and eliminate health and health care disparities.

Goal 3. Train medical students to become primary care researchers

Objective 3.1. Secure funding to implement a primary care clinical research program.

Objective 3.2. Recruit medical students into the program as they enter medical school.

Objective 3.3. Ensure students obtain the necessary skills to conduct high-quality research and have access to mentors.

DEAR formed a three-prong research framework to achieve these objectives: (1) the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM), (2) the North Texas Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network (NorTex), and (3) the Primary Care Clinical Research program (also referred to as the pre-doctoral clinical research fellowship). The CEBM is both an educational forum and research program for students, residents, and practicing clinicians. NorTex is a practice-based research network that collaborates with university members, local clinicians, patients, and surrounding communities to conduct participatory research. The primary care clinical research program trains medical students to become primary care researchers (they receive a Master of Science in Clinical Research).