Communication: Academic and Professional Development

Academic and Professional Development A scholar-practitioner in clinical research administration is someone who can actively apply academic research to his or her mindful practice in the field and affect the lives of patients in a positive way and who can also use clinical knowledge, experience, and wisdom to inform his or her academic practice. In other words, he or she can enjoy 'the best of both worlds' and merge practice and theory.

The practice of medicine is ultimately designed to help people in the real world, so there should always be a dialogue or permeable relationship between scholarship and research. The clinical research administrator embodies this ideal. I see this in my own work and also the work of others. One of the strengths of master's level research is that it enables a nurse to function both as a scholar and also to continue to work effectively in the field of research.

Clinical research is the 'gold standard' of research and the practitioner must know how to evaluate experiments that will affect patients in effective ways. Academic integrity has always been very important to me on a personal level: I take pride in my work and want to compete with my fellow students for grades on a level playing field. However, as a scholar-practitioner, integrity becomes even more significant. Doing research, particularly clinical research studies, requires a huge investment of time and money.

The success of a clinical research trial can also make or break the reputation of a scholar. This means that it is especially important to give credit to a study via correct citation in one's own work. In my eyes, the ideal type of scholarly, professional writing makes a meaningful contribution to the conversation occurring within a particular academic field but, in the case of healthcare, also has practical applicability in the real world.

In the future, I would love to make a meaningful contribution by conducting studies which improve current treatment approaches and promote wellness. This will require sharpening my critical thinking and research skills and also require that I keep abreast of current developments in my field of study. Good research builds upon the previous research of others and never starts from scratch. This is why a comprehensive literature review is an important part of any research study. Most research is a team effort.

Learning how to communicate effectively with fellow scholars has been an important part of this course for me. Good research is almost never conducted in isolation -- it requires functioning as part of a team. It is important to know how to express ideas in a way.