Do Clinicians make good researchers?

I attended an interesting session today in the University about Qualitative research. Within this we looked at the skills and techniques that can be used by the researcher to help them to gain a better understanderstanding of the phenomenon or an individual's experience of this phenomenon. It struck me that many, if not all, of these skills are skills that a clinician uses routinely with patients or clients, such as encouraging, leaving pauses between questions and answers, gentle probing and so on. Does it therefore follow that clinicians make natural and effective researchers when using a qualitative design? I wait with interest for any thoughts on this.

Then and now

I was tidying through some drawers recently and came across some photographs from my OT Graduation ceremony in 1991. I delved a little deeper and found more pictures from my time at St Katherines College Liverpool, all of which brought back fond memories of places and people I don’t see so much now and I got to reminiscing about my training.

Undoubtedly I had a great time and learned enough to graduate and begin working as an Occupational Therapist. Much of the content and teaching methodology of my training is relevant today, but I do wonder how we managed without the internet, email and computers. My assignments were handwritten and information was gleaned from books or Journals during long hours in the library. Feedback and tutorial support was always face to face and excusing late work by citing the crashing of a computer was unheard of, but many papers were chewed by cats or drenched by coffee at the critical hand in hour (do you know how long it takes to rewrite 4 thousand words by hand!!!).

In light of the increasing use of technology and the now commonplace nature of the internet I wonder if my education was somewhat limited. I don’t feel that it was, but would I study now without making recourse to the internet? I would feel I was missing potentially relevant information and the opportunity for speedy communication with tutors and peers. Not to mention the advantages of file sharing, wikis and of course blogs. But then maybe I am somewhat evangelical about it and I’d be interested to here the views of others who studied before the dawn of technology. Maybe it was actually much simpler then?

Hard to get started

Hello and welcome to our blog in 2008. I just wanted to put up a quick post to let you know that we haven't disappeared or anything - still here - but this year is speeding by - February already!! We have been busy putting the final touches to our MSc Advanced OT via elearning and have started the application process for this - so if you're interested please go to the website and have a look
and of course the team have been busy with assessment period for the undergraduate programme. Hopefully we will be able to post something worthy of dicussion in the next few weeks. In the meantime feel free to browse through earlier posts and comment as you feel appropriate. We value your input and the oppotunity to debate and share ideas.
Happy blogging

What a year!

This is just a quick post, to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year, particularly to all those staff, students colleagues and peers who a have offered Angela and I so much support in developing the Masters in Advanced Occupational Therapy programme.

It has been a very busy year for all or us at the University, with lots of abstracts accepted , programme developments undertaken and the introduction of web 2.o applications too. Staff and students are all tired now, but nothing the festive period can't remedy I'm sure. For those who don't celebrate Christmas, I guess the break from University will still come as a welcome relief and we look forward to seeing everyone back in the new year.