Research Mentorship Program of Hospital Escuela
The Antonio Vidal Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (IAV), in collaboration with the Department of Academic Management and Research of Hospital Escuela, has implemented a Research Mentorship Program designed to strengthen the research capacities of health professionals and students. This program, part of The Global Health Network Latin America and the Caribbean (TGHN LAC), focuses on promoting professional development and the generation of high-quality scientific knowledge.
General Objective:
- To strengthen scientific research capacities of health professionals and students, promoting their professional development and the generation and dissemination of scientific knowledge.
The program is divided into two main emphases:
- Research Mentorship: Emphasis on Scientific Communication:
- This emphasis focuses on improving participants' skills in scientific writing and publishing.
- Participants will work on the creation of articles, abstracts, blogs, and other forms of scientific dissemination, with the aim of effectively communicating the results of their research.
- Research Mentorship: Emphasis on Research Methodology:
- This emphasis focuses on developing essential methodological skills for research.
- Participants will focus on study design, development of research protocols, data collection, and analysis.
Both emphases aim to foster ethical and high-quality research, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the health field.
Research Mentorship: Emphasis on Research Methodology
2025 Plan
The Antonio Vidal Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (IAV), in collaboration with the Department of Academic Management and Research, has implemented a Research Mentorship Program aimed at members of the Nursing Research Club at Hospital Escuela and the Nursing Training and Research Center (CCIE). This program, as part of The Global Health Network Latin America and the Caribbean project (TGHN LAC), aims to strengthen the research capacities of nurses, promoting their professional development and contributing to the generation of knowledge in the health field.
Program Objective
To strengthen the research methodology skills of participating nurses by guiding them through the design, implementation, and analysis of research projects, with the ultimate goal of developing complete protocols and submitting them to the Ethics Committee for review—thus contributing to the generation of scientific evidence in nursing.
Duration and Modality
- 24 weeks – Hybrid format (virtual sessions and in-person meetings).
- Weekly sessions with personalized mentorship and continuous follow-up on the progress of each protocol.
- Access to educational resources and methodological guides via The Global Health Network platform.
- Valid research ethics certificate (issued no more than 2 years prior).
Requirements
- Be a member of the Hospital Escuela Research Club
- Interest in developing research skills
- Commitment to the program
Expected Final Product
- A complete research protocol ready for submission to the Ethics Committee.
Mentorship Content
|
Week |
Topic / Activity |
Expected Deliverable |
|
1–2 |
Introduction to scientific research, problem statement, and study justification |
Deliverable: Draft of the research idea and preliminary justification. |
|
3–4 |
Formulation of the research question and study objectives |
Deliverable: Draft of the research question and defined objectives plus the previous deliverable |
|
5–6 |
Theoretical framework and background: literature search and review |
Deliverable: Summary of background and key references plus previous work |
|
7–8 |
Study design: types of studies and their application |
Deliverable: Draft of methodological design selection plus previous work |
|
9–10 |
Population and sample: inclusion/exclusion criteria, sample size |
Deliverable: Description of population and sample plus previous work |
|
11–12 |
Variables: conceptual definition and operationalization |
Deliverable: Variable matrix plus previous work |
|
13–14 |
Data collection plan: techniques, instruments, and procedures |
Deliverable: Draft of the data collection instrument plus previous work |
|
15–16 |
Data analysis plan: quantitative and qualitative methods |
Deliverable: Outline of the data analysis plan plus previous work |
|
17–18 |
Ethical aspects: informed consent and confidentiality |
Deliverable: Draft of the ethics section of the protocol plus previous work |
|
19–20 |
Protocol writing: integration of all sections |
Deliverable: Complete draft of the protocol |
|
21–22 |
Internal review: adjustments and corrections with mentors |
Deliverable: Revised protocol |
|
23–24 |
Final preparation for Ethics Committee submission |
Deliverable: Final protocol ready for submission |
Content Development
1. Weeks 1–2: Introduction to scientific research, problem statement, and study justification
1.1 Introduction to health research and its importance.
1.2 How to identify a relevant and justifiable research problem.
1.3 Justification: arguing the scientific, social, and practical relevance of the study.
1.4 Deliverable: Draft of research idea and preliminary justification.
1.5 Deliverable: Valid research ethics certificate.
2. Weeks 3–4: Formulating the research question and objectives
2.1 How to write a clear and specific research question.
2.2 General and specific objectives: aligned with the question and feasible.
2.3 Deliverable: Draft of the research question and defined objectives.
3. Weeks 5–6: Theoretical framework and background
3.1 Literature review: use of databases like PubMed and LILACS.
3.2 Development of the theoretical framework: key concepts and relationships between variables.
3.3 Deliverable: Summary of background and key references.
4. Weeks 7–8: Study design
4.1 Types of studies: observational, experimental, qualitative.
4.2 Choosing the most appropriate design according to the research question.
4.3 Deliverable: Draft of the methodological design selection.
5. Weeks 9–10: Population and sample
5.1 Definition of the study population.
5.2 Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
5.3 Sample size calculation.
5.4 Deliverable: Description of population and sample.
6. Weeks 11–12: Variables
6.1 Identifying variables: independent, dependent, confounding.
6.2 Conceptual definition and operationalization.
6.3 Deliverable: Variable matrix.
7. Weeks 13–14: Data collection plan
7.1 Data collection methods: surveys, interviews, record review.
7.2 Instrument design and validation.
7.3 Deliverable: Draft of the data collection instrument.
8. Weeks 15–16: Data analysis plan
8.1 Introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods.
8.2 Statistical analysis plan: tests to be used according to variables.
8.3 Deliverable: Draft of the data analysis plan.
9. Weeks 17–18: Ethical aspects
9.1 Informed consent: drafting and validation.
9.2 Data confidentiality and ethical management.
9.3 Deliverable: Draft of the ethics section of the protocol.
10. Weeks 19–20: Protocol writing
10.1 Integration of all sections.
10.2 Protocol structure according to Ethics Committee standards.
10.3 Deliverable: Complete draft of the protocol.
11. Weeks 21–22: Internal review
11.1 Critical review with mentors.
11.2 Protocol adjustments and corrections.
11.3 Deliverable: Revised protocol.
12. Weeks 23–24: Final preparation and submission
12.1 Final integration of comments.
12.2 Preparation of oral presentation for the Ethics Committee.
12.3 Deliverable: Final protocol ready for submission.
Resources
- Short Course on Good Clinical Practices: Ethical and regulatory principles to ensure participant safety and data integrity, available online: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/ich-good-clinical-practice/
- Academic Writing Skills (self-paced), available online: https://learn.inasp.info/course/view.php?id=365#section-3
- Introduction to Clinical Research Course, available online: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/elearning/education/elearning-courses/introduccion-a-la-investigacion-clinica/445/
- ICH E6 (R2) Good Clinical Practice Guidelines Course, available online: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/normas-de-buena-practica-clinica-ich-e6-r2/
- The Study Protocol: Part One, available online: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/elearning/education/elearning-courses/the-study-protocol/56/
- The Study Protocol: Part Two, available online: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/elearning/education/elearning-courses/the-study-protocol-part-two/111/