Early career research investigators' experience of clinical research

Abstract

The clinical research enterprise is an industry in crisis due to the challenges investigators and sites experience to stay viable. Clinical researchers might therefore also become an “endangered species”. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of early career research investigators’ experience of clinical research. A generic, exploratory, descriptive and contextual qualitative design was used. Fourteen participants were recruited and interviewed face-to-face from three different clinical research sites in the Gauteng. Data were analysed thematically and cyclically. Findings indicated that early career investigators entered the clinical research “maze” for various reasons and levels of preparedness. As they explored the maze, early career investigators found their way into a labyrinth, all the while making discoveries about the clinical environment and their own desires. They finally reached a point where they needed to move beyond the centre of the labyrinth and ask ‘Quo Vadis’ (where are we going to)?

Die kliniese navorsingsbedryf is ‘n industrie in krises weens die uitdagings wat ondersoekers en navorsingsinstansies beleef om lewensvatbaar te bly. Kliniese navorsers mag daarom ook ‘n ‘bedreigde spesie’ word. Die doel van die studie was om die belewenis van vroeë beroepsnavorsingsondersoekers in kliniese navorsing te verstaan. ‘n Generiese, verkennende, beskrywende en kontekstuele kwalitatiewe ontwerp is gebruik. Veertien deelnemers van drie verskillende kliniese navorsingsinstansies in Gauteng het deelgeneem aan een-tot-een onderhoude. Data is tematies en siklies geanaliseer. Bevindinge het aangedui dat vroeë beroepsnavorsingsondersoekers die kliniese navorsingsdoolhof betree vir verskillende redes en vlakke van gereedheid. Soos wat hulle die doolhof verken het, het vroeë beroepsnavorsingsondersoekers hulle weg in die labirint gevind, terwyl hulle die kliniese omgewing en hul eie wense ontdek het. Hulle het uiteindelik ‘n punt bereik waar hulle verby die middel van die labirint moes beweeg en hulself afvra: “Quo Vadis” (waarheen gaan ons)?