Siskind Dan, Parker Stephen, Loi Samantha, Looi Jeffrey C, Macfarlane Matthew D, Merry Sally, Smith Geoff, Kisely Steve
Committee for Research, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), Melbourne, VICUniversity of Queensland, School of Medicine and Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICUniversity of Queensland, School of Medicine and Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Australas Psychiatry. 2015 Feb;23(1):22-4. doi: 10.1177/1039856214562078. Epub 2014 Dec 15.
This paper, written by the RANZCP Committee for Research, provides an outline for how to survive in research, considering the ingredients likely to contribute to success, the role of supportive structures and the expected challenges. Learning how to survive in research is relevant for both trainees and for Fellows undertaking research at any stage of their career.
Intellectual curiosity, perseverance, frustration tolerance, patience and humility are key for success as a researcher. Selection of the right supervisor is important, as is development and maintenance of a good working supervisor/supervisee relationship. The personal benefits of undertaking research include flexibility in work hours, and improved skills in writing, oral presentations, objectivity, critical thinking, problem solving and project management.
