Chan Carusone Soo, D'Amore Cassandra, Dighe Subhash, Dingman Lance, Falbo A Tina, Kirk Michael, Luyckx Joyce, McNeil Mark, Nolan Kim, Petrie Penelope, Weldon Donna, Ganann Rebecca, Vrkljan Brenda
McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging, 1400 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7, Canada.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, & Impact, McMaster University, HSC2C 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.
Res Involv Engagem. 2024 Aug 22;10(1):89. doi: 10.1186/s40900-024-00625-8.
Health researchers are encouraged by governments, funders, and journals to conduct research in partnership with people with lived experience. However, conducting research with authentic engagement and partnership with those who are experts by experience, but may not have research methods training, requires resources and specialized skills. The McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging developed a fellowship program for trainees that builds their capacity to conduct research in partnership with older adults with relevant lived experience. We share this case example, with its successes and challenges, to encourage creative reformation of traditional research training.The Collaborative used an iterative design process, involving researchers, trainees and older adult and caregiver partners, who, together, developed a fellowship program for trainees that provides support and mentorship to plan and conduct health research in partnership with people with lived experience.Since 2022, the Partnership in Research Fellowship has been offered biannually. The application process was purposefully designed to be both constructive and supportive. Opportunities for one-on-one consultations; key resources, including a guide for developing a plan to involve people with relevant lived experience; and feedback from older adult and researcher reviewers are provided to all applicants. Successful trainees engage with older adult and caregiver partners from the Collaborative to advance and enhance a range of skills from facilitating partner meetings to forming advisory committees. Trainees are awarded $1500 CAD to foster reciprocal partnerships. Ten graduate students from various disciplines have participated. Trainees reported positive impacts on their knowledge, comfort, and approach to partnered research. However, the time required for undertaking partnered research activities and involving diverse partners remain obstacles to meaningful engagement.Partnering with people with lived experience in the design of educational programs embeds the principles of partnership and can increase the value and reward for all involved. We share the Partnership in Research Fellowship as a case example to inspire new and transformative approaches in research training and mentorship that will move the field forward from engagement theory to meaningful enactment.
政府、资助者和期刊鼓励健康研究人员与有实际生活经验的人合作开展研究。然而，要与那些有经验的专家（但可能没有接受过研究方法培训）进行真正的参与和合作研究，需要资源和专业技能。麦克马斯特健康与老龄化协作中心为学员开发了一个奖学金项目，以培养他们与有相关实际生活经验的老年人合作开展研究的能力。我们分享这个案例，包括其成功之处和挑战，以鼓励对传统研究培训进行创造性改革。该协作中心采用了迭代设计过程，让研究人员、学员以及老年和护理人员伙伴共同参与，他们一起为学员制定了一个奖学金项目，为与有实际生活经验的人合作规划和开展健康研究提供支持和指导。自2022年以来，研究伙伴关系奖学金每两年提供一次。申请过程经过精心设计，既具有建设性又具有支持性。为所有申请人提供一对一咨询机会、关键资源（包括制定让有相关实际生活经验的人参与计划的指南）以及老年和研究人员评审员的反馈。成功的学员与协作中心的老年和护理人员伙伴合作，提升一系列技能，从组织伙伴会议到组建咨询委员会。学员可获得1500加元奖励，以促进互惠合作关系。来自不同学科的10名研究生参与其中。学员们报告说，这对他们在合作研究方面的知识、舒适度和方法产生了积极影响。然而，开展合作研究活动所需的时间以及涉及不同伙伴的问题仍然是进行有意义参与的障碍。在教育项目设计中与有实际生活经验的人合作，体现了合作原则，并能增加所有参与者的价值和回报。我们分享研究伙伴关系奖学金这个案例，以激发研究培训和指导方面新的变革性方法，推动该领域从参与理论迈向有意义的实践。
