Volunteer, Research or both? Need help with categorizing

[ShottyVideoCard]

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Hey guys and gals! I'm a long time lurker with a categorized question about a volunteer experience for research that turned into a publication. Hooray! So, what I did was I recruited veterans for a study to see how the visit with their primary care physician went and other aspects of their life that may prevent them from getting to the appt. I explained the study and had them sign up and then my partner would do most of the leg work, as I was a volunteer.

Is this classified as a volunteer experience or is it categorized as research or even both?

Any clarification is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zorax]

Hey guys and gals! I'm a long time lurker with a categorized question about a volunteer experience for research that turned into a publication. Hooray! So, what I did was I recruited veterans for a study to see how the visit with their primary care physician went and other aspects of their life that may prevent them from getting to the appt. I explained the study and had them sign up and then my partner would do most of the leg work, as I was a volunteer.

Is this classified as a volunteer experience or is it categorized as research or even both?

Any clarification is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

This sounds like clinical research to me. If you’re not getting paid, then it’s volunteer. I would classify this as clinical research, it’s similar in nature to what I’ve done at my hospital.

 

[KnightDoc]

This sounds like clinical research to me. If you’re not getting paid, then it’s volunteer. I would classify this as clinical research, it’s similar in nature to what I’ve done at my hospital.

How is it research? OP is signing up participants for a study and handing them off to the researcher. OP is apparently not involved in any aspect of the design or execution of the actual study. How does this activity advance OP's understanding of the scientific methodology of research?

I would be embarrassed to categorize this as research and then honestly talk about what I did during an interview. OP is doing the same thing the guy who called me earlier today trying to get me to sign up for a different electric service provider. 🙂 Is the work-study admin who answers phones and puts up signs around campus seeking research participants for the lab he works in also involved in research???

 

[Zorax]

How is it research? OP is signing up participants for a study and handing them off to the researcher. OP is apparently not involved in any aspect of the design or execution of the actual study. How does this activity advance OP's understanding of the scientific methodology of research?

I would be embarrassed to categorize this as research and then honestly talk about what I did during an interview. OP is doing the same thing the guy who called me earlier today trying to get me to sign up for a different electric service provider. 🙂 Is the work-study admin who answers phones and puts up signs around campus seeking research participants for the lab he works in also involved in research???

I sign patients up for studies as well, going to patients and talking to them about certain clinical issues and their care. When I went to orientation, it was introduced, by the hospital, to me as clinical research. Eventually, you start designing a new study for other volunteers and so forth.

 

[ShottyVideoCard]

To preface the opportunity, it was also offered to me as a research volunteer position. I was asked for input for the study as well, but was very limited. For example, the willingness to talk about their care in length when seeing an attending versus resident versus a physician assistant and differences I noticed with each. Each time I came in I could notice trends in different settings and providers. Knowing the question of the study and being knowledgeable about the subject(s) could better prepare me to get qualified participants and over a few weeks begin to see trends in the data. I understood, at least at a base level, the research aspect and as the weeks went on how the project developed and adjusted over the course of two years. I think that since it was over the course of two years that it really gave me the whole picture of the study versus a volunteer position that only lasted a summer, for example. I may need to clarify with schools I end of applying to how to categorize the experience as it could be perceived as a research experience, but also solely a valuable volunteer experience in a healthcare setting.

Thank you all for your input!

 

[KnightDoc]

To preface the opportunity, it was also offered to me as a research volunteer position. I was asked for input for the study as well, but was very limited. For example, the willingness to talk about their care in length when seeing an attending versus resident versus a physician assistant and differences I noticed with each. Each time I came in I could notice trends in different settings and providers. Knowing the question of the study and being knowledgeable about the subject(s) could better prepare me to get qualified participants and over a few weeks begin to see trends in the data. I understood, at least at a base level, the research aspect and as the weeks went on how the project developed and adjusted over the course of two years. I think that since it was over the course of two years that it really gave me the whole picture of the study versus a volunteer position that only lasted a summer, for example. I may need to clarify with schools I end of applying to how to categorize the experience as it could be perceived as a research experience, but also solely a valuable volunteer experience in a healthcare setting.

Thank you all for your input!

If it was offered as a research position, then that is what it is!!!

 

[LizzyM]

This is the research equivalent of washing glassware. Obtaining informed consent is a good experience and is part of clinical research so there's that portion of it. It appears that you were invovled enough in the execution of the project to have your name on a publication so that's further evidence that it is research and that you were more involved that mere dishwashing. Call it research if you wish. if you feel you need more "volunteer, clinical" on your application and have other research experiences to list, no one would fault you for calling it volunteerism. Your choice.