Abstract
To describe activities and outcomes of a cross-team capacity building strategy that took place over a five-year funding period within the broader context of 12 community-based primary health care (CBPHC) teams. In 2013, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded 12 CBPHC Teams (12-Teams) to conduct innovative cross-jurisdictional research to improve the delivery of high-quality CBPHC to Canadians. This signature initiative also aimed to enhance CBPHC research capacity among an interdisciplinary group of trainees, facilitated by a collaboration between a capacity building committee led by senior researchers and a trainee-led working group. After the committee and working group were established, capacity building activities were organized based on needs and interests identified by trainees of the CBPHC Teams. This paper presents a summary of the activities accomplished, as well as the outcomes reported through an online semistructured survey completed by the trainees toward the end of the five-year funding period. This survey was designed to capture the capacity building and mentorship activities that trainees either had experienced or would like to experience in the future. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted based on survey responses, and these findings were compared with the existing core competencies in the literature. Since 2013, nine webinars and three online workshops were hosted by trainees and senior researchers, respectively. Many of the CBPHC Teams provided exposure for trainees to innovative methods, CBPHC content, and showcased trainee research. A total of 27 trainees from 10 of the 12-Teams responded to the survey (41.5%). Trainees identified key areas of benefit from their involvement in this initiative: skills training, networking opportunities, and academic productivity. Trainees identified gaps in research and professional skill development, indicating areas for further improvement in capacity building programs, particularly for trainees to play a more active role in their education and preparation.
Highlights
Primary health care systems around the world are going through reforms to adapt to the changing needs of the populations and their workforce [Macinko et al, 2007; Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2013]
In early 2015, the 12-Teams capacity building committee recognized the need for a trainee-led working group for two main reasons: to assist with the development and implementation of events that were more relevant to the needs and interests of trainees and to provide opportunities for capacity building and leadership development among trainees during this process
Online webinars Nine sessions delivered by trainees and three and workshops sessions delivered by senior researchers
Summary
Primary health care systems around the world are going through reforms to adapt to the changing needs of the populations and their workforce [Macinko et al, 2007; Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2013]. Effective training and mentorship for the generation of CBPHC researchers are key for this movement to continue, and it is important for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research capacity (Choi and Pak, 2006) to be developed strategically in the field of CBPHC. Whereas unsuccessful relationships are often characterized by poor communication, a lack of commitment to the mentorship, personality differences, conflicts of interest, and/or a mentor’s lack of experience (Straus et al, 2014). Incorporating these findings in the development and implementation of research training programs and initiatives to build CBPHC researchers’ capacity building programs is influential to their success
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