Consultant pharmacists in the United Kingdom are appointed to lead across four pillars of advanced practice: clinical expertise, leadership, education, and research. Despite research being an expectation of the role, limited evidence exists on the nature and extent of research engagement in this group. We aimed to explore the research activity, readiness, and associated challenges and enablers experienced by consultant pharmacists in North England. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 consultant pharmacists across primary and secondary care settings. Participants were recruited through professional networks and snowball sampling. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using template analysis. A hierarchical coding template was iteratively developed and applied to identify key themes. Five themes were identified: (1) Research skillset, (2) Job planning and time allocation, (3) Intrinsic motivation and resilience, (4) Structural barriers and enablers, and (5) Reach and influence. While participants demonstrated strong internal motivation to engage in research, many cited limited protected time, complex governance structures, and a lack of pharmacy-specific mentorship as barriers. Research activity was often deprioritized for clinical responsibilities. Participants frequently worked outside contracted hours to pursue research and often sought mentorship from other professions. Nonetheless, consultant pharmacists were seen to champion research culture, mentor junior staff, and influence practice through local and national dissemination of research. Consultant pharmacists are well positioned to advance applied research in pharmacy, but current systemic and cultural barriers must be addressed to fully realize their potential. Structured support, research training, clearer frameworks, and protected time are essential to sustain research engagement.

Autism genetics: perspectives, discourse, and community engagement.

ABSTRACT Family vacations have become popular these days. Travel has become more of a need for families to enhance bonding, even if leisure travel is typically seen as a luxury phenomenon. Although holidays are generally perceived as a pleasure-seeking experience, the collective holiday is the representation and responsibility of all members of the family. Due to this reason, holiday choices are more diverse and collective. The power structure of holiday choices and representation of children are less emphasized in the literature, and there is a significant dearth of studies on the dominating voice in the family for holiday decisions. This is particularly true for families travelling with children. This study explicitly discusses the voices of children represented in the tourism literature. The study employed a systematic quantitative literature review of 72 articles published in the SCOPUS journals and used a thematic analysis to conclude. Our study reveals that the studies are primarily initiated in the European context. However, several research engagements then emphasized in the Asian context. These studies are mainly contextualized in three different perspectives as Children’s influence on holiday decisions, Child tourist experience and holiday outcomes of children. Also, the study indicates that children's tourism experience is mainly influenced by the parents’ voices and very little representation of children's voices in the literature on family vacations.

Past ATLAANZ President and current ATLAANZ Life Member, Jan Stewart reflects on how ATLAANZ transformed tertiary learning advising in Aotearoa New Zealand from an isolated, undervalued service into a recognised, collaborative profession by fostering collegiality, professional development, research engagement, and a shared commitment to student success over its 40-year history.

Patient and public involvement and engagement in methodology research: process, experiences, and recommendations from the SPIRIT- and CONSORT-Surrogate project.

There is a notable lack of engagement in reproductive and lifecourse research with and from men, with a disproportionate focus on women. While studies investigating the lack of men’s engagement with services exist, there is little evidence on their engagement with reproductive and lifecourse research. This article qualitatively examines men’s engagement in such research in the Bukhali trial in South Africa. Single, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 male partners of Bukhali participants, and data were thematically analysed. Results were grouped into three domains: (i) motivators for engagement, (ii) barriers to engagement, and (iii) recommendations to improve engagement. Motivators to engage included partner support, desiring to learn and gain knowledge, and taking the opportunity to access the same perceived trial benefits as their partner. Barriers included having misconceptions around the research, fear and mistrust of hospitals and illness, gendered ideas around ‘women’s health issues’, hesitance around sharing personal details, and lack of time and perceived (financial) benefits. To increase engagement, male partners recommended increasing awareness and creating safe research spaces for men. Each theme was inflected with male partners’ sociocultural and contextual realities and provided valuable insights into obstacles and opportunities for improving men’s engagement in reproductive research.

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn 2021, the National Institutes of Health launched a multi‐centre observational study on long Covid: Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER). Six Boston academic medical centres joined community partners to become the Boston COVID Recovery Cohort (BCRC), a consortium of RECOVER sites. Our consortium developed a community engagement model, and this manuscript shares lessons and recommendations.Design and ParticipantsThe BCRC Community Partnership Table, which included community partners, senior equity leaders, academic researchers and health system collaborators, co‐developed a charter to advance research, community education, clinical care, social support and institutional and policy change goals. BCRC engaged patients, providers, caregivers and legislators via multiple communication channels.FindingsThe BCRC Community Partnership Table faced several challenges: working within a novel, evolving pandemic; structural barriers to successful community engagement; perspectives on trustworthiness of research; and working across multiple organisations with distinct structures, resources and goals. There were also successes: leaders who were invested in community engagement; a focus on inclusive network building; co‐production; flexible communication channels; a shift to centring communities and patients; and connection with the legislature to support broader policy impacts.DiscussionTo inform future community engagement models, we recommend the following: (1) healthcare research funders should build in time and resources for community engagement; (2) study consortia should include community engagement specialists in decision‐making positions from the outset; and (3) community members should have prominent roles leading research engagement efforts.ConclusionsEngagement models can enhance the equity impact of long Covid research. Reflections and recommendations in this paper can inform future efforts.Patient or Public ContributionThe project included community leaders, community‐based organisations, people with long Covid, and those caring for people with long Covid. Community leaders, community‐based organisations and people with long Covid are included in every aspect of the network. They inform decision‐making, play a key role in network leadership and are also all represented within the authorship team.

In the rapidly changing society, where education is penetrated with serious reforms, the discussion about teacher research competence has become one of the significant competencies that teachers must develop. Teachers need opportunities for professional development. Activities such as training, workshop, excursion opportunities, and research can enhance teachers’ professional knowledge and skills. Teachers’ engagement in research, helps them find solutions to the problems they are facing in their workplaces. Participation in research addressing their workplace problems helps them develop new insight and that ultimately contributes to higher performance in their instructional practices.The present review study provides a detailed analysis of teacher research competence development programs by employing a documentary research methodology. This comprehensive literature review covers the insights from high-impact journals within the period between 2013 and 2024. The analyzed studies include a wide range of participant groups, such as university teachers, students, principals, and faculty members. The findings shed insight on the difficulties that educators face and the strategies that have proven to be successful in improving their research competency. These interventions can range from experimental programs to action research projects. The significance of collaborative structures, the role of emotional elements, and the impact of resource accessibility on the development of research skills are some of the key topics that emerge from this research. The studies were analyzed and synthesized based on their methodology, sample characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. This compilation highlights the critical role that research plays in forming the professional identities of educators and in building communities of collaborative learning. Thus, the study emphasizes the need for ongoing support and development of teacher research competence in the ever-changing field of education.

Examining the evidence implementation environment of the massage therapy profession in Australia: A cross-sectional study.

Preschool classrooms are understudied relative to other educational contexts and typically focus on assessment, basic research, and rarely on participatory research. This study focused on applied and translational approaches with shared power among researchers, teacher, and students at a local preschool. We describe, critically analyze, and reflect on the participatory process from multiple perspectives – researchers, teachers, and administrators. One female lead teacher volunteered her classroom (n=19 students; ages 3-5) to participate. Researchers’ journal reflections, meeting notes, and field observations documented study implementation. Co-planning occurred across three weeks, active implementation spanned five weeks, and dissemination occurred across four months. Using Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) principles as a framework, these data were qualitatively analyzed to provide reflective journaling and thematic analysis of the implementation process. We describe initial conversations with preschool administrators and the classroom teacher followed by description of seven research steps. The researchers and teacher mutually agreed upon using the Photovoice method because it empowers preschoolers to communicate their knowledge and perspectives in ways researchers could understand. Meetings and co-facilitated data collection fostered co-learning among researchers, preschool students, and their teachers. Dissemination was inclusive and multifaceted through the use of: (1) classroom photo digital displays for the preschoolers to view and (2) an E-brochure shared with parents and administrators. Participatory Research (PR) principles are examined and methodological lessons learned are shared to promote preschool classroom participatory engagement in future research and plans for expanding participatory approaches in preschools are discussed.

Assessing and comparing patient engagement in clinical cancer research: A cross-regional analysis between Europe and Japan using a structured evaluation tool.

Abstract The Cretaceous Period represents a critical juncture in the evolution of insects, however, taphonomic biases associated with amber preservation obscure essential morphological evidence necessary for deciphering macroevolutionary dynamics. Although microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) provides high-resolution imaging, its limitations in reconstructing fragmented amber fossils necessitate innovative solutions. This study introduces an open-source multimodal framework that integrates Blender 4.2 with micro-CT volumetric data and 2D optical imaging to restore the morphological characteristics of compromised specimens. Using a mid-Cretaceous soldier beetle ( Sanaugulus sp.) from Burmese amber as a case study, we successfully achieved digital reconstruction of the elytra, antennae, pronotum, and legs through skeletal rigging techniques and HDR (High-Dynamic Range)-optimized visualization methods. By addressing taphonomic constraints and facilitating exploration within evolutionary morphospace, this framework tackles critical challenges in paleontological imaging while improving methodological accessibility through open source tools. It effectively bridges interpretative gaps present in compromised fossil specimens, thereby advancing future research endeavors in paleoecology, phylogenetic analysis, and biomechanical modeling. The capacity to generate museum-ready 3D models with interactive articulation ranges positions this framework as a transformative tool for both macroevolutionary research and public engagement in studies concerning deep-time biodiversity.

Malaria control and elimination in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea: Multidisciplinary and collaborative research with island communities, 1985-2024.

The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) Patient Research Partner (PRP) Network conducted a survey to identify its key strengths and gaps, with the goal of enhancing its global reach and representation. The survey revealed strong gender parity and high long-term project participation among PRP members. However, it also indicated a need for greater ethnic and geographical diversity among the members. To address this, the PRP Network will expand its membership and specifically recruit partners from underrepresented regions such as Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the network aims to expand its age range to include a more representative selection of research partners, thereby advancing GRAPPA's overarching objectives. The results of the survey were presented at the GRAPPA 2024 annual meeting.

Over recent decades, a focus on children’s rights has led to their increased involvement in research. However, ethical reflections on dynamics which shape and produce children’s voice within research encounters remain under-explored. Social work research involving children on sensitive topics must balance their right to participate with avoiding harm. This paper reflects on two vignettes from our longitudinal study on care-experienced children in Scotland, which included interviews and 'play and talk’ sessions with 20 children aged three to 15. The two vignettes, and other examples from research interviews, were selected to illustrate moments that caused us to pause and interrogate the ethical implications of research encounters for children, families and researchers. The first vignette explores how consent and research engagement were negotiated, resisted, and facilitated relationally among the child, researcher and the child’s aunt. The second vignette examines family dynamics during interviews and what happens when the research visit creates a space for children and adults to ask questions about their lives. By analysing both vignettes, we consider how ostensibly small decisions and points of interaction during research interviews had outsized implications for the research. We explore how we enacted ethics, including by using peer support to reflect on the choices we made utilising an ethic of care and an ethic of justice as helpful theoretical lenses. We discuss how children communicated their views and choices to us, using subtle signs, and what we learned about listening and responding to children and their families when confronted with difficult ethical moments.

The lack of racial and ethnic diversity in samples used within the field of human genetics research has been well-documented. However, factors driving the under-representation of individuals who are not of European ancestry remains under-explored. The present study aimed to investigate whether willingness to participate in genetic research differed by race and ethnicity, as well as other demographic (e.g., age, gender, religion affiliation, education level) and psychological or individual factors (e.g., trust in research, knowledge of genetics, trait-level worry, health anxiety, altruism, health status) in two ethnically- and racially-diverse samples (N = 2000 via Prolific and N = 264 via an undergraduate psychology research pool). Participants indicated the types of research they would be willing to participate in, including providing saliva or blood samples for genetic research. Approximately, one third of participants endorsed willingness to provide a saliva sample, whereas one quarter endorsed willingness to provide a blood sample. Demographic factors associated with lower willingness included non-white racial/ethnic identities and lower income. Odds did not differ by age or gender identity. Mistrust of research was consistently associated with lower odds of providing a biological sample, whereas higher health anxiety, altruism, and the experience of a health condition was associated with higher odds of participation. Reasons for reluctance were explored, including the influence of compensation, additional information, opportunity for feedback, and study topic. Findings suggest that increasing transparency about how biological samples can be used, involving community leaders, and providing equitable compensation may increase engagement in genetic research, particularly among historically marginalized populations.

The higher education (HE) sector in Uganda is in a state of a perfect storm. As Uganda tends towards lower middle-income status and as it envisions upper middle-income status by 2040, it is beyond dispute that HE is a panacea to achieving this ambition. In order to bolster the signifcance of HE in the country’s socio-economic transformation process, higher education institutions (HEIs) in Uganda have attempted to embrace global imperatives within the broader HE discourse namely: internationalization of HE, international collaborations and knowledge transfer partnerships; revitalizing the relationship between the academic oligarchy, industry and the state; as well as strengthening the core function of HE: research, teaching and community engagement. However, an interplay of systemic defciencies, unclear institutional philosophies, and epistemological tensions have thwarted the full reformation of the country’s HE sector. By means of literature search and desk study, this paper sought to highlight the critical issues and challenges facing the country’s HE sector upon which the paper draws actionable recommendations. The article reveals that the capacity of HEIs to signifcantly contribute to the country’s development agenda is curtailed by geopolitical dynamics, autocratic rule, acute funding shortages and inadequacy of qualifed academic staff. The paper recommends that HEIs should reconstruct internationalization of HE, and explore new and reliable sources of funding. Also, the paper recommends that Government should create a special loan fund for fnancing doctoral studies and also scale up university funding for research and innovations.

Advanced nursing practice involves an expanded nursing scope, characterised by autonomy, expert knowledge, and complex decision-making to address diverse healthcare needs. Although roles such as nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist are established in New Zealand, there remains ambiguity in role definitions and a lack of exploration into the perspectives of registered nurses, particularly those pursuing postgraduate education. This study seeks to explore focused perspectives of postgraduate nursing students on advanced nursing practice in New Zealand. A focused ethnography study. Interviews were conducted online via videoconferencing. The study involved fifteen registered nurses enrolled in postgraduate nursing programmes in New Zealand, who met the inclusion criteria, including providing direct patient care. Semi-structured interviews were guided by a literature review. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using an inductive, data-driven approach. Reflective notes and independent coding by two researchers ensured rigour. Two main themes emerged: (1) Defining advanced nursing practice, where participants associated advanced nursing practice with postgraduate education, autonomy, specialised care, advanced technology, and assessment skills. They emphasised the role of coaching and policy implementation. (2) Perspectives on advanced nursing practice roles in New Zealand, where participants voiced concerns about role ambiguity, limited career opportunities, and lack of clarity beyond nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles. They also noted insufficient emphasis on research within advanced nursing practice roles, despite the importance of evidence-based practice. Postgraduate nursing students in New Zealand perceive advanced nursing practice as a vital field that requires advanced education and specialized skills. However, role ambiguity and limited research engagement hinder its development. Addressing structural challenges, enhancing role clarity, and incorporating research-oriented pathways, such as the doctor of nursing practice, could strengthen the impact of advanced nursing practice on healthcare delivery and policy. Not applicable.

IntroductionClinical research is key to advancing healthcare, driving innovation, characterising and addressing both local and global health challenges. Medical students’ participation in research during their education is essential for developing future clinician-scientists. However, in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Nigeria, several barriers restrict student involvement in research. In this study, we evaluated the interest, awareness, and research engagement of Nigerian medical students, identify extant barriers, while proposing strategies to enhance participation in clinical research.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 691 Nigerian medical students across 42 accredited medical schools using a convenience sampling technique. Participants, aged 18 years and above, were recruited from all academic levels (100–600 levels). A self-administered online questionnaire assessed sociodemographics, research awareness, interest, participation, and barriers to research. Data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 27.0 and descriptive statistics, and chi-square tests were employed to identify associations between demographic factors and research participation, awareness, and engagement.ResultsThe mean (SD) age (in years) of study participants was 21.88 (3.14), and 68.2% were aged 20–25 years with 50.5% females. Most participants (27.2%) were in their fourth year of medical training. Most students reported moderate (53.4%) or low (40.9%) research awareness, and 55.1% had participated in research activities, primarily data collection (31.1%) and literature review (21.8%). While 91.2% of the study participants showed interest in research activities, barriers included time constraints (66.6%), lack of awareness about research opportunities (60.6%), lack of mentorship (59.9%), and financial constraints (52.7%). Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between academic level, research awareness, engagement and interest (p < 0.001) as well as gender and research interest (p = 0.04).ConclusionThis study highlights the strong interest in research among Nigerian medical students but also reveals notable barriers limiting their engagement. By addressing these challenges through structured mentorship programs, early exposure to research, curricular integration, equitable resource allocation, and regional interventions, institutions can bridge the gap between interest and active research participation. Establishing a supportive research culture is essential for empowering students to contribute meaningfully to scientific innovation and addressing local health challenges.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-08277-2.

IntroductionResearch is a vital component of surgical training, enhancing academic skills and career opportunities. This study aimed to assess the research involvement of surgical residents in Saudi Arabia and identify key predictors, barriers, and motivations.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted among 297 surgical residents between December 2021 and September 2023 using a structured online questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS.ResultsOverall, 51.2% of residents published at least one paper during residency. Prior research experience in medical school significantly predicted publication during residency (P = 0.012). In logistic regression, residents in gynecology had lower odds of publication compared to general surgery (OR 0.58, P < 0.05). The main motivation for research was fellowship acquisition (63.3%). The leading barriers were lack of time (67.0%) and work-related stress (50.0%).ConclusionEarly research engagement in medical school strongly predicts future productivity during residency, while time constraints and stress remain major obstacles. Our findings suggest that residency programs could enhance research output by providing structured mentorship, allocating protected research time, and encouraging early exposure to research activities.