Over the course of the last few months, I have written about several differing topics that cover some aspects of my life as a student paramedic. They have been enjoyable to write, and I do hope, at least to an extent, that they have been interesting to those who read them. I started by introducing myself as a student from a non-traditional background. I then went on to talk about placements, the development of the new Keele Paramedic Society, mental health and more. For my last entry of the year, I would like to write about a subject that I am sure plays on the mind of many a paramedic student—research. I'll touch on my own trials and tribulations with research and hopefully share a tip or two about the final year's project or dissertation that sneaks up on us all.
So what advice can I give regarding research and that final year project? The first and most important point is to pick a subject you are going to enjoy. Research can take time, from the final year undergraduate project to PhDs and professional doctorates, you invest a lot of time and effort in the process, and it has to hold your interest. Picking something that you find dull or difficult may not remain at the top of your priorities. Secondly, try and stay organised, you may be embarking on a big project, and it is easy to lose track of sources, searches, and ideas, etc. We have wonderful tools in this day and age that can assist you in recording such things as searches, the parameters used and the sources you have located as a result. Make use of them, it will save a lot of time and it will certainly assist you when it comes to writing up. Gone are the days that you have to list all your sources on little bits of paper along the floor as I once did! Technology is amazing so use it to your advantage. The final little tip may seem obvious, but read voraciously.
I have been lucky to have already done a research degree in the past. However, it was in a very different subject, International Relations, and the process did not go as planned. While this previous experience of research and academia gave me a little bit of confidence when lectures on research methods commenced, I was under no illusion that there are some aspects of research that I do not like. Qualitative research is, at least to me, a less daunting prospect than quantitative. This was, and is, coupled with another possible difficulty; I enjoy every single aspect of the course I am currently doing, so how can I focus on one particular area to research in the future? As I sit writing this, I cannot envisage an area of paramedic practice that I would not find interesting. However, when I look to the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education and research, there are three pillars that I am most drawn to.
I am an older student, and I will not have the time ‘on the road’ that my younger colleagues will get to enjoy. As such, I have to be somewhat strategic about my future plans within the field. In terms of education, I have taught at university before and would like to once again. I am also drawn to clinical practice, as I would like to become the best clinician I can be. Then there is research, which I am very interested in and although my family will hate me for this—I do have the dream of finally finishing that PhD!