Project Research

 

Department of Surgery

Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center

 

Situation Analysis:

 

Questions:

 

1.      What is the present status of the research activities in the Department of Surgery of Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center?

2.      What are the problems being encountered by the Department in terms of its research thrust, if there is any?

 

Questions and Answers (from interview with 9 Y-III to Y-IV residents):

 

1.      What is the present status of the research activities in the Department of Surgery of Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center?

 

As of September, 2001-

 

  1. No consultants in the Department of Surgery are actively engaged in research activities within the hospital.
  2. Residents are required to submit research papers as a requirement for promotion.

2.1 Present requirements as imposed by hospital research committee:

2.1.1       Interesting Case Reports for 1st year residents

2.1.2       Retrospective Studies for 2nd and 3rd year residents

2.1.3       Prospective Studies for 4th and 5th year residents

2.2 No consultants are actively monitoring the accomplishments of the residents.

2.3 Residents are NOT completely complying with the requirements and somehow get promoted in the past years.

2.4 Residents usually produce poor quality research outputs.

2.5 The Philippine College of Surgeons does not require surgical residents to do research as part of their training since 4 to 5 years ago.  This has contributed to decreased level of research activities not only in the Department of Surgery of OMMC but also in other surgery departments in other hospitals.

 

NOTES:

 

  1. When I assumed chairmanship of the Department of Surgery of OMMC on February, 2001, this was the state (as described above) that I entered into, as far as research activities are concerned. 
  2. My personal philosophy is that research is an indispensable activity in the Department.  Research should be done to improve services.  Consultants and residents should be actively involved in research.
  3. At the start of the stewardship, the following research goals were spelled out:

3.1 Two completed research papers per year.

3.2 The papers should at least be presented in a formal forum outside the hospital, such as the Philippine College of Surgeons’ Convention.

  1. I appointed a vice-chair for research to accomplish these goals.  As of September, 2001, I have to push my vice-chair to move faster, or else we will not be able to accomplish our goals this year.
  2. I was forced to make some move to realize our goals.

5.1 I have given ideas to the residents to come out with small-scale research projects:

5.1.1       The reliability of goiter morphology and pulse rate in the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism

5.1.2       The impact of protocols in the management of patients with thyroid surgical disorders

5.1.3       The need for upright abdominal x-rays in the evaluation of patients with suspected intestinal obstruction

5.2 I am now personally reviewing the research status, capability, policies,

and thinking of strategies to accomplish the research thrust of the Department of  Surgery.

 

2.      What are the problems being encountered by the Department in terms of its research thrust, if there is any?

There exists a research thrust in the Department of Surgery of OMMC, at least under my present stewardship.

I believe in the need and importance of research in improving services. 

I believe consultants and residents alike should be doing researches.

I believe that training surgery residents to do research should be part of their training program.

Problems:

1.      Consultants lacking in competency in conducting research

2.      No structured training program in research for both consultants and residents

3.      Lack of funding for research activities

4.      Lack of interest and motivation in doing research for majority of physicians

 

General Objective:

 

To develop a structured and sustainable research program in the Department of Surgery of OMMC with the end-goal of improving surgical services.

 

Specific Objectives:

1.      To spell out a definite research program for OMMC Department of Surgery.

2.      To provide incentives and motivation for consultants and residents to conduct research in OMMC Department of Surgery.

3.      To entice donors to fund research activities of the OMMC Department of Surgery.