Global Impact Lab: Frequently Asked Questions
Why is research important?
There is a dearth of empirical research regarding eye care services in the developing world. Pursuing research enables you to contribute important knowledge to the global health and global eye care communities. Conducting research will also allow you to inform the local eye clinic regarding the patient demographic, barriers to care, and cultural beliefs about eye care. Research is the basis for action and improvement, and past research has enabled us to develop new educational interventions and other programs to further eliminate patient barriers to care.
What is my first step?
Your first step, if not already complete, is to apply to become a Global Impact Fellow. After you apply for the program, and after you are accepted and confirm participation, you should contact us and then proceed with the steps listed at http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-impact-lab
How do I find a Faculty Advisor and who should he/she be?
Your faculty advisor is generally a professor or researcher affiliated with your institution or university. He/she may be a public health professor, anthropology professor, ophthalmologist, optometrist, or another advisor with relevant expertise. The most important characteristic of a faculty mentor is that he/she is experienced in the process of conducting research. This is crucial, as your advisor will guide you through the development of your research methodology and help you to construct and submit your IRB proposal. It is helpful for the advisors to be in the medical/public health field, and it is not necessary for the advisor to be in the eye care field, unless an ophthalmologist or optometrist would be the best advisor for your research topic.
What is the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
An institutional review board (IRB), also known as an independent ethics committee (IEC) or ethical review board (ERB) is a committee that has been formally designated to approve, monitor, and review biomedical and behavioral research involving humans with the aim to protect the rights and welfare of the research subjects. You must obtain approval from the IRB in order to conduct research on human subjects abroad. IRB approval is not immediate and, depending on your university’s IRB committee schedule, approval can take several months. Thus, it is important to contact your IRB and inquire about the timeline for approval before you begin to work on your study.
What does a research proposal look like?
A research proposal is a formal document (similar to the proposal you will submit to the IRB) that outlines the motivations for your research as well as the sample size, study population, methodology, procedure for data analysis, and potential implications. A full list of the elements that should be included in the research proposal can be found here: http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/proposal.html For more on research methodology please read through this course: http://www.uniteforsight.org/research-methodology/
How do I navigate language barriers?
In most of the locations in which you may be pursuing research, language barriers will create challenges for conducting research and obtaining high-quality data. Furthermore, many individuals will not be literate, preventing you from using written surveys. You will have access to translators, but they will not be professionally trained and most will be members of the clinic who voluntarily assist you in your project. This means that you must be patient and flexible while waiting for interpreters. We advise that you bring a tape recorder to record questions in the native language. Using a tape recorder will standardize your methodology and ensure the validity of your study results.
What is the timeline for preparing for research abroad?
Developing your own original research project takes time, and you will need at least 2-3 months to prepare fully. Depending on the deadlines and guidelines of your IRB, it is possible to prepare a research study in less time, but this is not advised. Thus, it is important to stay on top of the process, as there are time-sensitive requirements. Contact your university's IRB to find out how long the approval process will take. Keep in mind that the IRB may ask you to amend or edit your proposal, which may add time.
Will I be able to conduct research in a short time frame, or do I need to participate for many months?
We have volunteers pursue research for durations that range from ten days to six months. While a longer time period is ideal, it is possible to conduct a simple, small scale or pilot study during a shorter time frame such as ten days. If you are interested in pursuing research, contact Rachel Turkel at rturkel@uniteforsight.org to find out what types of studies would be feasible. If you will be abroad for 1 month or more, you will have time to pursue more in-depth research.
Will research prevent me from helping at the clinic/participating in outreaches?
This depends on the type of research that you pursue. If you choose to pursue a survey-based research topic in the villages, you would be pursuing your study during the outreaches. While the local eye doctors and other Global Impact Fellows would be providing and assisting with eye care delivery, you would focus primarily on your research study. The survey-based research studies in villages usually involve the researcher setting up a station at the outreach, and patients then rotate through. If you decide to conduct a clinical study or clinic-based study, your time will mostly be spent in the eye clinic with the local ophthalmologist. Thus, you will not have much exposure to the community outreach setting. However, you may be able to take a day or two break from the study to go on outreaches.
What types of research topics are feasible? What are important factors to consider when deciding on research topic?
The answer to this question depends on the location where you will be pursuing research as well as the time frame that you have. In general, studies requiring thousands of subjects (such as prevalence studies) are not feasible in a short time frame. In addition, it is important to keep in mind the local population. You may see a list of recently completed research studies in the Global Impact Lab at http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-impact-lab/past-research Unite For Sight would work closely with you to design and develop a research study based on the needs of the eye clinic partner where you will be participating.
Will pursuing research cost money? Who will pay?
Depending on your particular study, a marginal amount of money may be required. If your study requires a video camera or tape recorder, you may need to obtain these materials. In addition, if you are conducting surveys, it may cost money to make paper copies. However, financial concerns should not deter you from pursuing research. While Unite for Sight does not provide funding for research, your university may be more inclined to provide grants for research activities. We suggest that you contact your institution to inquire about funding opportunities.
Will I be published as a result of my research?
Many of our Fellows publish in peer-reviewed journals and give presentations at conferences. In order to be published, you must submit a written manuscript of your research findings to a journal. The editors and peer reviewers will review your research and either accept or reject your manuscript for publication, or request edits. You must submit your manuscript to one journal at a time, and it may not be under review at multiple academic journals.
Can I get academic credit for this research?
The option to receive academic credit for your research is determined by your university. Oftentimes, students use their research for their thesis requirement or honors project. To find out if this is possible, we suggest that you contact the appropriate department at your university.
How do I make sure that my research is relevant to the clinic and local population?
It is important that your research be relevant to the population and to the eye clinic. In order to assure this, you will collaborate closely with Unite For Sight to find a topic and develop your research. We are constantly in contact with the eye clinics abroad, and we work with them and our Global Impact Fellows to design and develop research ideas.
How do I achieve “informed consent” when patients cannot read or speak English?
Due to language and literacy barriers, you will be unable to achieve informed consent from research subjects by written signature. Thus, you will need to obtain verbal informed consent. You can either use an interpreter or a tape recorder to explain the study and ask for consent from potential participants.
What happens after I get back?
After you conduct your research and return home, you will next consolidate and analyze your data. Unite for Sight and your faculty mentor can assist you in the data analysis, and it is helpful to have a working knowledge of statistics for this stage. If you wish to submit your study for publication, you will need to write up a formal manuscript. Unite For Sight does not require a written manuscript of your research findings or that you submit for publication. However, we do require that you submit your raw data and results to us within one month after you return from abroad. These findings help to enhance eye care and global health delivery.