Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: Oct 7, 2010

Present: Abby Crocker, Martin Gregory (medical school candidate), Amanda Kennedy, Ben Littenberg, Charlie MacLean, Connie van Eeghen,

1. Round Table: Welcome to Martin, medical school candidate from D.C. Introductions all around.

2. Connie’s Topic

a. Connie reviewed her working document as an outline of her plan to conduct qualitative assessment on her first case study. Feedback was very helpful:

i. Restatement of her study question, as the dependent variables are now precisely defined and measured. The revised study question now reflects this.

ii. Confirmation that the expectations of a qualitative study focuses on context, not control. The qualitative assessment is intended to perform two functions:

1. Depth to the quantitative findings related to the dependent variables

2. Explanations related to rival theories as to why dependent variables provided a given result, as related to the independent variables

iii. Support for the future plan to conduct a cross case analysis, based on the selection of the case studies using a replication logic, not a sampling logic. The case studies are not intended to be representative of a larger universe but unique examples of subjects that were chosen because they followed a particular QI methodology (AA3).

b. The group discussed ways to make future studies more robust, such as studying cases that do not use the AA3 method and studying those that do over time to evaluate for repetition of AA3 and its results.

c. The group that was present agreed to serve as Connie’s critics for a future presentation in which the dependent or independent variables have been assessed through her prescribed qualitative analysis process.

d. Many thanks to all for your time and input!

3. Next Workshop Meeting(s): Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., at Given Courtyard Level 4

a. Oct 15: Abby’s update

b. Oct 22: Kairn?

c. Oct 29: Rodger’s article on Behavior’s Influence on Medical Conditions (unpublished)

d. Future agenda to consider:

i. Rodger: Mixed methods article

ii. Future: Review of different types of journal articles (lit review, case study, original article, letter to editor…), when each is appropriate, tips on planning/writing (Abby)

iii. Future: Informed consent QI: Connie to follow up with Nancy Stalnaker, Alan Rubin will follow up with Alan Wortheimer or Rob McCauly

iv. Kairn will ask a librarian to join us for selected issues

4. Fellows document – to be reviewed in the future. We trialed Wednesday meeting times, which started May 5, 2010 and continued until August 25, 2010. We returned to Friday meetings on Sept 3, 2010

Recorder: Connie van Eeghen