Practical aspects to undertaking research in the primary care setting: experience from two studies

Aims: To discuss the practical aspects of conducting research in a primary care setting, from the perspectives of the practitioner and the research team. Methods: Various issues are discussed, including the relevance of research questions being generated in this setting, the advantages to both parties and the processes involved in conducting a study in specialist practice. This paper describes two recent studies (a randomized clinical trial and a qualitative study) conducted within specialist practice, to illustrate some of the potential difficulties. Conclusions: The success of conducting a study in primary care is determined by a variety of factors, including an interested specialist practitioner, motivated staff in a well-organized practice and the close support of an academic-based research team.