Grow your research career

Suggestions to advance your progress in research include undertaking personal and professional development opportunities.

A key part of your research development as a researcher, or an advanced practitioner, is to identify the training you require to enhance your capabilities.

Professional development opportunities

• Professionally, it is helpful to be inspired by other researchers. We recommend looking out for events and opportunities to support your research and progress your research career.
• The NIHR regularly runs researcher development events
• The Council for Allied Health Professions Research (CAHPR) provides courses for clinical academics
• It is important for researchers to stay up to date with Good Clinical Practice training
• Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW) lists events for research development in Wales
• The NIHR has a range of training courses for researchers
• Sign up as a member to receive regular the CRRN newsletter for regular updates about community rehabilitation research events, training, funding and opportunities to increase your involvement with the CRRN.

Personal development

For personal development it is helpful to conduct a training needs analysis (TNA). This can form part of a personal development review with your line manager, and it can be helpful to use a framework or set of competencies for guidance.

• The Research Practitioner Competency Framework from the Council for Allied Health Professions Research
• The Research Careers Tool can help you identify where you are in your research career and where you want to get to
• The Researcher Development Framework (RDF).

Well-being

People have highlighted that getting started in research can be challenging. It is important to look after your well-being, take time for self-reflection and talk about your research experiences with others. Here are some resources that you might find useful:

• The NIHR has a range of support options depending on where you are in your research journey
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) provides well-being and mental health information for researchers
• Vitae provides well-being and mental health advice for researchers.