Research

Overview

Helping you find research opportunities that encourage development of the science and practice of rheumatology.

Research is a key part of the society's daily function, helping to deliver excellence in rheumatology care.

Besides the registers, guidelines and other quality improvement initiatives, there are professional development opportunities available throughout the year.

These range from research funding to visiting fellowships and relevant courses.

Research Funding Call

This is targeted at members who had not had any substantial involvement with research to date; the award gives them access to an early-career research project funding opportunity.

Areas prioritised for support this year were:

Guidelines: we recommended that there should be a consistent format for research recommendations in published guidelines. We should support research work which then undertakes some preparatory work in relation to these recommendations prior to research funding submission
Data: we recommended that support be prioritised for research proposals which are predominantly or wholly based around the use of our data (registers, audit)
Paediatric rheumatology: there is less scope for paediatric rheumatology in terms of guidelines and data, so we recommended that this should also be a specific area of focus

From our most recent funding call, the key focus areas for research proposals were:

Health services research
Chronic pain including fibromyalgia
Rare diseases

Proposals involving multidisciplinary teams were also particularly welcome.

Visiting fellowships

Week-long fellowships held at a research centre of excellence in the UK, hosted by a member of the society.

Open to all members, this can be used as a first exposure to a research environment or for members with previous experience in research, who wish to access specific expertise) at a centre other than their own) to allow them to develop a fellowship or research proposal for other funders.

We are working with UK EULAR Research Centre of Excellence for these fellowships, but applications for visits to other centres will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Travel, accommodation and subsistence is covered, with a suggested maximum application of £1000, depending on location of awardee and centre.

Essential Research Skills

This course will run for the first time on April 19 2020, the day before Annual Conference in Glasgow.

More details of the course and how to apply will be available closer to the time.