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Research
Inspiring students and junior doctors to incorporate research into their daily practice The Surgical Trainee Organisation for Research Central Coast Collaborative (STORCC) was founded in Gosford on the Central Coast of New South Wales in 2016. Within two years it participated in its first international collaborative trial: Ileus Management International (IMAGINE), protocol for a multicentre, observational study of ileus after colorectal surgery. In 2020 STORCC was the largest Australasian site in the CovidSurg week study, the largest ever surgical trial with more than 140,000 patients from 116 countries. Trainee-led regional networks in General Surgery have changed the paradigm for a collaborative approach to research and have proven to be very effective globally in delivering large multicentre clinical trials. The West Midlands Research Collaborative, founded in 2007, was the earliest surgical trainee-led collaborative trials network in the United Kingdom. By 2016, there were 33 documented surgical trainee research organisations and this number continues to increase. The research collaboratives use a corporate authorship model that recognises the work of individuals who contribute to the project as a PubMed citable co-author. STORCC now has more than 150 team members who each have at
Dr Sharon Laura, Breast and General surgeon “Ongoing research is so important in medicine. We are constantly gaining new knowledge through research and using this to improve patient care. As a clinician, it is a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of that. I feel proud to be part of such an important large research project and enjoyed working with my mini team on the Covid SurgWeek project.”
least one peer-reviewed publication. STORCC is unique as the chair of the research group is a prevocational junior doctor. As a regional site, surgical registrars rotate on a six- or 12-month placement. However, junior doctors and students have at least a two-year placement. Medical students at the University of Newcastle Central Coast Clinical School in Gosford can complete their five-year program locally, and historically over half return as interns for a two year placement. This is due to the Clinical School’s research project program that encourages medical student involvement in assisting junior doctors, surgical trainees and consultants. By working together in mini teams, a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork is created, which adds to the positive experience for medical students participating in clinical studies. This program provides long-term stability for their involvement and sustainability for the organisation. As a regional hub, the Central Coast has reduced access to research support and funding. The trainee-led research collaboratives are independent of traditional research funding and therefore work particularly well in hospitals where resources are limited. Trainee research networks require the support of a mentor, who provides arm’s length guidance. As the Surgical Specialty Lead Prevocational Doctor and Central Coast general surgery clinical academic, I facilitated STORCC’s development by focusing on its importance to the entrepreneurial and experiential pedagogy of medical student and junior doctor academic education. As past chair of the Critical Literature Evaluation and Research Committee, I identified the importance of providing students and trainees the opportunity to apply their epidemiological knowledge and to develop proficiency in large scale clinical trial research participation, capacity to effectively manage a local research site, and national leadership capability in project management. Dr Benji Julien, JMO “Being involved in the CovidSurg study provided me with a great insight into
Dr Benji Julien, JMO “Being involved in the CovidSurg study provided me with a great insight into large multinational studies. It was a pleasure to be able to work with colleagues from home and around the world to contribute to a study with genuine benefit for patient care worldwide”.
Dr Upuli Pa Registrar “Participat research pr me to proto increased m clinical surg the ethics p to efficient complicate projects. ST multiple op and teachin Dr Benji Julien, JMO Dr Upuli Pahalawatta, Radiology model, incr “Being involved in the Registrar resident ini CovidSurg study provided The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, “Participating large multicentreand allows me with a great insight into research projects has introduced projects." through the Section Surgery, large multinational studies. of Academic me to protocol development and It was a pleasure to be able my understanding of recognised the importanceincreased of supporting to work with colleagues clinical surgery. Being involved in the of scientifically literate fromdevelopment home and around the the ethics process has allowed me world to contribute to a to efficiently apply for increasingly trainees, and in 2017 established the study with genuine benefit complicated individual research for patientTrials care worldwide”. Clinical Network of Australia projects. STORCC has provided opportunities for learning and New Zealand (CTANZ). multiple Trainee-led and teaching. The collaborative collaboratives have a dual model, purpose, asthe they increases scope of resident initiated research projects both promote a culture of trial design, and and allows for more ambitious projects." stage of conduct governance at a formative
surgical training. This ultimately produce surgeons who are both efficient consumers of research and actively involved in it.
As one of the earliest Australasian trainee led surgical trials networks, STORCC was actively involved in the foundation of CTANZ. STORCC is proud to report that its members contributed to the Australian arm of the randomised controlled trial SUNRRISE in 2020, which was supported by a successful Medical Research Future Fund grant of more than $780,000. STORCC also contributed to the international medical student led trials by the GlobalSurgCollaborative (Global Surg3 – Quality and outcomes after global cancer surgery: A prospective, international cohort study). Key research projects for STORCC in 2020 and 2021 include being part of a series
Dr Benji Julien, JMO “Being involved in the CovidSurg study provided me with a great insight into large multinational studies. It was a pleasure to be able to work with colleagues from home and around the world to contribute to a study with genuine benefit for patient care worldwide”.
Dr Upuli Pahalawatta, Radiology Registrar “Participating large multicentre research projects has introduced
Dr Upuli Pahalawatta, Radiology Registrar “Participating large multicentre research projects has introduced me to protocol development and increased my understanding of clinical surgery. Being involved in the ethics process has allowed me to efficiently apply for increasingly complicated individual research projects. STORCC has provided multiple opportunities for learning and teaching. The collaborative model, increases the scope of resident initiated research projects and allows for more ambitious projects."
Tanishq medica “I was l with the Gosford enjoyed part of centre t it gave how res a grand coordin amazin what w us awar in the p up. Def in gettin year 3a again any oth pop up
Tanishq Khandelwal medical student “I was lucky enough to be inv with the COVIDSurg team at
