Ethical and Methodological Considerations for The Clinician-Scientist: a Call for Reflexivity

Abstract

Clinician-scientists play a valuable role in bridging the gap between patient care and clinical research. However, there are no clear guidelines that describe how to handle the day-to-day ethical and methodological questions that arise when navigating the competing responsibilities of practitioner and researcher—a situation that can easily leave the clinician-scientist confused and frustrated. This article outlines common ethical and methodological concerns for the clinician-scientist when developing, implementing, and analyzing research in practice, and offers practical suggestions to address these issues. This paper will outline the role that reflexivity can play throughout the research process to assist the clinician-scientist in maintaining ethical and methodological rigor, as well as upholding the moral obligations of both practitioner and researcher.