Dr Emily Calton1,2
1Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group, Murdoch, Australia, 2Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
Biography:
Dr Emily Calton has been a dietitian for 15 years. She completed her PhD in 2017 and since then, has held an academic position at Curtin University, providing research and nutrition training to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Emily has been on the supervisory team of over 30 hospital research projects spanning a variety of healthcare conditions, across 7 Western Australian hospitals. In 2023, she was appointed to the inaugural position for WA of Dietetics Research Coordinator. In this role, she supports dietitian clinicians in the design and implementation of research projects and facilitates collaborations between clinicians, university researchers and students.
Abstract:
Background:
In healthcare, building clinician research capacity advances professional knowledge, support evidence-based practice, and demonstrates effective service models. Initiatives that effectively support dietitian clinicians to build their research capacity skills and confidence, within the demands of their clinical caseload, are required. Inaugural for WA, in Jan 2023, the conjoint appointment of Dietetics Research Coordinator between Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group and Curtin University (0.4FTE), was created, to build research capacity within the profession and to promote research collaborations.
Methods:
Between Jan 2023- Feb 2025, a variety of strategies were utilised to build clinician research capacity including promotion of HDRs, collaborations with universities involving Master of Dietetics coursework students, mentoring of clinicians with the design of quality improvement and research projects, assistance with building data collection tools and mentoring with manuscript writing and conference presentation skills.
Results:
Outcomes included 26 clinicians funded for 63 dedicated research days; ~48k secured to fund research from small-scale funding schemes; 3 new programs of research initiated with Curtin University (involving 6 students), 8 publications; 9 clinician presentations at conferences with two first prize and one third prize awards; one of four finalists in the WA Health awards; one of three finalists for the South Metro Health Service Excellence in Strengthening Partnerships Award; 1 MPhil completion; creation of dietetics FTE and 1 career promotion.
Conclusion:
The Dietetics Research Coordinator role demonstrates enhanced clinician research capacity, and creates career opportunities. Recommended future strategies include increasing the role's FTE within dietetics and other allied health professions.