Research Essentials Day 2026

Are you a paediatric resident with little or no experience in research and would like to learn more? Join our online event. We'll cover the essentials of research, including finding mentorship, understanding different research types and data, presenting your work, opportunities to get involved and the wider impact of research in practice.
Date: -
Time: -
Spaces available
This is a free online event

Programme

There will be interactive talks throughout the day, which will support you to discover the essentials of research within paediatrics.

9:00Welcome and introductions
9:10

Getting started in research and finding the right mentorship

Dr Anu Goenka, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

9:55

A practical guide to using registry data

Dr Lucy Plumb, Associate Professor in Paediatric Nephrology, University of Bristol

10:40Break 
10:50

From draft to publication: How to write research papers

Dr Rebecca Mitting, Consultant in PICU and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Imperial College London

11:35

Designing an effective research poster: Telling your story visually

Dr Aditi Vedi, Officer for Research, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

12:15Lunch
13:00

Trainee Research Network (TRN) projects and opportunities to get involved

  • PICU Research as a paediatric trainee - How to get involved via Trainee research network(s)? by Dr Janapriya Sugumar, National Trainee Education Lead, PICSTAR (Paediatric Critical Care Society Trainee Audit and Research Network) 
  • National Snapshot Audit - RCPCH TRN by Dr Eva Loucaides and Dr Eva Wooding, RCPCH TRN Co-Chairs
13:45

Open research and research culture

Fiona Booth, Data Integrity and Quality Assurance Programme Director, University of Bristol

Nick Beazley-Long, Exchange Fellow, University of Bristol

14:30Break
14:40

Introduction to genomic research

Dr Caroline Platt, Officer for Genomics, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

15:00

Research in community child health: opportunities, challenges and impact

Dr Joanna Garstang, Clinical Associate Professor and Consultant Community Paediatrician, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust

15:45

The ethical use of AI in research

Dr Helen Oram, Reader in MBBS Assessment, King’s College London

Dr Andrea Cocket, Reader in Education Innovation and Research, King’s College London 

16:30Closing remarks 

Please note that the programme may change prior to the event.

Delegate highlights from last year's event

The variety of topics which manged to covers most of burning inquiries in research

The approachability of speakers who encouraged us to ask questions but also made the work of academics less terrifying!

Excellent overall. Useful and valuable to anyone who wants to embark on a research journey and to those who are facing hurdles on their academic journey

What is new this year? 

Format of the day: Delegates at last year's event enjoyed the content, but highlighted that additional breaks would be appreciated. We've reduced the length of talks to a maximum 45 minutes and built in more breaks.

New topics: We collated topic suggestions from last year's delegates, and these feature in this year's programme. We're also revisiting some previous topics from a fresh perspective or different angle.

Balance between practical sessions and research applications: This year’s programme includes a more balanced mix of practical “how‑to” sessions—such as writing papers and finding a mentor—alongside sessions that explore the wider research landscape, including the use of AI and open research.

Catch up on last year's event

If you were unable to attend the 2025 event or would like to re-watch the content, you can access the workshop recordings, which include:

  • Networking for impostors: how to talk to people without feeling like a fraud
  • How to incorporate research into your clinical training
  • Writing conference abstracts
  • How to write research questions and get your thoughts published
  • Understanding basic statistics used in research
  • What is the right and the best way to do a study?

View the 2025 recordings on RCPCH Learning

Register for this year's event

We hope you can join us online on 24 September.

Register for this event