HELP! You can learn from failure
On May 14, 2024, we organized a lunch lecture in collaboration with the Journal of Trial and Error on the challenges of researching interventions in everyday healthcare practice. This was the second lunch lecture in the series Scientific failure and uncertainty in the health domain.
Failure?
During the lecture, attention was given to the challenges of conducting research on interventions in everyday healthcare practice. A personal experience was shared, reflecting on a grant application for elderly care that was initially rejected. Despite this setback, funding was eventually secured through the ZonMW Efficiency Program, highlighting that perseverance pays off, even when the first attempt fails.
The research focused on evaluating a healthcare intervention to prevent delirium in older hospital patients. While the trial did not yield the expected results, the lecture emphasized the lessons learned from setbacks and how these experiences contributed to further professional development. Discussions also highlighted the importance of resilience and persistence in scientific research, showing how negative outcomes can still provide valuable insights. The lecture encouraged reflection on the value of failures and the opportunities that arise from revising strategies and approaches in academia.
Speaker
- Prof. dr. Marieke Schuurmans is a Professor of Appropriate Care at UMC Utrecht and Vice Dean of Education and Training at UMC Groningen.