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Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The qualitative interview and challenges for clinicians undertaking research: a personal reflection

Karin Fisher
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

University Department of Rural Health, University of Newcastle, Locked Bag 9783, Tamworth NEMSC, NSW 2348, Australia. Email: karin.fisher@newcastle.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 17(1) 102-106 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY10034
Submitted: 27 July 2010  Accepted: 11 February 2011   Published: 16 March 2011

Abstract

Drawing on my doctoral experience the aim of this article is to present my transition from practitioner to novice researcher and the challenges I encountered when undertaking qualitative in-depth interviews. The contents of my research diary were coded for words, sentences and paragraphs and were then grouped into themes and subsequently organised into concepts and categories. The analysis identified one core category: ‘changing states: learning to become a researcher’. The related categories included ‘guessing responses’, ‘confusing boundaries’ and ‘revealing hidden concepts’. These concepts provide a description of how I learnt to become a researcher and became a changed state. The paper provides practitioners with practical examples of my transition from practitioner to novice researcher. I offer some tips for practitioners who wish to undertake research in their clinical role.

Additional keywords: novice researcher, practitioner, reflexivity, rural.


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