Developing a Surgical Clinical Research Question: To Find the Answer in Literature Search or in Pursuing Clinical Research

Formulating a proper research questionResearch question is a precondition to robust clinical research. A properly developed research question helps to ensure that the researchResearch to be performed is focused and has clinical relevance. The research question must satisfy the following criteria: it is Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant; to be remembered by the acronym FINERFeasible, Interesting Novel, Ethical, Relevant (FINER). The final research question should be formulated in such a way as to identify the Population (Patients) studied, the novel InterventionIntervention explored, the Comparative intervention, the OutcomeOutcomes to be measured, and the Time horizon (when the outcome is to be measured). This formulation can be remembered by the acronym PICOTPopulation, Intervention, Comparison Intervention, Time Horizon (PICOT). When a clinical questionClinical question is asked in the PICOT format, it will help the reader search the literature to find the evidenceEvidence efficiently. For the surgeon-investigator, it will set the foundation for proper research to solve a clinical problem.