Practice Research Networks (PRNs) are comprised of clinical practitioners and researchers who collaborate on joint research projects aimed at generating knowledge within natural practice settings. PRNs can be centered around professional organizations, specific disorders, or common clinical settings.
PRNs can differ in terms of their agenda, membership, and leadership, but they all tend to share the following characteristics:
- PRNs typically generate data that reflect community-based care (e.g., private practices, community health care centers) rather than care dispensed by centers or clinics that explicitly serve research purposes
- PRNs represent a partnership between practitioners and researchers
- PRNs are often affiliated with academic institutions that provide the infrastructure and methodological expertise needed to conduct research and house data
- Research questions are often generated or evaluated by the practitioner members of PRNs, in an effort to keep the evolving research agenda practice-relevant
WATCH: How and why should you get involved in a PRN as a clinician? BY: Dr. Giorgio A. Tasca
Learn more:
- Value: the Value of PRNs
- Canada and US: Psychology PRNs in Canada and the US
Content last reviewed: Sept, 2020
