Level 3: Development and design of a critical care research project

Pathway directors

• Andrew CONWAY MORRIS MD, MRC – Clinician Scientist, University of Cambridge; Hon Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Chair, Infection Section, ESICM.
• Nathan D. NIELSEN M.D., M.Sc., FCCM – Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine & Section of Transfusion Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine; Executive Editor – European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) Academy.

• To allow a progressive build from the basic introduction to research and research methods for participants with little or no post-graduate research experience to the more advanced level which may be of specific interest to those with more research experience who want a refresher or need focused training on a specific topic.
• To cover the range of knowledge and skills required to embark on a career as an intensive care researcher.
• Descriptive statistics
• Types of data and their representation
• The normal distribution as an example of parametric distribution
• Indices of central tendency and variability

Deductive & inferential statistics

• Simple probability theory and the relation to confidence intervals
• The null hypothesis.
• Choice of simple statistical tests for different data types
• Type I and type II errors.
• Inappropriate use of statistics

Level 3 “Development and design of a critical care research project” is distinct from the previous two levels in that it moves from being an interactive teaching phase to practical work.
At this level, participants are expected to develop a research proposal up to the point of being ready to submit the project for funding.  Faculty involvement will shift from teaching to a mentorship role, supporting and guiding participants in developing a research proposal in their chosen area.

• Kick-off meeting (July 8th, 2025)
  The first part of this level will be a virtual Kick-off meeting, where the participants will be introduced to each other and their designated mentor(s).  At this meeting, expectations around participation and eventual outcome (a project ready for funding submission) will be set and the project initiated.
• Online work – Proposal development
  Participants will be expected to meet online to discuss and develop their project proposal.  They will be expected to have completed a literature review in their chosen area, refined their research question and put together a project proposal at the level of detail expected for an ESICM project award.
• LIVES 2025 meeting (October 26th, 2025 in the mornign)
  The research pathway comes to its final fruition at the LIVES 2025 meeting in Munich, Germany. A one-day Face-to-face mentor-mentee meeting on October 26th, 2025 will consist of some teaching but mostly will be dominated by a presentation and critique of the participants’ research projects.  The aim of the session will be to give Level 3 participants an opportunity to gain experience in presenting and defending a research project whilst also gaining expert advice from an experienced panel of researchers who have both applied for funding and sat on funding awards bodies. The panel will be composed of ESICM researchers who have not been involved in mentoring the participants so as to maintain independence.
  Participants registered in the Research Learning Pathway – Level 3 will have free access to this event as part of their registration.
• Proposal submission to ESICM Awards 2026

This learning pathway aims to provide an educational resource for intensive care trainees, qualified intensivists, intensive care nurses and allied health professionals who wish to learn how to conduct and appraise research in intensive care.

Join Level 3 to:

• To develop a research proposal up to the point of being ready to submit the project for funding
• Join our network of researchers and contribute to more evidence-based projects
• If you completed Level 1 and 2

ESICM members from the Emerging Nations and Eastern Europe (see list of countries here) are entitled to an discount on registration fees. To qualify, participants must be active ESICM members for the current year. To become a member, please see more information here.

An application will be made to the UEMS EACCME® for CME accreditation of each live event.