Healthy research culture is a patient-centred imperative

Dear Editor

Culture encompasses the values and practices of a group. It affects the attitudes and goals of individuals who form the group itself, and the resulting impact of the group on wider society. A broad-reaching surgical research culture can promote widespread scientific advancement1, with flow-on effects manifold for clinicians and patients alike. Participation in research has been shown to improve outcomes significantly for surgical patients treated at the institutions involved2. Greater participation in research may result in greater cohesiveness within the workforce, and more research studies facilitating innovation that will likely benefit patient outcomes. Research culture has been identified as an important priority in multiple healthcare fields, and, specific to surgery, explicit discussion has been included in position statements of associations such as that from the Canadian Association of Chairs of Surgical Research