title: Research and dermatologic excellence.
abstract: Nearly everyone, even within our small specialty, has a slightly different idea, or bias, as to what constitutes research. We hear of clinical research and academic research and pharmaceutical research and descriptive research and cutting-edge research, but the distinctions often blur and are unimportant. What is important is that research of all kinds increases knowledge and adds information that improves patients' well-being. Perhaps we can agree with a general definition: Research is inquiry. In its simplest form, it may be nothing more than a literature review pertinent to an observation or interest. More often we think of systematic research (a progression starting with questions and ideas) moving forward to a hypothesis, then planning approaches and methods for experiments, all directed toward characterizing normal features and disease mechanisms to prevent and treat illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hanifin
mesh_terms: D003880:Dermatology; D006076:Government; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007255:Information Services; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011340:Problem Solving; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards; D012109:Research Support as Topic