Top tips for doctoral students researching issues related to palliative care for children and young people

Much of what we do in children’s palliative care currently is eminence-based, rather than evidence-based.

Whilst sharing experience and wisdom is valuable it is also important to ensure that the evidence base is strong so that children, young people and their families receive the highest standard of care. This requires the fostering of a research culture in the specialty to support the development of researchers who pursue rigorous enquiry and generate robust evidence. This paper is written for those who may be contemplating or undertaking a PhD in a subject related to children’s palliative care.