Overall research plan

Overall Research Plan
Student’s Name:
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Overall Research Plan
The research will employ the use of a cluster sampling technique. A sample of interns will be randomly selected from all Healthcare facilities in rural/remote parts of Australia. Individuals from each cluster are observed. Random selection will be used to sample interns from each healthcare facility, into those who will receive either the intervention or control.
Cluster sampling technique was chosen because it provides natural groupings of the sample. In this research, cluster sampling technique would be able to provide natural groupings of all interns working in rural and remote healthcare facilities in Australia. Another reason for choosing cluster sampling technique is that it is the most economical form of sampling. It is cheaper to generate a sampling frame for clusters, and at the cluster level, the sampling frame is readily available. Cluster sampling also allows sampling of larger populations at a fixed cost. Cluster sampling also consumes less time for in listing and implementation of the research. Cluster sampling is also a suitable sampling technique for institutions, in this case, rural and remote healthcare facilities in Australia (Ahmed, 2009). The alternative sampling technique is cross-sectional (non-probability) sampling. In this case, it is not appropriate since the research is targeting a small population. Non-probability sampling would increase the risk of bias and reduce research validity.

The research will target all trainee doctors completing an internship (Intern Medical Officers). The sampling frame will be trainee doctors completing an internship working in rural and remote healthcare facilities in Australia. For the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the research will only include trainee doctors completing an internship (Intern Medical Officers) from rural and remote healthcare facilities. Samples must, therefore, be Intern Medical Officers and from rural and remote healthcare facilities in Australia.
Reference
Ahmed, S. (2009). Methods of Sample Surveys. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.