Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT)

Many public health programmes in low- and middle-income countries “are data rich but information poor” implying that much data is generated at a country level but the full potential to use these data to inform improvements in public health is rarely achieved. The Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT) seeks to make countries “data-rich, information-rich and action-rich” thereby contributing to improving health care delivery and outcomes. SORT IT is a global partnership coordinated by TDR and implemented with partners. SORT IT supports countries and institutions to: conduct operational research around their own priorities; build sustainable operational research capacity; and make evidence-informed decisions for improving programme performance. Participants conduct operational research on various topics such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, outbreaks and emergencies, antimicrobial resistance and noncommunicable diseases.

Classic structure and milestones for a SORT IT course:

• Module 1: Operational research and protocol development
• Milestone 1: Submission of protocol and the ethical review form within three weeks of completing module 1
• Module 2: Quality-assured data entry and analysis
• Milestone 2: Submission of the data documentation sheets within two weeks of completing module 2
• Milestone 3: Submission of proof of study completion and data collection about six weeks before module 3
• Module 3: Scientific manuscript writing
• Milestone 4 Submission of a paper to a peer-review journal within four weeks of end of module 3
• Module 4: Effective research communication for decision makers
• Milestone 5: Submission of a stakeholder map, evidence brief, power point presentations and elevator pitch within two weeks of completing module 4