Reframing translational research as transactional research:

An analysis of clinician-scientists’ work practices in a Danish hospital setting

Abstract

Translational research (TR) is subject to increasing attention and demand in research and health policy in the Nordic countries as well as internationally. While clinician-scientists are often positioned as key actors in both policy and academic debates on TR, less is known about the clinician-scientists’ everyday work—their practices and commitments at the interface of academia and clinical health care. Drawing on the framework of arena analysis, developed in situational analysis, this article presents an empirical exploration of the everyday practices of clinician-scientists by extending research into a Danish hospital setting.

The findings shed light on hospital-based translational research as constituted by clinician-scientists’ practical integration of and transactions across many different work practice arenas. This paper depicts these arenas and the complex of commitments and capabilities involved. The analysis converges with existing Science and Technology Studies approaches to translational research as mutually reconfiguring clinical and scientific practices. In addition, it adds to this debate by providing an empirical work practice account of hospital-based TR and by suggesting a conceptual reframing of translational research as transactional research.