Research in medicine has been imperative to medical advancement and training. The understanding and application of the scientific method, particularly in medicine, can enhance how an individual interprets the world in a more precise manner. Research can be broadly divided into three categories: basic science, translational, and clinical research. There are numerous other subtypes of research within basic science, translational, and clinical research that are beyond the scope of this chapter.

Basic science, also known as bench or wet lab research, involves investigating molecular pathways on a cellular level and analyzing the impact manipulations have on those pathways. Basic science has a broad scope and application in medicine, but its direct application to humans are limited. Basic science research tends to have a longer time to publication.

Translational research can be seen as a bridge between basic science and clinical research, as it utilizes animal models to assess how changes in molecular pathways or devices have the desired outcome. This research is critical to the advancement of medicine as it is often used as a filter to determine the potential relevance or impact basic science research has on humans. However, it is important to note that the failure rate of translational research to effective medical/surgical therapy is high due to multiple reasons, one being physiology.

Clinical research involves humans and can be framed as retrospective and prospective studies. Generally, most clinical research involve retrospective studies, which entails chart review of institutional data or analysis of national databases. In this manuscript, we will be discussing clinical research and the steps from generating a clinical question to manuscript publication.