ANZAHPE ONLINE MASTER CLASS

Making Sense of Complexity: An Introduction to Realist Research in Health Professions Education

Presenter: Dr Rachelle Martin

Health professions education occurs within complex social, organisational, cultural, and clinical systems. Educational interventions that succeed in one context may fail in another, raising important questions about how educators and researchers understand “what works” in education and training. Realist research methods offer an approach for exploring these complexities by examining how outcomes are shaped through interactions between people, contexts, and underlying mechanisms.

This interactive introductory session will provide participants with a practical introduction to realist thinking and realist methodologies, including realist evaluation and realist review. Using accessible examples from health professions education and healthcare practice, the session will explore key concepts such as context, mechanisms, outcomes, and programme theory, while demonstrating how realist approaches can help unpack variation in educational effectiveness across settings and learner groups.

Participants will be introduced to the core realist question — “What works, for whom, in which contexts, how, and why?”— and will have opportunities to apply realist thinking through small-group discussion. By the end of the session, participants will have a foundational understanding of realist approaches, greater confidence in recognising when realist methods may be useful, and practical ideas for applying realist thinking within their own educational or research contexts.

ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS: 

Dr Rachelle Martin (Dip Phys; MHSc endorsed in Rehabilitation; PhD)

Rachelle is an experienced academic [University of Otago] and rehabilitation researcher with a background in neurorehabilitation as a physiotherapist (25 years) and over 15 years of work at the intersection of disability and health research. Her work is grounded in equity, the social model of disability, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a strong focus on co-design, participatory approaches, and evidence-informed practice. Rachelle has led research involving disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau, providers, and policy stakeholders, with particular expertise in inclusive engagement within complex health and disability systems.

A central feature of Rachelle’s work is the use of realist research methodologies, including realist review and realist evaluation, to understand how and why complex interventions work differently across contexts. She frequently leads and supervises projects employing realist approaches to examine “what works, for whom, in which contexts, and how,” generating practical insights for policy, commissioning, and service design. Her research focuses on how people respond to interventions and how personal, environmental, organisational, and societal contexts shape equitable health and disability outcomes. Rachelle is committed to person-centred, future-focused solutions and to creating enabling societies that support flourishing lives for disabled people and their whānau.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Kind Regards,

Kathryn Fitzgerald
Professional Development Portfolio
ANZAHPE

A recording of this session will be made available to all ANZAHPE members following the session.