SPIRE SUMMER

RESEARCH INTERNSHIP
2024; ACADEMIC
PROGRAM, (PINK BOOK)

SPIRE® – Academic Consultancy

Social Action for Progressive Innovation,
Research & Education

www.neadfoundation.com

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com

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INTRODUCTION

SPIRE is an independent academic initiative aimed at innovation, research, and education. We are a
group of motivated, experienced, and networked academics with a shared vision of a world where
evidence is furnished through ethical and scientific inquiry. We offer academic and research mentorship
and support to our collaborators through recognized and fair channels. This document outlines the terms
and conditions for initiating and maintaining an academic collaboration with SPIRE. We collaborate with
individuals as well as institutions.

SPIRE is currently involved in research collaborations in KP and Punjab, Pakistan. We claim to have the
largest databases on anti-microbial resistance in Punjab and Northern Pakistan, pre-hospital use of anti-
microbial drugs in Northern Pakistan, sudden cardiac failure in children in Northern Pakistan, Retinopathy
of Prematurity in KP, Pakistan, Acute Respiratory Infection in children in low resource settings in KP,
Pakistan and obstetric anesthesia related complications in Punjab, Pakistan.

This is the first time a research internship is offered for medics in Pakistan. The fee for this program is 50-
80% subsidized to allow maximum participation. We received an overwhelming response from many
medical students and students in other health related disciplines. This internship is entirely online and will
require one to two hours per day of concerted effort and focus. We encourage our interns to work
towards a publishable manuscript during their internship. Listening to people “explain” research concepts
and mentioning big names in research history is not at all a healthy way to learn research. SPIRE has a
simple, “Learning-by-Doing” strategy that is solution based. Our interns will have an opportunity to learn
this method.

It is important to note that SPIRE is not a “medical writing” consultancy. While we mentor our collaborators
at each stage of medical research from conceptualizing a research idea into a viable research question
up to the submission of a publishable manuscript, we do not support of offer “freeloading” in the form of
“Gift” or “Ghost” authorships. We aim to function as a professional consultancy who will be contributing
towards publishing genuine data from our region and furnishing useful evidence for our patients.

In summary, we hope that our interns will learn how to be “self-starters” in research? How to critically
appraise medical literature for their own practice? And above all, how to perform ethically sound and
professionally applicable research?

We welcome you aboard. We look forward to eight weeks of academically charged and intellectually
stimulating interactions with you. At SPIRE, we are focused on giving you the outcomes and results that will
help you become the academic and the researcher that you envision for yourself.

Regards and Dua

Afshan H. Khattak, Director, SPIRE

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SPIRE – PROSPECTIVE INTERNEES
SPIRE recognizes the sanctity of personal, academic and research data and specimens. All
information/data/specimens collected under this MOU will be used solely for the purpose outlined in this
MOU and treated as highly sensitive and privileged information, not to be released to third parties without
permission from SPIRE team. A breach of this statement may lead to disciplinary/legal action by NEAD-SPIRE
team.

Here are the main reasons we gave you this form to fill:

1. All research collaborations must begin with a formal and written understanding
between the parties. Research is a complex and tough arena of academia. We
need to start our research journeys on the right footing with clear planning and
achievable objectives.

2. Most of you gave very generic answers to the Question about your expectations.
This is a mistake. When you are asked about your expectations, learn to express
yourself very clearly and objectively. Some examples of “objective” answers are
given below:

A. I expect to be able to organize my data and interpret it for research purposes

in cohort studies.

B. I expect to learn why it is so important to do medical research. No one is doing

research honestly. Why is it still the number one parameter in interviews and job
searches?

C. I expect that I will be guided to write an article out of my fourth-year project in

these eight weeks.

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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SUMMER 2024 SPIRE RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

INTERNSHIP CURRICULUM
May 20th – July 20th 2024

Internship Week Monday & Wednesday Friday Monday

Zoom Sessions Assignment Submission Assignment
Feedback
Week – 1 From Topic to Question The Research Question
Connecting the Dots
Week – 2 Available Resources Background Search
Selecting References
Week – 3 Scientific Writing Writing Introduction
Avoiding Plagiarism
Week – 4 Inserting References Referencing
Referencing Styles
Week – 5 Scientific Significance Compilation of Results
Presenting Results
Week – 6 Live Demonstration Discussion writing
Reviewing Discussions
Week – 7 Manuscript Designs Organizing Manuscript
Journal Selection
Week - 8 Scientific Style Manuscript – First Draft

INTERNSHIP FACULTY

1. Afshan H. Khattak, MD, Diplomat American Board of Pediatrics, Founder of Undergraduate

Medical Research, UMR and SUMR. Currently, Director, SPIRE

2. Iftikhar Qayyum, MBBS, PhD, Head of Department of Medical Research and Medical Education
at Rehman Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan

3. Murtaza R. Khan, MBBS, Trainee Resident at Geisinger Medical System, Danville, Pennsylvania,
USA

4. Muhammad Mustafa, MBBS, MD, Trainee Resident at New York University, NY, USA

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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SUMMER 2024 SPIRE RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

INTERNSHIP TIMETABLE
May 20th – July 20th, 2024

Day & Internship Tasks Objective/s AIM

Date
Monday, 8-10 PM Intern will be enabled to convert a Arriving at a
20th May ZOOM simple observation into a research RESEARCH
From Topic to question. QUESTION.
Question

Wed, 8-10 PM Intern will be enabled to create a Devising the future

22nd ZOOM manuscript title, select a research research strategy
May Connecting the design, and review relevant
DOTS Exercise literature for their research
question.
Friday,Submit “MY 2024 RESEARCH QUESTION” Jump-Starting
24th May
Assignment project
Monday Available Intern will be enabled to perform Preparing the list
27th May
Resources & an effective review of the literature of references
Selecting relevant to their research question
References
Wed, Avoiding Intern will be enabled to identify Stay safe!
29 May Plagiarism
th poor quality, unethical and fake
research
Friday Submit BACKGROUND & RATIONALE FOR Beginning the
31st May Assignment MY RESEARCH “Introduction”
Monday, Scientific Intern will be enabled to Adopt the
3rd June Writing discriminate between English writing language of
and Scientific writing. science
Wed, 5th Critical Intern will be enabled to critically Identify “Genuine”
June Appraisal of appraise scientific articles and science
Articles assess quality of evidence given
Friday Submit WRITING INTRODUCTION Complete
7 June Assignment
th An essay on my research question INTRODUCTION
Monday, Scientific Enable the intern to apply the Understand p-
10th June Significance - 1 appropriate statistical test of value
significance to data
Wed, Scientific Enable the intern to apply the Understand p-
12 June Significance - 2
th appropriate statistical test of value
significance to data
Friday, Submit DATA TOOL / QUESTIONNAIRE Develop research
14th June Assignment tool
Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com
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Monday, Research Enable Intern to perform his/her Perform ethically

17th June Bioethics project with full ethical know-how sound research
Wed, Feedback on Critically appraise research tools Perfecting research
19th June Research Tools developed by the Interns tools
Fri, 21st Submit DATA TOOL / QUESTIONNAIRE Perfect FINAL
June Assignment research tool
Monday, Intern Q/A DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
24th June session AND ENTRY
Wed, Intern Q/A DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
26th June session AND ENTRY
Friday, NO ZOOM DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
28th June SESSION AND ENTRY
Monday, Intern Q/A DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
1st July session AND ENTRY
Wed, 3rd Intern Q/A DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
July session AND ENTRY
Friday, NO ZOOM DATA GATHERING AND ENTRY DATA GATHERING
5th July SESSION AND ENTRY
Monday, Data Analysis Enable Intern to analyze his/her Compile final
8th July Q/A data for results results
Wed, Data Analysis Enable Intern to analyze his/her Compile final
10th July Q/A data for results results
Friday, Submit Complete Introduction, Materials & Make a skeleton
12th July Assignment Methods, Results and References article
Monday, Discussion Enable Intern to compose Write Discussion
15th July Writing scientifically sound discussions section
Wed, Journal Enable Intern to select the most Select journal for
17th July Selection appropriate journal for publication publication
Friday, FINAL Final thoughts and follow up. Begin the way-
19th July THOUGHTS forward

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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SPIRE: Support Systems: ALLOWED by this MOU

1. SPIRE Office/s

2. IT support

3. Logistic support for local events

4. Qualified human resource/workshop facilitators/teachers/scientists for events

5. Proof reading and publishing support

6. NEAD Website

7. NEAD email

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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Human Resource OFFERED by SPIRE

Research degrees (PhD qualified faculty members in various clinical and basic sciences departments)

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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Appendix – A: Fees Charged for Activities / Services, (Till December 2024)

Service Offered with Brief Description Time Frame Fees**

Zoom Session*: Introduction to Medical Research. 40 min session with 40 FREE

minutes for Q/A SERVICE

Zoom Session*: Developing a Research Question 40 min session with 40 FREE

minutes for Q/A SERVICE

Zoom Session*: Background Search & Referencing 40 min session with 40 FREE
minutes for Q/A SERVICE

Zoom Interactive Workshop*: Writing Research 3-hour sessions 1500/-

“INTRODUCTION” and “MATERIALS & METHODS” per person

Zoom Interactive Workshop*: Writing Research “RESULTS” 3-hour sessions 2500/-

per person

Zoom Interactive Workshop*: Writing Research “DISCUSSION” 3-hour sessions 2500/-

per person

Zoom Interactive Workshop*: “Biostatistics & Data Analysis” 6-hour sessions 3500/-
per person

Project Design and Data Template, (Complete project along with As needed 10,000/-
data tool and timeline with outcome measures/indicators) per project

Project execution, data analysis and manuscript preparation As needed 50,000/-

per project
(Not GIFT or GHOST authorship. SPIRE will supervise project
execution and related processes.)

Manuscript preparation and submission for publishing Rates*** start here but may vary:

Kindly note that publishing fees will vary according to the length Original Article – 35,000/-
of article, indexation status and impact factor required.
Case Report – 20,000/-

*- Advance Booking required in case of institutions

**- All Fees payable in advance

***- Half Fee will be refunded in event of rejection

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com

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Appendix – B: Checklist of Steps Towards a SPIRE Collaboration

S. No Action Required ✓ Date/s

1. Develop a research idea / concept / proposal
Identify a need that SPIRE can help you with
Gather a research team of like-minded faculty/students/individuals

2. Contact SPIRE, Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com Website:

www.neadfoundation.com What’s app groups of SPIRE

3. Watch the RESEARCH-101 sessions on YouTube

https://youtu.be/E510TvH1308?si=uRENpWIgOfEYbhr-

4. Organize the FREE SESSIONS for orientation and initiation of your research
journey.

5. Discuss your research question and need for learning with your faculty and
team. Decide whether a SPIRE collaboration will actually benefit you in your
research journey or not?

6. If you decide to collaborate with SPIRE, obtain Departmental permission

where you wish to do your research and Institutional Research Board, IRB or
Ethical Review Committee, ERC permission from your institution.

7. Submit your proposal, Budget, SPIRE MOU and IRB/ERC Clearance to SPIRE
via email.

8. SPIRE will contact you with the approval and suggested timeline of your
project. This is the START DATE of your SPIRE Collaboration. Identify the
authors and the order of authorship and submit to SPIRE.

9. Follow the timeline till the required sample size is entered in the database.

10. Once the Database is closed for data entry, data analysis will start.

11. SPIRE will supervise writing of parts of manuscript, Introduction, materials &
Methods, Results and Discussion with contribution from each author.

12. Manuscript is reviewed by SPIRE reviewers.

13. Manuscript is submitted for publishing.

14. Manuscript is either PUBLISHED or REVISED for publication.

Email: palwasha.bibi@gmail.com www.neadfoundation.com