ABSTRACT
One of the key responsibilities of the research director is the securing and management of resources in support of research. Although resources may include funding for pilot work, generally external resources are human resources – collaborators and mentors, research assistants, and editors. Although the American Academy of Family Physicians-funded research centers have involved collaborative efforts among a few departments, this is a long way from the collaborative research network models of the South West Oncology Group, for example. On a higher plane, mentorship provides the opportunity to extend the mentor's work, and to bridge to future generations. Although it may be possible to collaborate with other departments of primary care at other institutions, generally external collaborations will involve non-primary care departments within institution. One form of research network that has not been adequately pursued is that of linking academic departments of primary care into a research network.
