Course Description

Considering running a focus group? This course is a brilliant place to start. Led by vet and researcher Zoe Belshaw, you will be taken through: why focus groups can be a useful way of gathering information, practical considerations when planning and running focus groups and an introduction into how to analyse the results.

HBCA Expert Team

Zoe Belshaw

Zoe is a veterinary surgeon who graduated from Cambridge University in 2003 and is a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in small animal internal medicine, with interests in geriatric medicine and the decisions made by people on behalf of pets. She has worked in general practice, referral clinics, university teaching hospitals and charity practice.

Her mixed methods PhD at the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine, University of Nottingham, explored how vets and owners make decisions about dogs with osteoarthritis. 

Zoe has published over 20 peer reviewed journal articles in a range of journals about subjects including quality of life assessment, canine osteoarthritis and nasal tumours. She has extensive lecturing and small group teaching experience in the UK, Eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, and was on the World Small Animal Veterinary Association continuing education panel from 2011-2018, acting as Chair for the last two years.

She currently combines general practice clinical work at PDSA Nottingham with veterinary consultancy, research, membership of the RCVS Ethical Review Panel and editing “What is your client thinking”, a column in the Veterinary Record written by owners and farmers.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the course

    • 0.1 Welcome

    • 0.2 Pre-course short survey
  • 2

    1. Introduction

    • 1.1 An Introduction to the Course

    • 1.2 Downloadable Worksheet
  • 3

    2. Research

    • 2.1 Theories and Methodologies

    • 2.2 Research Considerations

    • YouTube Video - Ontology & Epistemology
  • 4

    3. Plan

    • 3. Preparing for a Focus Group Meeting
  • 5

    4. Record and Analyse

    • Producing a Final Report
  • 6

    Thank you and final words

    • 5.1 Thank you

    • 5.2 Feedback Survey