Sidra Medicine’s NICU Research & Clinical Audit Day is an academic initiative dedicated to advancing neonatal care through research, clinical audit, and quality improvement.

The event, established as a core academic platform within the Division of Neonatology, will bring together clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, respiratory therapists, and researchers to address key challenges in neonatal practices across Qatar.

Delivered through a multidisciplinary approach, the program aims to promote best practices in neonatal care by integrating emerging research, real-world clinical data, and patient safety initiatives. It provides a collaborative forum to share ongoing projects, discuss evidence-based strategies, and strengthen academic engagement within the NICU.

The event features keynote lectures, research and audit presentations, expert panel discussions, and interactive poster sessions, offering participants practical insights into conducting research, implementing clinical audits, and translating evidence into improved patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the activity, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate common neonatal research designs (observational studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and quality improvement studies) and interpret how each methodology influences validity, bias, and applicability to neonatal outcomes.
2. Navigate institutional research governance at Sidra, including IRB submission, clinical trial activation processes, and ethical requirements for parental consent and participant protection in neonatal research.
3. Apply principles of clinical audit and quality improvement to identify a clinical care gap, develop measurable standards, collect data, and implement a closed-loop audit cycle within the NICU setting.
4. Recognize barriers to research participation and parental engagement, and adopt communication strategies that improve informed consent, trust, and recruitment in neonatal studies.
5. Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, respiratory therapists, and researchers) to translate research findings and audit outcomes into sustainable practice change.

Target Audience

• Physicians
• Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Allied Health Practitioners
• Clinical Researchers & Biostatisticians
• Quality & Patient Safety Teams

Contact: NICU Research & Audit Day Organizing Committee
Division of Neonatology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar

Scientific Committee

• Chair: Samir Gupta
• Co-Chair: Dr Aravanan Anbu Chakkarapani
• Facilitators: Dr Ghalib Daoud, Natalie Fairhurst, Ernestine Lottin, Duane Wong, Zeinab Ali Abdorahman

Abstract Submission

The 1st Sidra NICU Research & Clinical Audit Day 2026 invites submissions from clinicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and researchers to showcase work in neonatal research, clinical audit, and quality improvement.

Submissions are welcome across key categories including clinical research, translational research, clinical audit, and case-based learning. All abstracts will undergo peer review by the Scientific Committee, with selected entries invited for oral or poster presentations.

Participants will have the opportunity to present their work, receive expert feedback, and compete for presentation awards.

Submission Timeline:

• Opens: June 2026
• Deadline: August 2026
• Notification: September 2026

Submission Requirements:

• Maximum 300 words
• English language
• Original work only (no patient identifiers)