Lessons Learned From Undertaking Community-Based Participatory Research Dissertations: The Trials and Triumphs of Two Junior Health Scholars

BACKGROUND: For graduate students addressing health issues pertinent to marginalized communities, community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods may be an appropriate mode of inquiry. Although there are a number of useful guides on conducting traditional doctoral dissertations (TDD), there is a paucity of similar resources for students engaged in CBPR. OBJECTIVES: Drawing on our own experiences, we aimed to describe the key lessons learned from doing participatory doctoral research. Furthermore, this paper outlines 6 suggestions for those who may be considering or already conducting a CBPR dissertation. Suggestions are derived from elements of the CBPR process that were employed in our own projects. LESSONS LEARNED: Upon reflection on our experiences conducting CBPR dissertations, we identified 4 lessons learned: (1) to understand the differences between TDDs and the CBPR approach; (2) to be aware of and able to clearly articulate the advantages of CBPR doctoral dissertations; (3) to acknowledge and plan for the possible challenges of CBPR doctoral research; and (4) to recognize aspects of the CBPR process that contribute to the successful completion of doctoral projects. CONCLUSION: This paper provides an additional resource for doctoral students, based on our own experiences working on CBPR projects. Despite many of the obstacles and challenges, we found the process of engaging in CBPR dissertations deeply rewarding, and hope that our experiences are useful to others.