Feasibility and pilot studies in critical care—Our top five lessons learnt as early- and mid-career researchers in Australia and New Zealand

Feasibility and pilot studies are an essential step in the development of clinical trials evaluating the effect of an intervention on patient-centred outcomes. Yet, challenges exist related to obtaining funding and conducting feasibility and pilot studies. This commentary provides an overview of five important areas of focus for early-career researchers (and is more broadly applicable), which emerged from a programmed session on feasibility and pilot studies at the 25th Annual Meeting on Clinical Trials in Intensive Care by the Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group. The five areas included are as follows: (i) Building a program of research; (ii) Obtaining funding; (iii) Methodological excellence; (iv) Building a successful and diverse research team; and (v) Engaging with the clinical coalface.