The role of research training during higher medical education in the promotion of academic medicine in the UK

• Published in: Postgraduate medical journal Vol. 82; no. 973; pp. 767 - 770
• Main Authors: Myint, P K, MacLullich, A M J, Witham, M D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine 01.11.2006; BMJ; Oxford University Press; BMJ Group
• Subjects: academic medicine; Aging; Attitude of Health Personnel; BGS; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research; British Geriatrics Society; Careers; Clinical medicine; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education, Medical, Graduate; General aspects; geriatric medicine; Geriatrics; Geriatrics - education; Health education; higher medical training; Hospitals; Humans; Medical sciences; Medical Staff, Hospital - education; Medicine; Original; Physicians; Questionnaires; Response rates; specialist registrar; specialist registrars; SpR; Surveys and Questionnaires; Training; United Kingdom; United Kingdom; Europe; United Kingdom > UK; Medicine; Higher education; Scientific research
• ISSN: 0032-5473; 1469-0756
• DOI: 10.1136/pgmj.2006.046227

Objectives: To examine the research activities and perceived barriers to research among higher specialist trainees in geriatric medicine and to show how trainees active in research might have a role in assisting their peers in getting started in research. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey on research activities, attitudes to doing research and perceived difficulties in doing research. Setting and participants: Trainee members of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) in the UK. Results: A total of 122 responses (30% response rate) were received after a single mailing and a follow-up questionnaire to trainees attending the BGS national conference. Although 64% (67/104) of respondents would like to undertake a period of research, many perceived barriers preventing them from planning, funding and executing a research project. Among those who had not undertaken research, the majority (70%, 42/60) indicated that they have no clear idea of a topic to research, 64% (39/61) did not know how to develop an idea and 62% (38/61) indicated that they did not know how to get funding. Trainees motivated to do research were faced with particular difficulties with regards to funding and selection of a project topic. Conclusions: One useful method would be systematically to provide basic information to trainees on how to enter into the early stages of research. This would help to overcome some of the unnecessary uncertainty that many trainees keen to do research seem to have.