Endocrine Abstracts

We are all aware of the current anxieties over the future of Academic Medicine and Modernising Medical Careers. 10 years ago the BMA cohort of 1995 Medical graduates: Medical Academic Career Intentions was performed. 545 doctors graduating in 1995 were followed up for 10 years. The key findings included: those doctors working in research were doing so to improve future career prospects or as a means to secure a National Training Number (NTN). However being in the transition period of Modernising Medical Careers, research planning has become even more important and new opportunities are now available.

So you have made the decision to do research. What now? My own position is one of a Specialist Registrar doing ‘out of training’ research in the form of the Society for Endocrinology Clinical Fellowship. I have enrolled for a PhD at the University of Sheffield. Doctors, who want to undertake research and wish to pursue an academic research career, now have a number of different options to consider. There are opportunities at both Foundation level through integrated academic programmes and at specialty level through the Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) programmes. This is the equivalent to entry to the SpR grade. In Sheffield we were allocated 2 NTN (A)s in November 2006. These consist of 2 phases: ACF leading to a competitive externally funded training fellowship and higher degree-MD or PhD. Followed by the Clinical Lectureship Phase leading to the certificate of completion of training (CCT).

In summary an MD (Doctor of Medicine - Research) is usually available to doctors in clinical practice and maybe laboratory or clinic based. In general it lasts 2–3 years. A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is usually laboratory based and can last 3–4 years and taught core skills or RTPs (Research Training Programmes) are available.