Are dedicated research posts of value to psychiatry trainees?

Abstract

Aims. To explore psychiatric trainees' (senior house officers') experience of a dedicated 6-month research post. Method. A questionnaire survey was conducted by post or e-mail of all previous post-holders of two research posts in a large London training rotation. Results and Clinical Implications. Twenty of the 28 post-holders completed the questionnaire. Overall, their experiences were positive in terms of research experience, exposure to academic environment and in facilitating future career opportunities. A minority of respondents found supervision to be unsatisfactory. Dedicated research posts are a valuable training opportunity that can complement clinical experience for trainees and foster an interest in research.