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Aim Background Methods Data Sources Results Conclusions Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Impact Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To describe the pre‐implementation context and implementation approach, for a clinician researcher career pathway.Clinician researchers across all health disciplines are emerging to radically influence practice change and improve patient outcomes. Yet, to date, there are limited clinician researcher career pathways embedded in clinical practice for nurses and midwives.A qualitative descriptive design was used.Data were collected from four online focus groups and four interviews of health consumers, nursing and midwifery clinicians, and nursing unit managers (N = 20) between July 2022 and September 2023.Thematic and content analysis identified themes/categories relating to: Research in health professionals' roles and nursing and midwifery, and Research activity and culture (context); with implementation approaches within coherence, cognitive participation, collective action and reflexive monitoring (Normalization Process Theory).The Pathway was perceived to meet organizational objectives with the potential to create significant cultural change in nursing and midwifery. Backfilling of protected research time was essential.The Pathway was seen as an instrument to empower staff, foster staff retention and extend research opportunities to every nurse and midwife, while improving patient experiences and outcomes.Clinicians, consumers and managers fully supported the implementation of clinician researchers with this Pathway. The Pathway could engage all clinicians in evidence‐based practice with a clinician researcher leader, effect practice change with colleagues and enhance patient outcomes.This study adheres to relevant EQUATOR guidelines using the COREG checklist.Health consumers involved in this research as participants, did not contribute to the design or conduct of the study, analysis or interpretation of the data, or in the preparation of the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging with research evidence is a core pillar of speech-language pathology practice. The importance of active engagement in research is stated as a fundamental requirement by key national and international professional organizations. Research engagement is multifaceted and can involve elements across a continuum that ranges from locating and interpreting relevant research for practice, to developing and leading programs of research. Over the past 15 years there has been an increased focus on the roles, career pathways and impacts of clinician-researchers. This opinion piece aims to describe current evidence around speech-language pathologist (SLP) clinician-researchers within the acute care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In 2018 the National Institute of Health and Care Research, United Kingdom, launched a 3‐year Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme to support nurse and midwifery research leaders to develop research capacity and capability within NHS organisations. We report the results of a service evaluation of the programme strengths, areas for improvement and achievement of programme aims. Design: Partially mixed, concurrent mixed methods programme evaluation, including: (a) meeting evaluation (survey), (b) annual evaluation (survey) and (c) qualitative stakeholder interviews. Methods: Survey results were quantitatively analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, deductively coded using elements within the logic model and analysed using the seven‐stage framework analysis method. Results: Satisfaction with the programme was high (75%). The main perceived benefit of the programme was being part of a network. Challenges included accessing learning resources, lack of opportunity to network and lack of clarity about the programme aims. Meetings were evaluated as relevant and helpful (mean 93%), thought‐provoking (92%), inspiring (91%), at the appropriate level (91%) and aligned with the programme aims (90%). All meetings were ranked as highly beneficial by attendees (92%). Stakeholder feedback on the programme success reflected the importance of leadership, the programme design and content, 'connection and community' and communication with and about the cohort. Overall, the anticipated programme aims were met, evaluating well from both the perspective of those on the programme and the wider stakeholder group. There has been a lack of investment in schemes to support research leadership development for nurses/midwives. A novel programme to support nursing/midwifery research leadership was positively evaluated. The programme is a useful model to support future capacity and capability building for nurses/midwives. The work is reported with reference to the SQUIRE 2 and SRQR checklists. No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aims In 2018 the National Institute of Health and Care Research, United Kingdom, launched a 3‐year Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme to support nurse and midwifery research leaders to develop research capacity and capability within NHS organisations. We report the results of a service evaluation of the programme strengths, areas for improvement and achievement of programme aims. Design Partially mixed, concurrent mixed methods programme evaluation, including: (a) meeting evaluation (survey), (b) annual evaluation (survey) and (c) qualitative stakeholder interviews. Methods Survey results were quantitatively analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, deductively coded using elements within the logic model and analysed using the seven‐stage framework analysis method. Results Satisfaction with the programme was high (75%). The main perceived benefit of the programme was being part of a network. Challenges included accessing learning resources, lack of opportunity to network and lack of clarity about the programme aims. Meetings were evaluated as relevant and helpful (mean 93%), thought‐provoking (92%), inspiring (91%), at the appropriate level (91%) and aligned with the programme aims (90%). All meetings were ranked as highly beneficial by attendees (92%). Stakeholder feedback on the programme success reflected the importance of leadership, the programme design and content, ‘connection and community’ and communication with and about the cohort. Overall, the anticipated programme aims were met, evaluating well from both the perspective of those on the programme and the wider stakeholder group. There has been a lack of investment in schemes to support research leadership development for nurses/midwives. A novel programme to support nursing/midwifery research leadership was positively evaluated. The programme is a useful model to support future capacity and capability building for nurses/midwives. The work is reported with reference to the SQUIRE 2 and SRQR checklists. No patient or public contribution.

Background: The Clinical School Model connects professorial staff from the university directly to practitioners in the National Health Service to promote evidence informed practice and develop clinical academic careers. These are promoted widely, but strategic adoption into organisational culture and workforce plans are challenging to overcome. Aims: To describe the development of the Clinical School Model in Cornwall and explore how it generates impact through staff engagement activities to support clinical academic career pathways. Structure, process and outcomes developments over the last 3-years are reported. Methods: Donabedian's framework (structure, process and outcome) was used to report on the development and impact of the Clinical School Model. Results: Structural and process activities are reported, illustrating strong foundations to embed clinical academic career pathway opportunities. In the absence of empirical reporting standards for such developments, quantitative and qualitative outcomes are reported against the Clinical School's 5-year strategic plan. Conclusions: This paper responds to the lack of reported evidence on developing organisational infrastructure to address the clinical academics aspirations of nurses and their employers. This important contribution leads a call for more organisations to report to the evidence base, enabling shared learning and shaping future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although nurses and midwives make up the largest sector of the National Health Service (NHS) workforce, studies have identified a lack of knowledge, skills and confidence to engage and lead research. In 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) invested in the development of a 3-year Senior Nurse Midwife Research Leader (SNMRL) Programme aimed at developing nursing and midwifery research capacity and capability. This review was conducted at the end of year one as part of an ongoing impact evaluation of the programme. Aim: To evaluate the impact of activities undertaken by NIHR SNMRL at the end of year one of the programme. Method: The content of anonymised end-of-year one activity, self-reported by SNMRL, was coded independently and deductively analysed by a project team using the modified Visible ImpaCT Of Research framework (VICTOR). Exemplar case studies were selected by the team to illustrate activity within domains. Working group members coded two reports independently then compared them in pairs to increase inter-rater reliability and the quality and consistency of coding. Results: Reports from 63 of 66 SNMRL were submitted and included for analysis. Reporting reflected progress towards NIHR programme objectives. These included acting as a programme ambassador, creating a vibrant research culture, supporting staff recruitment and retention, enhancing organisational reputation and clinical academic outputs. Networking and collaboration locally, regionally and nationally were widely reported. Conclusions: The SNMRL cohort reported initiating multiple initiatives aimed at influencing organisational research culture, service provision and supporting nursing/midwifery engagement with research. Evaluation indicated progress to address barriers to research engagement within NHS Trusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Clinical academic allied health professionals can positively impact patient care, organisational performance, and local research culture. Despite a previous national drive to increase these roles, they remain low in number with no clear strategy for growth. Reported barriers to this growth cite organisational and economic factors with little recognition of the challenges posed to individuals. There is a lack of research to help allied health professionals understand the personal challenges of clinical academic training and practice. The aim of this study is to explore the character traits and behaviours of clinical academic allied health professionals to understand the individual attributes and strategies taken to pursue a career in this field. Methods A semi-structured interview study design was used to collect data from aspiring and established clinical academic allied health professionals. Participants were recruited voluntarily through social media advertisement (aspiring) and purposively through direct email invitation (established). Participants were asked about their experience of pursuing a clinical academic career. The interviews were conducted virtually using Zoom and were audio recorded. The data were transcribed verbatim prior to reflexive thematic analysis. Informed consent was gained prior to data collection and the study was approved by the university’s research ethics committee. Results Twenty participants from six allied health professions were interviewed. We developed five themes: risk and reward, don’t wait to be invited, shifting motivations, research is a team sport, and staying the course. Clinical academic allied health professionals demonstrated traits including inquisitiveness, intuition, motivation, and resilience. The source of their motivation was rooted in improving clinical services, conducting research, and personal achievement. Conclusion Clinical academic allied health professionals describe personal traits of high inquisitiveness, opportunism, motivation, and determination in pursuing their career ambitions. The tolerance of rejection, failure, and risk was considered important and viewed as an essential source for learning and professional development. Future research should concentrate on ways to reduce the over-reliance on individual strength of character to succeed in this field and explore programmes to increase the preparedness and support for clinical academics from these professions.

Background: Clinical academic allied health professionals can positively impact patient care, organisational performance, and local research culture. Despite a previous national drive to increase these roles, they remain low in number with no clear strategy for growth. Reported barriers to this growth cite organisational and economic factors with little recognition of the challenges posed to individuals. There is a lack of research to help allied health professionals understand the personal challenges of clinical academic training and practice. The aim of this study is to explore the character traits and behaviours of clinical academic allied health professionals to understand the individual attributes and strategies taken to pursue a career in this field. Methods: A semi-structured interview study design was used to collect data from aspiring and established clinical academic allied health professionals. Participants were recruited voluntarily through social media advertisement (aspiring) and purposively through direct email invitation (established). Participants were asked about their experience of pursuing a clinical academic career. The interviews were conducted virtually using Zoom and were audio recorded. The data were transcribed verbatim prior to reflexive thematic analysis. Informed consent was gained prior to data collection and the study was approved by the university's research ethics committee. Results: Twenty participants from six allied health professions were interviewed. We developed five themes: risk and reward, don't wait to be invited, shifting motivations, research is a team sport, and staying the course. Clinical academic allied health professionals demonstrated traits including inquisitiveness, intuition, motivation, and resilience. The source of their motivation was rooted in improving clinical services, conducting research, and personal achievement. Conclusion: Clinical academic allied health professionals describe personal traits of high inquisitiveness, opportunism, motivation, and determination in pursuing their career ambitions. The tolerance of rejection, failure, and risk was considered important and viewed as an essential source for learning and professional development. Future research should concentrate on ways to reduce the over-reliance on individual strength of character to succeed in this field and explore programmes to increase the preparedness and support for clinical academics from these professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an ambitious target to create a UK clinical academic workforce representing 1% of clinicians from nursing, midwifery, the allied health professions, healthcare science, pharmacy and psychology (NMAHPPs). Understanding and recording the impact that clinical academics make across healthcare services is crucial if we are to grow, value and support this highly skilled workforce group. However, it is currently difficult to systematically record, collate and report the impacts associated with NMAHPP research activity. The aims of this project were to i) develop a framework outlining the impacts that were important for key stakeholder groups, and ii) create and pilot a research impact capture tool to record these impacts. Methods: The framework was developed from the existing literature. It was refined, remodelled and approved by multidisciplinary stakeholder involvement, including patient and public representatives, healthcare managers and research-active clinicians. The framework was converted into a series of questions to create an electronic research impact capture tool, which was also refined through feedback from these stakeholder groups. The impact capture tool was piloted with research-active clinicians across a large NHS Trust and its associated organisations. Results: The impact framework contained eight elements: clinical background, research and service improvement activities, research capacity building, research into practice, patients and service users, research dissemination, economics and research funding, and collaborations. Thirty individuals provided data for the research impact capture tool pilot (55% response rate). Respondents reported a range of positive impacts representing all elements of the framework. Importantly, research-activity appeared to be a key driver for recruitment and retention in the sample population. Conclusions: The impact capture tool is a feasible method of recording the breadth of impacts associated with NMAHPP research activity. We encourage other organisations to collaboratively use and refine our impact capture tool, with the aim of standardising reporting, and facilitating discussions about research activity within clinical appraisal. Pooling and comparing data will also allow comparison between organisations, and assessment of change over time or after implementation of interventions aimed at supporting and increasing research activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GP educationalists are crucial in training the future medical workforce and in developing and advancing the field of primary care medical education, yet opportunities in the UK are patchy and varied. In this article, a group of GP educationalists summarise the challenges facing the sustainability of this particular group of clinical academics and outline opportunities available at each career stage, from medical students through to senior GP educationalists. Recommendations to support the growth of this workforce include the development of a nationally recognised framework for GP educationalist careers, collaboration with professional and educational bodies and taking steps to level out opportunities in order to reduce existing inequity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite growing evidence of the impact that clinical academic (CA) staff have on patient care and clinical practice, there are disproportionately low numbers of nurses, allied health professionals (AHPs) and other healthcare professionals in CA joint roles, compared to their medical colleagues. Aim: To describe the initial development of a CA career pathway for nurses, AHPs and other healthcare professionals in a Community and Mental Health NHS Trust. Methods: Kotter's 8-Step Change Model was used to expand opportunities and research culture across an NHS Trust. Results: A variety of capacity and capability initiatives at different academic levels were created to support CA development and to complement those available externally. These opportunities were underpinned by a research and development strategy, senior leadership buy-in, manager and clinical staff support, and targeted organisation-wide communication. Conclusion: The ongoing development of innovative CA opportunities in the Trust, alongside greater support for staff interested in pursuing CA careers, has resulted in a growing number of individuals successful in developing as CAs. This has led to a growth in research culture in the organisation and a greater understanding of what CA staff can bring to patient care, the clinical service and the wider organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Front-line professionals are uniquely placed to identify evidence gaps and the way routinely-collected data can help address them. This knowledge can enable incisive, clinically-relevant research. Aim: To document an example of the real-world approvals journey within the current NHS/Higher Education regulatory landscape, from the perspective of an experienced nurse undertaking doctoral study as a clinical academic. Methods: An instrumental case-study approach is used to explore the approvals process for a mixed-methods study. Relevant context is highlighted to aid understanding, including introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation and the integration of health and social care services. Results: Formal approvals by nine separate stakeholders from four different organisations took nearly 3 years, including 15 initial or revised applications, assessments or agreements. Obstacles included: conflicting views on what constitutes 'research' or 'service evaluation'; isolated decision-making; fragmented data systems; multiple data controllers and a changing data governance environment. The dual perspectives of being both clinician and academic using routine data are explored. Conclusions: Practitioners face a complex approvals process to use data they routinely collect, for research or evaluation purposes. Use of data during the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for streamlining of data governance processes. Practical recommendations are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurse‐led research and innovation is key to improving health experiences and outcomes and reducing health inequalities. Clinical academic training programmes for nurses to develop research and innovation skills alongside continued development of their clinical practice are becoming increasingly established at national, regional and local levels. Though widely supported, geographical variation in the range and scope of opportunities available remains. It is imperative that clinical academic opportunities for nurses continue to grow to ensure equity of access and opportunity so that the potential of nurse‐led clinical academic research to improve quality of care, health experience and health outcomes can be realised. In this paper, we describe and report on clinical academic internship opportunities available to nurses to share internationally, a range of innovative programmes currently in operation across the UK. Examples of some of the tangible benefits for patients, professional development, clinical teams and NHS organisations resulting from these clinical academic internships are illustrated. Information from local evaluations of internship programmes was collated to report what has worked well alongside 'real‐world' set‐up and sustainability challenges faced in practice. Clinical academic internship schemes are often opportunistically developed, making use of hybrid models of delivery and funding responsive to local needs and available resources. Key enablers of successful clinical academic internship programmes for nurses were support from senior clinical leaders and established relationships with local universities and wider organisations committed to research capacity building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical academic nursing roles are rare, and clinical academic leadership positions even more scarce. Amongst the United Kingdom (UK) academia, only 3% of nurses who are employed within universities are clinically active. Furthermore, access to research fellowships and research grant funding for nurses in clinical or academic practice is also limited. The work of Florence Nightingale, the original role model for clinical academic nursing, is discussed in terms of how this has shaped and influenced that of clinical academic nurse leaders in modern UK healthcare settings. We analysed case studies with a view to providing exemplars and informing a new model by which to visualise a trajectory of clinical academic careers. Methods: A Framework analysis of seven exemplar cases was conducted for a network of Clinical Academic Nursing Professors (n = 7), using a structured template. Independent analysis highlighted shared features of the roles: (a) model of clinical academic practice, (b) infrastructure for the post, (c) capacity‐building initiatives, (d) strategic influence, (e) wider influence, (f) local and national implementation initiatives, (g) research area and focus and (h) impact and contribution. Findings: All seven of the professors of nursing involved in this discourse were based in both universities and healthcare organisations in an equal split. All had national and international profiles in their specialist clinical areas and were implementing innovation in their clinical and teaching settings through boundary spanning. We outline a model for career trajectories in clinical academia, and how leadership is crucial. Conclusion: The model outlined emphasises the different stages of clinical academic roles in nursing. Nursing as a discipline needs to embrace the value of these roles, which have great potential to raise the standards of healthcare and the status of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To explore the concept of "clinical academic" from the perspectives of healthcare managers and research‐active healthcare professionals outside medicine. Background: Clinical academics are understood to be healthcare professionals who combine clinical and research responsibilities within their role. However, there is no agreed definition for this term either within or across nursing, midwifery and the other healthcare professions outside medicine. Design: Qualitative service evaluation, reported using the COREQ checklist. Methods: Semi‐structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eight healthcare managers and 12 research‐active clinicians within a UK hospital group. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the Framework method. Results: Clinical academics were described in four themes. Two themes explored the components of the role and the contribution of these individuals to their profession: combining clinical practice, research and education; and pushing boundaries. The third theme identified the clinical academic label as: a title that doesn't fit. The final theme examined a characteristic mindset of research‐active clinicians. There were no clear differences in the perceptions of managers and research‐active clinicians. Conclusions: Clinical academics were perceived as valuable members of their team and were able to push the boundaries to move their profession forward. Some research‐active clinicians did not identify with the term "clinical academic" and for some managers and research‐active clinicians, the term was viewed as jargonistic. A clear and accepted definition would aid development of clinical academic career pathways and identities. It would also assist in evaluating the impact of these roles. Relevance to practice: As clinical academic roles and opportunities are being developed across the professions outside medicine, it is important to have a shared common understanding of "clinical academic" to support the creation of career pathways and curricula, and to enable the evaluation of these roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explain what a clinical academic career can be, what it can lead to for the individual, profession and most importantly the patient, and why these roles are so important to radiography. Multiple challenges to the adoption of clinical academic careers exist, including achievable measurable outcomes, visibility & senior support, and balancing different time demands. Equally the rewards are wide ranging and can advance both the individual and profession through role extension opportunities, increased career progression, patient benefits, and academic and research skills. Clinical academic careers can provide advantages for the individual, department, profession and most importantly the patient with advanced clinical practice through evidenced based research. Improving clinical academic careers within Radiography will promote research participation and increase radiographic roles in patient-centred research delivery and development. Combining evidenced based research with academic skills will lead to improved patient care and better clinical outcomes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Gender inequality within academic medicine and dentistry is a well-recognised issue, but one which is not completely understood in terms of its causes, or interventions to facilitate equality. This systematic review aims to identify, critically appraise, and synthesise the literature on facilitators and barriers to progression through a clinical academic career across medicine and dentistry. It will also explore interventions developed to increase recruitment and retention to clinical academic careers, with a particular focus on gender inequality. Methods The search will cover five databases (MEDLINE (including MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, and MEDLINE Daily), Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), PsycINFO, and Education Resource Information Center (ERIC)), reference lists, and forward citation searching. We will include studies of doctors, dentists, and/or those with a supervisory role over their careers, with or without an academic career. Outcomes will be study defined, but relate to success rates of joining or continuing within a clinical academic career, including but not limited to success in gaining funding support, proportion of time spent in academic work, and numbers of awards/higher education qualifications, as well as experiences of professionals within the clinical academic pathway. Study quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised controlled trials, the Newcastle-Ottawa tool for non-randomised studies, and the QARI tool for qualitative studies. Detailed plans for screening, data extraction, and analysis are provided within this protocol. Discussion This systematic review is situated within a larger project evaluating gender inequalities in clinical academic careers. This review will identify and synthetize barriers, facilitators, and interventions addressing gender inequalities in clinical academia. Our findings will increase awareness of inequalities in clinical academic careers through informing clinical academics, regulators and funders of the issues involved, and potential interventions to counteract these. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Systematic review registration Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/mfy7a

Career pathways for Allied Health clinician researchers in Australia are currently underdeveloped. As these pathways are limited in structure, there are a wide variety of pathways that are 'cobbled together' by Allied Health professionals to combine clinical and research careers. This perspective piece summarises some of these pathways and discusses recommended improvements to create more streamlined career pathways, vital to Australia's research and patient care excellence. What is known about the topic? Allied Health professionals who wish to pursue a dual career as both a clinician and researcher face many barriers, including an unclear career pathway. What does this paper add? This paper outlines the varied career pathways that Allied Health clinician researchers follow, and outlines recommendations for improving the pathway at different stages. What are the implications for practitioners? Supporting improved clinician researcher career pathways in Australia requires input from multiple stakeholders at different stages of the pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To review interventions and strategies designed to progress UK clinical academic career pathways in nursing and identify barriers and facilitators to aid wider implementation. Background: For over a decade, the UK political agenda has promoted the entry of nurses into clinical academic roles. Partnerships between the National Health Service and academia are known to increase nursing recruitment, retention and quality of care. However, there remains a lack of nurses working in these partnership roles. Design: A systematised review was conducted. An electronic database search was carried out in PubMed, CINAHL, the British Nursing Database and PsychInfo for articles published between September 2006 to June 2020. A narrative approach to data synthesis was used, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines were followed. Results: Ten papers were included in the review. The authors reported a range of programmes, pathways and toolkits. Pathway outcome measures included numbers of nurses recruited onto clinical academic programmes, clinical academic programmes completed, nursing research outputs, impact on clinical practice and impact on nursing recruitment. Barriers and facilitators to pathway development included funding, clinical and research time constraints, infrastructure, strong and strategic clinical academic leadership and effective partnership working. The quality of the included studies was mixed; more high‐quality, evidence‐based programmes need to be developed and rigorously evaluated. Conclusions: The findings can inform nursing clinical academic research pathway development internationally, by identifying key drivers for success. Sustained and cohesive implementation of clinical academic research pathways is lacking across the UK. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Strong, strategic leadership is required to enable progression of clinical academic nursing research pathway opportunities. Clinical nursing practitioners need to collaborate with external partners to enable development of clinical academic pathways within the nursing profession; this can lead to improvements in patient care and high‐quality clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical academics can effectively advocate for cultural and policy transformations to improve health outcomes; but where do you begin? We present a case study of academics from Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) who are engaging with the public, media, and policymakers to affect meaningful change in melanoma skin cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gender inequality within academic medicine and dentistry is a well-recognised issue, but one which is not completely understood in terms of its causes, or interventions to facilitate equality. This systematic review aims to identify, critically appraise, and synthesise the literature on facilitators and barriers to progression through a clinical academic career across medicine and dentistry. It will also explore interventions developed to increase recruitment and retention to clinical academic careers, with a particular focus on gender inequality. Methods: The search will cover five databases (MEDLINE (including MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, and MEDLINE Daily), Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), PsycINFO, and Education Resource Information Center (ERIC)), reference lists, and forward citation searching. We will include studies of doctors, dentists, and/or those with a supervisory role over their careers, with or without an academic career. Outcomes will be study defined, but relate to success rates of joining or continuing within a clinical academic career, including but not limited to success in gaining funding support, proportion of time spent in academic work, and numbers of awards/higher education qualifications, as well as experiences of professionals within the clinical academic pathway. Study quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised controlled trials, the Newcastle-Ottawa tool for non-randomised studies, and the QARI tool for qualitative studies. Detailed plans for screening, data extraction, and analysis are provided within this protocol. Discussion: This systematic review is situated within a larger project evaluating gender inequalities in clinical academic careers. This review will identify and synthetize barriers, facilitators, and interventions addressing gender inequalities in clinical academia. Our findings will increase awareness of inequalities in clinical academic careers through informing clinical academics, regulators and funders of the issues involved, and potential interventions to counteract these. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Systematic review registration: Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/mfy7a [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many trainees think about research towards the end of clinical training, but at that stage, it may be too late to get the most from the limited opportunities that remain. Ideally, trainees should consider research early in their career. For some, a career in academic paediatrics may be attractive, in which case following the clinical academic pathway as outlined by the National Institutes of Health Research may be appropriate. For others, research may be part of a wider clinical training. This article discusses a variety of research opportunities available to trainees, and offers advice on a career in academic paediatrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges of developing nurses, midwives and AHPs (NMAHPs) as clinical academics (CA) have received international attention. Balancing clinical practice and academic pursuit, often where managers are unfamiliar with academic career requirements, is one such challenge; however, the current literature provides limited developmental guidance. The aim of this article is to describe the DINARC© (Dissemination, Implementation, Networking, Active Research and Clinical practice) Toolkit, a continuous practice development aide for NMAHPs who are in the early post-doctoral phase of a clinical academic career (CAC). We identified five DINARC© elements, through evidence review and synthesis, as requisites for supporting the progression of a CAC. An 'expert reference group' (CAs, academic supervisors and nurse leaders) advised and assisted in development of the DINARC© concept. A Practitioner Research Plan and Mentor--Mentee Discussion Guide was developed and applied within a large metropolitan UK university teaching hospital; this was designed to identify the essential elements required to successfully navigate a CAC pathway. Early feedback from practitioners and managers suggests that DINARC© aids CAs in navigating an early CAC and offers guidance for managers. Further application and evaluation of DINARC© is now required by those developing a CAC. Implications for practice: DINARC© is a resource to guide practitioners' CAC development with the goal of integrating and strengthening clinically-based NMAHP research activities, with related improvements in patient care. We believe that DINARC© has wider relevance as a useful tool, worthy of testing internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare research activity improves patient outcomes. Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professions (NMAHPs) make an important contribution to clinical research. Within the United Kingdom (UK), there is a 25-year history of increasing healthcare research capacity and capability through clinical academic roles. Medical colleagues were the first to introduce the role in 2005. In 2007, a national policy identified inequalities in access to and success of research training fellowships between medical and nursing healthcare professionals. This was followed by a number of national initiatives, which continue to evolve to the present day. There is evidence that the UK has reached the 'tipping point' to increase NMAHP research capacity and capability through clinical academic roles. Despite these initiatives substantial gaps remain. Outside, the UK, the term 'clinical academic' is not well understood. There is evidence of the presence of senior clinical academic roles, a clinical professor within Australia and the United States, for example, but there is a lack of opportunities and of a formulised research training pathway at a junior level. There is interest and appreciation of the NMAHP research-active clinical academic within the clinical setting in the Nordic countries and China, but the pace of change is slow due to co-existing priorities involving change and innovation. There is a need to develop and agree both national and international definitions that describes the NMAHP research-focused clinical academic role activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined current pathways of training for junior clinical academic psychiatrists in Australia. An initiative of the School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, is described from the perspective of two junior clinical academics.Conclusions: Australia has limited defined clinical academic pathways for psychiatrists when compared internationally. Numerous challenges for junior psychiatrists entering academia include tensions between clinical and academic roles, reduced remuneration, difficulty building a competitive track record and a scarcity of funding. Potential solutions lie with universities and local health districts partnering to fund clinical academic roles and offering flexible entry points across specialty training. Fostering research engagement in junior psychiatrists will develop the next generation of clinical academics with benefit for clinical and academic domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of developing occupational therapists as clinical academics are well recognised. They include improved healthcare outcomes and experiences for service users, efficiencies for organisations and increased prominence of occupational therapy within healthcare. Yet occupational therapists describe uncertainty about how best to navigate clinical academic career pathways. We suggest that occupational therapists can increase their research aspirations, confidence and capacity by following a four-step method, weaving together clinical, academic and personal development. We outline our view of clinical academic development as a process with flexibility to incorporate occupational therapists' diversity of interests and circumstances. By demystifying and illuminating the process of clinical academic development, we believe that occupational therapists may be able to weave more clinical academic development opportunities into their careers and increase the profession's research capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A national clinical academic training programme has been developed in England for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals but is insufficient to build a critical mass to have a significant impact on improved patient care. Aim We describe a partnership model led by the University of Southampton and its neighbouring National Health Service partners that has the potential to address this capacity gap. In combination with the Health Education England/National Institute of Health Research Integrated Clinical Academic programme, we are currently supporting nurses, midwives and allied health professionals at Master’s (n = 28), Doctoral (n = 36), Clinical Lecturer (n = 5) and Senior Clinical Lecturer (n = 2) levels working across seven National Health Service organisations, and three nurses hold jointly funded Clinical Professor posts. Results Key to the success of our partnership model is the strength of the strategic relationship developed at all levels across and within the clinical organisations involved, from board to ward. We are supporting nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to climb, in parallel, both clinical and academic career ladders. We are creating clinical academic leaders who are driving their disciplines forward, impacting on improved health outcomes and patient benefit. Conclusions We have demonstrated that our partnership model is sustainable and could enable doctoral capacity to be built at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, clinical academic careers were only available for dental and medical professions. The title of a clinical academic nurse is recognized as a role that concurrently engages in both clinical practice and research. This systematic review aimed to synthesis qualitative evidence to understand the experiences of clinical academic nurses. A meta-aggregation systematic review was conducted. Key search terms were used in CINAHL and MEDLINE. The review has been reported according to ENTREQ checklist. This meta-aggregation review followed the principles from Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the reviewers conducted a methodological quality assessment on all included studies. Qualitative studies which explored experiences of clinical academic nurses were included. A total of 2,202 articles identified five studies met the inclusion criteria. Five synthesized findings from the included qualitative studies, related to (i) clinical academic preparation, (ii) challenges, (iii) enablers, (iv) clinical practice, and (v) role expectation of clinical academic nursing roles. The meta-aggregation has identified that although there are numerous clinical academic nursing discussion articles, commentaries, and editorials on the topic area, few empirical studies have explored the perceptions and experiences of clinical academic roles in nursing. This systematic review has highlighted the variety of reported experiences of clinical academic nursing in relation to implications for practice, research, and leadership. Clinical academic roles are being developed across the nursing professions outside of medicine, and effective leadership it is important to support sustainable career pathways and curricula and to enable the evaluation of these roles. This review has made an important contribution to the literature by highlighting several issues to consider in developing and safeguarding the progress already made in clinical academic nursing career pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postgraduate medical education in the UK has gone through a maelstrom of change in the last 20 years; many components have disadvantaged clinical academic training in particular. In this article we summarise some of the changes and describe the advantages of the creation of a dedicated clinical academic graduate school as a response to these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the reader to the concepts of identity, positionality and reflexivity and outlines their relevance to research paramedics. We outline how a researcher's identity and positionality can influence all aspects of research, including the research question, study design, data collection and data analysis. We discuss that the 'insider' position of paramedics conducting research with other paramedics or within their specific clinical setting has considerable benefits to participant access, understanding of data and dissemination, while highlighting the difficulties of role duality and power dynamics. While positionality is concerned with the researcher clearly stating their assumptions relating to the research topic, the research design, context and process, as well as the research participants; reflexivity involves the researcher questioning their assumptions and finding strategies to address these. The researcher must reflect upon the way the research is carried out and explain to the reader how they moved through the research processes to reach certain conclusions, with the aim of producing a trustworthy and honest account of the research. Throughout this article, we provide examples of how these concepts have been considered and applied by a research paramedic while conducting their PhD research studies within a pre-hospital setting, to illustrate how they can be applied practically., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Clinical research within Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU) is necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality associated within this resource-intensive environment. With UK PICUs encouraged to be research-active there was a drive to understand how centres support research delivery., Aim: To identify the research workforce available within UK/Ireland PICUs to support clinical research delivery., Method: An electronic survey, endorsed by the Paediatric Critical Care Society (PCCS), was designed and reported in accordance with CHERRIES guidelines. The survey was distributed by email to all UK/Ireland Nurse Managers and Medical/ Nursing Research leads, aiming for one response per site during the period of April-June 2021. Only one response per site was included in analysis., Results: 44 responses were received, representing 24/30 UK/Ireland sites (80% response rate). Responses from n = 21/30 units are included (three excluded for insufficient data). 90% ( n = 19/21) units were research active, although only 52% ( n = 11) had permanent research roles funded within their staffing establishment. The majority of units ( n = 18, 86%) had less than two WTE research nurses. Resources were felt to be sufficient for current research delivery by 43% of units ( n = 9), but this confidence diminished to 19% ( n = 4) when considering their ability to support future research. The top barriers to research conduct were insufficiently funded/unfunded studies (52%; n = 11), clinical staff too busy to support research activity (52%; n = 11) and short-term/fixed-term contracts for research staff (38%; n = 8)., Conclusion: Despite the perceived importance of research and 90% of responding UK/Ireland PICUs being research active, the majority have limited resources to support research delivery. This has implications for their ability to participate in future multi-centre trials and opportunities to support the development of future medical/nursing clinical academics. Further work is required to identify optimum models of clinical research delivery., Competing Interests: JM is a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Menzies, Jennings and Marshall.)

We reviewed outcomes of the Cambridge Bachelor of Medicine (MB)/Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme for the period 1989-2010. Of the 90 alumni contacted, 80 (89%; 24 women) completed an anonymous questionnaire. Thirty were academic staff and 35 were in general professional (core) or higher medical training. Of the latter, 11 were specialty registrars, six were academic clinical fellows and three held academic foundation year posts. Eight alumni were overseas, including five in North America. Most (95%) respondents considered that their academic career goals were facilitated by the programme. Sixty-eight of the 80 alumni had conducted further research, 63 (79%) were active in research, and 90% had explicit plans for further full-time research. Twelve graduates had further substantive research support (six clinician scientist awards and three senior fellowships) and two were Wellcome Trust postdoctoral MB/PhD fellows. Alumni included two full university professors, one reader, six senior lecturers, two assistant professors and nine university clinical lecturers. MB/PhD programmes offer an alternative training pathway for clinician-scientists in UK medical schools: the Cambridge programme promotes scientific discovery and sustained academic development within the context of contemporary medicine and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003 the two UK Government departments of Health and Education and Skills commissioned a team of investigators to examine a growing crisis in the educator and researcher workforce in the health, social care and education communities. The team were asked to look at all professions and take forward an extensive consultation process. This article describes the approach taken by the project team, articulates issues facing educators and researchers in nursing and suggests some models for career development. A series of recommendations are listed and shown to cover three main areas: (1) strategic drivers; (2) employment practices; and (3) matters relating to labour market intelligence. It can be shown that many of the problems facing nurse educators and researchers are shared with other staff groups in health and social care and that some ‘quick win’ solutions are possible. Although some effective costneutral work can be undertaken now, investment by Government is needed to make more substantial changes. Some of this investment may be found from existing funding streams but additional funding is likely to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores the importance of academic leadership within dentistry and its relevance to women. In doing so, it considers the context of women's leadership opportunities, emphasising the importance of women embracing senior roles, highlighting some of the challenges they may face in doing so and suggesting solutions. It is argued that leadership is an essential component of any career in academic dentistry and this is a career with great privilege - not just a job., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To examine clinical doctoral students' demographic and training characteristics, career intentions, career preparedness and what influences them as they plan their future careers., Design and Setting: Online cross-sectional census surveys at two research-intensive medical schools in England in 2015-2016., Participants: All medically qualified PhD students (N=523) enrolled at the University of Oxford and University College London were invited to participate. We report on data from 320 participants (54% male and 44% female), who were representative by gender of the invited population., Main Outcome Measures: Career intentions., Results: Respondents were mainly in specialty training, including close to training completion (25%, n=80), and 18% (n=57) had completed training. Half (50%, n=159) intended to pursue a clinical academic career (CAC) and 62% (n=198) were at least moderately likely to seek a clinical lectureship (CL). However, 51% (n=163) had little or no knowledge about CL posts. Those wanting a CAC tended to have the most predoctoral medical research experience (χ 2 (2, N=305)=22.19, p=0.0005). Key reasons cited for not pursuing a CAC were the small number of senior academic appointments available, the difficulty of obtaining research grants and work-life balance., Conclusions: Findings suggest that urging predoctoral clinicians to gain varied research experience while ensuring availability of opportunities, and introducing more flexible recruitment criteria for CL appointments, would foster CACs. As CL posts are often only open to those still in training, the many postdoctoral clinicians who have completed training, or nearly done so, do not currently gain the opportunity the post offers to develop as independent researchers. Better opportunities should be accompanied by enhanced career support for clinical doctoral students (eg, to increase knowledge of CLs). Finally, ways to increase the number of senior clinical academic appointments should be explored since their lack seems to significantly influence career decisions., Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at . JL, CP and DB declare that JL and DB are employed by, and CP directs, OUCAGS, which exists to promote and advance clinical academic careers; CP declares that his salary is, in part, paid for by Health Education England in the Thames Valley; VR and GR declare that the former works for, and the latter manages, UCL’s Academic Careers Office, which is funded by UCLH’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and thus the National Institute for Health Research; no other financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years besides the support provided for the submitted work by the organisations described above under ‘funding’; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objectives: To report on doctors' reasons, as expressed to our research group, for choosing academic careers and on factors that would make a career in clinical academic medicine more attractive to them., Design: Postal, email and web questionnaires., Setting: UK., Participants: A total of 6936 UK-trained doctors who graduated in 1996, 1999 and 2000., Main Outcome Measures: Open-ended comments about a career in clinical academic medicine., Results: Of doctors who provided reasons for pursuing a long-term career in clinical academic medicine, the main reasons were enjoyment of academic work and personal satisfaction, whether expressed directly in those terms, or in terms of intellectual stimulation, enjoyment of research, teaching and the advancement of medicine, and the job being more varied than and preferable to clinical work alone. Doctors' suggestions for making clinical academic medicine more attractive included improved pay and job security, better funding of research, greater availability of academic posts, more dedicated time for research (and less service work) and more support and mentoring. Women were more likely than men to prioritise flexible working hours and part-time posts., Conclusions: Medical schools could provide more information, as part of student teaching, about the opportunities for and realities of a career in clinical academic medicine. Women, in particular, commented that they lacked the role models and information which would encourage them to consider seriously an academic career. Employers could increase academic opportunities by allowing more time for teaching, research and study and should assess whether job plans make adequate allowance for academic work.

Objectives: Our aim was to report on doctors' descriptions of their current post at about 12 years after qualification, in respect of academic content, and to compare this with their long-term intentions. By academic content, we mean posts that are designated as clinical academic posts or clinical service posts that include research and/or teaching commitments., Design: Questionnaire survey., Participants: All UK medical graduates of 1996 contacted in 2007, graduates of 1999 in 2012, and graduates of 2000 in 2012., Setting: UK., Main Outcome Measures: Responses about current posts and future intentions., Method: Postal and email questionnaires., Results: The response rate was 61.9% (6713/10844). Twenty eight per cent were working in posts with academic content (3.3% as clinical academics, 25% in clinical posts with some academic content). Seventeen per cent of women were working in clinical posts with some teaching and research, compared with 29% of men. A higher percentage of men than women intended to be clinical academics as their eventual career choice (3.9% overall, 5.4% of men, 2.7% of women). More doctors wished to move to a job with an academic component than away from one (N = 824 compared with 236). This was true for both men (433 compared with 118) and women (391 compared with 118)., Conclusions: Women are under-represented both in holding posts with academic content and in aspirations to do so. It is noteworthy that many more doctors hoped to move into an academic role than to move out of one. Policy should facilitate this wish in order to address current shortfalls in clinical academic medicine.