Concerns about the education of medical students

Concerns are raised about the education of medical students, as a BMA report reveals that most young doctors have never considered careers in teaching and research.

The recruitment of medical academics is at an all time low, and soon there may not be enough to provide an adequate education to the UK's rising number of medical students, the report warns.

It offers little hope that the decline will be reversed in the near future, with only a quarter of doctors surveyed saying they have even thought about academic careers. The findings are published in 'Medical Academic Career Intentions', a report based on the results of the BMA's annual study of doctors who began their careers in 1995.

Four hundred and seventy-three U.K. doctors were asked about their current jobs and future plans. Only one in four (130) had ever considered a future in teaching or research. Even among the doctors who had worked in some form of research post in the last twelve months (around a fifth of the cohort) many were not considering university careers.

The main deterrents to a future in teaching and research were identified as financial disincentives, lack of clear career structure, and the absence of advice or support. On the other hand, many felt that academic careers offered intellectual stimulation, greater flexibility of hours and greater autonomy than hospital jobs.

Commenting on 'Medical Academic Career Intentions', Professor Michael Rees, chairman of the BMA's Medical Academic Staff Committee, said: "It is sad and worrying that so few doctors see academic careers as a realistic or appealing option. The NHS needs high calibre researchers to be able to develop the best possible treatments. And with medical school intake on the increase, the need for qualified medical lecturers and professors to teach students is increasingly important."

The BMA has drawn up proposals to reform the medical training structure so that doctors are exposed to opportunities to experience teaching and research at an earlier stage of their careers. In addition to this, the report says that more flexible working patterns would encourage doctors not to leave academic jobs, and recommends more academic activity in both the NHS and higher education.