How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies
Objectives This study aimed to understand the role of surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives (TRCs) in conducting randomised controlled trials and identify strategies to enhance trainee engagement in trials.Design This is a mixed methods study. We used observation of TRC meetings, semi-structured...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072851.full |
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| author | Graeme Maclennan Nick Heywood Clare Clement Natalie S Blencowe Jane Blazeby Dmitri Nepogodiev Laura Magill Alejandro Arenas-Pinto Tom Pinkney J Athene Lane James Glasbey Victoria Hardy Karen Coulman Jonathan Alistair Cook Claire Snowdon Richard Bulbulia Zoe Hilton |
| author_facet | Graeme Maclennan Nick Heywood Clare Clement Natalie S Blencowe Jane Blazeby Dmitri Nepogodiev Laura Magill Alejandro Arenas-Pinto Tom Pinkney J Athene Lane James Glasbey Victoria Hardy Karen Coulman Jonathan Alistair Cook Claire Snowdon Richard Bulbulia Zoe Hilton |
| author_sort | Graeme Maclennan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives This study aimed to understand the role of surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives (TRCs) in conducting randomised controlled trials and identify strategies to enhance trainee engagement in trials.Design This is a mixed methods study. We used observation of TRC meetings, semi-structured interviews and an online survey to explore trainees’ motivations for engagement in trials and TRCs, including barriers and facilitators. Interviews were analysed thematically, alongside observation field notes. Survey responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Strategies to enhance TRCs were developed at a workshop by 13 trial methodologists, surgical trainees, consultants and research nurses.Setting This study was conducted within a secondary care setting in the UK.Participants The survey was sent to registered UK surgical trainees. TRC members and linked stakeholders across surgical specialties and UK regions were purposefully sampled for interviews.Results We observed 5 TRC meetings, conducted 32 semi-structured interviews and analysed 73 survey responses. TRCs can mobilise trainees thus gaining wider access to patients. Trainees engaged with TRCs to improve patient care, surgical evidence and to help progress their careers. Trainees valued the TRC infrastructure, research expertise and mentoring. Challenges for trainees included clinical and other priorities, limited time and confidence, and recognition, especially by authorship. Key TRC strategies were consultant support, initial simple rapid studies, transparency of involvement and recognition for trainees (including authorship policies) and working with Clinical Trials Units and research nurses. A 6 min digital story on YouTube disseminated these strategies.Conclusion Trainee surgeons are mostly motivated to engage with trials and TRCs. Trainee engagement in TRCs can be enhanced through building relationships with key stakeholders, maximising multi-disciplinary working and offering training and career development opportunities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d375cf02f903440b8a5cd72a82ac7b77 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-d375cf02f903440b8a5cd72a82ac7b772025-08-20T03:11:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-12-01131210.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategiesGraeme Maclennan0Nick Heywood1Clare Clement2Natalie S Blencowe3Jane Blazeby4Dmitri Nepogodiev5Laura Magill6Alejandro Arenas-Pinto7Tom Pinkney8J Athene Lane9James Glasbey10Victoria Hardy11Karen Coulman12Jonathan Alistair Cook13Claire Snowdon14Richard Bulbulia15Zoe Hilton16directorDepartment of General Surgery Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK2 University of the West of England, Bristol, UKBristol Centre for Surgical Research and Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University of Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UKCentre for Surgical Research, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK3 Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKMRC Clinical Trials Unit, UCL, London, UKInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKBristol Trials Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK4University of Birmingham, Nihr Global Health Research Unit On Global Surgery, Birmingham, UKNational Institute for Social Care and Health Research, Cardiff, UKclinical lecturerCentre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKDepartment of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UKClinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKCardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UKObjectives This study aimed to understand the role of surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives (TRCs) in conducting randomised controlled trials and identify strategies to enhance trainee engagement in trials.Design This is a mixed methods study. We used observation of TRC meetings, semi-structured interviews and an online survey to explore trainees’ motivations for engagement in trials and TRCs, including barriers and facilitators. Interviews were analysed thematically, alongside observation field notes. Survey responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Strategies to enhance TRCs were developed at a workshop by 13 trial methodologists, surgical trainees, consultants and research nurses.Setting This study was conducted within a secondary care setting in the UK.Participants The survey was sent to registered UK surgical trainees. TRC members and linked stakeholders across surgical specialties and UK regions were purposefully sampled for interviews.Results We observed 5 TRC meetings, conducted 32 semi-structured interviews and analysed 73 survey responses. TRCs can mobilise trainees thus gaining wider access to patients. Trainees engaged with TRCs to improve patient care, surgical evidence and to help progress their careers. Trainees valued the TRC infrastructure, research expertise and mentoring. Challenges for trainees included clinical and other priorities, limited time and confidence, and recognition, especially by authorship. Key TRC strategies were consultant support, initial simple rapid studies, transparency of involvement and recognition for trainees (including authorship policies) and working with Clinical Trials Units and research nurses. A 6 min digital story on YouTube disseminated these strategies.Conclusion Trainee surgeons are mostly motivated to engage with trials and TRCs. Trainee engagement in TRCs can be enhanced through building relationships with key stakeholders, maximising multi-disciplinary working and offering training and career development opportunities.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072851.full |
| spellingShingle | Graeme Maclennan Nick Heywood Clare Clement Natalie S Blencowe Jane Blazeby Dmitri Nepogodiev Laura Magill Alejandro Arenas-Pinto Tom Pinkney J Athene Lane James Glasbey Victoria Hardy Karen Coulman Jonathan Alistair Cook Claire Snowdon Richard Bulbulia Zoe Hilton How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies BMJ Open |
| title | How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| title_full | How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| title_fullStr | How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| title_short | How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| title_sort | how surgical trainee research collaboratives achieve success a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072851.full |
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