The Medical Schools Council recently published a study in the BMJ Open using linked national data from the UK Medical Education Database (UKMED). The study explores factors associated with early progression along the clinical academic pathway among more than 32,000 UK medical graduates. The research examined key stages in academic career development, including undertaking an intercalated degree, applying to and participating in the Academic Foundation Programme (AFP, now the Specialised Foundation Programme), and subsequently applying for predoctoral research fellowships.
The findings highlight significant differences in participation across demographic and educational groups, including how:
The study also identified important patterns at later stages of the clinical academic pathway. While doctors from minority ethnic backgrounds were just as likely as their peers to apply for predoctoral fellowships, they were significantly less likely to be successful in securing them. In addition, completion of the AFP was strongly associated with subsequent applications for predoctoral fellowships, underlining the programme’s role in supporting progression into academic medicine.
The findings provide valuable insights into participation and progression within clinical academia in medicine. By identifying sociodemographic factors associated with access to training opportunities, the study offers an important evidence base to inform efforts to improve equity and widen participation, thereby strengthening representation and diversity across the clinical academic workforce.