Making research everybody's business-innovation to introduce foundation doctors to research

Abstract

In order to train a future workforce able to meet the needs of its patients it is vital to ensure that opportunities to engage in research are inbuilt to training programmes. This strategy meets national recommendations recently published by NIHR, RCP and GMC. A nationally funded expansion of 'standard' Foundation programmes offers a unique opportunity to develop innovative new posts which include exposure to clinical research. In NHSE Midlands a pilot Foundation Year two (F2) post in Diabetes Research was implemented in August 2022, embedded into a standard Foundation programme. Subjective evaluation of the post, by F2 doctors and trainers, has been very positive and a further two posts in Research and Innovation commence August 2023 and 2024. These unique and geographically co-located programmes also aim to support the widening participation in medicine agenda. This model could be adapted within any Foundation School.