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Education & training: Andre Strydom and Nicola Higgins Are dedicated research posts of value to psychiatry trainees? Psychiatr Bull 2004; 28: 260-263 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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The value of a dedicated senior house officer research post in Leeds

Nuwan Galappathie   (14 July 2005)

Research as a SHO- An exciting career focus

Partha Gangopadhyay   (19 July 2005)

The value of a dedicated senior house officer research post in Leeds 14 July 2005
Nuwan Galappathie, Senior House Officer in Adult Psychiatry Field Head Hospital, Wakefield, WF1 3SP Send letter to journal: Re: The value of a dedicated senior house officer research post in Leeds ngalappathie{at}doctors.org.uk Nuwan Galappathie	I read with interest the outstanding career progression of the twenty trainees who undertook a dedicated senior house officer research post within the North London Rotational Scheme in Psychiatry (Strydom & Higgins, 2004). I am able to share my own successful experiences of undertaking a similar post on the Leeds, Wakefield and Pontefract Training Scheme. During this post I was based at the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group. I developed my research skills, formally lectured medical students, undertook two Cochrane reviews and above all developed an enthusiasm for teaching and academic work. The undertaking of such work would have otherwise simply not been possible in a busy inner city placement. I have little doubt that this post and its professorial reference helped me obtain a specialist registrar post within weeks of passing my membership exams. It is now with great disappointment that this academic post is not offered for the next six month posting on the rotation. Service modernization and the removal of clinical sessions attached to the post appear to be the main contributors to its demise. In my opinion this is truly a great loss and highlights the need for training schemes to do all in their power to protect and nurture their most prized research posts. References: Strydom, A. & Higgins, N. (2004) Are dedicated research posts of value to psychiatry trainees? Psychiatric Bulletin, 28, 260-263.
Research as a SHO- An exciting career focus 19 July 2005
Partha Gangopadhyay, Senior House Officer St Charles Hospital, London Send letter to journal: Re: Research as a SHO- An exciting career focus pgangopadhyay{at}nhs.net Partha Gangopadhyay	The article by Strydom et al, 'Are dedicated research posts of value to psychiatry trainees?' (Psychiatric Bulletin, 28, 260-263) retains its topical significance probably in enhanced proportions even after a year. One of the most restricting abilities in endeavours to pursue research is inadequate training in research methodology i.e. statistical knowledge, literature search skills, writing protocols and an academic environment. A busy psychiatric senior house officer placement offers minimal opportunity to acquire these skills or even to further the potential that one might have as a young research enthusiast. The great advantage of such posts lies in the ability on deciding about one’s aptitude thus facilitating more appropriate career moves i.e. whether to consider an academic post or be involved with greater clinical responsibilities. This will also benefit service users of mental health services as providing a professional with the most suitable working environment is the primary requisite for extracting his optimal performance. While higher specialist training in psychiatry does provide this scope for considering individual preferences, nothing can be more welcome for a young interested trainee than to have the chance of getting familiar with the intricacies of research earlier in their training period. There are a number of criteria, which need to be satisfied for the completion of basic specialist training. Undertaking research is not an essential requisite but very often it becomes the deciding factor for smooth transition into higher specialist training. In this context the training schemes must take an added initiative in the creation as well as continuation of dedicated research posts in SHO training. References: Strydom, A. & Higgins, N. (2004) Are dedicated research posts of value to psychiatry trainees? Psychiatric Bulletin, 28, 260-263 (Word Count- 258) Declaration of Interest- None