How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies

Clare Clement; Karen Coulman; Nick Heywood; Tom Pinkney; Jane Blazeby; Natalie S Blencowe; Jonathan Alistair Cook; Richard Bulbulia; Alejandro Arenas-Pinto; Claire Snowdon; Zoe Hilton; Laura Magill; Graeme MacLennan; James Glasbey; Dmitri Nepogodiev; Victoria Hardy; J Athene Lane

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851

How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies

Clare Clement^*, Karen Coulman, Nick Heywood, Tom Pinkney, Jane Blazeby, Natalie S Blencowe, Jonathan Alistair Cook, Richard Bulbulia, Alejandro Arenas-Pinto, Claire Snowdon, Zoe Hilton, Laura Magill, Graeme MacLennan, James Glasbey, Dmitri Nepogodiev, Victoria Hardy, J Athene Lane

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	e072851
Number of pages	12
Journal	BMJ open
Volume	13
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851
Publication status	Published - 10 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding:
This work was supported by the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (MR/L004933/2/N86), including an impact award for the digital animation, and was undertaken with the support of the MRC ConDuCT-II Hub (Collaboration and innovation in Difficult and Complex randomised controlled Trials) (MR/K025643/1). This study was designed and delivered in collaboration with the Bristol Trials Centre (BTC), a UKCRC registered clinical trials unit which was in receipt of National Institute for Health Research CTU support funding. KC, is currently funded by Health Education England (HEE)/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (ICA-CL-2018-04-ST2-008) and The Bristol Centre for Surgical Research and The NIHR Bristol and Weston Biomedical Research Centre (various grants) at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, RCS Eng or MRC.

Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Keywords

Humans
Education, Medical, Graduate
Surgeons/education
Specialties, Surgical
Motivation
Surveys and Questionnaires
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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ClementC2023surgicalFinal published version, 885 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

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Clement, C., Coulman, K., Heywood, N., Pinkney, T., Blazeby, J., Blencowe, N. S., Cook, J. A., Bulbulia, R., Arenas-Pinto, A., Snowdon, C., Hilton, Z., Magill, L., MacLennan, G., Glasbey, J., Nepogodiev, D., Hardy, V., & Lane, J. A. (2023). How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies. BMJ open, 13(12), Article e072851. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851

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title = "How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Humans, Education, Medical, Graduate, Surgeons/education, Specialties, Surgical, Motivation, Surveys and Questionnaires, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic",

author = "Clare Clement and Karen Coulman and Nick Heywood and Tom Pinkney and Jane Blazeby and Blencowe, {Natalie S} and Cook, {Jonathan Alistair} and Richard Bulbulia and Alejandro Arenas-Pinto and Claire Snowdon and Zoe Hilton and Laura Magill and Graeme MacLennan and James Glasbey and Dmitri Nepogodiev and Victoria Hardy and Lane, {J Athene}",

note = "Funding: This work was supported by the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (MR/L004933/2/N86), including an impact award for the digital animation, and was undertaken with the support of the MRC ConDuCT-II Hub (Collaboration and innovation in Difficult and Complex randomised controlled Trials) (MR/K025643/1). This study was designed and delivered in collaboration with the Bristol Trials Centre (BTC), a UKCRC registered clinical trials unit which was in receipt of National Institute for Health Research CTU support funding. KC, is currently funded by Health Education England (HEE)/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (ICA-CL-2018-04-ST2-008) and The Bristol Centre for Surgical Research and The NIHR Bristol and Weston Biomedical Research Centre (various grants) at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, RCS Eng or MRC. Copyright: {\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851",

language = "English",

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Clement, C, Coulman, K, Heywood, N, Pinkney, T, Blazeby, J, Blencowe, NS, Cook, JA, Bulbulia, R, Arenas-Pinto, A, Snowdon, C, Hilton, Z, Magill, L, MacLennan, G, Glasbey, J , Nepogodiev, D, Hardy, V & Lane, JA 2023, 'How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies', BMJ open, vol. 13, no. 12, e072851. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851

TY - JOUR

T1 - How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success

T2 - a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies

AU - Clement, Clare

AU - Coulman, Karen

AU - Heywood, Nick

AU - Pinkney, Tom

AU - Blazeby, Jane

AU - Blencowe, Natalie S

AU - Cook, Jonathan Alistair

AU - Bulbulia, Richard

AU - Arenas-Pinto, Alejandro

AU - Snowdon, Claire

AU - Hilton, Zoe

AU - Magill, Laura

AU - MacLennan, Graeme

AU - Glasbey, James

AU - Nepogodiev, Dmitri

AU - Hardy, Victoria

AU - Lane, J Athene

N1 - Funding: This work was supported by the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (MR/L004933/2/N86), including an impact award for the digital animation, and was undertaken with the support of the MRC ConDuCT-II Hub (Collaboration and innovation in Difficult and Complex randomised controlled Trials) (MR/K025643/1). This study was designed and delivered in collaboration with the Bristol Trials Centre (BTC), a UKCRC registered clinical trials unit which was in receipt of National Institute for Health Research CTU support funding. KC, is currently funded by Health Education England (HEE)/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (ICA-CL-2018-04-ST2-008) and The Bristol Centre for Surgical Research and The NIHR Bristol and Weston Biomedical Research Centre (various grants) at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, RCS Eng or MRC. Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2023/12/10

Y1 - 2023/12/10

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Humans

KW - Education, Medical, Graduate

KW - Surgeons/education

KW - Specialties, Surgical

KW - Motivation

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072851

M3 - Article

C2 - 38072493

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 13

JO - BMJ open

JF - BMJ open

IS - 12

M1 - e072851

ER -

How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Cite this