Exploring doctors experiences of transitioning to full time research and back to clinical practice: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing interest in research degrees among clinicians, little is knowns about doctors’ lived experiences transitioning between clinical practice and full-time research. Understanding these transitions is essential for developing appropriate support structure and optimising career pathways. This study aimed to explore the experience for doctors of transitioning to research and back to clinical work. METHODS: Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis and the conceptual framework of Multiple and Multidimensional Transitions (MMT). Doctors undertaking or having completed full-time research participated in semi-structured interviews, analysed using template analysis. RESULTS: Ten doctors (one man, nine women) took part in the research. Six were undertaking an doctorate of medicine (MD), three a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) and one a full time Masters (MSc). Six themes emerged: pre research phase, decision to undertake research, initial honeymoon, later reality, drive to complete and back to clinical practice. Participants chose research for career progression, teaching experience or a “break” from full time clinical practice. Initially there was a sense of freedom from the clinical weekly roster, enjoying the flexibility that research afforded them, and then frustration and disbelief over how long everything took to happen or come to fruition. Support was mainly from peers, with those who were part of a research group finding the transition easiest. After the initial novelty the reality of perhaps more tedious aspects of full time research became apparent. Experience with proposal writing, project execution, data analysis and writing was invaluable for future projects and medical literature interpretation. For those who had returned to full time clinical work, there was increased confidence as they had gained skills during their research years that made aspects of the clinical job easier. Maintaining clinical skills during research was essential for successful transition back to practice. CONCLUSION: This study reveals challenges in the research transition from clinical practice to research that were common to participants but often experienced in isolation. Findings highlight the need for enhanced peer support networks, realistic expectation-setting, and structured mentorship programmes to optimise the research training experience and facilitate successful return to clinical practice.