The Royal College of Physicians has published the 16th survey reporting the experiences of and outcomes for physicians within a year of gaining their CCT (certificate of completion of training) in 2023.
This comes as the college publishes refreshed Launchpad resources to help new consultants, early career SAS doctors, and senior resident doctors about to take the next step in their careers.
The RCP Medical Class of 2023 survey has found that less than half (44%) of newly-appointed consultant respondents were offered a mentor or equivalent support and just 21% of respondents knew that their trust/board had a new consultant development programme. More than a quarter (27%) said their trust/board did not have a programme and a large majority (86%) felt that it would have been beneficial to them.
The percentage of newly-appointed consultants who responded to the survey that were offered a mentor or equivalent support remains unchanged at just 44%. Of those who were offered such support, 73% took up the offer and 89% found it helpful.
The top five areas of support respondents would expect from their employer at the beginning of their post were appraisal guidance, job planning support and review, mentorship programme, guidance for managing complaints and specific formal induction for new consultants.
74% of respondents had a job planning meeting prior to or at the start of their consultant post – up 9% on last year. Just 4% received pension advice at the start of their post.
Almost half of respondents (49%) said they found the transition from resident doctor to consultant very or quite easy, 35% found it neither easy nor difficult, and 16% found it quite/very difficult.
The RCP is campaigning to improve the working lives of early career doctors and support the next generation of physicians. Recently refreshed, and exclusive to RCP members, Launchpad is a collection of unique RCP resources and bite-sized videos which aims to support new consultants, early career SAS doctors, and senior resident doctors about to step up to the next stage of their careers.
The survey, which has monitored outcomes and emerging trends for CCT holders since 2009, also found that of those who undertook research during their training, the overwhelming majority (90%) said that it enhanced their training.
46% of respondents undertook clinical research during their training.
Almost half (48%) of respondents would like to do some or more research than they currently do but having no time in the working week and prioritising work-life balance were cited as the main barriers to this.
The RCP has long called for clinicians of all levels to have more opportunities to contribute to clinical research, including protected time in job plans. In 2022, the RCP published Making research everybody’s business, a joint position statement with NIHR.
In a blog post published about the government’s shift from analogue to digital, RCP academic vice president Tom Solomon OBE said clinical academics must be supported at all career stages. Doctors must have protected time for clinical research.
Dr Mike Jones, executive medical director, training and development, JRCPTB, said:
‘This survey continues to provide critical information about the early consultant workforce and it is good to see all the physician specialties represented. It is also good to see that an increased percentage feel that they were training well or very well in GIM.
‘The increasing number who are working less than full time, or who wish to, has been anticipated for some time but has not been recognised with an increased number of training posts. It is hoped that the statutory education bodies will recognise this and respond.
‘The importance of location is demonstrated in the number of resident doctors who want to take up their first consultant post in the region in which they trained. It is of regret therefore that many do not have a mentor, an adequate consultant induction or work in a trust with a new consultant development programme.
‘We need to work with employers to improve training in the areas that have proved difficult in the transition from resident doctor to consultant.’
Later this month, physicians who gained their CCT during 2024 will receive a survey about their experiences and outcomes. These surveys provide vital insights, guiding the RCP’s work in improving the working lives of early career doctors, so we warmly encourage all recipients to complete it.
This is the 16th survey reporting the experiences of, and outcomes for, CCT holders within one year of gaining their CCT. It covers physicians who gained their CCT in 2022. The survey was sent to all 1,096 physicians who gained a CCT in 2023 and 188 completed it fully, with a response rate of 17%. The survey was open for completion from February to March 2024.
Each year, the Medical Workforce Unit of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) conducts this unique survey on behalf of the RCP, the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB), the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG).