Current landscape of academic neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom: analysis by the Society of British Neurological Surgeons

Keng Siang Lee; Conor S Gillespie; Aswin Chari; Sheikh Momin; Carole Turner; Michael D Jenkinson; Robert Brownstone; Society of British Neurological Surgeons

doi:10.1080/02688697.2023.2213329

Current landscape of academic neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom: analysis by the Society of British Neurological Surgeons

Br J Neurosurg. 2023 May 18:1-7. doi: 10.1080/02688697.2023.2213329. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Keng Siang Lee^{1

2}, Conor S Gillespie³, Aswin Chari^{4

5

6}, Sheikh Momin⁷, Carole Turner³, Michael D Jenkinson⁸, Robert Brownstone^{6

9}; Society of British Neurological Surgeons

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
² Department of Basic and Clinical Neurosciences, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK.
³ Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK.
⁵ Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
⁶ Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
⁷ Department of Neurosurgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
⁸ Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre, Liverpool, UK.
⁹ UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.

PMID: 37199545
DOI: 10.1080/02688697.2023.2213329

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about the impact of academic training on Neurosurgery in the United Kingdom (UK). The aim was to understand the early career clinical and research training journeys of potential future clinical academics, with a view to informing future policy and strategy to improve career development for academic neurosurgical trainees and consultants in the UK.

Methods: An online survey from the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS) academic committee was distributed to both the SBNS and British Neurosurgical Trainee Association (BNTA) mailing lists in early 2022. Neurosurgical trainees for any period between 2007 and 2022 or who had done any dedicated academic or clinical academic placement were encouraged to complete the survey.

Results: Sixty responses were received. Six (10%) were females and fifty-four (90%) were males. At the time of response, nine (15.0%) were clinical trainees, four (6.7%) were Academic Clinical Fellows (ACF), six (10.0%) were Academic Clinical Lecturers (ACL), four (6.7%) were post-CCT fellows, eight (13.3%) were NHS consultants, eight (13.3%) were academic consultants, eighteen (30.0%) were out of the programme (OOP) pursuing a PhD potentially returning to training, whilst three (5.0%) had left neurosurgery training entirely and no longer performing clinical neurosurgery. The mentorship was sought in most programmes, which tended to be informal. Self-reported success on a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the most successful, was greatest in the MD and the "Other research degree/fellowship group" which does not include a PhD. There was a significant positive association between completing a PhD and having an academic consultant appointment (Pearson Chi-Square = 5.33, p = 0.021).

Conclusions: This study provides a snapshot to better understand the opinions of academic training in neurosurgery within the UK. Establishing clear, modifiable, and achievable goals, as well as providing tools for research success, may contribute to the success of this nationwide academic training.

Keywords: Academic training; United Kingdom; curriculum; neurosurgery; research.