Why do so few medical doctors now find academic medicine attractive?1 Academic clinicians are enthused by the science they work in and often communicate this enthusiasm to their students—surely this should attract more into the field?
No one wants dares mention that the process of science has rendered the practice of science unpalatable to all but the most dedicated. The overwhelmingly bureaucratic processes of so called research governance and the complexity and time consuming aspects of seeking research funding are extremely unattractive sides to modern clinical science. Unless we admit that these processes are no longer suitable, and face the fact that they are putting off more people than they are helping, we will continue to see academic medicine dwindle away.
Competing interests: None declared.
References
- 1.Ioannidis JPA, Ahmed T, Awasthi S, Clarfield AM, Clark J, Dandona L, et al. Open letter to the leader of academic medicine. BMJ 2007;334:191-3. (27 January.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]