title: What happens to clinical training fellows? A retrospective study of the 20 years outcome of a Medical Research Council UK cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Clinical Research Training Fellowship (CRTF) allows up to 3 years support for clinically qualified candidates to undertake specialised or further research training in biomedical sciences. CRTFs are perceived as a crucial step in the career development and progression of Clinical Academics but there are no published data to support this notion. We conducted an electronic survey of a large cohort of Medical Research Council (MRC) CRTFs followed for up to 20 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of CRTF outcome data held with the MRC, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two cohorts comprising 40 CRFTs awarded by the MRC in the year 1991 and 299 MRC CRTFs who were awarded a fellowship between 1993 and 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MRC CRTF scheme built capacity in clinical academia across the UK with 40% of CRTFs progressing to a University professorship. Importantly, the CRTF scheme is also providing NHS consultants who remain research active.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first analysis of outcome of CRTFs in the UK and provides robust evidence of the importance of this capacity building mode of funding to underpin research excellence at the University-NHS interface.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Birmingham, Medical Research Council, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dukes
authors.forename: Hannah Lesley
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: van Oudheusden
authors.forename: Rhoswyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Maxwell