Research by Psychiatric Trainees and Early Career Psychiatrists-Results of a Survey From 34 Countries in Europe

World Psychiatric Association-Asian Journal of Psychiatry Commission on Psychiatric Education in the 21st century

Psychiatric practice faces many challenges in the first quarter of 21st century. Society has transformed, as have training requirements and patient expectations, underlining an urgent need to look at educational programmes. Meanwhile, awareness has grown around psychiatric disorders and there are evolving workforce trends, with more women going to medical school and specialising in psychiatry. Trainee psychiatrists carry different expectations for work-life balance and are increasingly becoming conscious of their own mental health. A tendency to see health as a commodity and the litigious nature of society has elicited additional pressures for healthcare professionals. Cartesian mind-body dualism has created further complexity and this can often be frustrating for patients and care-partners alike. In many cultures across Asia and beyond, patients can present with physical symptoms to express underlying psychological distress with increasing physical investigations. Simultaneously, in various countries, a shift from asylums to community-based interventions and then home treatments have changed psychiatric care in remarkable ways. These changes have added to pressures faced by mental healthcare professionals. However, trainees and other mental healthcare professionals continue to receive similar training as they did a generation ago. The tensions and differences in ideology/orientation between different branches of psychiatry have made responses to patient needs challenging. Recognising that it is difficult to predict the future, this World Psychiatric Association-Asian Journal of Psychiatry Commission makes recommendations that could help institutions and individuals enhance psychiatric education. This Commission draws from existing resources and recent developments to propose a training framework for future psychiatrists.

Barriers to and facilitators of success for early and Mid-Career professionals focused on bipolar disorder: A global needs survey by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders

INTRODUCTION

The International Society for Bipolar Disorders created the Early Mid-Career Committee (EMCC) to support career development of the next generation of researchers and clinicians specializing in bipolar disorder (BD). To develop new infrastructure and initiatives, the EMCC completed a Needs Survey of the current limitations and gaps that restrict recruitment and retention of researchers and clinicians focused on BD.

METHODS

The EMCC Needs Survey was developed through an iterative process, relying on literature and content expertise of workgroup members. The survey included 8 domains: navigating transitional career stages, creating and fostering mentorship, research activities, raising academic profile, clinical-research balance, networking and collaboration, community engagement, work-life balance. The final survey was deployed from May to August 2022 and was available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese.

RESULTS

Three hundred participants across six continents completed the Needs Survey. Half of the participants self-identified as belonging to an underrepresented group in health-related sciences (i.e., from certain gender, racial, ethnic, cultural, or disadvantaged backgrounds including individuals with disabilities). Quantitative results and qualitative content analysis revealed key barriers to pursuing a research career focused on BD with unique challenges specific to scientific writing and grant funding. Participants highlighted mentorship as a key facilitator of success in research and clinical work.

CONCLUSION

The results of the Needs Survey are a call to action to support early- and midcareer professionals pursuing a career in BD. Interventions required to address the identified barriers will take coordination, creativity, and resources to develop, implement, and encourage uptake but will have long-lasting benefits for research, clinical practice, and ultimately those affected by BD.

An online global survey and follow-up expert groups on the scope and needs related to training, research, and mentorship among early-career addiction medicine professionals

Addiction medicine is a rapidly growing field with many young professionals seeking careers in this field. However, early-career professionals (ECPs) face challenges such as a lack of competency-based training due to a shortage of trainers, limited resources, limited mentorship opportunities, and establishment of suitable research areas. The International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) New Professionals Exploration, Training & Education (NExT) committee, a global platform for early-career addiction medicine professionals (ECAMPs), conducted a two-phase online survey using a modified Delphi-based approach among ECAMPs across 56 countries to assess the need for standardized training, research opportunities, and mentorship. A total of 110 respondents participated in Phase I (online key informant survey), and 28 respondents participated in Phase II (online expert group discussions on three themes identified in Phase I). The survey found that there is a lack of standardized training, structured mentorship programs, research funding, and research opportunities in addiction medicine for ECAMPs. There is a need for standardized training programs, improving research opportunities, and effective mentorship programs to promote the next generation of addiction medicine professionals and further development in the entire field. The efforts of ISAM NExT are well-received and give a template of how this gap can be addressed.