Cancer research in the UK: A policy review of the junior academic clinical faculty

Despite huge sums spent on academic clinical raining worldwide there is surprisingly little research to inform policymakers. This study addresses the junior faculty in the UK's cancer research community through both current Fellows and senior clinicians and policymakers. Funding organisations under the National Cancer Research Institute umbrella currently support 176 junior faculty fellows (studying towards MD [2 year postgraduate research degree] or PhD) with the majority in medical oncology (49%). Craft specialities (surgery and pathology) had a very modest presence in the junior faculty. The cancer research specific junior faculty makes up a major component of all available junior faculty from National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) partners (ca. 31%) and is supported both by direct funding to Fellows and via junior faculty positions on clinical programme grants. There was almost universal support for the value of the research experience despite only two thirds of the current cohort expressing a desire to continue to the next level (Clinician Scientist grade). Major issues identified were mentorship, supervision time, pay parity and fit with new UK Clinical Research Collaboration / Modernising Medical Careers (UKCRC/MMC) clinician training programme.