Briefing

The Calman reforms to postgraduate medical training left clinical academics concerned that research opportunities for clinicians might be affected. A new publication from the Royal College of Physicians covers the key questions that a medical student or junior doctor should pose before embarking on such a career move. Guidelines for clinicians entering research not only discusses funding and the merits of doing a research degree, but also discusses choosing an area of research and evaluating the quality of the departments you might do it in. The requisite lists of useful addresses are appended. Copies are available from the Publications Department of the Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrew's Place, London NW1 4LE.