Celebrating collaboration: Maudsley Psychiatry Trainee Research Attachment Programme
A brand-new cohort of 38 trainee academics have started their attachments as part of our Maudsley Psychiatry Trainee Research Attachment Programme, an offering in collaboration with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN).
This programme provides a path into research for psychiatry residents, who can explore research opportunities at the IoPPN. Residents will work together with leading researchers and plan their involvement in a wide range of research projects, developing their research and academic skills while fostering an integrated approach to clinical and academic work.
Speaking of their experience so far as part of the first cohort, Dr Boris Warszawski said:
This is the kind of program that inspires doctors to choose SLaM for their core training, a program that fully delivers on its promise. Learning and getting involved in cutting-edge research has never been easier or more accessible. Our cohort’s passion for research has always been apparent, and now there is a clear and streamlined pathway to turn it into action.
The main objectives of the projects are to allow trainees to collaborate with leading researchers and develop specific skills such as wet lab techniques, neuroimaging analysis or scientific writing.
Professor Matthew Hotopf, Executive Dean at Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience said:
Integration of clinical and academic work has been the bedrock of our long history of creative collaboration with the Trust. This programme will give residents hands-on involvement, helping to make research an integral part of their work. Crucially, it enriches both the residents’ experience and the supervisors’ research teams, creating valuable research collaborations and connections.
This programme was created with input from psychiatry trainees to suit their needs. It allows residents to join research teams in fields like neuroscience or pharmacology for 6 to 12 months while keeping up with their clinical duties.
Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said:
Programmes like this really highlight the great people, opportunities and relationships we, as a Trust, have with organisations like the IoPPN. Offering opportunities to students to home in on their areas of expertise and utilise our stream of professionals is something we are incredibly proud to offer. We wish the very best to the new cohort and we can’t wait to see the incredible work you do going forward.
The Maudsley Psychiatry Residents Research Attachment Programme was founded by Dr Laura Convertino (Academic Clinical Fellow), Dr Simone Ciufolini (consultant psychiatrist at SLaM) and Professor Cathy Fernandes; and supported by Professor Matthew Hotopf, Professor Derek Tracy, Professor Fiona Gaughran and Dr Richard Haslam.
Find out more: Maudsley training programme
