Re-launch of the Research Engagement Hub

We are proud to re-launch our Research Engagement Hub, a platform we have created in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research - School of General Practice (NIHR-SPCR), to celebrate and highlight academic general practice.

Our aim is to engage and inspire GPs to think about their future and how research can further their careers. The hub is home to GP testimonials explaining how they became academic GPs, advice on how to get into academic research and what support is available.

We want to highlight that it is never too late to get involved in research. It has shaped the careers of many aspiring and trainee GPs and has added another dimension to the careers of experienced ones. GPs find that research involvement can complement their clinical work, creating a more exciting and varied working experience.

Involvement in high-quality primary care research has allowed academic GPs to improve the lives of millions across the country. They have found new ways to advance general practice, patient experiences and wellbeing.

If you, as a general practitioner, have a topic of interest, or you want to try to change something in general practice, then research may be for you. You have the freedom to choose your subject, which can cover more clinical work on respiratory health and personalised care to community setting projects on health advocacy. The remarkable thing about research, is that you have control over your career direction. Being introduced to general practice academia has allowed others to explore and find out more about the field.

Our testimonials emphasise the importance of a support network amongst academic GPs. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact other academics and look at our resources.

About the writer

This post was written by RCGPs Research and Innovation' team. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the team at research@rcgp.org.uk