Tomorrow's Doctors 7 had a considerable influence on undergraduate medical education, and The New Doctor 8 has greatly improved the preregistration house officer year. It is possible to envisage a similar approach evolving through the training grades to continuous professional development. Indeed, the GMC publication The Doctor as Teacher 9 points in that direction. All of these developments are compatible with the principles of clinical governance, and with the general outline of revalidation as it evolves. The importance of research and acquisition of new knowledge is self evident.
Research has many ancillary advantages in terms of staff motivation and retention.
To be of value, however, the research must be of high quality, undertaken by trained staff with coordination of major initiatives. Stronger links between health and education are essential. Coordination at a national policy level would be helped by government agreement. Anything less will be a public disappointment. This article is based on a paper presented at a symposium on careers in academic medicine sponsored by the Joint Consultants Committee and the Department of Health.