trainees at all grades, from medical student through to senior registrar[2]. Furthermore, a recent study of 241 general surgical centres in the UK found 99% cumulative participation in trainee collaborative studies in 2015-16, with an increase from 44% in 2012. This was higher than the 79% which participated in NIHR studies, and included 15 observational studies and 3 randomised controlled trials[3]. Despite the success of trainee-led surgical research collaboratives, there are still ongoing discussions about the recognition of trainee contributions by surgical training committees and the UK Foundation Programme. Currently, each surgical speciality has its own requirements for gaining the certificate of completion of training (CCT), often including first author publications, however, there is no framework in place for recognizing individual contributions to collaborative research. Although, involvement in research may be mandatory for some CCT’s, collaborative research is not, and, where there has been widespread involvement in studies, not all trainees have been involved. Each individual will have their own reasons for participating, and although one may postulate that this may be for patient benefit or to improve their academic CV, reasons for non-participation are likely to be speculation. Some trainees may have no involvement, are currently involved, or have been involved at some stage in the past, but have now left. It is important for the collaborative networks to understand all these reasons and to identify what encourages participation, and what inhibits it. Further appreciation of these factors would help to develop a framework for recognition of the hard work and contribution trainees make to high-quality surgical research studies. Aim The aims of the are to assess the following: What factors encourage trainees to get involved in surgical trainee research collaboratives? What factors discourage trainees from getting involved in surgical trainee research collaboratives? Is there a relationship between number of publications and the involvement in surgical trainee research collaboratives?
appears on PubMed alongside title and other part of citation) c. Corporate authorship ( i.e. as part of a larger group with which the study group itself is the named author) d. ‘Other’ (i.e citable contributor) Surgical Research Collaboratives 10. Are you currently involved in any studies through a surgical research collaborative? No Yes 11. Have you previously been involved in any studies through a surgical research collaborative? No Yes 12. If you have been involved in surgical research collaborative research projects, what has your contribution been to these projects? Please select the appropriate category(ies) for your contributions and state the number for each. . Contribution Previously Involved Currently Involved (i.) Regional (Involves hospitals within one collaborative) (ii.) National or international (Involves hospitals across two or more collaboratives) (iii.) Regional (Involves hospitals within one collaborative) (iv.) National or International (Involves hospitals across two or more collaboratives) a. Steering Committee (i.e. project development and running of studies) b. Writing Group (i.e. contribution to writing manuscript) c. Regional Lead (i.e. coordinating project at regional hospital sites) d. Local Lead (i.e. coordinating project at local hospital site) e. Local Collaborator (i.e. data collection)