Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40139708›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

How can we promote academic GP careers? A qualitative framework analysis of factors affecting the development of the academic GP workforce.

Zoë McElhinney, Anita Laidlaw, Robert Scully, Lisi Gordon, Catherine Kennedy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Exploring the lived experiences of early- and mid-career female academic GPs in the UK: a biographical narrative interview study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  2. Building capacity in the academic general practice research workforce.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zoë McElhinneySchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK zcm1@st-andrews.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0822-2698
Anita LaidlawSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1214-4100
Robert ScullyUniversity of Galway School of Medicine, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Lisi GordonIndependent Researcher, Scotland, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4986-1501
Catherine KennedyCentre for Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesGeneral practice continues to be an under-represented career choice among medical school graduates, and the retention of the general practitioner (GP) workforce remains challenging. Academic general practice (AGP) is vital to the development of the evidence base for general practice and the education of the next generation of doctors and GPs. Academic careers and portfolio careers in general practice are seen as a means of increasing retention of GPs in the profession. However, AGP remains largely invisible to many and the number of AGPs is declining. There is no clear understanding of the reasons for this. The aim of this study was to explore factors that inhibit and promote AGP careers.

designSecondary framework analysis of data from two qualitative studies. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING AND MEASURES: 41 GPs, GP trainees and Academic GPs (25 females and 16 males) across Scotland. Analysis of the data employed a framework based on Feldman and Ng's model of the factors influencing career mobility, embeddedness and success in order to explore the barriers and enablers to GPs developing academic careers that exist at multiple levels from the personal to the structural.

resultsGPs encountered barriers to entering AGP at multiple levels. Lack of clarity and visibility of training pathways, including the lack of clear routes into academia at multiple career stages, were significant barriers, as were the effects of taking on academic work on overstretched practices, and relative job insecurity and lower pay in academic careers.

conclusionThe findings of this research demonstrate that unless the structural issues affecting the profession more generally are addressed, significant barriers to pursuing AGP careers will remain.

Indexed as

Career ChoiceCareer MobilityGeneral PracticeGeneral PractitionersAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchScotlandEducation, MedicalHealth WorkforceMEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAININGPrimary HealthCare

Identifiers

PMID40139708
PMCPMC11950926

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.