ArticleESMO open2026
Declining research interest among oncology residents: insights into the academic career from a nationwide longitudinal study in France.
Article in ESMO open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundOncology demands both high-quality clinical care and continuous research innovation. Yet, sustaining an academic workforce remains a challenge. Although prior studies have explored residents' motivations, longitudinal insights into their evolving academic interests are lacking. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe conducted a nationwide, longitudinal survey of French oncology residents (2020-2023), targeting first-year cohorts annually. The study included residents from both medical oncology and radiation oncology. The 42-item questionnaire assessed academic aspirations, research involvement, clinical workload, and career priorities.
resultsAmong 498 eligible residents, 377 responded (75.7%). Over time, interest in research declined (79.4% in 2020 versus 63.3% in 2023, P < 0.05), as did intentions to pursue Master of Science (MSc) (32.3% versus 17.4%) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs (17.6% versus 7.3%). Notably, access to supervised research time improved (22.6% to 37.4%, P < 0.05), yet scientific society memberships fell (43.5% to 25.2%). Of residents responding more than once (n = 54), 44.4% abandoned PhD aspirations. Key barriers included lack of time (65.1%), mentorship (44.1%), and financial support (31.6%).
conclusionOur findings reveal a worrying decline in academic engagement among French oncology residents, echoing global trends. Addressing this requires structured mentorship, protected research time, and flexible academic pathways to sustain the clinician-scientist pipeline.
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