Mandatory research projects during medical specialist training in Australia and New Zealand: a survey of trainees' experiences and reports.

Summary: Becoming a medical specialist is a grueling process, but a recent survey reveals an added hurdle: mandatory research projects. For many trainees in Australia and New Zealand, these compulsory studies are a source of frustration rather than inspiration. The survey found that while 86% of trainees were required to conduct research, many had to design and run their projects with little to no expert help or supervision.

The result? Trainees sacrifice huge amounts of personal time to produce research that often suffers from poor methodology and high risk of bias. Despite the struggle, about half of the doctors felt the experience was valuable for their careers, and many continued doing research later. The study suggests that instead of a "one-size-fits-all" requirement, medical colleges should tailor research training to match individual career goals, ensuring better science and less burnout.