Experiences as a clinical teaching fellow: interviews with clinical teaching fellows in the West Midlands

Background: The majority of junior doctors in the UK do not proceed directly into specialty training after completing mandatory foundation training but instead take a year out of training. A common post undertaken during a year out of training is a clinical teaching fellow (CTF) role which is used to provide undergraduate medical student teaching. There is only a small amount of literature available regarding CTF posts, and very little of this explores experiences or reasons for taking up such as post. An understanding of the reasons why doctors are choosing to work as CTFs and what their experiences are in post will contribute to how the role is further developed and utilised within the NHS. This study aimed to explore the experiences of CTFs employed in the West Midlands at NHS hospital Trusts.

Methods: CTFs working in Trusts in the West Midlands region registered as students on the Education for Healthcare Professionals Post Graduate Certificate course at the University of Birmingham in August 2019 and 2020 who were enrolled in a longitudinal study were invited to take part in an individual interview asking about their experiences as CTFs.

Results: Nine CTFs participated in an interview. Five main themes were identified which related to their experiences in post and plans for future careers. Participants reported choosing to undertake a CTF role due to wanting a break from clinical work and having previously enjoyed delivering teaching. Positive experiences in post included lifestyle related benefits and self-development opportunities. Challenges identified with the role included the impact of COVID-19 and volume of students.

Conclusion: This is the first study to use interview methodology to explore experiences of CTFs, and has provided a valuable insight into the experiences of those in post in the West Midlands region. Understanding why doctors chose this job and what their experiences are could help to further develop and refine the role. To guarantee demands for teaching staff are met those employing CTFs should be aware of reasons why doctors apply for the post and ensure the post remains a desirable option.