Enablers and disablers allowing trainees' abstracts to proceed to full manuscripts: lessons from a large neonatal training program.

OBJECTIVE

To study trainee and supervisor perspectives for success or failure of conversion of abstracts to full manuscripts.

STUDY DESIGN

Abstracts presented by trainees between 2000 and 2005 were identified from the syllabi of the Paediatric Academic Society, Canadian Paediatric Society and Hot Topics meetings. The trainee and senior supervisor for each abstract were asked to complete a web-based survey that explored enablers and disablers.

RESULT

Of the 187 abstracts identified, 62 (33%) had trainees as primary authors. Of these, the responses of 42 (68%) trainees and 50 (81%) supervisors were collected; the responses of 21 (50%) trainees and 19 (38%) supervisors reported success in converting the abstract to a manuscript. According to trainees, good research idea, supportive supervisors and practical design were the main enablers, whereas limited time for research and the limited data collection only for abstracts were the main disablers. According to supervisors, adequate research time and the trainees' interest were the main enablers, whereas limited data collection and lack of trainees' interest were the main disablers. Specified research training, allocation of protected research time and making publication mandatory were suggested by both to enhance publication rate.

CONCLUSION

Training programs should consider research training needs and provide dedicated time to improve research productivity by trainees.