The Lived Experiences of Medical Trainees From Minority Ethnic Backgrounds in Scotland – A Qualitative Study

If you are an ST4-ST6 or GPST3 doctor in training within the Scotland Deanery, and you identify as being from a minority ethnic background – your help is required. 

We are conducting a new qualitative research study into the lived experiences of specialty trainee doctors from minority ethnic (ME) backgrounds in Scotland, and we are looking for individuals to volunteer to participate in the study.  

This study has been funded by the Scottish Medical Education Research Consortium (SMERC, Scottish Medical Education Research Consortium (SMERC) (nhs.scot)), is sponsored by the University of Aberdeen, has ethical approval and Deanery support. Our research team also includes representatives from the University of Glasgow and NHS Education for Scotland (NES). 

There is UK wide evidence that doctors from ME backgrounds face significant barriers within medical education. A further issue facing ME doctors across the medical education continuum is racial discrimination.  We wish to better understand these barriers in Scotland’s postgraduate medical training environment. 

The study will inform our understanding of inequalities in postgraduate medical training in Scotland, as well as help in developing any new initiatives to advance equity in medical education. 

Our team consists of clinicians and researchers with expertise in medical education and inequalities, and we work within NHS Scotland / NES or in Scottish Universities.  We will handle this research sensitively and in confidence. We plan to recruit 15-20 participants into this study. 

Please get in touch if you are interested in participating in this study to tell us about your own experiences as an ME doctor training in Scotland.  

If you would like more information click on the link below, and please email charu.chopra@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk to be a participant. 

LINK to Participant Information Sheet. 

Dr Charu Chopra, Associate Postgraduate Dean, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity, NES.