How can I get involved in research as a doctor?

How can I get involved in research as a doctor?There are many ways doctors can get involved in research, from assisting with small projects to becoming a clinical academic.Elisabeth Mahase asks the experts where doctors should start Elisabeth Mahase I'm early in my career.How can I get involved?"Start by exploring what's available, such as foundation posts with research time, taster programmes, or departmental audit projects," says Rosalind Smyth, vice president (clinical) at the Academy of Medical Sciences.She highlights structured schemes like the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) integrated academic training programme, 1 which allocates academic clinical fellowships and clinical lectureships to doctors and dentists looking to pursue clinical academic careers in England.Smyth says, however, that there isn't one single path doctors have to follow."What matters isn't following a prescribed path but finding opportunities that align with your interests and developing them systematically."Funders such as NIHR, 2 Wellcome, 3 and the Medical Research Council (MRC) "offer clinical fellowships at all different stages of the research pathway," she says.One way to get started is by speaking to "clinical academics in your specialty and consider joining events like the Academy of Medical Sciences' clinical academics in training annual conference," Smyth adds. 4 This year the conference will take place on 29 April.