DISSEMINATION OF THE WORK OF PUBLIC-HEALTH MEDICINE TRAINEES IN PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS - AN UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL

Objective: To assess the extent to which work undertaken during traini ng in public health medicine was formally disseminated in peer-reviewe d publications. Setting: An English Health Region. Methods: A postal q uestionnaire survey of former and current senior trainees. Results: Th e response rate was 75% (38/51). Thirty per cent (11/37) had no public ations arising from any work undertaken during training and specifical ly 49% (18/37) had no publications arising from submissions made for t he Part II examination for Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Major perceived barriers to publication were: lack of priori ty accorded to publication by the training department; lack of time an d lack of a supervisor or mentor to facilitate preparation of material . Conclusions: Overcoming these perceived barriers will require action at trainee, trainer and organisational level. Skills training in writ ing could be included in academic courses and publication could be ide ntified as a training goal for appropriate pieces of work. Health auth orities could be more active in encouraging publication of work undert aken by trainees on their behalf.