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Clinical research career
Aki Salo
Tampere 21.9.2009
16.9.2009
1
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“Clinical research in Finland and Sweden – evaluation report” (5/09, AF)
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International panel reviewed status of clinical research in Finland and Sweden
• Both countries have achieved premier international rankings in biomedical
research publication number and impact – however, these are now declining
• Main concern was eroded appeal and sustainability of clinical research career
due to:
Far too long training for MD PhD’s that also want to specialise clinically
The career development pathway for junior clinical researchers is not
predictable
Increasingly difficult to combine research and clinical work
Decreased research training mobility
Senior faculty positions more frequently occupied by individuals with no
research track record
Clinical research career
16.9.2009
2
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• Currently no signs of ”overproduction” of MD PhDs – all well employed
• Graduate schools should and will ”produce” most of the MD PhDs – how to
combine medical specialist training and research for PhD thesis in limited time?
• Should be possible to combine research and clinical work, and also guarantee a
predictable career path in clinical research
• Future health care system and the whole society will benefit from the clinical
research done by highly educated MD PhDs
Clinical research career – MD PhDs
16.9.2009
3
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SWOT analysis of medical research in Sweden and
Finland as identified by the 11 centers visited.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Close/good collaboration with the
region/university hospital
Translational research
Access to large clinical data and patient
population
Infrastructure and core facilities
Good communication between
experimental and clinical researchers
Limited time for research due to heavy load
of clinical work
Low/decreasing funding (incl. EVO and
ALF)
Too few research areas with critical mass
Recruitment problems
Difficulty to recruit medical students to PhD
programs
Opportunities
Threats
Career program/support sys