Access to medical information is important as lifelong scientific learning is in close relation with a better career satisfaction in psychiatry. This survey aimed to investigate how medical information sources are being used among members of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees. Eighty-three psychiatric trainees completed our questionnaire. A significant variation was found, and information availability levels were associated with training duration and average income. The most available sources were books and websites, but the most preferred ones were scientific journals. Our findings suggest that further steps should be taken to provide an equal access to medical information across Europe.

ObjectivesTo understand and identify factors that promote and prevent research participation among early career psychiatrists (ECPs), in order to understand what would encourage more ECPs to pursue a research career.MethodsWe conducted an electronic search of databases (PubMed and the Cochrane library) using the keywords ‘doctors’, ‘trainees’, ‘residents’, ‘physicians’ and ‘psychiatric trainees’ as well as ‘research’ (MeSH) and ‘publishing’ (MeSH). This search was complemented by a secondary hand search.ResultsWe identified 524 articles, of which 16 fulfilled inclusion criteria for this review. The main barriers included lack of dedicated time for research, lack of mentoring and lack of funding. The main facilitators were opportunities to receive mentorship and access to research funding.ConclusionsAction is needed to counteract the lack of ECPs interested in a career in research. Specific programs encouraging ECPs to pursue research careers and having access to mentors could help increase the current numbers of researching clinicians in the field.

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BACKGROUNDResearch is a fundamental part of every medical discipline as it enables progress in the understanding of underlying factors for disease development, diagnostic tests and treatments of disorders (Bhugra et al., 2015, Dellis, Skolarikos & Papatsoris, 2014. Importantly, psychiatry is a discipline with unparalleled unmet clinical needs (Abrams, Patchan & Boat, 2003). Previous studies, however, highlight how psychiatric trainees engage in research activities less often when compared to those of other medical disciplines (Gorwood, 2010, Burke, Pincus & Pardes, 1986, Goldstein, Guerra & Regier, 2014, although there are differences across countries. In an American study with 622 child and adolescent psychiatrists, only 10% met an empirical