The UK medical education database (UKMED) what is it? Why and how might you use it?

Abstract

BackgroundEducating doctors is expensive and poor performance by future graduates can literally cost lives. Whilst the practice of medicine is highly evidence based, medical education is much less so. Research on medical school selection, undergraduate progression, Fitness to Practise (FtP) and postgraduate careers has been hampered across the globe by the challenges of uniting the data required. This paper describes the creation, structure and access arrangements for the first UK-wide attempt to do so.OverviewA collaborative approach has created a research database commencing with all entrants to UK medical schools in 2007 and 2008 (UKMED Phase 1). Here the content is outlined, governance arrangements considered, system access explained, and the potential implications of this new resource discussed. The data currently include achievements prior to medical school entry, admissions tests, graduation point information and also all subsequent data collected by the General Medical Council, including FtP, career progression, annual National Training Survey (NTS) responses, career choice and postgraduate exam performance data. UKMED has grown since the pilot phase with additional datasets; all subsequent years of students/trainees and stronger governance processes. The inclusion of future cohorts and additional information such as admissions scores or bespoke surveys or assessments is now being piloted. Thus, for instance, new scrutiny can be applied to selection techniques and the effectiveness of educational interventions. Data are available free of charge for approved studies from suitable research groups worldwide.ConclusionIt is anticipated that UKMED will continue on a rolling basis. This has the potential to radically change the volume and types of research that can be envisaged and, therefore, to improve standards, facilitate workforce planning and support the regulation of medical education and training. This paper aspires to encourage proposals to utilise this exciting resource.

Relationship between sociodemographic factors and specialty destination of UK trainee doctors: a national cohort study

“…The nature of specialty selection in the UK is that eligible doctors can apply for many different specialties and different posts. We did not have information on specialty applications, only on offers (ie, where an individual had been successful in his or her application) because the data extract used in the analysis contained phase 1 of the UKMED data 35. Our sample represented approximately half of those completing the UKFP in each year group because we only had data on specialty choice from those who applied for specialty training in F2.…”

“…We used linked individual-level data from the UK Medical Education Database (UKMED: https://www.ukmed.ac.uk/) as the basis for this study. UKMED allows the analysis of data from a number of sources, including medical school admissions and assessment, postgraduate selection, assessment and training outcomes 35…”

“…Access to the data was limited to specific members of the research team via a safe haven (to ensure adherence to the highest standards of security, governance and confidentiality when storing, handling and analysing identifiable data). Ethics approval was not required because the focus of this study was a secondary analysis of anonymised data 35…”

Satisfying the hydra: the social imperative in medical school admissions

“…Unfortunately, the availability of a foundation of high-quality longitudinal research data is often in scarce supply, 2 with some notable exceptions. 8,9 The potential of longitudinal data sources is considerable, and leads us to echo Marceau et al's calls for greater support of those responsible for assessment management and monitoring, 1 not only on the ground at each local centre, but also in linking to national data repositories and research networks.…”

“…Moreover, monitoring the consequences of selection further than medical school (where impact really counts) requires joined‐up data sources that can track doctors’ career paths through further assessment phases in a robust and secure manner. Unfortunately, the availability of a foundation of high‐quality longitudinal research data is often in scarce supply, with some notable exceptions . The potential of longitudinal data sources is considerable, and leads us to echo Marceau et al.…”