Clinician Researchers: Research Activating the Australian Health System

Clinician researchers, health practitioners in medicine, nursing, midwifery and allied health who also conduct research, bridge the growing gap between scientific discovery and the delivery of health care, yet their numbers are widely believed to be declining. Prepared through Research Australia’s University Roundtable, this report draws on a targeted survey of 40 clinician researchers spanning a wide range of disciplines, career stages and settings, 34 of whom are profiled in their own words. The profiles illustrate how clinician researchers improve clinical practice, ensure research addresses questions that matter to patients and health systems, and accelerate the translation of evidence into care, while documenting the difficulties of training and working in two roles, including time pressures, limited funding and divided employment. The report highlights models such as integrated clinical and research training, the James Cook University PhD Cohort Program, the Research Ready Grant program and the ARCH Rising Stars Program. Its recommendations include project-based research programs for health practitioners, wider and sustained availability of integrated and tailored higher degree by research programs, a National Clinician Researcher Workforce Strategy progressed within the next National Health Reform Agreement, directing NHRA research funding to the research component of clinician researchers’ salaries, explicit agreements on how time is divided between employers, jointly established clinician researcher positions, and ongoing professional support and development.