Differential Attainment (DA) Research: cross speciality programmatic approach with focus on early interventions and support to improve outcomes.

Research into differential attainment (DA) demonstrates that different doctors, especially those with protected characteristics, progress through postgraduate training incongruously with variable success/timescales. GMC data highlights variation across all postgraduate examinations: white UK medical graduates (75% pass rate)/BAME medical graduates (63%)/international medical graduates (41%). The need for a diverse, inclusive medical workforce, reflecting the population it serves, is essential for quality of care and patient safety. Recent research highlighted the significant impact on DA in postgraduate training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contributing factors to DA are complex, but systemic issues are a notable influence occurring at several levels. Everyday experiences at micro-level, which occur in individual trainee workplace environments have a significant impact, particularly the working relationships between trainees/Educational/Clinical Supervisors.
Further research is needed to address the specific aims of:
- promulgating greater understanding of the contributory factors that act as barriers to trainee progression, identifying enablers to better support/empower trainees, facilitating progression, promoting a more diverse/skilled workforce;
- developing better understanding of the potential short-term value/longer-term impact of interventions to narrow the DA gap to ensure that all postgraduate trainees can achieve their full potential;
- bridging the gap between health and social care, reducing the burden on NHS resources when combined with preventative measures.

Edge Hill University Medical School (EHUMS) has extensive experience directly aligned to this tender specification, with current studies to both increase understanding of the factors contributing to DA and the development/evaluation of interventions.