Supervisor training and engagement
Supervisory training at the participating organisations of TMRP should be mandated to ensure up to date knowledge of procedures, information sources and recent developments. Considering the increased stress of students in the early stages of doctoral study [25] coupled with our reflections, we highly recommend that supervisory teams collate a welcome package for new students that contain essential information to help ease the transition into the programme.
Based on our experience, we believe that two competent and committed supervisors are usually sufficient to guide a student to completion. Having had three supervisors proved challenging, burdensome and unnecessary for various reasons. Arranging meetings was difficult due to conflicting schedules. Having three experts with strong and differing views, particularly when providing conflicting comments on written work, can cause confusion in students [20]. If there are disagreements between supervisors, the student feels the need to mediate. Overall, this power imbalance may lead to decisions that students do not fully agree with. Consequently, some meetings felt more directive where supervisors struggled to relinquish control [26]. We believe that supervisors in trials methodology ought to allow greater autonomy for students to explore and implement their ideas within feasible and realistic boundaries.
Furthermore, the level of engagement significantly varied amongst supervisors with some showing minimal involvement, missing meetings and not providing feedback. This lack of commitment can negatively impact team morale and the student’s sense of value [27]. We advise for organisational rules to be established and followed to monitor supervisor engagement, akin to monitoring students, to ensure all members of the supervisory team are actively involved and meaningfully contributing to the student’s development.
Improved funding and clear career pathways
It would be beneficial if TMRP could establish a more comprehensive financial support system extending beyond the basic stipend, recognising additional expenses associated with trials methodology research. This supplementary funding could cover conference attendance, research-related travel, specialised training and materials. Moreover, the partnership should implement equitable distribution of resources across participating institutions to ensure all students have access to opportunities. Finally, TMRP could create a centralised communication platform to disseminate information about training opportunities in a timely manner to allow students to plan their professional development more effectively.
Upon completing the doctorate, postdoctoral research roles are the first positions for many. However, these low-paying, high-pressure, temporary roles provide no contingency or job security [28]. This casualisation of workforce is prevalent in academia, alongside other disciplines and places academics under precarious conditions [29, 30]. These system-wide issues are significant, but the lack of job security stands out as a major concern for trials methodology graduates. The absence of clearly defined career pathways for trial methodologists, including graduates, has also been highlighted [31]. Opportunities for promotion need to be given with transparent criteria that recognise the specialised expertise of trial methodologists. This would entail developing competency frameworks for methodologist roles to allow benchmarking across organisations. Regarding early career methodologists, offering formal mentoring programmes would enhance their prospects. In addition, funding and time should be allocated for attending relevant training and conferences to enable further skill development and aid career advancement.
Placement and teaching experience
To enhance the doctoral training experience in trials methodology research and broaden career prospects, we recommend TMRP to incorporate placement and internship opportunities. These are crucial for developing a well-rounded skill set and exploring diverse career paths. Placements in CTUs, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory bodies and governmental research institutions could provide real-world exposure and networking opportunities. This would allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical settings and build professional networks. Similarly, offering teaching opportunities, such as leading seminars or assisting with undergraduate courses, would help students to develop important communication and leadership skills beyond research [32]. These experiences could be facilitated through partnerships with affiliated institutions and industry collaborators and should be integrated into the doctoral programme timelines to complement research activities. This approach would foster the development of multidimensional and adaptive scholars [33].
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