Kehoe et al. highlight some of the key ways to support the recruitment, retention, and progression of clinical academics, with particular reference to early exposure to research, networking, and socialisation [1]. We want to draw attention to the role of student and trainee research collaborative groups in helping to achieve this.

Within the undergraduate medical curriculum, there is a lack of formal research and audit training and opportunities for participation [2], which equates to a lack of confidence and participation when opportunities arise [2]. The structure of collaboratives such as STARSurg and the MedEd Collaborative allows large-scale participation from students as collaborative authors who may be involved in data collection all the way to involvement in study design and steering and writing groups [3]. These experiences are often accompanied by training in research methodologies and provide valuable experience in the fundamentals of research and audit [4].

It is becoming widely accepted that improving the quantity and quality of mentors is necessary to ensure the continued success of medical science. Within student and trainee research collaboratives, the members are at varying stages of training. This provides an ideal platform for networking and near-peer mentorship, which has been shown to aid both personal and professional development and aid transition [5].

Inadequate academic socialisation has been said to hinder group projects, particularly when conducted at a distance, and this has been compounded by social distancing in response to COVID-19 [6]. However, collaborative student and trainee research groups are particularly adapted to promote socialisation amongst distant participants. Collaborative groups often traverse multiple geographical locations and meet regularly, virtually. For example, STARsurg holds representatives at each university in the UK alongside a national committee. We also draw attention to the global networks developed by GlobalSurg for their collaborative work, CovidSurg, which brought together some 15,000 collaborators across 80 countries. [7]

We agree with Kehoe et al. that early research exposure embedded in networks that promote socialisation and mentorship is key. We believe collaborative research groups are fundamental in providing these, alongside their ability to produce high-quality research output.