Exploring the unique value of clinician scientist roles to the health services in which they are employed: a scoping review.

Abstract

Objective This scoping review explored the unique value or impacts of clinician scientists (CSs) to the health services in which they work and metrics used to identify and measure this value. Methods Five databases, grey literature, and the internet were searched in April 2024 to identify articles that described and measured the value or impact of CSs within clinical health services. CSs were defined as having dual clinical and research qualifications and work duties. Articles were screened at title, abstract, and full text level against inclusion and exclusion criteria, before extracting data and analysing the included articles. Results The search identified 5368 articles, with six eligible for inclusion. Articles were qualitative in nature (structured interviews or multiple case study reports) and had relatively few participants. The reported value or impacts included educating colleagues on research skills and processes, promoting evidence-based practice, fostering inter-institutional collaboration, and conducting clinically relevant research. No articles recommended a detailed suite of metrics as to how this value or impact could be measured. Conclusions There is limited literature describing the unique value or impact of CSs to the health services in which they work. While some articles described aspects of CS value, no articles provided metrics for how specific CS value could be measured.