BackgroundEducating doctors is expensive and poor performance by future graduates can literally cost lives. Whilst the practice of medicine is highly evidence based, medical education is much less so. Research on medical school selection, undergraduate progression, Fitness to Practise (FtP) and postgraduate careers has been hampered across the globe by the challenges of uniting the data required. This paper describes the creation, structure and access arrangements for the first UK-wide attempt to do so.OverviewA collaborative approach has created a research database commencing with all entrants to UK medical schools in 2007 and 2008 (UKMED Phase 1). Here the content is outlined, governance arrangements considered, system access explained, and the potential implications of this new resource discussed. The data currently include achievements prior to medical school entry, admissions tests, graduation point information and also all subsequent data collected by the General Medical Council, including FtP, career progression, annual National Training Survey (NTS) responses, career choice and postgraduate exam performance data. UKMED has grown since the pilot phase with additional datasets; all subsequent years of students/trainees and stronger governance processes. The inclusion of future cohorts and additional information such as admissions scores or bespoke surveys or assessments is now being piloted. Thus, for instance, new scrutiny can be applied to selection techniques and the effectiveness of educational interventions. Data are available free of charge for approved studies from suitable research groups worldwide.ConclusionIt is anticipated that UKMED will continue on a rolling basis. This has the potential to radically change the volume and types of research that can be envisaged and, therefore, to improve standards, facilitate workforce planning and support the regulation of medical education and training. This paper aspires to encourage proposals to utilise this exciting resource.

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The concept of enuresis as a primary delay in development of bladder control is not new (Denny-Brown and Robertson, 1933), but much effort has been expended in order to find other physical or emotional causes for this symptom. Bakwin (1961) has pointed out the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence for such causes and has re-emphasized the fact that enuresis tends to disappear with increasing age and has a striking familial incidence. We have not found in the literature an investigation attempting to make a comprehensive assessment of a series of enuretic children which also includes a follow-up study. The study reported here provides evidence regarding the effects of maturation in a series of comprehensively investigated children. Material and MethodsIn a 12-months period during 1951-2 children with enuresis attending the Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children were, by arrangement with the consultants concerned, referred to one of us (M. M. B.) for investigation. Preliminary selection of the cases had been made by the family doctor or local authority medical officer; but once referred to the medical, psychological, or urological clinics they were put consecutively into the study. Cases were accepted only if bed-wetting was the major complaint and if the patients had attained the age of 5 years.A total of 111 cases entered the study, and the initial assessment was designed to be comprehensive. A full medical, psychological, and social history was obtained by M. M. B., who also performed the physical examination and cystometry. Psychological assessment included not only the history from the parents but also observations on the child's behaviour and personality in the ward, and a school report was obtained. Intelligence-testing and electroencephalography were done by the specialist departments. Urological examination included cystoscopy, radiological examination included intravenous pyelography, but cystourethrography was done only if indicated.Treatment was individualized according to the results of the assessment. All the patients were given an explanation of the condition, and the majority received medication in the form of ephedrine or belladonna. If a severe degree of obstruction of the bladder neck with troublesome frequency and urgency was present a transurethral resection was performed, and a few cases received intensive psychiatric treatment. Conditioning devices were not in use at this time. The duration of treatment under hospital out-patient supervision was in most cases quite short and many lost touch after a few months.Five years after the initial assessment it was decided (R. F. B. and T. E. 0.) to trace the children and ascertain whether they still had symptoms. The follow-up assessments were made by E. M. B. and T. E. 0. It was neither possible nor justifiable to repeat all the investigations, but information obtained included the degree of bladder control achieved, the age at which dryness had occurred, an assessment of puberty status, and the social and psychological climate at home, school, or...

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