Rate My Professor Nicola Brennan

Dr Nicola Brennan is an Associate Professor (Research) in Medical Education at Peninsula Medical School within the Faculty of Health at the University of Plymouth. She serves as Co-Director of the Centre for Applied Medical Education and Healthcare Workforce Research (CAMERa), dedicated to advancing the development and sustainability of the healthcare workforce through high-quality research focused on training and retention of healthcare professionals. An internationally recognised expert in medical education and healthcare workforce research, Dr Brennan has spearheaded the pioneering RESTORE (REalist Synthesis of Training, Outcomes and Remediation in Education) programme, a major interdisciplinary initiative comprising five funded studies. This work optimises the delivery of professional support and remediation for healthcare professionals across specialties and career stages, providing evidence-based recommendations to enhance practice. As Principal Investigator, she has secured over £1.9 million in research funding from bodies including the NHS National Institute for Health Research and the Health & Care Professions Council.

Dr Brennan's research specialisations include the professional support and remediation of doctors, the migration and career progression of international medical graduates, and medical graduates’ preparedness for practice. She is highly experienced in systematic reviews, realist reviews, and realist evaluations. Key projects under her leadership encompass 'Preparedness of Health and Care Professions registrants for practice' (2022–2024), 'Optimising the delivery of remediation programmes for doctors: A participatory co-design and realist evaluation approach' (2021–2025), and 'RESTORE 1: Remediating doctors’ performance to restore patient safety: A realist review' (2018–2020). Her influential publications include 'Optimising professional support for doctors who experience work performance issues: a realist evaluation' (Brennan et al., 2026, BMJ Quality & Safety), 'Remediating professionalism lapses in medical students and doctors: a systematic review' (Brennan et al., 2019), 'Trust in the health-care provider-patient relationship: a systematic mapping review of the evidence base' (Brennan et al., 2013), 'Graduates' preparedness for the changing doctor-patient relationship' (Brennan et al., 2023, Medical Education), and 'Educational Interventions to Prepare Undergraduate Students for Out-of-Hours Practice as a Newly Qualified Doctor in the United Kingdom: A Scoping Review' (Gordon et al., 2026, Clinical Teacher). Her contributions align with UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities), impacting educational theory, practice, and policy internationally.