Academic medicine is a loosely defined term which describes the branch of medicine pursued by doctors who engage in a variety of scholarly activities. While the traditional role of clinical academics is to provide clinical care, do research, and teach, academics today may also spend some of their time in managerial and representative roles. The clinical workload varies, and a few academics may choose to abandon clinical medicine altogether. Every academic has a different work description, which is one of the many attractions of an academic career. [BMJ 1]