Background: The Scholarly Project (SP) is an important step in the training of the future generation of psychiatrists to create, synthesize and critically appraise evidence to improve service provision and patient outcomes. However, there are several impediments to trainees’ confident completion of this project.

Objectives: This session aims to highlight, synthesize and propose strategies and practical solutions to assisting trainees and supervisors to support completion of the SP.

Methods: The authors reviewed recent literature on the challenges voiced by trainees, as well as solutions posed by clinician–researchers and medical educators.

Findings: Without an infrastructure to support research skills development, trainees in the Competency-Based Fellowship Programme face a challenging tension between service provision and research skills development.

Conclusions: There are several pathways available to alleviate barriers to trainees’ timely commencement and completion of the SP, including enhancing research capacity within services, familiarity with the requirements, and increasing access to supervisors and additional supports for trainees.