The interest for academic background and investigational activities are essential in psychiatry. Several European-wide, early career psychiatrists-driven studies have been carried out completely independently, leading to high quality publications, where all the co-authors are junior researchers.

To further elaborate the European federation of psychiatric trainees (EFPT) platform of promoting the experience of collaborative work and research lead by psychiatric trainees in different countries all over Europe.

A review of EFPT collaborative trainee-led research initiatives since the beginning with the focus on published articles and their impact on psychiatric community in Europe.

Main topics of trainee research are related to postgraduate psychiatric training schemes in Europe raising awareness on enhancing and harmonizing standards of psychiatric education and training across Europe. Other research topics are related to treatment strategies while being a psychiatric in Europe, to migration and “brain drain” phenomenon of psychiatric trainees in Europe, to access to information in psychiatric training.

International cooperation's in research should be promoted since the training. Joining professional associations provides opportunities for participating in research activities and establishing networks with other colleagues. Collaboration between psychiatric trainees ensures a more effective use of individual talents and a quick way of accessing and transferring new knowledge and research expertise. Moreover it provides a supportive framework for multi-center research.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.