Clinical Academics
The Clinical Academic Training and Careers Hub (CATCH) has lots of information on clinical academic careers.
A clinical academic is a clinically active healthcare professional who also undertakes research and other academic activities. Their research complements their day-to-day clinical role. They will typically have contracts with an NHS Trust and a university.
Health Education England (HEE) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) provide two main routes to become a clinical academic - one for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and pharmacists, and one for medics.
National funding opportunities and closing dates are available here.
The NIHR Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic (ICA) Programme
The NIHR Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic (ICA) Programme provides research training awards for health and social care professionals (excluding medics) holding registration with one of the ICA approved regulatory bodies (e.g., Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Social Work England). ICA Bridging schemes support health and care professionals (excluding medics) to build on their previous academic training and to develop proposals for a pre- or post-doctoral award. Internship and Bridging Awards are managed by HEE’s local teams.
Internship award (previously known as the “Bronze” award)
- Delivered by the University of Lincoln
- For clinicians in the East Midlands
- For registered healthcare professionals without postgraduate qualifications or formal training in research
- Grant towards salary support and travel costs
- Structured 6-day educational programme
- Support from experienced Clinical Academic Mentor
- Facilitated Action Learning Sets
NIHR Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship (PCAF)
- Funds personalised programmes of academic training e.g. to complete a Masters in Research Methods
- Must not have registered for, or completed, a PhD in a relevant subject area or have registered for an MPhil with the expectation that this will progress to a PhD
- Support from an academic supervisor and a Clinical Academic Career mentor
- ''Standard'' PCAF
- Funding to support the submission of a doctoral fellowship application and to undertake a programme of academic training at Masters level
- For applicants that, in addition to needing time to develop a doctoral level application, also need to undertake formal academic training and/or develop their research experience before they would be ready to submit a competitive doctoral level application.
- PCAF Bridge
- Funding to support submission of a doctoral fellowship application and to undertake a small amount of academic training at Masters level
- For applicants that have the academic training and research experience necessary to make a competitive application for a doctoral Fellowship but need time to develop a doctoral Fellowship application.
Pre-Doctoral Bridging programme (previously known as the “Silver” award)
- Delivered by the University of Nottingham
- For clinicians in the East Midlands
- Provides protected time to help post-masters students to apply for a PhD
- Personalised training and development plan
- Support from a research mentor and clinical mentor
- Be part of an action learning set
NIHR Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (DCAF)
- Funds registered healthcare professionals to undertake a PhD by research and to undertake further professional development and practice.
- Funding includes salary costs, PhD tuition fees, and the costs of an appropriate research project
- A three-year award (up to six years part time)
- ~ 80% spent working academically
- ~ 20% spent in practice and professional development.
- Funding competitions open twice each year in March and September.
Post-Doctoral Bridging programme (previously known as the “Gold” award)
- Delivered by the University of Nottingham
- For clinicians with a PhD in the East Midlands
- Designed to support post-doctoral individuals in applying for the HEE/NIHR ICA Clinical Lectureship scheme or post-doctoral fellowship to further Clinical Academic Career
- Protected funded time over 12 months to develop a Clinical Lectureship / post-doctoral fellowship application
- Review of application by experts
- Mock interview for Clinical Lectureship
NIHR Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (ACAF)
- Supports post-doctoral researchers to develop their academic career whilst developing their health or care career.
- Can be between 2 and 5 years in duration if taken up full time or can be taken up part-time between 50% and 100% WTE.
- Funding to cover salary, the costs of an appropriate research project, and the costs of a tailored academic and professional development programme.
The NIHR Integrated Academic Training (IAT) Programme
The NIHR Integrated Academic Training (IAT) Programme provides research training awards for medics and dentists.
Midlands MHN PhD Programme for Healthcare Professionals
The Midlands Mental Health and Neurosciences PhD Programme for Healthcare Professionals aims to develop the next generation of multi-skilled research leaders amongst healthcare professionals. Healthcare Professionals are required to be applicants from any health professional as defined by the Wellcome Trust as ‘an individual who is registered with a national professional regulatory body (for example the General Medical Council or Health and Care Professions Council) in the country in which the PhD Programme is based’.
The 2024 recruitment cycle has now closed. An online information session for potential applicants was held on Wednesday 24 January 2024 which aimed to provide further information regarding the programme and application process. The session was recorded for those unable to attend.