Academic clinical fellowships
Running over three to four years, an academic clinical fellowship combines medical training with academic training.
Academic clinical fellowships in South Yorkshire
Sheffield has hosted academic clinical fellowships (ACFs) in many specialities. The specialities offered at the ACF level vary each year, but have recently included:
- Anaesthetic and perioperative medicine
- Cardiology
- Clinical radiology
- Diabetes and endocrinology
- Emergency medicine
- Ear, nose and throat (Otolaryngology)
- Gastroenterology
- General practice (primary care)
- General surgery
- Haematology
- Infectious diseases, medical microbiology and virology
- Neurology
- Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Oncology
- Paediatrics
- Psychiatry
- Renal medicine
- Respiratory medicine
- Trauma and orthopaedics
- Urology
The ACF undergoes training in the generic skills required for a clinical academic: scientific methods, statistics, research governance, critical appraisal of research publications and grant writing. Modules are chosen from those provided for the MSc in Clinical Research or continuing professional development. Trainees can choose the modules most relevant to them.
The major part of the academic placement will be scientific research, which can lead to a proposal for a PhD project, funding for which will be sought from an external body such as the NIHR, MRC or the Wellcome Trust.
Generally, the preparation of the proposal is based on preliminary experimental data gathered while on the research placement.
Why choose Sheffield?
- All trainees can enrol on modules of the MSc in Clinical Research or take a selection of courses appropriate to their needs.
- All trainees have a bursary of £1000 a year to attend conferences and meetings specific to their research project area.
- A new competitive ACF pump priming scheme offers awards of up to £2000 to jump-start research.
- NHS England South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw holds an academic presentation day each year at which all trainees have the opportunity to present posters or give talks.
- The clinical academic programme holds an away day and a gala dinner each year on a subject relevant to clinical academics.
- The Medical School provides a fellowship coaching scheme to help trainees prepare for their fellowship applications. This includes advice on applications and a mock interview geared to the style of the particular application being made.
- Sheffield has a well-established Clinical Academic Mentoring Programme, recognising that clinical trainees have their own specific career development needs, this links trainees with mentors who are Clinical Academics themselves and who can help trainees with their research plans and help them balance the competing aspects of their lives and careers.
Sheffield is the leading national centre for emergency medicine research, in terms of senior investigators, research income, peer-reviewed publications, and impact on the emergency care system.
Professor Steve Goodacre
Professor of Emergency Medicine
NIHR early oncology researchers have a great opportunity to work within the Sheffield Cancer Centre and gain experience in designing and running early-phase clinical trials. Ongoing exciting multi-million-pound funding initiatives unique to Sheffield and Yorkshire Cancer Research also provide an exciting platform for trainees to be involved in cancer research over the next 5 years.
Professor Janet Brown
Academic Training Programme Director, Chair in Medical Oncology
Who can apply for an ACF?
Individuals who have achieved competencies relevant to the level of the post advertised and can demonstrate that they have outstanding potential for development as a clinical academic in research and/or education. Individuals may have had previous clinical academic experience either at an undergraduate level (BMedSci) or postgraduate level (F2 Academic placement, MSc).
For more details on eligibility, see the NIHR IAT website.
Posts are generally offered at ST1 or ST3, depending on the speciality.
How to apply
Click here to view the current fellowship vacancies
ACF posts are either Local Response (where the research will be aligned with the strengths of the department) or theme posts where the research will be aligned with one of NIHR's priority themes.
For further information on how the University of Sheffield's research fits into the NIHR themes, see our NIHR Academy IAT research themes page.
Contact catadmin@sheffield.ac.uk with any queries regarding this.
NIHR Academy IAT research themes
The NIHR funds clinical academic training for doctors and dentists through the Integrated Academic Training (IAT) Programme.
Career paths
A successful ACF will obtain competencies relevant to their level of training and obtain external funding for a higher degree (research training fellowship). In the event that an ACF fails to obtain external funding for a higher degree or wishes to leave the clinical academic training pathway, they can apply to move into an available clinical position.
Testimonials
The opportunities have been amazing: formal teaching, research qualifications, direct support of my own research and particularly networking which has opened more doors. The ACF has broadened and enriched my career.
David Pallot
Academic Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine
Get in touch
For any further information or assistance, contact catadmin@sheffield.ac.uk
All posts are applied for through the NHS England South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw site, where an up-to-date list of available posts can be found.