Description
Academic Clinical Fellowships are specialty training posts that incorporate academic training. NIHR Academic Clinical Fellows (ACFs) spend 75% of their time undertaking specialist clinical training and 25% undertaking research or educationalist training.
ACFs are aimed at those who, at the early stages of their specialty training, show outstanding potential for a career in academic medicine or dentistry. The duration of an ACF is for a maximum of 3 years (4 years for GPs). During this time, alongside clinical training, ACFs will be able to develop their academic skills and be supported in preparing an application for a Research Training Fellowship (to undertake a higher research degree) or an application for a place on an educational programme (leading to a higher degree). Success in these applications is defined as the end point of an ACF.
The scheme is open to F2 trainees and Senior House Officers who are eligible to apply for a National Training Number (NTN). Existing Specialist Registrars who already hold an NTN, and GPRs enrolled on vocational training schemes, are not eligible.
Training
The research training programme for Academic Clinical Fellows at UEA was commended by NIHR.
Our research training programme is delivered by combination of modular taught programmes (20 M level credits per module) and appropriate courses (e.g. GCP course). The assessment follows the requirement of individual modules set out in the training curriculum for ACFs who are allocated to the Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia. There is a dedicated programme co-ordinator who oversees trainee progress and training requirements. The 2011/12 research training programme detail is available by clicking here[PDF 94.0KB]
Any identified gaps in training needs will be dealt individually, thereby providing you with a flexible but structured academic training programme which meets the standard set out by NIHR.
If, in agreement with your supervisors, other training is considered more appropriate, you can arrange for attendance on modules and training events hosted by other organisations. A bursary of up to £4500 in total over the 3 year period is available to support training costs at UEA or other locations.
Travel and Subsistence
A bursary of up to £1000 per year is available for approved expenditure which is expected to include travel, conferences or similar to support each Fellow. Please note that this does not normally include costs associated with any Fellow’s modular training. Surplus bursary funds will remain with recipient organisation for use on activities that benefit the academic development or training of the Academic Clinical Fellow and Clinical Lecturer cohort.
With effect from 1st April 2010, UEA holds the bursary fund. To claim your travel bursary please complete both of the expenses forms below:
Non Staff expenses claim form (UEA 6) [PDF Document, 58.0KB]
NATO Expenses Request Form [PDF Document, 31.0KB]
Current vacancies and job descriptions
Our ACF vacancies are publicised on the East of England Deanery website
http://www.eoedeanery.nhs.uk/medical/page.php?page_id=944
Preliminary discussion with the academic supervisor is welcomed.Case Study - Boika Rechel
"I joined the UEA in 2006 first as an Academic Clinical Fellow in Public Health, and later on as a Clinical Lecturer since 2008. I am on the Eastern Deanery specialist training programme in public health, which provides tremendous opportunities for integrating clinical and academic career. Prior to joining the training programme, I worked as a research fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and choosing a clinical academic training path was the ideal opportunity to further advance my research skills. UEA provides an excellent research environment. One of the greatest advantages is the ease of collaboration within the School of Medicine and with other university departments. UEA maintains active collaborations with NHS partner organisations, which is invaluable for developing applied public health and health services research projects, and translating findings into practice."
Case Study – Alice Ong
“During my MBChB degree, I had the opportunity to do an Intercalated BSc (Med Sci) Clinical Medicine, fuelling my passion for research. As I did SHO jobs in Scotland and the North of England, I quickly realised that I really enjoyed working with older people in the secondary care setting. The Academic Clinical Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine was perfect to realise my dreams of working with older people and embarking on an academic career in this field. I moved to Norwich for this post in 2009 and with the support of very enthusiastic supervisors, I have been successful in securing a Research Training Fellowship to undertake a PhD."
