In order to establish the United Kingdom as a world leader in clinical research, a number of organisations set up the UK Clinical Research Collaboration in 2004 to rethink how clinical research is carried out and to ensure it delivers maximum benefit for patients and the public.
The publication of its findings in 2005, commonly referred to as the Walport report, laid out a vision for integration of training in key academic and research skills into established clinical training pathways, such that budding clinician scientists are exposed to excellent practice in clinical research as early and as frequently as possible in their careers.
See a graphical representation of the integrated academic training pathway.
Integrated academic training programmes therefore ensure you have protected time to pursue a research interest and acquire research skills in parallel with your clinical training.
Nationally, these training programmes are managed by the NIHR TCC, whereas the local body responsible for IAT across the Norwich Research Park is the Norwich Academic Training Office (NATO). For further information, please download the NIHR Integrated Academic Training Guide. You can also find out more from the Clinical Academic Careers East (CLAC East) website, which is a dedicated information hub for anyone interested in clinical academic careers in the East of England.