NSPCR ST3 entry Academic Clinical Fellowships
August 2010

Applications are invited from second-year general practice specialty trainees in English deaneries (current ST2s) who wish to undertake clinical academic training. Funding is now available to allow trainees to extend their training by a year, allowing part-time attachment to a University department during the ST3 and ST4 years.

ST3 entry Academic Clinical Fellowships are offered at eight Universities: Birmingham, Bristol, Nottingham, Keele, London (University College), Manchester, Oxford, and Southampton. In most cases we anticipate applicants will wish to continue to train in their existing Deanery although cross-Deanery transfer may be possible in specific cases. Details of the opportunities offered by each University are shown below.

The proportional split between clinical and academic activity in the ST3 and ST4 years varies between Universities and is often negotiable within the constraint that, taken over the two years, trainees must spend about half their time engaged in each activity. By the end of the ST4 year trainees will be expected to have gained specialist accreditation as a general practitioner and have completed the requirements for the award of MRCGP. The academic attachment is likely to include some taught courses as well as participation in a research study resulting in journal publication. The academic focus is on research training although this can include research into medical education.

Before making an application, potential applicants are encouraged to make direct contact with the University Department to which they would like to be attached. This should normally be a University in the Deanery in which they are currently training. Individuals training in Deaneries without a participating University should discuss the feasibility of part-time academic training with their own Deanery lead in the first instance. It may be feasible for individuals to be attached to a University outside the Deanery or, with mutual agreement, by cross-Deanery transfer. Brief details about each University and the person to contact are given below.

Application forms should be returned to the National Recruitment Office for General Practice Training, Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull, B90 8AG no later than midnight on June 20th 2010.

Interviews will be held at the NRO offices in Solihull on 12th July 2010.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AN ACADEMIC APPLICATION FORM

Details of the opportunities offered by the individual Universities...

Birmingham University
Birmingham University has one of the largest centres for academic primary care in Europe - focusing on applied and translational research under 3 main clinical programmes: cardiovascular disease; cancer & chronic disease; and behavioural medicine (smoking cessation, exercise), with additional expertise in ethnicity health, and longitudinal cohort studies. The programmes are supported by cross-cutting methodology expertise and major investments in research infrastructure, particularly the Primary Care Clinical Research & Trials Unit (PCCRTU) and large Primary Care Research Networks (MidReC and PCRN-CE). Our research was rated 5* in RAE 2001 and top UK centre for primary care research on quality rated research volume (13% of the total UK PC volume and 65% rated 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent'.

These integrated ST3 ACF posts will work within the W Midlands Deanery. The academic component includes registering for a Masters Degree in Primary Care and support to publish personal research whilst attached to one of the expert research teams in the Department
For further information is available on www.haps.bham.ac.uk/primarycare or Prof Richard Hobbs (f.d.r.hobbs@bham.ac.uk)

University of Bristol
The Academic Unit of Primary Health Care in the University of Bristol offers academic training in association with the Severn Deanery. These ST3/4 posts offer two years of integrated academic general practice, with time divided between academic work in the Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, and training as a GP registrar in a nearby practice which has, as appropriate, a strong track record in primary care research and/or substantial involvement in undergraduate & postgraduate education. The objectives of the post are to provide an excellent foundation training in research methods which might include enrolling for a distance learning MSc, provide experience of conducting a specific research project and provide support in making an application for an externally funded research training fellowship (RTF) eg MRC, Wellcome, NHS R&D to follow on from this post.

Our unit conducts high quality research addressing questions of priority to the NHS, relating to important clinical areas such as cancer, infectious diseases and mental health, or wider questions of great importance for health policy, for example into patient decision making and organisation of care. We offer the expertise of a wide range of academic staff from clinical and non-clinical backgrounds including statistics, social sciences, and economics. These staff cover a range of methodological approaches, including RCTs, observational epidemiological studies, qualitative research and economic evaluations. In the 2008 RAE, the Unit had 70% of its submission rated as either of world class or international standard. We were one of the 5 founding departments of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. We have a substantial and growing portfolio of research projects from funders including the MRC, Department of Health and major charities. These projects often involve collaboration with other departments within the University of Bristol and academic institutions outside Bristol.

For more information please look at our website (www.bris.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare) or contact Professor Debbie Sharp (debbie.sharp@bristol.ac.uk)

Keele University
The Arthritis Research UK National Primary Care Centre at Keele University has an internationally renowned research programme in chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders in primary care underpinned by several existing and ongoing high-quality observational cohorts and randomised clinical trials, with linkage to medical records. Current NIHR, MRC, Wellcome and arc grants to the Centre amount to over £20 million.
The Keele programme provides an integrated clinical and academic training configured to support participation in our modular Master’s programme. The Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) at Keele is now delivered entirely through the Masters in Medical Science, where negotiated study leave secures protected time for participants to undertake structured academic training and a supervised project for publication. Mentorship is provided by academics at the Arthritis Research Campaign’s National Primary Care Centre at Keele.
In years ST3 and ST4, trainees are attached to a University-linked general practice for clinical training and spend 40% of their time in year 1 and 60% in year 2 undertaking research training at the University. In addition to completing their supervised project for publication, trainees will be encouraged and supported to develop an application for a PhD Fellowship for submission to an external funder as the next step in their career progression.
More details about the University Research Centre can be found at www.keele.ac.uk/research/pchs/pcmrc/
Specific enquiries about the Keele scheme can be addressed to c.d.mallen@cphc.keele.ac.uk

University of Nottingham
The Division of Primary Care at the University of Nottingham is a thriving research environment, with 95% of research output judged of ‘international’ excellence in the last Research Assessment Exercise. We have substantial expertise across the whole range of methodologies involved in Health Services Research from qualitative interviews and focus groups through to clinical trials and epidemiological research using large primary care databases. We have a prominent national profile for clinical epidemiology, applied genetics, accident prevention, prescribing and tobacco control research. ST3 fellows will be supported by an organised research infrastructure; any who choose to work in tobacco control will also be supported by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, a public health centre of excellence in which we helped establish.

Senior members of the Division are enthusiastic about facilitating the development of GPs as clinical academics and together with the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery (EMHWD) and the Trent Foundation School we work on a number of academic training initiatives for F2 doctors and GPs at different stages in their training and early career. Nottingham posts are in association with the EMHWD and appointees will be encouraged to complete a Masters qualification during their two year attachment.

For further information see our Website (www.nottingham.ac.uk/chs), for previous annual reports contact April.McCambridge: April.McCambridge@nottingham.ac.uk

Potential applicants may contact Dr Tim Coleman (tim.coleman@nottingham.ac.uk).

Manchester University
The Health Sciences Group (Primary Care) works closely with the North West Deanery to support academic training in a friendly and supportive environment.

Created by the coming together of UMIST and the Victoria University of Manchester, the University is the largest, single-site University in the UK. With an annual income of more than £684 million and more than 5,800 academic and research staff, it is one of the world's top centres for biomedical research, leading the search for new treatments for life-threatening diseases. According to the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) the University of Manchester is now one of the country’s major research universities, rated third in the UK. The Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences is one of four Faculties within the University and the School of Community Based Medicine is one of the nine Schools within the Faculty. www.medicine.manchester.ac.uk

The Primary Care Research Group sits within the Health Sciences within the School of Community Based Medicine, which contains the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre and the Manchester programme of the National School for Primary Care Research (http://www.medicine.manchester.ac.uk/primarycare) and the Primary Care Mental Health Research Group (www.medicine.manchester.ac.uk/pcmhrg/).

Professor Anne Rogers is the Research Group Leader. The Research Group had outstanding RAE 2008 results. 80% of its research was classified in each of the two top international categories with 40% rated 4* (world leading) and 40% 3* internationally excellent.

As an Academic Clinical Fellow you would be attached to a local general practice for clinical training and undertake research training in the Primary Care Research group. You would be expected to take part in a research study leading to journal publication in an area in which the research group has expertise and can provide appropriate supervision. You will be encouraged to undertake training for a further degree. We would hope that you would apply for higher academic training on completion of your ACF post.

Specific enquiries can be made to Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham (carolyn.chew-graham@manchester.ac.uk).

Oxford University
The Oxford University Department of Primary Health Care offers academic training in association with the Oxford Deanery. It was the top rated primary care Department in the 2008 RAE and tries to provide academic training in a friendly and supportive environment.
As an Academic Clinical Fellow you would be attached to a University-linked general practice for clinical training and usually you would spend 40% of your time in year ST3 and 60% in year ST4 undertaking teaching and research training at the University, but this split is negotiable. You would be expected to take part in a research project leading to journal publication in an area in which the University Department has expertise and can provide supervision. There may be opportunities to spend short periods of time overseas.
On completion of your training you will have the option of returning to a clinical career track, perhaps becoming a GP tutor, but many previous trainees have applied successfully for higher academic training awards (to complete D Phil or MD degrees) or junior Lecturer posts.
Further details about the Department can be found at http://www.primarycare.ox.ac.uk.

Formal enquiries should be addressed to Professor David Mant (david.mant@dphpc.ox.ac.uk) but potential applicants are also encouraged to seek the opinion of academic trainees already in post.

University of Southampton

The Primary Medical Care Group at the University of Southampton School of Medicine offer academic training in association with the Wessex Deanery.

ST3 entry Fellows will undertake half and half integrated clinical training (GPStR) and research training over a 2 year period (ST3 and ST4). The academic supervisor will be a senior lecturer, reader, or professor in the University of Southampton Primary Medical Care (PMC) Group.

The aims of the academic post are to conduct a systematic literature review, or a pilot/exploratory research project, to inform a proposal for an externally funded doctoral research training fellowship from the MRC, Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, or other charity. The ACF will be offered our approved modular masters level training programme, run by the School of Medicine and School of Health Sciences, and be funded to attend relevant training elsewhere. The ACF will also attend weekly PMC research seminars, and monthly seminars with invited speakers run by the Treatment Decisions Group of the Division of Community Clinical Sciences (CCS).

The Southampton PMC group was admitted to the NIHR School for Primary Care Research in 2009 after being ranked third highest primary care group for research quality in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, when 85% of its research was rated as ‘internationally excellent’ or ‘world-leading’. Particular research strengths include self-limiting illnesses such as acute infections, back pain, osteoporosis, depression, health promotion including weight loss and exercise, and complementary and alternative medicines.

More details about the PMC group can be found at: http://www.som.soton.ac.uk/research/ccs/groups/pmc/

Specific enquiries should be directed to Prof Tony Kendrick at a.r.kendrick@southampton.ac.uk

University College London

The Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health (PCPH) at UCL Medical School is pleased to offer this ST3/4 academic training programme in association with London Deanery.

Our large department, based at the Royal Free campus in Hampstead, undertakes a programme of internationally competitive research addressing the management of disease in individuals and populations in areas of priority to the health of the public. We have a multidisciplinary approach to both research and teaching, with expertise within the department in clinical primary care, epidemiology, medical statistics, medical sociology, medical education and health psychology. The Department is also actively involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate education

We have particular methodological strengths in quantitative and qualitative research and analysis of large clinical databases (ie GPRD and THIN) and trial methodology. UCL made the largest submission in the UK for primary care and other community subjects at the 2008 RAE and our submission was ranked second in the UK

As an Academic Clinical Fellow you would be attached to a local training practice for clinical training and usually you would spend 40% of your time in year ST3 and 60% in year ST4 undertaking teaching and research training at the University. Your academic aim will be to developing an application for a competitive, externally funded research fellowship award on a topic related to one of the departments four major research themes ie cardiovascular disease, ageing, mental health or eHealth.
Further details about the Research Department of PCPH can be found at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pcps/
Specific enquiries about the UCL ST3/4 academic training programme can be addressed to Dr Joe Rosenthal via j.rosenthal@pcps.ucl.ac.uk