The document outlines career pathways for research in the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), including fellowships offered by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It describes: - The NIHR/HEE Integrated Clinical Academic Programme for non-medical healthcare professionals, which provides training awards to develop careers combining clinical research and leadership with clinical practice. - The NIHR/HEE Masters in Clinical Research, an introduction to clinical academic research covering trial design, data management, and practical research experience. - The various NIHR fellowship opportunities at different career levels, from Doctoral to Senior Research Fellowships, to support individuals' development as future research leaders.

1. 25/03/2015
NIHR Personal Research Training
Awards for Non-Medical Healthcare
Professionals
NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre
Dr Beth Harris

2. National Institute for Health Research
Established 2006 as a vehicle for
implementing Government’s
strategy for applied health
research
£1b annual spend
Vision:
To improve the health and wealth
of the nation through research

3. All submitted proposals must fall
within NIHR Remit
• NIHR supports training in clinical and applied health research, including
social care research.
• The proposal must have clear potential for benefitting patients and the
public within 5 years of its completion (but recognising the training
element of the research).
• The research can involve: patients; samples or data from patients;
people who are not patients; populations; health technology
assessment; or health services research.
• NIHR does not itself fund basic research or work involving animals
and/or animal tissue

4. NIHR Remit (2)
• If the work involves biomarkers:
- research that tests whether application of new knowledge can improve
treatment or patient outcomes, and has obvious potential benefit within
5 years, is within remit; This might include application of known
biomarkers, or other prognostic factors, to refine and test novel
therapeutic strategies.
- research that aims only to elucidate mechanisms underpinning
disease, or identify risk factors for disease or prognosis (including
search for biomarkers) is out of remit.
• NIHR is also prepared to support research into medical education.

5. Infrastructure
Clinical Research
Facilities, Centres &
Units
Clinical Research
Networks
Research
Research Projects &
Programmes
Research Management
Systems
Research Information
Systems
Systems
Patients
&
Public
Universities
Investigators &
Senior Investigators
Associates
Faculty
Trainees
Research Schools
NHS Trusts
The NIHR Health Research System

6. NIHRTCC Research Career Pathways Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/Pre-
Chair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
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Non Medical/Dental
Health Professionals
HEE/NIHR Integrated
Clinical Academic
Programme
HEE/NIHR
Masters in
Clinical
Research
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Doctoral
Research
Fellowship
HEE/NIHR
Senior Clinical
Lecturership
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship
Methodologists
Research
Methods
Programme
NIHR Research
Methods Fellowship
and Internship
NIHR Masters
Studentship in Health
Economics or Medical
Statistics
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR
Clinician
Scientist
Award
NIHR
In-Practice Fellowship
NIHR Academic
Clinical Fellowship
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowship
NIHR
Post-
Doctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowship
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowship
NIHR Research Professorship
NIHRTransitional
Research
Fellowship
NIHRClinicalTrialsFellowship
NIHRKnowledgeMobilisationResearchFellowship
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships,
Professorships, Other Awards
NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship

7. NIHRTCC Research Career Pathways
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Methodologists
Research
Methods
Programme
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/Pre-
Chair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Non Medical
Healthcare
Professionals
HEE/NIHR Integrated
Clinical Academic
Programme
HEE/NIHR
Masters in
Clinical
Research
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Doctoral
Research
Fellowship
HEE/NIHR
Senior Clinical
Lecturership
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowship
NIHR
Post-
Doctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowship
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowship
NIHRTransitional
Research
Fellowship
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships,
Professorships, Other Awards

8. NIHR Personal Research
Training Awards
• Career pathway to facilitate the development of
future research leaders.
• Funding the individual not just the research –
Training and Development

9. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---
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NIHRTCC Research Career Pathways
Non Medical/Dental
Health Professionals
HEE/NIHR Integrated
Clinical Academic
Programme
Methodologists
Research
Methods
Programme
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/Pre-
Chair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowship
NIHR
Post-
Doctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowship
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowship
NIHRTransitional
Research
Fellowship
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships,
Professorships, Other Awards

10. NIHR Fellowships Programme
• Salary
• Full tuition fees (for PhD)
• Research costs
• Full training and development
• Awards 3 years full time (part-time options of 75% or
60%) or up to 5 years for SRF
• Can be based at HEI or NHS Trust
• Annual competition for all levels
• Next launch – October 2015

11. Post Doctoral Research
Fellowship (NIHR PDF)
Early post doctoral Fellowship
(≤ 3 years WTE Post
Doctorate)
3 years FT (4 or 5 years PT)
Applicant:
PhD/MD or have submitted
Output from research
Evidence of commitment to
research career
Doctoral training award
3 years FT (4 or 5 years PT)
Applicant:
Some previous research experience
Some outputs from research
Evidence of commitment to research
career
Doctoral Research Fellowship
(NIHR DRF)
NIHR Fellowships

12. Senior Research Fellowship
(NIHR SRF)
Most senior NIHR Fellowship
5 years ( Chair)
Applicant:
Significant postdoctoral experience
Outstanding publication record
Independence
Leadership potential
Record of research capacity
development
Later postdoctoral award (≤ 7 yrs
WTE Post Doctorate)
3 years FT (4 or 5 years PT)
Applicant:
PhD/MD and postdoctoral experience
Significant output from research
Evidence of increasing independence
Experience of developing research
skills of others
Career Development Fellowship
(NIHR CDF)
NIHR Fellowships

13. NIHR Fellowships
Postdoctoral award (≤ 5 yrs WTE Post Doctorate)
18 months to 2 years FT or PT
Applicant:
PhD/MD and maybe postdoctoral experience
• Individuals from any scientific discipline wanting to
contribute to improving health or healthcare e.g. basic
scientists moving to applied health research
• Individuals wanting to change the focus of their research
e.g. clinically focused research to translational research
• Individuals who have had their research careers
interrupted e.g. career break, who can identify clear
training needs
• Proposed research must be within the NIHR remit
Transitional Research Fellowship
(NIHR TRF) new from 2013

14. Doctoral
Research
Post
Doctoral
Career
Development
Senior
Research
Transitional
Research
Total
Round 1
(Awarded 2008)
109 applied
12 awarded
57
7
26
7
18
3
- 210
29
Round 2
(Awarded 2009)
152
29
54
9
36
7
16
1
- 158
46
Round 3
(Awarded 2010)
158
32
59
7
35
4
10
1
- 262
44
Round 4
(Awarded 2011)
155
28
82
16
58
11
19
2
- 314
57
Round 5
(Awarded 2012)
217
34
105
16
41
6
19
2
- 382
58
Round 6
(Awarded 2013)
185
30
86
15
44
5
19
3
3
1
337
54
Round 7
(Awarded 2014)
185
34
99
11
55
10
10
0
18
3
367
58
NIHR Fellowships

15. NIHR Fellowships – application
numbers

16. NIHR Fellowships – success rates

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NIHRTCC Research Career Pathways
Non Medical/Dental
Health Professionals
HEE/NIHR Integrated
Clinical Academic
Programme
HEE/NIHR
Masters in
Clinical
Research
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Doctoral
Research
Fellowship
HEE/NIHR
Senior Clinical
Lecturership
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship
Methodologists
Research
Methods
Programme
NIHR Research
Methods
Fellowship and
Internship
NIHR Masters
Studentship in
Health Economics
or Medical
Statistics
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/Pre-
Chair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR
Clinician
Scientist
Award
NIHR
In-Practice Fellowship
NIHR Academic
Clinical Fellowship
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowship
NIHR
Post-
Doctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowship
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowship
NIHR Research Professorship
NIHRTransitional
Research
Fellowship
NIHRClinicalTrialsFellowship
NIHRKnowledgeMobilisationResearchFellowship
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships,
Professorships, Other Awards
NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship

18. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways - 2014
Nurses, Midwives,
AHPs
Clinical Academic
Training Programme
NIHR/HEE Masters
in
Clinical Research
Studentships
NIHR/HEE Clinical
Doctoral Research
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE
Senior Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR/HEE
Clinical Lectureships
Methodologists
Methodology
Programme
NIHR Research
Methods Fellowships
and Internships
NIHR Masters
Studentships in
Health Economics or
Medical Statistics
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/
PreChair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR Clinician
Scientist Awards
NIHR
In-Practice
Fellowships
NIHR Academic
Clinical Fellowships
Healthcare
Scientists
HCS
Programme
NIHR/HEE Health
Care Science
Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE Health
Care Science
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE
Senior Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowships
NIHR
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowships
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowships
NIHR Research Professorships
NIHRTransitional
ResearchFellowships
NIHRClinicalTrialsFellowships
NIHRKnowledgeMobilisationResearchFellowships
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships, Professorships
and Other Awards

19. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways - 2015
Non-Medical/dental
Healthcare
Professionals
Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
NIHR/HEE Masters
in
Clinical Research
Studentships
NIHR/HEE Clinical
Doctoral Research
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE
Senior Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR/HEE
Clinical Lectureships
Methodologists
Methodology
Programme
NIHR Research
Methods Fellowships
and Internships
NIHR Masters
Studentships in
Health Economics or
Medical Statistics
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/
PreChair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
NIHR Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR Clinician
Scientist Awards
NIHR
In-Practice
Fellowships
NIHR Academic
Clinical Fellowships
Healthcare
Scientists
HCS
Programme
NIHR/HEE Health
Care Science
Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE Health
Care Science
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR/HEE
Senior Clinical
Lectureships
NIHR
Doctoral Research
Fellowships
NIHR
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowships
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowships
NIHR Research Professorships
NIHRTransitional
ResearchFellowships
NIHRClinicalTrialsFellowships
NIHRKnowledgeMobilisationResearchFellowships
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships, Professorships
and Other Awards

20. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NIHRTCC Research Career Pathways
Non Medical Health
Professionals
HEE/NIHR Integrated
Clinical Academic
Programme
HEE/NIHR
Masters in
Clinical
Research
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Doctoral
Research
Fellowship
HEE/NIHR
Senior Clinical
Lecturership
HEE/NIHR
Clinical
Lectureship
Methodologists
Research
Methods
Programme
Level of
Award
Undergraduate
ChairSenior/Pre-
Chair
PostDoctoral
(earlytosenior)
DoctoralPreDoctoral
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated
Academic Training
Programme
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships,
Professorships, Other Awards

21. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Personal research training awards for non-medical healthcare
professionals who wish to develop careers that combine clinical
research and research leadership with continued clinical practice
and clinical development

22. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Eligible Professions
• Midwife
• Music Therapist
• Nurse
• Operating Department
Practitioner
• Occupational therapist
• Orthoptist
• Orthotist and
Prosthetist
• Paramedic
• Podiatrist
• Pharmacist
• Pharmacy technician
• Physiotherapist
• Radiographer
• Speech and language
therapist
• Art therapist
• Clinical Psychologist
• Dental hygienist
• Dental nurse
• Dental therapist
• Dietician
• Drama therapist
• Healthcare Scientist
• Health Visitor

23. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Applicants must belong to one of the eligible healthcare
professions and hold registration with the listed
professional body/council
Special dispensation to apply may be granted by the
funder if prospective applicants:
•Belong to a statutorily registered profession,
•are a graduate (or have equivalent experience),
•Provide NHS services in England

24. HEE Mandate
• Research funded by Health Education England (HEE) must fulfil one
of the priorities in its mandate from Government:
– Ensuring the best start in life for every child and young person (from
pregnancy through to adulthood)
– Delivering integrated care that meets the needs of people and their
families
– Improving the understanding of mental health conditions by all staff and
how this may effect their patients
– Improving public health
– Driving quality improvement, including medical treatments, interventions
or processes
• Alternatively, the content of the research could address the core
purpose of HEE:
– Delivering the right workforce with the right skills, values and
competencies
– Driving improvements in education & training that will have a real impact
on the quality of care delivered to patients and service users
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/310170/DH_HEE_Mandate.pdf

25. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Internships
“A pre-masters clinical research taster”
An introduction to clinical academic research from trial design, data
management through to undertaking practical research in a clinical
environment.
Eligibility
• Belong to one of the ICA Eligible Professions
• No research qualification
More information
Administered and managed by HEE LETBs.
Queries and more information:
https://hee.nhs.uk/work-programmes/clinical-academic-careers/internships/

26. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
NIHR/HEE Masters in Clinical Research
“An Introduction to Clinical Research Theory and Practice”
Studentships cover:
•salary cost of the award holder
•course fees
Studentships can be undertaken full time over one year,
or part time over two years.

27. • Funded HEIs advertise
places (institutional
award)
• Places currently out for
retender
• Anticipated 100 places
per annum available over
next 3 years
Current HEIs running CAT Masters:
HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
NIHR/HEE Masters in Clinical Research

28. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
“Obtain a PhD by research whilst still developing clinical skills”
Applicants:
•Graduates with some research experience.
•Based at an English Higher Education Institute (HEI), an NHS body or any
other organisation which provides health or social care services in England
and is in receipt of public funding.
•At least one year’s experience of professional, post graduation, clinical
practice at the point of application.
•Good academic and clinical supervisor
HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship

29. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship
• Salary
• PhD tuition fees
• Research costs
• Training & development costs
(100% NHS, 80% HEI except training & development @100%)
• 3 years FT (4 or 5 years PT)

30. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Applicants:
•Have obtained a PhD or have submitted their PhD at the time of application.
• 5 years WTE post-doctoral research experience˂
•Min 1 year experience of professional, post graduation, clinical practice at the
point of application
• Supported by a partnership of a HEI and an NHS trust, which must both
commit to support the applicant post award.
HEE/NIHR Clinical Lectureship
“Combine post-doctoral research in an academic position with
continued clinical practice”

31. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
• Clinical practice and academic research (50:50)
• 3 years full time (4 or 5 years part time)
• Up to 50% of salary plus research and training and development
costs
HEE/NIHR Clinical Lectureship
“Combine post-doctoral research in an academic position with
continued clinical practice”

32. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Applicants:
•>5 years clinical experience and high research output
•Excellent or exceptionally promising track record as clinical academic
researcher (outputs & grants)
Award Structure:
•Senior (pre-Chair) 5 year award for clinical practice and academic
research (50:50)
•Requires support from a partnership of a HEI and an NHS trust, which
must both commit to support the applicant post award
•Up to 50% of salary plus research and training and development costs
HEE/NIHR Senior Clinical Lectureship
“Combine research and research leadership in a senior academic position with continued clinical practice”

33. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
ICA Personal Research Training Awards:
Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowships
Clinical Lectureships
Senior Clinical Lectureships
Competitions are now open:
Launched 4th
March 2015
Closes: 28th
May 2015
To apply : tcci.nihr.ac.uk

34. CAT C-DRF HCS DRF CAT CL HCS PDF CAT SCL
(HEFCE pre
2013)
HCS SCL
(HEFCE pre
2013)
Total
Round 1 100 applied
15 awarded
26
1
22
10
15
9
4
1
N/A 167
36
Round 2 64 applied
16 awarded
23
7
12
6
14
8
6
2
12
3
131
42
Round 3 65 applied
12 awarded
18
8
18
6
3
2
9
5
4
1
117
34
Round 4 62 applied
20 awarded
7
3
14
6
6
3
3
1
0
0
92
33
Round 5 78 applied
15 awarded
14
5
10
4
3
1
5
0
2
2
112
27
HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme

35. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
Mentorship and Outreach Programme
Open to doctoral and post-doctoral award holders of the new
ICA programme
Experience “one-to-one” academic mentorship to support the
development of an independent research career.

36. HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical
Academic Programme
www.nihr.ac.uk/hee-ica
E mail: ica@nihrtcc.org.uk

37. NIHR Personal Research
Training Awards
Benefits of an NIHR Personal Research Training Award
•Time out
•Training and development
(including overseas research visit)
•NIHR Faculty
•NIHR Trainees Meeting

39. Assessment Criteria
Person
•Trajectory
•Career outputs
Project or programme of research
•Scientific quality
•Appropriate scale and scope
•Relevance of the Question
•Literature Review
•Impact of Findings
•Methods are Sound
•Fit with Remit and HEE mandate where relevant

40. Assessment Criteria
Training
– Meets needs of candidate and project
Host environment (institution, supervisor, mentor)
– RAE/REF rating
– Track record in relevant field
– Time and commitment

41. The Application
Preparation
•Consider all options
•Read the guidance
•Develop the proposal well ahead of submission
•Discuss the proposal with supporting departments as early
as possible.

42. The Application
Take Advice from:
–Supervisor
–Collaborators
–Mentor
–Methodologist (s)
–Finance Lead
–Previous applicants / award holders

43. The Application
NIHR Support:
Trainees Coordinating Centre

44. The Application
Before Submission
•Spell check
•Peer Review
Signatures
•Are the relevant people available
•Do not miss the deadline!!

45. The Interview
Practice
–Mock interviews are usually the worst
–Know your audience
Presentation
•Not too many slides
•Don’t go over time
Behaviour
•It is OK to be nervous
•Confident but not over confident
•Don’t get defensive
•Admit what you don’t know and be happy to take advice
•Relax and be yourself

46. The Interview
The project
–Know it inside and out
–Has anything altered since submission?
–Know the methods and identify the expertise
–Think through alternatives
Training and Development
•Identify your training needs
•How will the training support your project and future career
intentions
The future you
•Be clear where you want to be
•What is does this fellowship mean to your career

47. “We will….”
The project lacks theoretical grounding
The stated career aspirations are not supported by the programme
The training and development plan is generic and not tailored to needs
The required sample sizes are unjustified and/or too ambitious
Alternative approaches and analytical techniques have not been
considered
The supervisors have never supervised to completion before
(Doctorate)
Key individuals have not been approached for advice/mentorship
Common Mistakes /
Weaknesses in Applications

48. If in Doubt.....
ASK!

49. nihr.ac.uk

51. NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre
Leeds Innovation Centre
103 Clarendon Road
Leeds LS2 9DF
Tel: 0113 3466260
Fax: 0113 346 6272
http://www.nihr.ac.uk