1. NIHR Pre-doctoral fellowships: a new opportunity for allied health professionals
Dr Kirstie Coxon
Associate Professor (Research), Department of Midwifery, School of Allied Health, Midwifery and Social Care
Course Director NIHR MRes (Clinical Research)
NIHR CLAHRC South London Training & Education Lead
NIHR Advocate for Clinical Academic Careers (Midwifery)
Explain about CLAHRC training lead role and the NIHR advocate role

2. Newer than the other NIHR personal fellowships (most started in 2006)
NIHR MRes scheme
fully funded secondments for clinicians; MRes fees paid by NIHR
Newer than the other NIHR personal fellowships (most started in 2006)
Intended to address a known gap in NIHR applications from AHPs
NIHR MRes scheme – attractive to AHPs
Fully funded secondments for clinicians; MRes fees paid by NIHR
Newer than the other NIHR fellowships (2006-)
Intended to address a gap:
AHPs were not able to apply for doctoral awards, due to: lack of clinical research opportunities, few chances to undertake research or develop a track record, little opportunity to disseminate or publish their work.

3. Fellowships: Applications
This slide illustrates the problem NIHR have been trying to address; AHPs have relatively low application rates, particularly compared to medics or academic researchers.

4. Applications for ICA personal awards (CDRF/CL/SCL) by profession: 2015-16

5. This graph is from the recent NIHR strategic review of training.
It illustrates the year on year increase in NIHR trainee funding.
The NIHR is spending about £100m per year on trainees (compared with about £250m per year on it’s research funding schemes) so this is a significant investment

6. This provides an overview of the research career pathways, and the orange and yellow ones in the middle are the ones which AHPs would usually apply to
The yellow blocks show the HEE pathway from MRes to senior clinical lectureship. The HEE internships are not on this slide but they will remain part of the pre-doctoral level funding.
The MRes is in the bottom box and until now has been the entry level award. The main difference between the HEE funded fellowships and the NIHR equivalents in the orange column is that only clinicians who are employed by the NHS can apply for HEE fellowships. The fellowships are designed to build on and develop a clinician’s academic career alongside their clinical development.
In current online versions of this pathway diagram, the bottom box has been changed to read ‘HEE/NIHR pre-doctoral fellowships’. I mentioned earlier that these will replace the MRes, and I wanted to say a bit about why that is.

7. Exactly the same overview of pathways – but the MRes has been replaced by the PCAF – pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship

8. NIHR MRes programme
has been running since 2009 (3x 3 year funding cycles)
around 900 students have graduated with an NIHR funded Masters by Research
NIHR announced in October 2017 that the MRes will be replaced by a new personal award scheme, the NIHR pre-doctoral fellowship
NIHR MRes programme has been running since 2009 (3x 3 year funding cycles) – around 900 students have graduated with NIHR funded Masters by Research
NIHR announced in October 2017 that the MRes will be replaced by a new personal award scheme, the NIHR pre-doctoral fellowship
I’m going to talk about the reasons for the changes in provision, and the opportunity that this offers for any aspiring clinical academics who do not yet have a PhD

9. This year, the NIHR has been engaged in a review of its funding for research training, as the schemes first launched 10 years ago.
Broadly speaking, the review has recommended that most of the funding schemes remain, although the structure of the schemes is going to be simplified.
The MRes is one part of the trainee funding which didn’t seem to be meeting it’s intended aims.

10. ‘Broadly, bridging schemes appear to work well, however this is not always the case, for example, we were disappointed to see poor academic progression for non-medical professions from the Masters level’ NIHR (2017, p.2) Strategic Review of Training
This is an extract from the report : the NIHR has identified that although the MRes was designed to help aspiring clinical academics move on to doctoral level awards, only about 15% of those who complete an MRes ever apply for doctoral funding.
The NIHR consulted with previous award holders, and identified that whilst many found the MRes to be stimulating, once they had completed a course, they felt a need to consolidate their clinical work, and also reported that their host Trusts weren’t always to give further time and support for them to work on publications or doctoral applications. The realities of providing a front line service meant that Trusts really wanted their experienced and highly qualified staff to turn their attention back to clinical leadership. Based on their review findings, the NIHR has decided to withdraw funding for MRes, and this year’s cohort are the last who will receive the NIHR funding for this purpose.
The funding isn’t being stopped though, rather redirected into a new award - the Pre doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowships.

11. HEE/NIHR Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowships Aim: To support award holders to undertake Masters level academic training and to prepare an application for a doctoral level research training Fellowship whilst maintaining clinical practice. First Round of competition: February 2018
The pre-doctoral fellowships are intended to support aspiring applicants to develop and application for doctoral funding.

12. Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowships are:
2 year (0.5 WTE) awards (or can be taken up part time over 30 or 40 months).
Award holders split their time equally between clinical service and academic training.
Here the NIHR has changed the focus from gaining a funded MRes; instead, individual applicants will apply for pre-doctoral fellowship awards. The programme is not based in universities, as the MRes was, but instead based on applicants selecting a university which will support them in developing their clinical academic research ideas.
The NIHR has listened to NHS clinicians and their managers and provided a means by which clinicians can develop their research careers whilst remaining clinically current and active, although moving onto a dual-track career.

13. The pre-doctoral fellowships will fund:
Up to 50% of the award holder’s salary
Costs of a tailored training and development programme comprising:
- £5,000 towards Masters level training
- £1,000 bursary for conference or meeting expenses; travel, subsistence and registration fees
- £1, 000 towards the cost of supervision and mentorship
More detail

14. HEE/NIHR Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowships (PCAF)
Applicant expectations
Little formal academic training at the point of application.
Demonstrable potential for development as a clinician academic.
Academic Training
Trainee-centred.
Provides the opportunity to explore academic research interests.
Including completion of a formal academic qualification (e.g.an MRes) if appropriate to the applicant.
Includes the preparation of an application for a doctoral level research training fellowship (e.g. the HEE/NIHR CDRF).
Host Organisation
Structured supervision to ensure the attainment of academic goals.
Career mentorship from a senior clinical academic.
Environment that has a strong academic research record.

15. Criteria for assessment NIHR pre-doctoral fellowships
the quality of the academic training;
the provision of a strong academic environment;
the appropriateness of the proposed academic supervision;
the appropriateness of the proposed clinical academic career mentorship;
demonstrable track record of the host Academic Higher Education Institute (HEI) Department in training clinicians who have gone on to develop academic careers
the suitability and commitment of the applicant to a career as a clinical academic;
the arrangements for ensuring protected time for the applicant coupled with ensuring continuation of clinical service;
that the applicant has a clinical post constituting 50% of their working week, which can include supporting clinical activities such as continuing professional development and administration.
Apologies for the wordy slide, but this shows the criteria for assessment of the pre-doctoral applications.
The criteria in black depend on the choice of a strong university with a good track record in supporting clinical academics, and one which can provide the right support for a personalised research training programme – in other words, the host university should be the intended setting for the candidate’s doctoral studies.
The criteria in blue depend on the applicant’s employing Trust being willing to support them in their academic career, and on the applicant having a clear vision of their intended research endeavors.
These awards will therefore be very much about universities and trusts jointly supporting applicants who have the potential to develop clinical academic careers.

16. Next steps for potential applicants:
If you’re thinking about applying for an award, don’t leave it until February, start planning now
Talk to your supervisor, you manager, your mentor… and keep working on your ideas
There are lots of resources available to help you (e.g. NIHR Research Design Service, NIHR Advocates for clinical academic careers)
Start thinking now about publications and presentations
Next steps for potential applicants:
If you’re thinking about applying for an award, don’t leave it until February, start planning now.
Talk to your supervisor, to your Trust, and keep working on your ideas
There are lots of resources available to help you, in the Faculty and beyond (e.g. NIHR Research Design Service, NIHR Advocates for clinical academic careers)
Start thinking now about publications and presentations - These will strengthen your applications

17. Next steps for employers, clinical mentors, supervisors and tutors
If you know of a clinician who needs to hear about this scheme, please share the information with them. The scheme details can be easily found on the NIHR webpages.
Can you help share this information with clinicians?
Get further advice from NIHR advocates for clinical academic careers.

18. NIHR advocates for clinical academic careers

19. Thank you for listening....