NIHR Research Training Opportunities NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre Karen Fernando

1. NIHR Research Training Opportunities NIHR Trainees Coordinating CentreKaren Fernando

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

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

4. The NIHR Health Research System Faculty Associates Investigators &Senior Investigators Trainees “…outstanding individuals…” “…outstanding individuals…”

6. NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award Healthcare Scientists Healthcare Science Programme Doctors and Dentists NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme All Professions NIHR Fellowships, Professorships and Other Awards Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals Clinical Academic Training Methodologists Research Methods Programme Chair NIHR Research Professorship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NIHR/CSO Senior Clinical Lecturership NIHR/CNO Senior Clinical Lecturership NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Research Fellowship NIHR Senior Research Fellowship Senior/ Pre-Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Clinical Trials Fellowship NIHR/CNO Clinical Lectureship NIHR Clinician Scientist Award NIHR Career Development Fellowship NIHR Transitional Research Fellowship Post Doctoral (early to senior) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR/CSO Health Care Science Post-Doctoral Fellowship NIHR Clinical Lectureship NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NIHR/CSO Health Care Science Doctoral Fellowship NIHR/CNO Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR In-Practice Fellowship NIHR/CNO Masters in Clinical Research NIHR Masters Studentship in Health Economics or Medical Statistics NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship Pre Doctoral NIHR Research Methods Fellowship and Internship -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Undergraduate

7. NIHR Remit • People and patient based applied health research • Research capacity to improve health/healthcare • Patients, samples or data from patients, people who are not patients, populations, health technology assessment, health services research and medical education • Clearly demonstrate the potential to have an impact on the needs of patients and the public within 5 years of its completion • No basic research or work involving animals and/or animal tissue

8. NIHR Remit - continued • 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.

9. NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award Healthcare Scientists Healthcare Science Programme Doctors and Dentists NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme All Professions NIHR Fellowships, Professorships and Other Awards Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals Clinical Academic Training Methodologists Research Methods Programme Chair NIHR Research Professorship -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR/CSO Senior Clinical Lecturership NIHR/CNO Senior Clinical Lecturership NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Research Fellowship NIHR Senior Research Fellowship Senior/ Pre-Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Clinical Trials Fellowship NIHR/CNO Clinical Lectureship NIHR Clinician Scientist Award NIHR Career Development Fellowship NIHR Transitional Research Fellowship Post Doctoral (early to senior) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR/CSO Health Care Science Post-Doctoral Fellowship NIHR Clinical Lectureship NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR/CSO Health Care Science Doctoral Fellowship NIHR/CNO Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR In-Practice Fellowship NIHR/CNO Masters in Clinical Research NIHR Masters Studentship in Health Economics or Medical Statistics NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship Pre Doctoral NIHR Research Methods Fellowship and Internship -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Undergraduate

10. NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award Doctors and Dentists NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senior/ Pre-Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post Doctoral (early to senior) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Clinical Lectureship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship Pre Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Undergraduate

11. NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships • Academic and clinical training • For entrants to specialty training • 25% academic research • Support in making application for training fellowship leading to higher degree • Up to 3 years (4 for GPs) • £1000 bursaries • Structured Research Training Programme (RTP) April 2009 - £1000 for travel September 2009 –research training programme

12. NIHR Clinical Lectureships • Academic and clinical training (ST3 and above) for those with a higher degree • Available to qualified GPs and GDPs • 50% academic research • Support in making application for Clinician Scientist Award or similar • Up to 4 years • End point marked by CCT and substantial piece of post-doctoral research. • £1000 bursaries • Generally advertised by HEIs (March-March)

13. NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award All Professions NIHR Fellowships, Professorships and Other Awards Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Senior Research Fellowship Senior/ Pre-Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Career Development Fellowship NIHR Transitional Research Fellowship Post Doctoral (early to senior) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Undergraduate

14. NIHR Fellowships Programme • Salary • Full tuition fees (for PhD) • Research costs • Full training and development • TRF awards 18-24 months (part time options of 75% or 60% but duration capped at 2 years) • DRF, PDF, CDF awards 3 years full time (part-time options of 75% or 60%) • SRF award is 5 years (part-time options of 75% or 60% but duration capped at 5 years) • Can be based at HEI or NHS Trust • Annual competition for all levels • Next launch – October 2013

15. Post Doctoral Research Fellowship (NIHR PDF) NIHR Fellowships Doctoral Research Fellowship (NIHR DRF) 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 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

16. Senior Research Fellowship (NIHR SRF) NIHR Fellowships Career Development Fellowship (NIHR CDF) 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 Most senior NIHR Fellowship 5 years ( Chair) Applicant: Significant postdoctoral experience Outstanding publication record Independence Leadership potential Record of research capacity development

17. NIHR Fellowships Transitional Research Fellowship (NIHR TRF) To support researchers make a transition from one area of research to another. Post-Doctoral training award 18-24 months FT (PT options available) Applicants may include: ‘hoppers’ e.g. basic scientists who wish to move into clinical research ‘bridgers’ e.g. clinicians who wish to move in to translational research.

18. NIHR Fellowships

19. New Online Application System To Apply follow the link to access application forms and supporting documentation: https://tcci.nihr.ac.uk

20. Good Idea to ..... • Know the process and the remit: • Look at the website • Read the guidance • Contact the NIHR TCC with any queries • Know your audience: • Look up previous award holders, panel members, topics • ‘Peer review’ before you submit: • Supervisor, current awards holders, senior academics, colleagues etc.

21. Assessment Criteria • Person • Trajectory • Career outputs • Project (programme of research) • Scientific quality • Appropriate scale and scope • Training and Development • Meets needs of candidate and project • Place (host environment, supervisor, mentor) • RAE rating • Track record in relevant field • Time and commitment VALUE FOR MONEY!

22. The Application Preparation • Consider all options • Discuss with the office • Develop the proposal well ahead of submission • Talk to the NIHR Research Design Service Take Advice from: • Supervisor • Collaborators • Mentor • Methodologist (s) • Finance Lead

23. The Application Preparation • Consider all options • Discuss with the office • Develop the proposal well ahead of submission • Talk to the NIHR Research Design Service Take Advice from: • Supervisor • Collaborators • Mentor • Methodologist (s) • Finance Lead

24. The Interview Practice • Mock interviews are usually the worst Presentation • Not too many slides • Do notgo 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

25. 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 does this fellowship mean to your career?

26. Common Weaknesses 1) Remit: Failure to show that research addresses important areas for the NHS and will produce results that are likely to generate significant and quantifiable benefit for NHS patients and/or the public within 5 years of the funding period. 2) Clarity & Details: Research questions not clear; don’t show the relevance of the aims and objectives; not enough detail and depth. 3) Overambitious: Research programme not suitable for a PostDoc; not achievable within time frame. 3) Applicant: Person not quite experienced enough for level they are applying (research outputs, independence, etc.); not your project 5) Training: Programme too generic and not suited/specific to the applicant’s needs and project; too centred around host organisation. 6) Value for Money: Budget unrealistic and/or failure to justify requested resources.

27. NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre Leeds Innovation Centre 103 Clarendon Road Leeds LS2 9DF Tel: 0113 3466260 Fax: 0113 346 6272 http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk @OfficialNIHR