NIHR Research Training Opportunities NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre Karen Fernando

09/10/2013

NIHR Research Training Opportunities

NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre

Karen Fernando

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 AimTo improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.

Infrastructure

Clinical Research Facilities, Centres &

Units

Clinical Research Networks

Research

Research Projects & Programmes

Research ManagementSystems

Research InformationSystems

Systems

Patients&

Public

Universities

Investigators &Senior Investigators

Associates

Faculty

Trainees

Research Schools

NHS Trusts

The NIHR Health Research System

Investigators &Senior Investigators

Associates

Faculty

Trainees

The NIHR Health Research System

“…outstanding individuals…”“…outstanding individuals…”

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NIHR TCC Research Career PathwaysNurses, Midwives,

Allied Health Professionals

Clinical Academic Training

NIHR/CNO Masters in

Clinical Research

NIHR/CNO Clinical Doctoral

Research Fellowship

NIHR/CNO Senior Clinical Lecturership

NIHR/CNO Clinical

Lectureship

MethodologistsResearch Methods

Programme

NIHR Research Methods

Fellowship and Internship

NIHR Masters Studentship in

Health Economics or Medical Statistics

Level of Award

Undergraduate

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Doctors and DentistsNIHR Integrated

Academic TrainingProgramme

NIHR Clinician Scientist

Award

NIHR In-Practice Fellowship

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship

Healthcare ScientistsHealthcare

ScienceProgramme

NIHR/CSO Health Care

ScienceDoctoral

Fellowship


SciencePost-Doctoral

Fellowship

NIHR/CSOSenior Clinical

Lecturership

NIHR Doctoral Research

Fellowship

NIHR Post-

Doctoral Fellowship

NIHR Career Development

Fellowship

NIHR Senior Research Fellowship

NIHR Research Professorship

NIH

R T

ransitional R

esearch F

ellowship

NIH

R C

linical Trials

Fellow

ship

NIH

R K

nowledge M

obilisation Research F

ellowship

All ProfessionsNIHR Fellowships,

Professorships and Other Awards

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NIHR Clinical

Lectureship

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

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.

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NIHR TCC Research Career PathwaysNurses, Midwives,

Allied Health Professionals

Clinical Academic Training

NIHR/CNO Masters in

Clinical Research

NIHR/CNO Clinical Doctoral

Research Fellowship

NIHR/CNO Senior Clinical Lecturership

NIHR/CNO Clinical

Lectureship

MethodologistsResearch Methods

Programme

NIHR Research Methods

Fellowship and Internship

NIHR Masters Studentship in

Health Economics or Medical Statistics

Level of Award

Undergraduate

Ch

airS

enio

r/ Pre-

Ch

airP

ost D

octo

ral (early to

senio

r)D

octo

ralP

re Do

ctoral



NIHR Clinician Scientist

Award

NIHR In-Practice Fellowship


Healthcare ScientistsHealthcare

ScienceProgramme


ScienceDoctoral

Fellowship


SciencePost-Doctoral

Fellowship

NIHR/CSOSenior Clinical

Lecturership


Fellowship

NIHR Post-

Doctoral Fellowship


Fellowship


NIHR Research Professorship

NIH

R T

ransitional R

esearch F

ellowship

NIH

R C

linical Trials

Fellow

ship

NIH

R K

nowledge M

obilisation Research F

ellowship



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NIHR Clinical

Lectureship

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NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award

Undergraduate

Ch

airS

enio

r/ Pre-

Ch

airP

ost D

octo

ral (early to

senio

r)D

octo

ralP

re Do

ctoral



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NIHR Clinical

Lectureship


• 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

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships

• 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)

NIHR Clinical Lectureships

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NIHR TCC Research Career Pathways Level of Award

Undergraduate

Ch

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enio

r/ Pre-

Ch

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ost D

octo

ral (early to

senio

r)D

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re Do

ctoral

NIHR Post-

Doctoral Fellowship



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Fellowship


Fellowship


NIH

R T

ransitional R

esearch F

ellowship

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

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

Senior Research Fellowship (NIHR SRF)

Most senior NIHR Fellowship5 years ( Chair)

Applicant:Significant postdoctoral experienceOutstanding publication recordIndependenceLeadership potential Record of research capacitydevelopment

Later postdoctoral award (≤ 7 yrs WTE Post Doctorate)

3 years FT (4 or 5 years PT)

Applicant:PhD/MD and postdoctoral experienceSignificant output from researchEvidence of increasing independenceExperience of developing research skills of others

Career Development Fellowship (NIHR CDF)

NIHR Fellowships

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.

Transitional Research Fellowship (NIHR TRF)

NIHR Fellowships

DoctoralResearch

Post Doctoral

Career Development

Senior Research

Total

Round 1 (Awarded 2008)

109 applied12 awarded

577

267

183 29


15229

549

367

161 46


158 32

59 7

35 4

10 1 44

Round 4(Awarded 2011)

15528

8216

5811

192 57


21734

10516

416

192 58

Round 6(Awarded 2013)

18530

8615

445

193 53

NIHR Fellowships

New Online Application System

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

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.

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!

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

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

The InterviewPractice –Mock interviews are usually the worst

Presentation•Not too many slides•Do not 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

The InterviewThe 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?

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.

NIHR Trainees Coordinating CentreLeeds Innovation Centre

103 Clarendon Road Leeds LS2 9DF

Tel: 0113 3466260 Fax: 0113 346 6272

http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk@OfficialNIHR

http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk/

Documents

NIHR Research Training Opportunities NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre Karen Fernando