Welcome to the University of Exeter Clinical Academic Training Hub
What is clinical academic training and is it for me?
A clinical academic is a healthcare professional (doctor, nurse, midwife, pharmacist, allied health professional or healthcare scientist) who, as well as caring for patients and performing clinical responsibilities, also performs an academic role in either a research or educational area. Public health professionals (from both medical and multi-professional backgrounds), who work to improve health on a population level, are also included in this definition.
The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) now refers to Clinical or Practitioner Academics to encompass a range of health and social care professionals who combine research and teaching with practice. At Exeter, our clinical academic training webpages provide information about opportunities for clinicians and practitioners from all health and social care backgrounds.
A clinical or practitioner academic role usually involves a combination of:
- Research
- Teaching
- Clinical or public health practice, or other health or social care practice
- Leadership and management in universities / medical schools (senior academics)
The day-to-day balance between these components will depend on career stage, specialty, and personal career preference, as well as the needs of the service and the academic institution. For example, more clinical sessions are important for surgical specialties to help maintain skills.
How to become a clinical academic?
There are now clear training pathways for clinical and public health professionals to become clinical and practitioner academics. You can find out more about these opportunities and the eligibility criteria on this website, and by following the links to the national NIHR programmes highlighted below.
For doctors, the NIHR Integrated Academic Training programme allows you to progress with academic training alongside completing your specialty training and gaining your certificate of completion of training (CCT). There are also awards available for consultants and qualified GPs to engage in research training.
For registered health, scientific and social care professionals, including nurses, midwives, healthcare scientists, allied health professionals, social workers, pharmacists and psychologists, including non-medical public health registrars, consultants and specialists, the NIHR Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic (ICA) Programme provides pathways that allow you to combine research training with your professional practice. The NIHR and HEE recognise that not all healthcare professionals are ready to participate in clinical academic training at an early stage in their career. The pathway is flexible; healthcare professionals are able to enter and leave the pathway at all levels.
There are also related opportunities for individuals based within English local authority settings to develop as health and/or social care researchers, through the NIHR Local Authority Academic Fellowship Programme.
Clinical Academic Careers - This animation from NHS England Workforce Training and Education shows how healthcare professionals are being encouraged to develop a clinical academic career.
