Integrated Clinical Academic Pathway overview
A clinical academic is someone qualified and trained in both health/social care professions and science. As a clinical academic you will spend part of your time involved in direct clinical care (perhaps treating patients in the NHS), and the rest of your time undertaking original scientific research. This balance depends on you as an individual and will likely change throughout the course of your career.
Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) Programme
The Health Education England (HEE) / National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) Programme provides research training awards for health and social care professionals, excluding doctors and dentists, who wish to develop careers that combine research and research leadership with continued practice and professional development. The HEE and NIHR have developed a pathway to support clinical academics, from research tasters for those who have no research experience, through to doctoral and senior post-doctoral research fellowships (Table 1). For details of the scheme click here (https://www.nihr.ac.uk/explore-nihr/academy-programmes/hee-nihr-integrated-clinical-academic-programme.htm).
Important features of the ICA scheme
- Salary is covered, regardless of the level of the applicant
- Successful bids are those which demonstrate a strong, collaborative working partnership between the Trust and the University
- Have a clear commitment to the academic and clinical development of the individual
- Support projects that are dedicated to proving patient care
The NIHR ICA Pathway comprises of 6 schemes of increasing research experience
Internship Scheme
- Target group: No research experience
- Run by the regional HEE Hubs, this is usually a 30-day internship, which include a taught introduction to research, an introduction to a research team
- Salary and travel expenses are included
Internships are short duration awards for individuals with little or no research experience. They deliver a range of taught and academically supervised components that engage and expose the award holder to a clinical academic research environment. Interns develop the practical skills required to undertake a research project or to develop a project idea, supported by an expert supervisor. The award covers salary costs for the days undertaking the Internship away from clinical practice.
Predoctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship
- Target group: Some research experience and who wish to develop a PhD application
- A one year full-time (or part time equivalent) national2 scheme administer. PCAF Bridge is for six months full time (or part-time equivalent for those with a Masters degree.
- Salary, training and academic mentorship is included. 20% of the PCAFs time is allocated to do NHS clinical activity, which is paid for by NIHR.
The Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship (PCAF) scheme is a one year full-time or two-year part-time fellowship which supports early career researchers from the health and social care professions (excluding doctors and dentists), who are committed to a practitioner academic career, to become competitive applicants for a PhD training fellowship. Applicants must hold registration with one of the ICA approved regulatory bodies by the award start date.
The PCAF scheme offers two distinct funding offers:
1. funding to support the submission of a doctoral fellowship application and to undertake a programme of academic training at Masters level
2. funding to support submission of a doctoral fellowship application and to undertake a small amount of academic training at Masters level (PCAF Bridge)
These two streams allow applicants to choose the level of support most appropriate to individual requirements. They are both available on a full and part-time basis and both funding streams provide:
- salary costs (including the employer's contribution to National Insurance and pension) to support the time undertaking the fellowship.
- training and development programme costs
- supervision and mentorship costs
Applicants can also request up to 20% clinical development time paid for through the award.
PCAF candidates may:
- have little formal academic training/ research experience
- have completed some Masters level training
- have completed a Masters level qualification
- require Masters level training/ a full Masters
However, all applicants must be committed to a career as a practitioner academic
Clinical Doctoral Fellowship
- Target audience: Committed to undertaking a PhD
- National programme designed to deliver a PhD and training programme. Can be full-time (3 years) or part-time equivalent.
- Salary, research costs, high level training, travel
The Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship (CDRF) scheme funds registered healthcare professionals to undertake a PhD by research and, concurrently, to undertake further professional development and clinical practice.
Structure
The CDRF is a three year award (up to six years part time), approximately 80% of which you will spend working academically over the course of the fellowship. The remaining 20% of fellowship hours will be spent devoted to clinical practice and professional development.
It is a requirement that you have a clinical and academic host, and a contract of employment with one of these for the hours and duration of the fellowship.
Funding
The personal research training award offers funding to cover your salary costs, PhD tuition fees, the costs of an appropriate research project, and the costs of tailored clinical and academic training programmes.
Full scheme details
Available from the CDRF Applicant Guidance Notes:
- Full eligibility
- Funding available
- How to apply
Please read these guidance notes in full before you start an application or contact the NIHR Academy.
Competitions
Funding competitions open annually in April each year and full scheme details are available in career development funding opportunities
Bridging scheme
- Target audience: Clinicians who need time and assistance to develop applications
- Run by the regional HEE Hubs, this varies according to the needs of the applicants.
- Salary, travel and training expenses are included. Target group is Post Doc, but pre-docs are also supported
The ICA Bridging schemes support non-medical clinical academics to build on their previous academic training and to develop proposals for a pre or post-doctoral award, and take the next step in their clinical academic career.
ICA Bridging awards are managed by local HEE teams. Further details of the scheme and contact details for your local team are available from the HEE Clinical Academic Career web pages
Clinical Lecturer
- Target audience: Early post PhD
- National programme for three years (or part-time equivalent)
- Salary, research costs, high level training, travel
The HEE/NIHR ICA Lectureships schemes support post-doctoral ICA eligible professionals to develop the specific skill sets required to achieve credibility as an independent researcher, whilst continuing professional practice and development.
Clinical Lectureships support those in the early stages of their post-doctoral career who wish to establish themselves as independent practitioner academic researchers over the course of the award.
Structure
Award holders split their Lectureship time between professional practice (practice in the health or care profession for which they hold the required registration) and research activities, and can propose one of the following professional practice /academic ratios for their Lectureship:
60/40 academic/professional practice
50/50 academic/professional practice
40/60 academic/professional practice
Funding
Up to 60% of awardee's total salary
The costs of the approved research project
The cost of a personal training and development programme, which includes clinical development, conference attendance and an overseas research visit.
Full scheme details
Available from the ICA CL and SCL Applicant Guidance Notes:
- Full eligibility
- Funding available
- How to apply
Competitions
Funding competitions open annually in April each year
Senior Clinical Lecturer
- Target audience: Established independent clinical academics
- National programme designed for five years (or part-time equivalent)
- Salary, research costs, high level training, travel
Senior Clinical Lectureships support those already establishing themselves as independent clinical researchers but not yet recognised as leaders in their field.
Structure
Award holders split their Lectureship time between professional practice (practice in the health or care profession for which they hold the required registration) and research activities, and can propose one of the following professional practice /academic ratios for their Lectureship:
60/40 academic/professional practice
50/50 academic/professional practice
40/60 academic/professional practice
Funding
Up to 60% of awardee's total salary
The costs of the approved research project
The cost of a personal training and development programme, which includes clinical development, conference attendance and an overseas research visit.
Full scheme details
Available from the ICA CL and SCL Applicant Guidance Notes:
- Full eligibility
- Funding available
- How to apply
Competitions
Funding competitions open annually in April each year