Routes into academic training

Medical trainees can participate in research in a number of different ways, and at different stages in their career.

Academic Foundation Year 2

These posts are specifically designed to include an academic component to offer a taster for a future academic career. 1 of the 4 month slots is set aside to gain experience of research or in medical education. The academic Foundation Year 2 would usually be expected to undertake a small research project during their time. There are only a limited number of these posts around the UK in pathology specialties.

Non-academic specialty training posts

Specialty training posts in the pathology specialties do not always set aside dedicated time for research and are predominantly intended to train an individual for a future consultant position. It is, however, important that all trainees gain a basic understanding of research as they will have to be able to interpret evidence in the literature in order to influence their future clinical practice. Some specialties allow trainees to spend some standard training time undertaking research. This can be negotiated with the local department and Training Programme Director.

Trainees can also undertake out-of-programme research, which, if prospectively approved by the General Medical Council, can count towards the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training. An application form for prospective approval is available on the College website.

Academic clinical fellowships

These posts are intended to provide a base from which a trainee at an early stage of their career can develop a passion for research and generate pilot data that will allow them to apply for funding to come out of programme and complete a PhD or MD. The posts are usually funded by the National Institiute for Health Research (NIHR), although similar posts with alternative funding may be available. Posts are for up to 3 years, during which the trainee should spend 25% of their time on a research project. Trainees appointed to academic clinical fellowship posts are usually early in their training, i.e. ST1–3.

The trainees will undergo an annual academic annual review of competence progression where both academic and clinical progression will be assessed. If individuals fail to progress in the academic stream or do not want to continue in research after 3 years, then they revert to ordinary specialist training; however, the expected progression is to a funded higher degree. Details of this process can be obtained from the NIHR.