Postdoctoral Training Fellowships for MB/PhD Graduates

Purpose

This scheme provides a unique opportunity for the most promising newly qualified MB/PhD graduates, or those who have achieved a high-quality PhD during or before starting their medical degree. It will enable successful candidates to make an early start in developing their independent research careers, by undertaking a period of postdoctoral training in the best laboratories in the UK and overseas, and can be tailored to allow them to continue their postgraduate clinical training.

This scheme is now closed to new applications. A new Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowship for Clinicians scheme, for individuals at this stage in their career, is now available.

What's included

Fellowships are for up to four years (see 'Eligibility') and, depending on the duration of the fellowship, would not be expected to exceed £350 000. Fellowships provide:

• a salary set by the host institution, according to age and experience
• research expenses (e.g. materials and consumables, animals, small items of equipment, fieldwork and data collection)
• travel and overseas subsistence
• support to attend scientific meetings.

No funding is provided for course fees or examination fees.

Support funds for research staff or substantial equipment are not normally provided. It is expected that an appropriate laboratory(ies) will be selected and that the majority of the necessary equipment and facilities required for the proposed research be available to the candidate.

Fellowships may be taken up on a part-time employment basis, where appropriate.

Applicants are advised to consult their training authority when designing the clinical component of their application.

We are prepared to consider salary requests at consultant level for fellows who are awarded an honorary consultant contract during the tenure of the fellowship.

Clinical work during the fellowship is restricted to eight hours or two programmed activities per week.

Eligibility

The award is open to individuals with a relevant connection to the European Economic Area (EEA) who have either graduated with an MB/PhD or who have achieved a high-quality PhD in a relevant subject, either during or prior to commencing their initial medical, veterinary or dental degree.

You should have completed your foundation training and have demonstrated significant progress towards gaining the core clinical competences that would be expected of a ST level Trainee/IATP Academic Clinical Fellow.

• Medical and dental candidates should hold a National Training Number (NTN) or equivalent.
• Veterinary candidates must have obtained their RCVS certificate or equivalent, e.g. CertSAM, CertVA, CertEP.
• GPs and clinical psychologists are advised to contact the Trust to clarify their eligibility.

The scheme is designed to be flexible to the needs of the trainee and can be used in a number of different ways. For example:

Research only
Fellows may spend up to three years in full-time research either in the UK or abroad. At the end of the fellowship, the fellow would be expected to re-enter clinical training via a clinical lectureship.

Research and clinical training
Fellows may spend the first two years of the fellowship in full-time research either in the UK or abroad. In the third and fourth years of the fellowship the amount of research time is decreased to 50 per cent and 25 per cent to allow the fellow to re-integrate into their clinical training programme. The scheme will provide the fellow with 100 per cent salary and research costs for the first two years. Additional costs in the form of a salary for a research assistant (RA) may exceptionally be provided for years three and four. The fellow’s salary in years three and four will be provided in part by the Trust and, via an appropriate clinical training position, typically a clinical lectureship.

Within this framework the individual may tailor the scheme to meet their specific research/clinical training needs.

The proposed research should fall within our normal funding remit.

Applicants undertaking internationally competitive postdoctoral research in stroke prevention, treatment and rehabilitation may be awarded a jointly funded Wellcome Trust/ Stroke Association fellowship under this scheme. Eligible applications will be administered by the Trust in the usual way.

Sponsorship and supervision
You must have an eligible sponsoring institution in the UK or Republic of Ireland that will administer the fellowship for the full duration of the award.

You will require a:

• sponsor who can guarantee that the host institution will administer the award for the full tenure of the fellowship - he/she must have a contract of employment with the host institution and have tenure beyond the duration of the proposed fellowship
• mentor who will provide you with independent support and advice for the duration of the fellowship
• research sponsor in every laboratory who must be able to guarantee you access to space and resources for the required period and provide relevant scientific guidance.

A sponsor may also be nominated as a research sponsor or mentor on an application. However, we would not expect a single individual to be proposed for all three roles.

The Trust does not normally accept resubmissions of full applications for its fellowships. Please contact the Office for further advice.

Application process

Awards will be made following a rigorous review process and interview. The process consists of three stages:

Stage 1
A preliminary application form should be completed, via the Trust’s eGrants online application system and submitted at any time before the published deadline. Note: select the ‘Postdoctoral training fellowship for MB/PHD graduates’ form in the ‘Scheme Name’ drop-down menu, then select ‘Clinical Postdoctoral Fellowship’ to choose the preliminary application form).

Stage 2
If a full application is invited, you will be asked to complete the full application form (available in eGrants). The application form will require you to provide information additional to that provided in the preliminary application, particularly in relation to the details of the research project.

You are strongly advised to refer to the Additional information for completing the clinical postdoctoral fellowship form, which provides an overview to help guide you through the application process. The application will be reviewed and, if successful, you will be shortlisted for interview at our offices in London.

Stage 3
If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to provide further information on your application, prior to the interview itself, via eGrants. At this stage, you will need to provide the detailed costs and information on issues such as human participation, the use of biological samples and the potential for the research to generate results with the potential for commercial exploitation.

Application advice

You are encouraged to contact the Trust if you have any queries regarding the scheme, a potential application or career issues.

Reviewers typically assess:

• your research and clinical career to date
• the scientific merit and feasibility of the proposed project
• the significance of the science
• the suitability of the supervisor, mentor, sponsor and host environment.

Successful candidates will have a good track record of achievement, indicating enthusiasm and aptitude for a long-term career in academic medicine. In addition, robust knowledge of the scientific background should be apparent, and the research should be focused and practicable within the time scale proposed.

You should give careful thought to the choice of supervisor, mentor and research sponsor(s). These individuals will be expected to provide guidance during the application process, and support throughout the Fellowship.

You will need to discuss your clinical training plans with local advisers in your specialism before submission. Your sponsor is encouraged to view his/her support as part of a longer-term commitment to your career aspirations to be a clinical academic.

You may not apply for more than one Wellcome Trust fellowship scheme at any one time.

The Trust does not normally accept resubmissions of full applications for its fellowships. Please contact the Office for further advice (see ‘Contacts’).

Deadlines

This scheme is now closed to new applications. A new Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowship for Clinicians scheme, for individuals at this stage in their career, is now available.

Schedule for preliminary applications submitted to 5 April 2013 deadline:

• Stage 2 - full application deadline: 1 July 2013
• Shortlisting outcomes: August 2013
• Stage 3 - pre-interview information due by: 10 October 2013
• Shortlisted candidate interviews: 21-22 November 2013

Schedule for preliminary applications submitted to 9 November 2012 deadline:

• Stage 2 - full application deadline: 11 February 2013
• Shortlisting outcomes: April 2013
• Stage 3 - pre-interview information due by: 13 May 2013
• Shortlisted candidate interviews: 26-28 June 2013

Contacts

Enquiries may be directed to the appropriate funding stream, or by telephone to the Grants Service Desk: +44 (0)20 7611 2020.

Immunology and Infectious Disease
E iid@wellcome.ac.uk

Population and Public Health
E pph@wellcome.ac.uk

Neuroscience and Mental Health
E nmh@wellcome.ac.uk

Cellular, Developmental and Physiological Sciences
E cdps@wellcome.ac.uk

Genetic and Molecular Sciences
E gms@wellcome.ac.uk

See Contact us for our postal address.

Current award holders

A full list of current award holders is available.