Clinical academia allows registered and regulated Health Care Professionals (HCPs) to combine clinical work with research, teaching and leadership. There isn’t a single route, careers can be flexible and tailored to your interests.
Typical career stages include:
- Pre-doctoral: Build research skills, shape a research question, secure mentorship and prepare a competitive doctoral application.
- Doctoral (PhD): Conduct original research linked to clinical practice while maintaining some clinical hours.
- Post-doctoral: Consolidate independence, lead studies, win grants, supervise and translate findings into practice and policy.
Opportunities to explore early research
While early exposure to research is not mandatory, it can help clarify if a clinical academic career is right for you. It can also strengthen future applications and allows you to build practical skills alongside patient care.
NIHR INSIGHT programme (England only)
Many NHS trusts, Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs) and universities offer short-term internships to develop research skills and experience real-world clinical studies. Outside England, check your local Health Board or university research office.
Research fellowships
These provide salaried or partially salaried time to build research and leadership experience while undertaking a defined project. Baseline requirements usually include registration with your professional body (NMC or HCPC), employer support for protected time and academic supervision with a host university.
Clinical audits, quality improvement and teaching
Even without formal fellowships, engaging in audits, teaching and service improvement projects builds essential research skills while remaining clinically active.
