Later post-doctoral clinical academic medicine

As a medical clinical academic, the middle and later post-doctoral stages represent a shift from developing independence to leading your own research and shaping clinical practice.

By this point, you will have completed your doctoral training, gained post-doctoral experience and begun to demonstrate leadership through publications, grant funding, supervision and teaching. You will balance your clinical expertise with a growing academic profile, often leading teams and contributing to institutional, national and international research agendas.

Your career stage

Academics at this level will be established post-doctoral clinical researchers with:

• a strong publication record and emerging reputation within your specialty
• evidence of independent funding or successful co-applicant experience
• experience supervising junior doctors, PhD students or post-docs
• a clear research vision that aligns with health system or translational priorities
• ongoing clinical activity, typically as a senior trainee or consultant

Focus will be moving towards becoming a Principal Investigator (PI) responsible for designing studies, securing external funding and leading collaborative projects that advance both science and patient care.

Senior career stages and roles

Structure and duration 

Key funding opportunities 

Several major funders offer prestigious awards that support the transition to independent research leadership and are accessible to clinical academics across the UK.

• Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) Springboard provides flexible funds towards research costs and enrollment in a career development programme for those within five years of their first group leader position.
• Academy of Medical Sciences Clinician Scientist Fellowships provide five years of salary and consumables for clinicians to pursue academic research alongside their clinical practice, with a focus on translational research.
• UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) offers up to seven years of funding to help early-career researchers become world-class leaders. 
• Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinician Scientist Fellowships provide salary and project costs for up to five years for individuals establishing their independence as researchers.
• Wellcome Career Development Awards support researchers seeking to become independent leaders and make significant contributions to their field. 
• MRC Career Development Awards (CDA) are aimed at postdoctoral researchers moving to research independence and establishing their own team. 
• Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Clinical Future Leaders Fellowships support the development of future leaders in cancer research.

Funders across the UK have mapped out where clinical researchers can access funding at different stages of their careers.

Four nations specific funding and schemes

What you’ll need

To be competitive for mid- and late-stage post-doctoral posts, you should demonstrate:

• sustained publication and grant-winning record as lead or co-investigator
• evidence of successful supervision and mentorship
• ability to secure independent funding and manage budgets
• strong collaborations across clinical and research networks
• leadership skills such as managing research teams, committees or multi-centre projects
• ongoing contribution to clinical service, education and research translation

Most candidates at this stage are either approaching or have achieved Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and hold substantive consultant posts alongside their academic work.

Why pursue a middle or later post-doctoral clinical academic role?

• Shape the research agenda in your specialty and supervise the next generation of clinical academics.
• Translate findings directly into patient benefit through trials, innovation and implementation science.
• Fellowship or senior lectureship funding often leads to permanent academic or consultant appointments.
• Contribute to research consortia, advisory boards and policy development.
• Maintain clinical practice while leading cutting-edge academic work.

The review of this page has been supported by Dr Claire Keeling, Academic Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Oncology.