Partnering with industry

Partnerships between clinical academics and industry play a vital role in translating research into real-world impact. Working with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology or digital health organisations can offer opportunities to apply academic expertise at scale, contribute to innovation and gain insight into how discoveries move from bench to bedside.

For clinical academics, industry engagement can take many forms and can complement, rather than replace, an academic career.

Opportunities to work with industry

Clinical academics may take on roles within industry that involve conducting or advising on research, clinical trials, innovation programmes or product development. These opportunities are often undertaken as secondments, particularly during specialist training, typically as an out-of-programme (OOP) year.

What is out of programme?

Such roles are most commonly seen in medicine and clinical pharmacy, but opportunities also exist across nursing, allied health professions, dentistry, public health and data science.

At senior levels, including consultant or professorial posts, opportunities to work with industry often expand. Many established clinical academics collaborate regularly with industry partners, which can lead to more formal secondments, advisory roles or job offers.

How industry roles are usually arranged

Unlike academic training pathways, industry roles for clinical academics are rarely part of a formal national programme. Most posts are:

• bespoke and individually negotiated
• secured through professional networks and existing collaborations
• developed in response to a shared research or innovation interest

For trainees interested in working with industry, being proactive is key. This might include:

• making contact with companies whose work aligns with your research interests
• developing collaborative project ideas that meet both academic and commercial goals
• attending conferences, innovation showcases or sector-specific events
• seeking advice from supervisors or senior colleagues with industry experience

Moving between academia and industry

Careers that span academia and industry are increasingly common. Importantly, movement between the two sectors is two-way. Clinical academics may choose to:

• spend time in an industry role and later return to academia
• combine academic posts with advisory or collaborative industry work
• build long-term partnerships that evolve as their career progresses

These experiences can strengthen your research portfolio, broaden your skillset and enhance your understanding of innovation, regulation and implementation in healthcare.

Things to consider

When exploring opportunities with industry, it is important to consider:

• governance, contracts and intellectual property arrangements
• conflicts of interest and transparency requirements
• alignment with training requirements and long-term career goals
• institutional and funder policies on academic–industry collaboration

Early discussion with your training programme, employer and supervisor can help ensure opportunities are structured safely and appropriately.