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Medicine

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Clinical academic doctors drive medical innovation, translating research discoveries into improved treatments, patient care and new approaches to clinical practice.
They are highly trained specialists or general practitioners who integrate clinical excellence, research innovation and medical education to advance healthcare and shape future practice. Their research keeps the NHS evidence-based and ensures patients receive the highest quality care. Learning from clinicians who are active researchers connects students and trainees to cutting-edge discoveries, inspiring future leaders in medicine.

Medical clinical academic training pathway

There is no single route to becoming a clinical academic. While some organisations offer structured schemes, many clinical academics follow more informal, individual routes. This diagram illustrates possible career paths but it is intended as a guide rather than a definitive roadmap.
View the example pathway

Early research exposure at medical school and foundation training

There are numerous opportunities to engage in research early in your training. These experiences offer valuable insights into academic medicine, help build essential skills and allow you to explore whether this career path is right for you.
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    Pre-doctoral medical academic training

    Pre-doctoral training is the stage before completing a PhD or MD. It is when you begin to build the skills, experience and professional connections needed to prepare for independent research. During this time, many doctors explore research, teaching or leadership alongside their clinical work.
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    Applying for a PhD or MD

    For most clinical academics, completing a research doctorate is a key step towards developing independent research skills and becoming competitive for senior academic posts.
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    Early post-doctoral clinical academic medicine

    Once you’ve completed your doctoral study, you’ll enter the early post-doctoral stage of clinical academic medicine. This is the point where you begin to define your own research interests and establish yourself as an independent investigator, all while maintaining progress in your clinical specialty or service work.
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    A smiling doctor with a stethoscope around her neck holds a file, engaged in conversation with a colleague in a bright hospital corridor. The background features medical staff and a patient in a wheelchair, suggesting a professional and caring environment.
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    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.
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Clinical academic careers across medical fields

Clinical academic career paths span a wide range of medical fields and research themes, offering exciting opportunities to advance medical knowledge and improve clinical practice.

Flexible entry routes into clinical academic medicine

Clinical academic medicine strongly values diverse experiences and career paths, actively supporting mechanisms to enter, return to, or increase research activity at various career stages.
A dimly lit lecture hall with students seated in rows, one in focus taking notes. A speaker stands near a projection screen displaying diagrams.

National clinical research career pathway

For the first time, funders across the UK have mapped out where clinical researchers can access funding at different stages of their careers.

Explore inspiring career stories from clinical academics

Learn about the career journeys of current clinical academics and the variety of roles they hold. Their stories highlight the many paths through clinical academia and the impact of this work.
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