Eligibility

We welcome applications from all healthcare professionals from all clinical areas that are registered with a national, health professional regulatory body in the UK or Republic of Ireland and hold a qualification that allows them to practice clinically in the UK.

The scheme is aimed at exceptionally motivated clinically qualified doctors, dentists, all health and care professionals and veterinary graduates who can demonstrate the capability and drive to undertake a period of research with a view to developing a long-term career as a clinical academic.

General Eligibility

To be eligible for entry into the programme you must:

1. Have a qualification that allows you to practice clinically in the UK or Republic of Ireland
2. Be Registered with a regulatory body
   • Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Regulatory Information
   • Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Regulatory Information

• We consider candidates on a case-by-case basis as we recognise that career/training paths differ greatly across disciplines and specialties
• Academic excellence, evidence of prior and productive research interest/experience and the desire to pursue a career in clinical academia are essential
• Applicants are not expected to have a defined project proposal or supervisor(s) at application stage, but their PhD project needs to be in a biomedical-related area -epidemiology, lab sciences, bioinformatics and clinical research. The nature of the applicant’s research question will determine the project direction and selection of senior supervisors from the exceptional pool of GW4-CAT HP Wellcome Trust approved supervisors.

Medical and Dental Students

Qualifications

1. MBBS, MBBCh, BDS, BChD or equivalent medical or dental qualification

Dental/Medical registration and other criteria:

1. Hold full or provisional registration with the GMC or GDC with the necessary licence to practise by the commencement of and throughout their PhD
2. Be either on a run-through training programme or hold an NTN, (please enquire if you are unsure about your eligibility on these grounds)
3. Be able to provide documented evidence from the relevant training body (e.g. GMC/GDC or equivalent) of achievement of appropriate competencies for stage of training by time of appointment in line with relevant national regulatory requirements, including satisfactory outcome at the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)
4. Hold an active medical or dental indemnity policy that is valid in the jurisdiction where clinical training will occur
5. Eligible for time out of programme for research (OOPR) if required
   • OOPR Considerations
     • Clinicians who undertake OOPR must continue to participate in the ARCP process of their home locality in HEE, NES, the Wales Deanery (now HEIW) or NIMDTA and would be expected to return at the end of the period of OOPR unless they are immediately appointed to a Clinical Lecturer post after their PhD
     • Medical or dental trainees in their final year of training will not normally be granted OOPR. Please check with your Deanery before applying if you are unsure about your eligibility on these grounds

Veterinary Graduates

Qualifications

BVSc, MBBCh or equivalent veterinary qualification

Veterinary registration and other criteria

Candidates will normally be Members or Fellows of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS/FRCVS) at the commencement of and throughout their PhD

Health and Care Professionals

Qualifications

Relevant to their profession

Registration and other criteria

1. Registered with their Professional Regulatory Body
2. Eligible to practice within the UK or Republic of Ireland

Wellcome’s definition of a health and care professional is an individual who is registered with a national professional regulatory body (e.g. the General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council) in the country in which the PhD Programme is based. This would include, but not be limited to, the following professions:

Health and Care Professionals (Art Therapists, Chiropodists/Podiatrists, Dieticians, Drama Therapists, Music Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Osteopaths, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Prosthetists and Orthotists, Radiographers and Speech and Language Therapists)

• Chiropractors
• Clinical psychologists
• Dentists
• Dental hygienists
• Dental nurses
• Dental therapists
• Healthcare scientists (in life sciences, physiological sciences, physical sciences and biomechanical engineering, and bioinformatics)
• Health Visitors
• Midwives
• Non-medical Public Health specialists
• Nurses
• Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians
• Osteopaths
• Pharmacists
• Social workers
• Pharmacy technicians
• Practitioner Psychologists

We are unable to accept applications from individuals who are:

• undergraduate students
• currently registered for a PhD elsewhere
• registered as health professionals in other countries but not in UK/RoI
• foundation trainees
• post training and have received a CCT
• have already applied twice unsuccessfully to the programme

Eligibility check required with the Programme Team

• Applicants who have unsuccessfully applied to the GW4-CAT programme on two occasions are no longer eligible to apply.
  • If you are considering reapplying for your second and final time, please contact the GW4-CAT HP Programme Manager well in advance to discuss whether the timing of your application is optimal.
• Medical or dental trainees in their final year of training will not normally be granted OOPR. Please check with your Deanery before applying if you are unsure about your eligibility on these grounds.

Please direct any queries regarding eligibility to the GW4-CAT HP office via email: GW4-CAT@bristol.ac.uk.

Additional Information

1. Offers will be subject to a satisfactory completion of relevant Vetting/Barring Scheme, if required, eg. DBS check, and references.
2. The Wellcome Trust allows up to 8 hours of clinical work per week only as this Fellowship will be your main focus for the duration of the funded period
   • Fellows will only be encouraged to take up this opportunity if it brings added value.
3. Applicants must be willing to travel between all GW4 Institution Sites in order to carry out their PhD activities
4. Participate are expected to attend all programme cohort activities and training