Published: 19 April 2021
The NIHR, in partnership with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), are inviting Higher Education Institutions to apply for funding to develop a Postgraduate Certificate focused on the practical elements of clinical research. This qualification will form part of the new NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework, which provides a range of practical, Master’s level clinician researcher development programmes aimed at experienced clinicians who are new to research.
The NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework will bridge the gap in existing, predominantly theoretical, training opportunities. It will provide clinicians with the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence to begin to contribute to, and develop towards leading, clinical research locally. The introduction of these credentials will increase the capacity for research across the workforce and enable the NHS to deliver high-quality clinical research in everyday clinical settings.
Research Practice Experience will form a core component to the Framework. This will provide an opportunity for experiential learning, mentoring and sharing of local innovative best-practice within the supportive environment of a clinical research network.
The Framework has been commissioned and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). DHSC will consider providing bursary funding to support learner participation in programmes aligned with the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework.
This work is managed jointly by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre (CRNCC) and the Royal College of Physicians (which is the lead member of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges for this programme).
Professor Nick Lemoine, Medical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network said: “We are highly appreciative of the work undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic by large numbers of clinical colleagues who had no prior involvement in clinical research delivery. The NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework, underpinned by new qualifications, will provide the opportunity for these colleagues to engage further in research activities as part of their continuing professional development.”
Professor Cheng-Hock Toh, Academic Vice-President of the Royal College of Physicians London said: “Clinicians have a huge appetite to become more involved in clinical research, but many feel they lack the necessary skills. This qualification, and the wider researcher credentials framework, will play a significant role in bridging that gap. Ultimately this will mean more clinicians able to contribute positively to research, meaning better services and outcomes for patients.”
Join the NIHR and the AoMRC for a joint webinar on the 19th May to find out more about the new Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework and the current competition to select Higher Education Institution partners to join this programme of work.
The webinar will be hosted on Zoom and will offer the opportunity to ask questions. Attendance at the webinar will be limited to a maximum of 2 individuals from each institution. This will help ensure that all organisations attending can raise, and get feedback on, their questions.
The closing date for questions relating to the competition will be extended until 21 May 2021 to allow for any additional questions applicants may wish to ask after attending the webinar.
The link to register is provided on the Competition website.