Skip to main content
Contact us

If you have any queries regarding eligibility or wish to discuss the suitability of your speciality, please contact:

Professor David Strain
D.Strain@exeter.ac.uk

If you require further information about the scheme, or have questions about the terms and conditions, please contact:

Roz Harrison-Browne
Cluster Lead/Senior Research Development Manager – Health & BioEnvironment

Clinical primers

Are you considering a career as a clinical academic but want to experience life as a researcher before you decide?

Clinical primers are aimed at Medical clinical graduates. They are designed to give outstanding early career clinicians the chance to experience a world-class research environment for the first time.

Applications from suitably qualified clinical graduates are invited for six month biomedical research "primer" projects to be undertaken at the University of Exeter. These are supported by the University’s third round of Wellcome Trust 'Institutional Strategic Support Funding'. The funding will cover clinical salary and associated project costs. 

THIS SCHEME IS NOW LIVE - click here for details.  We are accepting applications until 14th November.  Please contact Dr David Strain with any enquiries.  Interviews will be held in January 2020 to begin their primers in Autumn 2020.

Eligibility

This opportunity is aimed at exceptionally motivated clinically qualified medical trainees who are at an early stage of their career, but who can demonstrate a capability and a drive to undertake a period of research with a view to developing a career in academic medicine. Successful candidates will undertake a biomedical "primer" project at the University of Exeter, with a view to preparing them for a PhD fellowship application. For information about the GW4 clinical academic scheme please visit the GW4 website.

Applicants must be:

  • fully-qualified medical doctors and will have started, or be ready to start, their specialist training (in which case the project will be undertaken as an out of programme module)
  • entitled to work within the European Economic Area

Primers will be available in various areas and specialties. Some examples are listed below. Please contact us to discuss your speciality if it is not listed:

  • cardiovascular disease
  • diabetes and ageing
  • environment and human health
  • health services research
  • neuroscience and mental health

Projects will be interdisciplinary in nature and so will be co-supervised by clinical and non-clinical members of staff. The training period is negotiable (range 3-6 months) and will allow time for one clinical session per week, if applicable.

Terms and conditions

The funds awarded include a contribution from our Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund and, as such, are covered by the Wellcome Trust terms and conditions. Please read these terms and conditions prior to making an application to ensure your project is suitable for this funding.

If you have any queries regarding eligibility or wish to discuss the suitability of your speciality, please contact: Dr David Strain