The Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol has a successful GP Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) training programme. Posts are funded by both National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Severn Postgraduate Medical Education (Severn PGME) each year. Applications are now open for ACF posts commencing in August 2023.

The ACF programme provides a joint clinical and academic training programme for those wishing to pursue a career in academic general practice. It is aimed at trainee GPs and applications will be accepted from those who wish to start at ST1, ST2 or ST3.

The objectives of the programme are to provide basic training in research methods, experience of conducting research and support for making an application for an externally funded PhD programme.

ACFs have an academic supervisor in the Centre for Academic Primary Care for the whole of their four years, who will help them develop their research interests, as well as an educational supervisor in a local practice. ACFs can choose to focus on either research or medical education.

Professor Debbie Sharp, GP ACF programme director at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, said: “The GP ACF programme in Bristol is well established and has attracted the most able clinical academic trainees in recent years many of who are now in PhD programmes or have already become academic clinical lecturers. Feedback from those who have been on the training programme is that it has made a significant contribution to career success and has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience.”

How to apply

For more information and how to apply, see Academic GP training.

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 2 November 2022.

Need some inspiration? Dr Jessica Watson, GP and NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, talks about her academic career in this Medical Schools Council Clinical Academic Training & Careers Hub video: