Academic training

Academic training posts offer paediatricians the opportunity to do crucial research in child health. Take a look at our guidance and links to further resources.

All trainees must attain research competencies. In addition, those who train in research are afforded unique opportunities to develop academic skills and undertake original research and, for some, develop an academic career. All of this can be achieved while maintaining and excelling in clinical training and gaining full accreditation as a paediatrician.

I applied for an academic training post because I’d enjoyed research in the past, especially the way in which it allows a problem to be approached from any angle in a creative way. I find the balance between clinical work and research fuels my enthusiasm for both.

Jonathan Fisher, Wellcome Trust funded PhD fellow, UCL Institute of Child Health

Guidance for training in research

Are you an enthusiastic, able paediatrician-in-the-making? Would you like to contribute to an understanding of how we should practise? Learn academic skills, complementing those provided by your clinical training? Develop your career at the cutting edge of clinical or laboratory research?

Our guide has information for trainees who are considering applying for or already part of the clinical academic training pathway (also known as out of programme research, or OOPR), or who are undertaking research outside of this pathway. It also helps supervisor understand the structures for research training and how to support academic trainees.

Download our Training in research for the benefit of children below.

Other guidance

We have a network of Academic Regional Representatives throughout the UK. They guide and support academic trainees and those who want to undertake research alongside their clinical training. Find the representative in your region

Trainees undertaking research will generally obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) via the conventional route, with the registered specialty as paediatrics. However, a small minority may seek to have their names entered on the Specialist Register via the academic route.

The Academic Paediatrics Association (Great Britain and Ireland) welcomes members from among all those interested in academic paediatrics and those undertaking research.

The British Academy of Childhood Disability's Strategic Research Group has information for trainees considering a career in academic paediatrics. It will be of most interest to neurodisability and community trainees, but also to neurology trainees. There is information on general academic training, including its consultancy service, and a semi-automated system for locating up to date information on grant calls and fellowships relevant to paediatric disability research.

NIHR have developed a clinical academic career video.

Clinical academia allows me flexibility, novelty and autonomy for at least part of my working life. I have travelled extensively, discussing cutting edge research with experts worldwide… with a little sightseeing along the way! Applying evidence in clinical practice, and developing key clinical questions are vital elements of paediatrics. I would encourage everyone to try research… you just might love it!

Adam Smith-Collins, Clinical Lecturer in Neonatal Neuroscience, University of Bristol, and Neonatal Trainee