Frequently Asked Questions

What do the fellowships provide?
Who can apply?
How many fellowships will be awarded?
How do I apply?
When does the programme start? Can I join after this date?
I am committed to a career in academic medicine, but am not sure if this is the right time to do my research training.
I am a general practitioner / cardiothoracic surgeon / gastroenterologist / anaesthetist etc. Is this the right programme for me?
I would like to do some research, but am not sure about a career in academic medicine.
I want to pursue a career in academic medicine, but would like to do a more clinical project
Why can't I choose my project as soon as I'm accepted on the programme? What if I don't get the programme I want?
How are the supervisors and projects selected?
What should I do if my interests are outside these themes?
What should I do if my interests are within these themes, but I can’t see a specific research area that enthuses me?
What happens after I have submitted my application?
What should I expect at interview?

1. What do the fellowships provide?

The fellowships include:

Personal salary costs (BMJ, training salary scales 2011-12) equivalent to that of a junior doctor at the same level in NHS practice. The exact amount depends on prior experience, and follows the nationally agreed pay progression.
University of Dundee fees for PhD degree (including non-EU fees where required).
PhD research project in a basic science discipline with quality-assured supervisors.
Extensive opportunities to network with experts and peers.
Travel fund

2. Who can apply?

Applicants must be qualified doctors and be registered with the General Medical Council, or eligible for GMC registration.
Applicants must be committed to pursuing a career in academic medicine.
Qualified dentists may also be eligible - please contact Sara Marshall for specific advice.
Applicants must be currently in training, and have completed a minimum of 2 years of clinical practice by August 2012.
Candidates should not normally be more than ten years from the date of their first medical qualification. Due allowance will be given to those whose career has been affected by a late start or by interruption for family/personal reasons.
The programme will be flexible regarding previous clinical training, and recruitment will not be restricted to those with academic or other national training numbers (NTN(A) or NTN).
Applicants must be EU nationals (including UK citizens) or hold Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain or have a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right to Abode in the UK. Non-EU nationals may also be considered if they have been resident within the European Economic Area (EAA) for at least 3 years. Non-EU nationals who fulfil this criteria do not have to hold a Highly Skilled Migrant Programme visa.

3. How many fellowships will be awarded?

Four clinical research fellowships will be awarded in 2012. Fourteen fellowships have already been awarded since 2008.

4. How do I apply?

Please submit the following:

a) A completed application form (.doc, 371kb), including the names and contact details of three referees

b) A curriculum vitae

c) Personal statement, including a summary of research interests and career goals (no more than 1000 words)

d) The names of three potential areas of research interest (the research themes pages may help with selecting this).

In your personal statement, please describe your medium and long term aspirations both in terms of general and specific achievements.Be as wide-ranging as you wish as we are interested in finding out what has motivated you to apply and why committing to your career development is likely to be an excellent investment.

Your electronic application should be sent to dcat@dundee.ac.uk

Closing date: Friday 14th December 2012

Short-listed applicants will be interviewed in Dundee on on Tuesday 8th January 2013 by a panel comprising the directors, potential supervisors and external representatives. Candidates will be selected for the programme itself, and definitive matching of clinical fellows with supervisors will occur during the first term of the programme.

5. When does the programme start? Can I join after this date?

There is a single annual intake for the programme. The start date is Monday 3 September 2012.

All successful applicants must join the programme at this time because the 6 week introductory course is an integral component of this programme.

6. I am committed to a career in academic medicine, but am not sure if this is the right time to do my research training.

There is no single answer to the question of when is the "best" time to do a PhD. In recognition of this, the programme will consider applicants at all stages of training from FY2 to CCT.

7. I am a general practitioner / cardiothoracic surgeon / gastroenterologist / anaesthetist etc. Is this the right programme for me?

The programme is open to young clinicians working in any speciality. All projects offered will provide training in clinically relevant research areas and a major goal is to provide a secure grounding in molecular and cellular science prior to an academic career. If you have particular concerns about whether your area of interest is catered for, please contact us.

8. I would like to do some research, but am not sure about a career in academic medicine.

This will always be a difficult decision! The Dundee programme is designed to equip individuals with the necessary training and skills to make an informed choice about whether a career in academic medicine is what they want. It involves a three year commitment to training in basic science and generic skills to PhD level. It will offer a unique opportunity to discover if academic medicine is the correct career choice but will also offer unique insights into the processes of basic research that will help in clinical practice outside the academic sphere.

9. I want to pursue a career in academic medicine, but would like to do a more clinical project.

The Dundee programme is specifically targeted to laboratory research opportunities for young clinicians. All the projects offered will provide training in clinically relevant research areas but the major focus of the programme is to provide a secure grounding in molecular and cellular science prior to a career in academic medicine.

If your interest is more towards clinical trials, we suggest that you explore some of the other opportunities available, such as the

10. Why can’t I choose my project as soon as I’m accepted on the programme? What if I don’t get the project I want?

A key aim of the 6 week introductory course is to enable research fellows to make a genuinely informed choice about their PhD project and supervisor. Research fellows participate in twice weekly ‘Superseminars’ from Principal Investigators offering projects to that intake, and have the opportunity to spend 2-3 days in different laboratories, attending lab meetings and shadowing postdoctoral fellows/senior PhD students to gain better understanding of how individual laboratories operate. This provides the opportunity to informally introduce students to prospective supervisors and co-workers, and to give them insight into what each project will involve.

For each intake, an excess of PhD projects will be available, with a minimum of three from each of the research themes. This will ensure that all students have a meaningful choice regarding both supervisors and project areas.

In our experience of running a 4 year basic science PhD programme, only occasionally does more than one student select the same laboratory for their PhD project, and on each occasion we have reached an amicable agreement that all parties were happy with.

11. How are the supervisors and projects selected?

The PhD projects are based on five themes where strong links already exist between basic and clinical research in Dundee: cancer, diabetes, inflammation and host defence, neuroscience, and drug discovery and drug metabolism. Alll supervisors meet the following criteria:

Research credentials in basic science - publication track record and international research standing.
Suitability of the proposed PhD projects within the programme theme - scientific and training content.
Laboratory resources - sound funding of research programmes.
Supervisory capability - excellent track record in PhD student training.

12. What should I do if my interests are outside these themes?

If you are interested in laboratory research, but your interest is outside these themes, we suggest that you explore the research pages of the University of Dundee website in the first instance. This will give you an excellent overview of the biomedical research that is conducted in Dundee.

We are happy to receive email enquiries about specific areas while you are making the decision about whether to apply for our programme. However do remember that detailed discussions will generally occur at the interview stage, and again during the induction course.

13. What should I do if my interests are within these themes, but I can’t see a specific research area that enthuses me?

If you are accepted on the programme, we will have extensive discussions about specific project titles during the induction course. We will also discuss specific areas of interest during the interview process, when you will have the opportunity to meet a number of potential supervisors.

To avoid confusion, we ask that you do not contact supervisors directly until you have been accepted on to the programme.

14. What happens after I have submitted my application?

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in Dundee by a panel comprising the directors and potential supervisors.

Candidates are selected for the programme itself, and definitive matching of clinical fellows with supervisors will occur during the first term of the programme.

15. What should I expect at interview?

Interviews are conducted in Dundee and involve a panel interview with the directors, and several one-to-one interviews with investigators drawn from the panel of supervisors. You will also have the opportunity to meet current fellows for informal discussions about the programme.