Locally Funded Academic Clinical Fellowship in Core Medical Training
A locally-funded Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) post is available in Rheumatology. This is a 3-year post modelled on the NIHR ACF programme.
2013 ENTRY at CT/ST1
- Job title
Academic Clinical Fellowship Programme in Core Medicine/ Rheumatology
- Duration of post, and what happens at the end of the post if candidate successful or unsuccessful in obtaining a research fellowship
3 years fixed.
Academic Clinical Fellows (ACFs) who fail to secure the funding for a research training fellowship by the end of their ACF will return to clinical training in accordance with the NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships: Entry, Eligibility and Exit points for Appointments made in 2013.
- Hospitals in which training will take place
All clinical training will take place in the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.
- Research institutions in which training will take place
All academic training will be conducted in research groups in the University of Oxford ( and the research themes of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (
- Whether day release or block release will be used for protected research time
ACFs will have nine month block release dedicated to research in Year Two.
- Description of research component of programme
In Year One, the Academic Programme Director and Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School will work with the ACFs to identify their Academic Supervisor for Year Two to ensure the seamless transition into research training.
Assuming clinical competencies are gained, the ACFs will move into Year Two of the programme, which has two objectives:
- Developing a specialist research area leading to an application for a research training fellowship. If a PhD is already held development of postdoctoral research leading to an application for a clinical lecturer post/further Fellowship funding would be the aim.
- Successful completion of Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research at the University of Oxford
Candidates will be expected at interview to explain their motivation toward a particular research area within rheumatology. There is no requirement to have already identified a specific research project.
The expectation of Year Two is that the candidate will identify a specific research area in agreement with their Academic Supervisor and develop preliminary data in support of a research training fellowship application. In addition, all ACFs are expected to play an active part in the weekly Academic Medical Forum presenting their work.
Professors Raashid Luqmani, Peter Taylor and Paul Bowness will be the Academic Supervisors for the ACF. Professor Luqmani is the theme leader for vasculitis research at the NDORMS, focusing on the epidemiology, mechanisms, treatment and long term outcome of systemic vasculitis. Professor Taylor is the Norman Collisson Chair of musculoskeletal sciences at Oxford and directs the new clinical trials unit within NDORMS. He has experience of over 15 years in biologic therapy testing with particular expertise in early proof of concept trials and experimental medicine studies using targeted therapy as a probe of pathogenesis to investigate in vivo biology of the therapeutic target. Professor Bowness has a strong laboratory research programme investigating the immunology of inflammatory arthritis, particularly the spondyloarthropathies. Professors Taylor, Luqmani and Bowness have recently been funded by Arthritis Research UK to set up an experimental arthritis treatment centre, with a focus on using imaging techniques to demonstrate effectiveness of novel agents in early phase clinical trials in inflammatory arthritis.
Professor Arden directs the Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Unit with Dr Javaid and Professor Cooper focusing on the epidemiology of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and sports injury. The unit has a strong track record of training and successful supervision of clinical fellows with national and international collaborations. We have recently been awarded the ARUK Sports Injury and Osteoarthritis Centre of Excellence and an NIHR SDO grant to determine effective models of secondary fracture prevention.
If the successful applicant chooses to focus on ultrasound research and application to management of musculoskeletal disease, training can be offered in ultrasonographic assessment of inflammatory peripheral arthritis or in giant cell arteritis and this can be linked to a specific research project in which the candidate will acquire the skill of2 and3 dimensional quantification of inflammation in either synovitis or vasculitis. In addition, the ACF will help to develop methods to standardise ultrasound use across the region, with a view to ensuring robust methodology for future clinical trials in early arthritis or large vessel vasculitis. The expectation is that the ACF will become skilled in research methodology and clinical management based on ultrasound assessment of either inflammatory arthritis or large vessel vasculitis.
If the fellow wishes to choose a project related to the spondyloarthropathies, they could primarily look at imaging (Prof Peter Taylor) or primarily undertake a translational immunology project (Bowness or Bowness/Taylor), obtaining an introduction to immunological laboratory techniques including flow cytometry. Enzyme linked immunoassay and cell culture of peripheral blood or synovial samples.
If the successful candidate chooses a project within the Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Unit there is an extensive portfolio of innovative studies to choose from within osteoarthritis and osteoporosis including epidemiology, biomarkers, imaging, genetics and tailoring therapy. The ACF will be working in a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, epidemiologists, statisticians, post doctoral and doctoral students and gain an extensive grounding in research methods as specific literature base.
Therefore, several well defined projects in a variety of themes are available to the successful candidate, who will be expected to focus on one and develop and implement it with the relevant theme leader. We expect the fellow to generate publications and pilot data that will be used as the basis of an application for a clinical research fellowship to support a higher degree and training of a future clinical academic.
In addition, in conjunction with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford hosts a Biomedical Research Centre and a Biomedical Research Unit supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health Research.
In parallel with this, all ACFs will be expected to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research through completing modules in: The Practice of Evidence Based Health Care, to Study Design and Research Methods, and Ethics for Biosciences. Further credits to leading to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma can be gained with additional modules covering areas such as Randomised Controlled Trials, Systematic Reviews, and Statistics. It is likely that some of these credits will be gained through study leave in Year Three. These courses are all organised through the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School. ()and the University Department of Continuing Education (
- Description of clinical training component of programme
These posts are integrated within the Core Medical Training (CMT) programme at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust. Year One and Year Three are spent in clinical training in one of the fixed rotations comprising six four-month rotations. All jobs are European Working Time Directive Compliant. The first three months of Year Two are spent in supernumerary clinical training in the academic/ run-through specialty. These posts are banded in Year One and Three. There is no on call in Year Two.
The purpose of the CMT programme is to ensure that the postholders gain a broad range of experience in medicine with the intention that there are no problems in reaching both CMT 1 and 2 competencies through assessment and portfolio completion. The rotation consists of posts in acute general medicine, bone infection, oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, and, neurology. There is no possibility of other specialties being included in the rotation.
The ACFs will be expected to play a full role in the structured teaching programme at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust. Each post will have its own specific training programme. In addition, there is a weekly medical grand rounds followed by teaching to deliver the Royal College of Physicians’ curriculum. The hope is that the ACFs will obtain their MRCP in Year One. All posts are accredited by the RCP and PMETB for training.
- Academic Programme Director name
Dr Brian Angus
Reader in Infectious Diseases
Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine
John Radcliffe Hospital
- Clinical Lead (college tutor)
Dr George Pope
Consultant Physician
John Radcliffe Hospital
- Programme contact for further information
Email:
- Deanery contact for further information
Jane Exell
Programme Manager
Oxford Deanery, NHS Education South Central
The Triangle, Roosevelt Drive
Oxford, OX3 7XP
Tel: 01865 740657
Email:
Main Conditions of Service
Appointments to this programme are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Service (TCS) for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales). In addition appointments are subject to:
- Applicants having the right to work and be a doctor or dentist in training in the UK
- Registration with the General Medical Council
- Pre-employment checks carried out by the Trust HR department, including CRB checks and occupational health clearance.
The employing Trust’s offer of employment is expected to be on the following nationally agreed terms:
Hours – The working hours for junior doctors in training are now 48-hours (or 52-hours if working on a derogated rota) averaged over 26 weeks (six months). Doctors in training also have an individual right to opt-out if they choose to do so, but they cannot opt-out of rest break or leave requirements. However, the contracts for doctors in training make clear that overall hours must not exceed 56 hours in a week (New Deal Contract requirements) across all their employments and any locum work they do.
Pay – you should be paid monthly at the rates set out in the national terms and conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff and doctors in public health medicine and the community health service (England and Wales), “the TCS”, as amended from time to time. The payscales are reviewed annually. Current rates of pay may be viewed at
Pay supplement –depending upon the working pattern and hours of duty you are contracted to undertake by the employer you should be paid a monthly additional pay supplement at the rates set out in paragraph 22 of the TCS. The current payscales may be viewed at . The pay supplement is not reckonable for NHS pension purposes. The pay supplement will be determined by the employer and should be made clear in their offer of employment and subject to monitoring.
Pension – you will be entitled to join or continue as a member of the NHS Pension Scheme, subject to its terms and rules, which may be amended from time to time. If you leave the programme for out of programme experience you may have a gap in your pension contributions. More information can be found at
Annual Leave – your entitlement to annual leave will be five or six weeks per annum depending on your previous service/incremental point, as set out in paragraphs 205-206 of the TCS. The TCS may be viewed at
Sick pay – entitlements are outlined in paragraph 225 of the TCS.
Notice –you will be required to give your employer and entitled to receive from them notice in accordance with paragraphs 195-196 of the TCS.
Study Leave –the employer is expected to offer study leave in accordance with paragraphs 250-254 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure will be explained at induction.
Travel Expenses – the employer is expected to offer travel expenses in accordance with paragraphs 277-308 of the TCS for journeys incurred in performing your duties. Local policy and procedure should be explained at induction.
Subsistence expenses – the employer is expected to offer subsistence expenses in accordance with paragraph 311 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure should be explained at induction.
Relocation expenses –the employer will have a local policy for relocation expenses based on paragraphs 314 – 315 of the TCS and national guidance at You are advised to check eligibility and confirm any entitlement with the employer before incurring any expenditure.
Pre-employment checks – all NHS employers are required to undertake pre-employment checks. The employer will confirm their local arrangements, which are expected to be in line with national guidance at
Professional registration – it will be a requirement of employment that you have professional registration with the GMC for the duration of your employment. Though the post is covered by NHS Indemnity, you are strongly advised to register with the MPS for professional indemnity.
Health and Safety – all employers have a duty to protect their workers from harm. You should be advised by the employer of local policies and procedures intended to protect your health and safety and expected to comply with these.
Disciplinary and grievance procedures – the employer will have local policies and procedures for dealing with any disciplinary concerns or grievances you may have. They should advise you how to access these, not later than eight weeks after commencement of employment.
Educational Supervisor – the employer or a nominated deputy (usually the Director of Medical Education) will confirm your supervisor on commencement.
General information on the Deanery’s management of Specialty Training programmes, including issues such as taking time out of programme and dealing with concerns or complaints, is available at and in the national ‘Gold guide’ to Specialty Training at
October 2011