Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) provide an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in an academic career to combine clinical and academic training. These highly competitive posts are open to people starting core or early specialty training, who show outstanding potential for a career in academic medicine or dentistry.  The duration of the ACF is for a maximum of 3 years (4 years for GPs).  Trainees spend 75% of their time undertaking clinical training and 25% undertaking research or educationalist training. The protected research time can be taken as blocks or as days each week, depending on the nature of the academic work being undertaken. ACFs will be able to develop their academic skills and be supported in preparing an application for a Research Training Fellowship (to undertake a higher research degree). Those who already have a higher degree will be supported towards an application for an external intermediate fellowship. 

"ACFs from the North East training programme have an outstanding success rate in obtaining external training fellowships and going on to develop independent successful academic careers".

For further information regarding ACFs can be found at National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).