Clinical Lecturer posts provide a salary but often do not come with the funding to support the costs of research. This scheme is designed to help bridge this gap by providing Clinical Lecturers with access to research funds for up to two years.
As one of the supporters of the scheme, we’re looking for health and social care professionals to apply their knowledge and skills to improve the quality of life, functional capacity and well-being for older people now, or create the context for change to prevent, delay or reduce health and social care requirements for older people in the future.
The grants are intended as start-up funding and as such are not intended for applicants who have already obtained substantial funding through, for example, Clinician Scientist Fellowships, New Investigator Awards or large project grants.
The maximum grant available is £40,000. This can be spread over one to two years to contribute towards directly incurred research costs, including (but not limited to) consumables, access charges, access to data sets, essential software and licences, and equipment.
Grants cannot be used to pay for your personal salary costs or to employ research assistants, PhD students or postdoctoral staff.
This scheme is targeted at those who are in the earlier years of their Clinical Lecturer appointment. You should not already have obtained substantial funding from other sources, for example a Clinician Scientist Fellowship, New Investigator Award or large project grant.
All eligible applicants must:
- Have a PhD or MD.
- Hold a medical, dental or veterinary undergraduate degree and be registered with the General Medical Council, General Dental Council or Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
- Hold a clinical contract at a UK institution.
If you are a clinician in human or dental medicine, you must also:
- Be a research-active Clinical Lecturer
- Hold a National Training Number (NTN) or NTN(A)
- Be within higher specialty training.
- Have undertaken a substantial period of research equivalent to a PhD or research MD, if you have qualified abroad with an MD.
- Note the following eligibility criteria relating to the timing of your Certificate of Completion (CCT):
- Your CCT date must fall after your proposed project start date. The earliest possible project start date will be September of the same year (for rounds closing to applications in March) or March of the following year (for rounds closing to applications in September).
- Clinical Lectureships in Primary Care and Dentistry are primarily awarded post-CCT and we welcome applications from these groups. However, for all other specialities candidates are not eligible to apply if they have already attained their CCT.
- Clinical lecturers who received an official extension beyond their CCT date may apply, provided their lectureship contract covers the full duration of the proposed project.
Who can’t apply?
- Senior Clinical Lecturers and Clinical Psychologists are not eligible for this scheme.
- Clinical lecturers who already have substantial funding through, for example, clinician scientist fellowships, new investigator awards or large project grants.
The eligibility criteria for dentistry applicants are currently being reviewed. We would encourage you to get in contact with clinicallecturers@acmedsci.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your eligibility to the scheme.
If you are a clinician in veterinary medicine, you must be either:
1. A research-active Veterinary Specialist in Training (Resident/Senior Clinical Training Scholar) within an approved Specialist Training Programme with secured and protected research time throughout the proposed project.
Or:
2. A research-active Veterinary Clinician or Veterinary Pathologist with Veterinary Specialist Board qualification or eligibility and within the three-year (probationary) period of your first University appointment and with secured and protected research time throughout the proposed project. If your position is that of a Senior Lecturer but are still within the three-year probationary period then you are still eligible for this scheme.
The eligibility criteria for veterinary applicants are currently being reviewed. We would encourage you to get in contact with clinicallecturers@acmedsci.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your eligibility to the scheme.
Additional information:
The Academy recognises the challenges clinicians face when managing a clinical and a research career with family and caring commitments. During the review process, prior career breaks will be taken into account when evaluating a candidate’s research output and progress.
However, please note successful applicants cannot reapply and unsuccessful applicants are limited to one resubmission.
Please review the scheme FAQ document on the Academy’s webpage for full details on eligibility. Alternatively, please contact the grants team if you have any other queries about the scheme at clinicallecturers@acmedsci.ac.uk
The maximum grant available is £40,000. Starter Grant holders are also eligible for the Academy’s one-to-one mentoring scheme and are encouraged to contact the Academy regarding this.
The deadline for applications to round 36 of the scheme is 1 September 2026 16:00 GMT. Application outcomes will be communicated by the Academy of Medical Sciences in late February 2026.
Round 37 of the scheme will open in January 2027 with a deadline in March 2027. Application outcomes will be communicated by the Academy of Medical Sciences in late August.
Visit funding web page
(https://vivensafoundation.org.uk/apply-for-funding/#open-calls-and-deadlines)
