UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD / OXFORD DEANERY
Department of Paediatrics
Job description for the post of
NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Paediatrics
Job title - Academic Clinical Fellow
Duration of post - Three years
Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) posts have been awarded by the NIHR to University/NHS
Trust/Deanery partnerships nationally through competition. Oxford has been very successful
attracting 79 ACF and 30 Clinical Lecturer posts to date. These posts form part of the NIHR
Integrated Training Pathway, further details of which can be found on the NIHR TCC website
http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk.
The University of Oxford enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence
in research and teaching. It employs over 7,800 academic, research and support staff across a
wide range of academic disciplines.
The Medical Sciences Division, within which the Department of Paediatrics is located,
includes the clinical and preclinical departments of the Medical School, plus Experimental
Psychology (see http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/). The division is one of the major centres for
clinical and basic biomedical research in Europe, with more than 2,200 staff on the payroll and
800 postgraduate students. It includes several research Institutes and Units housed in modern
buildings. The Division achieved top scores in both the 2001 and 2008 HEFCE research
assessment exercises. The annual grant income from external sources for the Medical Sciences
Division is over £90 million. The Division fosters the highest possible standards in research,
teaching and patient care and seeks to recruit staff that share this vision.
The University Department of Paediatrics has a diverse portfolio of research in paediatric
diseases and child health. The Department has strong links with the NHS Department of
Paediatrics, which is co-located in the new Children’s Hospital. The opportunities for clinical and
academic training in the department are considerable and reflected in the wide range of interests
in the consultant body:
Staffing Structure
Consultants within the University and NHS Departments of Paediatrics:
Dr Elerie Adams
Dr Satish Adwani
Dr Mary Anthony
Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
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Dr Nick Archer
Dr Charlotte Bennett
Dr Janet Craze
Dr Julie Edge
Prof Philip Goulder*
Mr Hugh Grant
Dr Georgina Hall
Miss Rowena Hitchcock
Dr Jeremy Hull
Dr Kevin Ives
Mr Paul Johnson*
Dr Fiona Ryan
Prof Dominic Kwiatkowski*
Miss Kokila Lakhoo
Mr Jay Jayamohan
Dr Kenny McCormick
Dr Tony McShane
Dr Chris Mitchell
Dr Sheila Lane
Dr Josep Panisello
Dr Mike Pike
Prof Andrew Pollard*
Mr Peter Richards
Dr Clare Robertson
Dr John Shaw
Dr Alison Shefler
Dr Peter Sullivan*
Dr Anne Thomson
Dr Kate Wheeler
Prof Andrew Wilkinson*
Dr Neil Wilson
Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
Consultant Paediatrician (Renal & General)
Consultant Paediatrician (Endocrinology, Diabetes, General)
Hon. Consultant Paediatrician (Paediatric HIV disease)
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Consultant Paediatric Haematologist/Oncologist
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Consultant Paediatrician (Respiratory Medicine, General)
Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
Clinical Reader & Hon Consultant in Paediatric Surgery
Consultant Paediatrician (Endocrinology, Diabetes, General)
Hon Consultant Paediatrician (Tropical Paediatrics)
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Consultant in Paediatric Neurosurgery
Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist
Consultant Paediatric Intensivist
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Hon Consultant Paediatrician (Infectious Diseases)
Consultant in Paediatric Neurosurgery
Consultant Paediatrician (Community Child Health, General)
Consultant Paediatrician (Community Child Health, General)
Consultant Paediatric Intensivist
Reader & Hon Consultant (Paediatric Gastroenterology)
Consultant Paediatrician (Respiratory & General)
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist (and General)
Hon Consultant Paediatrician (Neonatal Medicine)
Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Research Portfolio of Academics with the University Department
Philip Goulder’s group based in the Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research is working
to define mechanisms of immune control of HIV infection and exploring strategies to alter the
natural course of infection in children.
Andrew Pollard is director of the Oxford Vaccine Group based in the Centre for Clinical
Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine. He conducts clinical trials of new and improved vaccines
against major childhood and adult pathogens, He also runs an applied immunology group that
studies the development of the B cell response and a translational vaccinology programme
focused on development of a Group B meningococcal vaccine. He also directs a research group
in Nepal studying bacterial infections in children and their vaccine prevention. Several
opportunities exist to learn about laboratory techniques and clinical field studies in paediatric
infectious disease.
The strength in infectious diseases has also allowed members of the Department to make a
significant contribution to the Medical Sciences Division’s global health programme. In addition,
we have strong links through the Oxford Tropical Network with several paediatricians working
overseas and have a member of the Department permanently in Nairobi, Kenya:
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Michael English in addition to conducting several studies on infectious disease also investigates
quality of child and maternal health care in developing countries.
Andrew Wilkinson is involved in investigation into the neurophysiological development of brain
stem function. The Neonatal Group participates in large multi-centre studies of the outcome of
prematurity and has strong links with the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. Recent work in
collaboration with the Maternity Department involves assessment of fetal growth and
management of intrauterine growth retardation.
Peter Sullivan’s Paediatric Nutrition Research Group studies the nutritional consequences of
neurological impairment in children. Current studies focus on the impact of neurotrophic
nutritional intervention to mitigate the effects of perinatal brain damage. This group also has
research projects on infant nutrition, body composition, short gut syndrome, inflammatory
bowel disease and coeliac disease.
Michael Murphy is Director of the Childhood Cancer Research Group which houses the
National Registry of Childhood Tumours and which undertakes epidemiological research into
childhood cancer.
Teaching
The Department is highly regarded within the Medical Sciences Division for its high quality
undergraduate teaching. The undergraduate course and special study modules are under
continual refinement and development as a result of an active programme of feedback and
educational research.
A variety of teaching opportunities are also available including opportunities to be involved in
undergraduate medical student courses. In addition, there is the opportunity to undertake the
Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (DLATHE) at Oxford University.
Selection Criteria
The Academic Clinical Fellowship Programmes will offer training to enthusiastic entrants to
paediatric and child health training who can demonstrate that they have outstanding potential for
development as a clinical academic in research and/or education. Trainees can apply at ST1-4.
Training will be flexible and trainee-centred, as far as possible, with mentoring to ensure the
attainment of both academic and clinical goals. Trainees are encouraged to discuss their research
interests with an appropriate academic supervisor if shortlisted. The trainee selected for the
Fellowship Programme will be awarded an NTN(a) at the start of the Programme.
Training objectives
The main objectives of the programme will be to provide:
i)
an entry point for doctors aspiring to a research based career in Child Health as well
as provide training in Paediatrics and Child Health competencies leading to PMETB
accreditation
ii)
academic training and support to enable entry into appropriate research posts.
Structure of the training programme
These posts are designed to meet the needs of doctors at ST1-3 level who wish to pursue an
academic career in paediatrics. 75% of the trainee’s time will be spent in clinical work, and 25%
in academic work. They will be based in the Oxford region with academic time in Oxford.
Clinical training would be overseen by the Oxford Deanery and post holders will undergo an
ARCP assessment on an annual basis to assess the quality of their training. Each Fellow will
have a clinical, an educational and an academic (research/teaching) supervisor. The University
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Department of Paediatrics will normally provide the academic supervision but trainees may
alternatively engage with academic supervisors from elsewhere in the Medical Sciences Division
as appropriate to their clinical and research interests. The trainee will be placed in research units
to gain sufficient experience for development of a research interest and planning of grant
applications for a higher degree. Details of the academic programme will depend on the
interests of the candidates.
Clinical training will be according to the OxPaed training programme in the School of Paediatrics
(see the School of Paediatrics website http://www.mychox.net/oxpaeds/ ). Trainees will be
expected to achieve the same competences as their full-time clinical colleagues, and will be
involved in clinical service and training as well as teaching in any of the hospitals in the Oxford
Deanery according to an allocation process which will be the same as for other non-academic
trainees. The trainee will be expected to complete the MRCPCH exams within the 36 months.
In addition to the clinical work, the trainee will be able to explore the range of research
opportunities and projects offered in the various research units. This would allow time for
informed selection of a research area and project towards a higher degree. At the end of the first
year the trainee will be required to choose an area of research interest and develop a protocol for
their research project for the next two years. The structure of the second and third years may
include blocks of protected time free of clinical duties of 6 months to allow development of the
research ideas.
It is envisaged that by the end of the post the trainee will be successful in obtaining a research
fellowship and pursue a DPhil. Regular appraisals will be undertaken to monitor progress
towards this goal and appropriate interventions will be initiated to ensure relevant career
progression towards a CCT in Paediatrics.
For further details of the training programme please visit the Oxford Deanery School of
Paediatrics website http://www.mychox.net/oxpaeds/
Academic Programme Contact
Dr Matthew Snape MBBS FRACP FRCPCH MD
Consultant in General Paediatrics and Vaccinology
Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
Email: matthew.snape@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
Clinical Programme: Head of School
Dr Julie Edge
Head of School for Paediatrics
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
Email: Julie.edge@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
Deanery contact for further information
Mairi Hills
Programme Manager
Oxford PGMDE
Email: mhills@oxford-pgmde.co.uk
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