We welcomed clinical trainees not only from across the region, but the hybrid event attracted colleagues nationally, from Leeds to Nottingham and even as far as Australia!
The event showcased the wide range of opportunities for clinical trainees to get involved in research, with an emphasis on non-traditional routes into clinical academic careers and supporting clinical trainees to become research active in their NHS roles. Professor Avan Aihie Sayer, Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) kicked off the event with an overview of the Newcastle BRC and why it was important for the event to take place. Capacity building through collaborative leadership and training opportunities to build a flourishing interdisciplinary pipeline of translational researchers for the future is one of the Newcastle BRC’s strategic objectives. The event is just a first step in building and nurturing a community of clinical trainees with an interest in research.
We were delighted to have Dr Amaani Hussain, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Dermatology chair a panel discussion with clinical trainees who became researchers. Dr Hussain conceptualised the idea for the event as many of her colleagues were unaware of the research opportunities available to them.
The lively talks and discussions continued with contributions from Professor Richard Bellamy, Director of Speciality Training, North East & North Cumbria NHS England Education and Professor David Jones OBE, Director of Newcastle Health Innovation Partners (NHIP) Academy.
A golden thread running throughout the event that became evident, is how supportive and willing to help people are. Clinical trainees were encouraged to seek out experts in the field they are interested in and to be pro-active in looking for collaborators and research opportunities.
Dr Arthur Pratt who is the Academic Capacity Development Lead at Newcastle BRC said:
“The event brought together a group of clinical trainees who were keen to continue learning about research opportunities. We hope to nurture this curiosity and interest by working with trainees to shape what this could look like whether it is a regular event series or informal networking opportunities for example”.
The recording of the event will be available to view on our YouTube channel soon. If you attended the event and would like to provide feedback on what you would find helpful in the future, please complete the short feedback form here.
For more information, please contact Cissie Tsang, Training Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.