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Our ACF posts provide doctors with a solid basis from which to develop a clinical academic career.

OVERVIEW

ACFs combine specialist or core training with 25% protected research time. These posts are designed to enable doctors to generate a research proposal and obtain external funding for a doctorate. However, doctors who already have a doctorate may also apply. (For generic information about ACFs and other clinical academic posts, see Your Career - Clinical Academic Pathway.) 

Oxford has been very successful in attracting NIHR-funded posts as part of the national competition. In addition, we also offer ACFs funded locally. 

what we offer

All of our ACF doctors benefit from:

  • University card with access to all of the accompanying facilities and a large multidisciplinary research environment
  • an academic training programme director (an Oxford senior academic clinician) and support finding a research project of interest
  • the opportunity to gain a postgraduate qualification in health research  funded by OUCAGS/NIHR*
  • £1,000 per year for conference attendance relevant to academic training, and £1,000 per post for research costs
  • funding advice and support through OUCAGS, including support with grant/fellowship applications and grant/fellowship interviews
  • ACF buddy scheme, and access to the Medical Sciences Division mentoring scheme. 

All our ACF doctors also benefit from our wider programme, designed to involve trainees fully in Oxford’s academic community and foster the development of clinical academic careers.

Who is eligible?

In Oxford, ACFs are mainly available at ST1 and ST2 level, but in some sub-specialties there are a few posts available at ST3. The programme is directed at those who have a strong academic and research background (read more about ACFs in Your Career - Clinical Academic Pathway).

Specialty-specific information is provided on the left-hand side for a selection of specialties. 

Please check availability of posts in your specialty as they vary each year.

See Apply for application details.

where next, after an acf?

The aim of most ACF posts is to achieve appropriate clinical competencies, and obtain external funding for a doctorate.

If funding applications are unsuccessful, or if a clinical academic pathway no longer appeals, then an ST3 post will be made available within the Oxford Deanery (as part of guaranteed run-through for all ACF doctors).

More information

Check our FAQs.

View profiles and projects of Oxford ACF doctors.

*unless modules are missed and have to be repeated.