Core Medical Training

Each year, a number of ACFs are available in CMT at the University of Oxford/ John Radcliffe Hospital. These posts have 'run-through' into higher specialty training at ST3 level.

Typically, we recruit for cardiology, endocrinology and diabetes mellitus, gastroenterology, medical oncology, neurology, respiratory medicine and rheumatology.

However, please check availability of posts each year, as this varies. Sometimes there will be posts in other specialties. 

For the posts available at the latest round, see our latest news piece on ACF recruitment. 

Structure of the posts

The ACFs are three-year training posts comprising 2 years of clinical training and 1 year devoted to academic research.

The scheme’s objectives are to:

• Ensure that trainees reach CMT Year 1 and Year 2 competencies and obtain MRCP
• Support trainees to undertake a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in Health Research; flexible programmes will be designed for those who already have a master’s or doctoral degree
• Provide the academic opportunity and mentorship to develop an area of research – leading to an application for a research training fellowship or, if applicable, post-doctoral funding.

Clinical Training

Years 1 and 3 of the ACFs will be devoted to full-time to clinical training. This will take the form of 4 six-month clinical posts in the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, which will ensure that trainees reach CMT competencies.

Each trainee will have an educational supervisor and be assessed in the same process as all other CMT trainees under the auspices of the Oxford Deanery.

These posts are identified as being run-through to ST3. 

Academic environment

All academic training will be conducted within research groups in the University of Oxford and the research themes of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. 

When a post is advertised, the specialties available will be defined. The research programmes available can be reviewed in more depth through the University departmental websites. Current trainees are involved in research related to the following clinical specialties: acute stroke, dementia, respiratory medicine, cardiology, oncology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases and endocrinology. (View an example of CMT ACF research.)

Each ACF doctor will:

• at appointment, identify the broad specialty area in which they wish to develop a research interest. The programme's academic director, Dr Brian Angus, and OUCAGS will assist with identifying an appropriate academic supervisor. The supervisor will agree academic milestones with the trainee and ensure that they are met. 
• in Year 2, have a nine-month block release dedicated to research, with no clinical commitments. This is to allow the trainee to gain generic research skills and specific research experience to deliver an application for funding for peer review.

If an application for a research training fellowship is successful, the DPhil/PhD will usually begin in Year 4, following completion of CMT Year 2 competencies.

Last reviewed: May 2015

profiles of acf doctors in core medical training

Dr Sarah Briggs, ACF in Medical Oncology

Dr Laura Watts, ACF in Rheumatology