NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) posts are allocated annually to Integrated Academic Training (IAT) partnerships comprising a Health Education England (HEE) local office, Higher Education Institute (HEI), and NHS organisation.
The primary purpose of an ACF is to provide a clinical and academic training environment for a doctor in the early stages of specialty training to prepare an application for a Training Fellowship leading to a PhD (or equivalent), or if applicable a postdoctoral fellowship.
The ACF recruitment process is managed by the relevant HEE local office in the IAT partnerships. IAT partnerships must adhere to the guidance in this document for recruitment and appointment to NIHR ACFs from the 2021 IAT allocation of competition and posts.
NIHR ACFs may be advertised in up to three GMC specialties, and at multiple specialty training levels equating to ST1, 2, 3, (or 4 in Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry or Paediatrics).
The broad framework regarding eligibility for ACFs is described in this document; however, IAT partnerships will identify at which level(s) each ACF is offered.
The principles set out in the Gold Guide (https://www.copmed.org.uk/gold-guide/) will still apply.