Training /

Clinical Academic Training Office

The Clinical Academic Training Office (CATO) oversees the educational activities of the NIHR Imperial BRC, training and developing the next generation of clinical academics. Bridging patient care and research is key to advancing our understanding and treatment of disease; guiding clinicians as they enter academia can ensure their skills and knowledge are developed and applied to research for the benefit of patients.

The BRC aims to promote and facilitate research training at all levels for all staff to achieve world-class excellence in research, education and clinical service. This means ensuring the best researchers, clinicians and staff have the right type of training and support to maximise their success.

Acting as a single point of contact for advice and information between Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, CATO provides an interface for sharing educational opportunities between the College and the Trust. Our endeavours fall broadly into two main areas:

  • Reviewing, continuing and strengthening the relationships, information, service and opportunities available to medical clinical academic trainees and colleagues
  • Identifying and consolidating the existing activities offered to encourage clinical academic engagement amongst non-medical healthcare professions and to identify potential areas for development and expansion
We provide a broad range of coordinated support and training opportunities for clinicians and allied healthcare professionals entering academic research. CATO’s activities are designed to help trainees improve communication, facilitate and develop a broader range of training and funding opportunities, and provide a forum for the sharing of ideas.

We also have a strong formal mentorship scheme to guide clinicians into academic research, which ensures that trainees all have named supervisors and mentors, the majority of whom are BRC investigators.

CATO is directed by Professor Jeremy Levy, Consultant Nephrologist and Director of Education at ICHNT, Adjunct Professor at Imperial College and Director of Education and Quality for Health Education North West London.

BRC Funding Managed by CATO

Bursaries

  • £1,000 for Academic Foundation Trainees /Specialised Foundation Trainees.
  • £2,000 for Academic Clinical Fellows.
  • £4,000 for Clinical Lecturers in NIHR funded CL posts in the Integrated Academic Training Pathway

IPPRF

Our Post-Doctoral, Post CCT Research Fellowship for doctors provides :

  • Two years (maximum, full time) bridging time to conduct clinical research
  • Consultant clinical academic salary (at the first threshold of the salary scale)
  • Research expenses