NHS staff take first steps towards research careers

NHS staff from across north-west London have graduated from a programme that supports them to pursue research careers.

Clinical academics are healthcare professionals whose roles combine research and practice. They work in health and social care while conducting research to improve patient care. Traditionally, clinical academics tend to be doctors rather than other healthcare professionals such as nurses. However, recent reports have shown that the numbers of medically trained research staff in the UK have fallen by six per cent. National efforts are focused on increasing the number of clinical academics of all professions.

The Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) Starting out in Research Course is aimed at nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacists and psychologists (NMAHPPs) across imperial College AHSC.

It aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and networks to pursue a research career.

Professor Mary Wells, Deputy Director of Nursing Research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and a Professor of Practice in Cancer Nursing at Imperial College London, leads the course. She said: 

“The Starting out in Research Course is a very important activity for Imperial College AHSC. It provides a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of undertaking research in a healthcare setting. We aim to nurture and expand the numbers of NMAHPPs doing research across the AHSC to invest in the clinical academics of the future. We know that research improves patient outcomes and experiences. Gaining skills and confidence in research through doing this course can help advance clinical practice and enrich the careers of those who take part.”

Research skills

The course was designed and delivered by NMAHPPs and clinical academics from Imperial and its NHS partners at Imperial’s White City campus from March – April 2025.

"Gaining skills and confidence in research through doing this course can help advance clinical practice and enrich the careers of those who take part." Professor Mary Wells Deputy Director of Nursing Research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and a Professor of Practice in Cancer Nursing at Imperial College London,

Participants learned about topics such as identifying a research question, choosing a study design and how to involve patients and the public in research. They also heard from a range of clinical, research and academic staff on their experiences of undertaking research and developing their clinical academic careers.

Participants were put into groups and allocated coaches to explore how they can incorporate their learnings into their clinical work. The coaches are clinicians from across the AHSC partnership who are conducting research, including current PhD and post-doctoral fellows.  Some of the coaches are graduates of the Starting Out in Research course.

Professor Mary Wells, added:

“Running this course is a real highlight of my role.  I really enjoy encouraging and supporting others to develop their research careers and it’s been great to see the impact of this course on our staff over the years.  We have had a very diverse group of healthcare professionals this year and I am excited to see where they go with the new knowledge and skills they have gained.

Participants' experience

Maxine Myers caught up with some of the participants from the course.

Elizabeth Olanloye, Radiographer at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"I've always been curious about research and how it can be used to improve patient care and clinical practice.

While I’m still at the early stages of my research journey, I’ve had some exposure through my academic studies and professional experiences, which sparked my interest further.

I joined the Starting Out in Research Course to deepen my understanding and build confidence in developing research ideas. It’s been really encouraging to see how research can make a real difference in healthcare, and I’m looking forward to gradually building my skills and contributing more in this area over time.

My long-term goal is to become a clinical academic, combining research with practice to help improve outcomes for patients and support evidence-based healthcare.

One of the biggest highlights of the course has been learning about the practical aspects of designing and conducting research, from identifying a strong research question to navigating regulatory requirements and securing funding.

The opportunity to hear from experienced researchers about their journeys has been inspiring and has reinforced my motivation to pursue research in my field. 

The course has provided me with valuable tools and knowledge to advance my research career.”

Atsuko Campbell, Midwife at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"Through day-to-day clinical practice as a midwife, I have seen how research evidence impacts and changes the care we provide, improving women’s and families' experiences and choices. Because of this I’ve always had an interest in research but my experience has been limited and I was overwhelmed by where to start. The opportunity to participate in the Starting Out in Research Course came up and I thought I should try.

The programme made it clear that there’s so many resources and organisations that I can contact if I want to discover and learn more about research.

It also provided a great opportunity to connect with people working at the same trust as me and more widely in north-west London.

I enjoyed learning from the panel of speakers who have such a wide range of experience and expertise. I briefly worked with one of the speakers who has just completed her PhD. It was inspiring to see her career progression.

The course has enriched my knowledge of research and I am now thinking about doing a Master of Research degree.” 

Ross McGrath, Dietician at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said:

“I joined the course because I wanted to find out how I could potentially get involved in research and how could I do this alongside my clinical work.

My interest in research has grown over time as I’ve seen how it directly shapes clinical guidelines and patient care. Through my own experiences as someone who has lived with Inflammatory Bowel Disease – a chronic autoimmune condition, which can cause debilitating symptoms such as severe stomach pain and impact quality of life - I’ve become increasingly aware of gaps in patient care. That realisation sparked my curiosity and drive to explore research to contribute to solutions.

The highlight of the course was getting to meet other clinicians at similar stages, all passionate about different areas of research and hearing about their ideas.

I cannot speak highly enough about all the speakers on the course that gave their time and energy to sharing their research experience to us. They were fantastic and their passion and energy for research was infectious. I genuinely left each day feeling inspired and motivated to begin a career in research, and this was all down to them.

The course has given me a solid foundation – both practically and mentally. I now feel more confident in approaching potential supervisors or collaborators, and I understand the next steps I need to develop a proposal or apply for funding.”

The course is coordinated by the Clinical Academic Training Office on behalf of Imperial College AHSC.

A key aim of Imperial College London and its NHS partners – Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, The Institute of Cancer Research and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - is to develop a network of clinicians at all levels and professions across the AHSC partnership who are engaging in clinical research.