Developing your research career
Mentoring and career development
AMS Scheme
All Foundation Fellows and Emerging Leaders Prize winners have access to the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) Mentoring Scheme. This pairs early career researchers with an Academy Fellow, NIHR Senior Investigator or NIHR Researcher - of which there are over 1,300 to choose from.
This prestigious programme promotes an enabling, non-directive approach to help mentees make critical career decisions. A mentor can help you work through challenges in the workplace. They can broaden your understanding of the opportunities available to you and provide encouragement to progress towards your career goals.
To learn more about the programme, you can attend one of their free online mentoring masterclasses. This will help you get a sense of the kind of mentoring relationship you can build. You can also read about other mentees’ experiences in the Academy’s mentoring case studies.
If you are interested in getting involved in the Mentoring programme, please visit the Academy’s website or contact mentoring@acmedsci.ac.uk. Access to the Mentoring programme will be via the Foundation, however, interested Fellows should contact the Academy to sign up.
Events
MRC Fellows Induction Day
The workshop is an opportunity to meet key Medical Research Council (MRC) and Foundation staff, other recently awarded MRC and Foundation fellows and New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG) award holders. It is also a chance to reflect on some of the issues and opportunities that may arise over the course of the award, particularly during the transition to independence.
This event usually takes place twice a year, and fellows will receive an email invitation from the MRC with details of the event.
MRC Fellows Symposium and Evening Reception
The MRC invite all intermediate and senior fellowship holders to their annual showcase event. The day is a mix of talks and interactive events, offering networking opportunities across our cohort of fellows, and the chance to engage with us and the MRC on a range of topics relating to research funding and careers.
The Foundation holds an evening reception the day before the event, attended by fellows and Foundation staff with drinks, networking and talks from invited speakers.
This event takes place annually in the summer, and fellows will receive an email invitation with details of the event.
Please contact the Research Team at research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk for further details on upcoming events.
Further Funding
Changing Policy and Practice
Our Changing Policy and Practice award supports the dissemination of MRC and Foundation-funded research results beyond the scientific peer reviewed press, to patients, participants, practitioners and policy makers.
This competition will run twice a year and researchers are eligible to apply, where funding is within one year of termination end date, or two years post-end date (prior to or after termination of support). The call is open to MRC and Foundation-funded grant and fellowship holders based at eligible institutions, as well as MRC-funded and MRC core-funded researchers in MRC research institutes, units and centres.
More details on how to apply for the scheme can be found here.
Other Opportunities
MRC Board and Panel Associates Scheme
The MRC Board and Panel Associates Scheme provides researchers the opportunity to gain experience of peer review, serve on an MRC funding board or panel and benefit from mentorship as part of a two-year programme. It is aimed at researchers from underrepresented groups who are actively transitioning to independence and leadership.
Please visit the MRC page for further details on eligibility and how to apply.