the acf handbook 2012-13 · the acf handbook 2017-18 introduction congratulations on your...
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The ACF Handbook 2017-18 Introduction Congratulations on your appointment as an Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF). This guide is designed to introduce some of the aspects of academic clinical training in Norwich. It aims to provide some of the important information that you will need when starting your post. On occasion, we will be asking for a response from you. It helps us hugely if you can reply to any requests – however briefly! We will ask for the minimum information and will usually give a deadline for response. Event attendance and onward destinations are particularly important times when we need to receive your responses.
If you are thinking of/or have arranged/encountered anything that might halt or change your academic programme, including parental leave, please let us know. Where will I be working? For NHS ACFs, the majority of the clinical training will take place through the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) however; the rotation may also include the James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn. The lead employer for NHS ACFs is NNUH. The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust coordinate the Psychiatry training.
For Public Health ACFs, the service training will take place at Norfolk County Council and other locations as arranged through the School of Public Health in the East of England. The lead employer for Public Health ACFs is St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust. The academic training takes place at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Who's who?
• Professor Alastair Watson – Chair of NATO [email protected] 01603 597266
• Professor Andrew Hart – Deputy Chair of NATO [email protected] 01603 593611
• Sarah Ruthven – Research Manager (REN): Administrative support for NATO [email protected] 01603 591486
• Rosanna Miller – Administrator (REN): Administrative support for NATO [email protected] 01603 593593
• Lauren Lessiter – Admin Assistant (REN): Administrative support for NATO [email protected] 01603 591480
• Christopher Jeanes – Chair of Norwich Academic Trainees Committee (NACT) [email protected]
• Kevin Tyler – MBPhD Programme Director [email protected]
01603 597197
• Medha Sule – Director for Medical Education [email protected] 01603 286829
• Kenda Crozier – Associate Dean for Post Graduate Research
[email protected] 01603 597094
Will I have a supervisor? As an ACF, you will have an Academic, Educational and Clinical Supervisor. Your Clinical/ Educational Supervisors will be responsible for your clinical training, and will have minimal involvement with your Academic responsibilities. Your Academic supervisor will be responsible for supervising your progress through your academic training programme and research project. What is the ACF Curriculum?
As part of the training, ACF's must complete a Master’s programme. NHS ACFs will undertake the MSc in Health Research academic training programme by attending taught modules at the UEA over a three-year period. This course is fully funded through the National Institute of Health Research. Public Health ACFs will usually attend the full-time 1-year MPhil in Public Health at Cambridge University. This course is usually fully funded through the National Institute of Health Research or the School of Public Health. The UEA MSc in Health Research course modules are below: Year One
1) Introduction to Research Ethics and Governance - MED-7019D (20 credits) 2) Introduction to Research Methods - MED-7021D (20 credits) 3) Further Qualitative Research Methods - MED-7013D (20 credits)
Year Two
1) Transferrable Skills for Research – MED-7024-F (20 credits) Option A (20 credits) – you must complete one 20 credit module from Option A:
1) Health Economics - MED-7006D (20 credits) 2) Statistical Methods in Health Research - MED-7012F (20 credits)
3) Systematic reviews and Research Synthesis - HSC-7057E (20 credits) Year Three
1) Research Dissertation – MED-7007X (60 credits) Assessment for each module is in the form of written assignments. Completion of 6 modules gives a total of 120 credits and the award of a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Health Research, which is a mandatory achievement during your ACF. By submitting a dissertation in Year 3, the ACF can be awarded an MSc in Clinical Research – this however is optional. The decision to pursue a Masters degree or a Postgraduate Diploma is taken on registration for the course at the start of your ACF. Before you can attend any of the above modules, you must first register with the UEA by completing a separate application form for the MSc in Health Research. You need to complete this application regardless of whether or not you wish to complete the MSc in Health Research or just the Diploma. This is requirement of the university and application forms can be obtained by contacting [email protected]. They are also available via the university website https://www2.uea.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-degree/detail/msc-health-research-part-time. The modules begin in September and therefore it is advisable to complete your application well in advance. The closing date for September admission will be in mid August, however if you miss this deadline, you can apply for January start date instead. Your tuition fees for the Diploma/MSc in Health Research are covered by the NIHR funding for your post, and this will be dealt with by the University. Where the application asks for information regarding who is funding your degree simply state that you are an ACF, being funded by the NIHR. For general enquiries regarding the post graduate diploma/MSc in Health Research contact [email protected]. The provisional dates for the 2017-18 MSc in Clinical Research can be obtained by contacting [email protected] (administrative assistant for Health Research). Once you have received confirmation that you are registered for the course, you must submit your module preferences to [email protected] or [email protected]. Leave for attending modules You should ensure that you obtain the leave from your clinical duties to attend these modules well in advance. Leave to attend these modules should (technically) not be taken as either annual leave or study leave, as it forms part of your academic commitments. The clinical rota coordinator at NNUH is Rhonda Hennagan-Gray, who can be contacted on [email protected]. She can direct you to the correct person in each clinical department to contact regarding rota issues. You will need to arrange the leave to attend the taught modules yourself – this will not have been pre-organised for you. How do I get started with my research? As a general rule, it’s never too early to get in touch with your academic supervisor and start firing ideas around. Time will fly, so we cannot stress enough: start early. Please see the appendices for a list of some UEA academic supervisors and their specialties. What are the markers of a good project?
Ask yourself is this project is achievable within the timeframe available?
Remember, if you want to do anything involving funding and/or ethical approval then you really need to start several months before your actual academic placement.
Will I obtain a tangible output from this project?
This is not necessarily the be-all and end-all of your academic time, but at the end of the day as an academic you will be judged on what you publish. If you aim to have a completed or near completed piece of work by the end of your academic stint then you’ll have a better chance of getting something out than if you take on a large, nebulous subject without clearly defining your aims, or just by being over-ambitious. It’s good to ask your supervisor about this outright at the start, to make sure that they are aware of your goals
Am I making the best use of the expertise available?
Ok, so you may want to be an Orthopaedic surgeon, but didn’t get the Orthopaedic academic job and have the Public Health Academic Clinical Fellowship instead. This should be seen as an opportunity. Rather than coming up with ideas about hard-core Orthopaedic research projects, think laterally and try to integrate your interests with those of your supervisors and their research groups. By doing this you will benefit from closer supervision and be able to use the expertise around you to help you obtain a high quality output from your academic time.
Is my supervisor interested in this topic?
Linked to the above – beware the supervisor who is very ‘hands-off’ and wants you to do your own thing. This may seem like a good idea at first (lots of free time...) but at the end of the day, it’s a waste of time for both you and them if you get nothing out of it. At this stage in our academic careers it’s undoubtedly a good thing to have someone breathing down your neck, checking your work thoroughly. One way to ensure this happens is to pick a research topic close to your supervisor’s heart.
Are other people interested in this topic?
Discuss your ideas with friends and colleagues. Does your research question grab them? This is also an opportunity to be warned off some supervisor ‘pet projects’ that are best avoided (although see above – this only applies if it really is a dead end research proposition that you can’t see yourself getting any output from).
Will I have an academic ARCP and how do I prepare for this? ARCPs are a HEEoE process. You should discuss your ARCP with your academic supervisor. More information is available on the HEEoE website: https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/revalidation_assessment_home Email: [email protected] At the end of each academic year, alongside your clinical annual review of competency progression
(ARCP), you will also attend an academic ARCP. In most circumstances your academic and clinical ARCPs will be held together in one meeting. In preparation for your academic ARCP you should: ● Set out an academic personal development plan (PDP) at the start of each year, outlining your aims and objectives for that year ● Keep a log of all meetings with your academic supervisor and what was discussed ● Ask your supervisor to produce a report on academic progress before your ARCP ● You will need to provide evidence for clinical progress in line with your school and speciality requirements as per the Portfolio. You must complete a form R and comply with the agreed time line as laid down by the school. ● You will need to complete an academic competency form with your academic supervisor which must be submitted to the panels in an agreed time line. Some schools have academic supervisor forms as an option in their portfolio. Where this is not the case then there is an HEEOE form to complete. Are there any meetings/support for the Norwich Academic Trainees? As an ACF in Norwich, you automatically become a member of the Norwich Academic Trainees Committee (NCAT). This committee is open to all ACF's, Clinical Lecturers and Academic Foundation Doctors in Norwich. NCAT meets every 2 months to discuss issues affecting Norwich academic trainees. It gives us all an opportunity to share ideas and learning opportunities as well as seek advice and support from colleagues. NCAT also organises relevant workshops on topics such as 'academic mentoring' and ‘How to gain research funding’. 'This will be a great source of support for you during your training, and attendance at these meetings is highly recommended. ACFs are represented on the Norwich Academic Training Office (NATO) Board, which oversees joint clinical/academic training across the NRP. The current representative is Dr Christopher Jeanes ([email protected]) who also chairs NCAT. To join the NCAT mailing list, and if you have any training issues you’d like to discuss, contact Christopher via email. I need some desk space at UEA- how do I organise this? During your academic time/rotation you may require a working space over at UEA - this is provided according to availability. To organise desk space at UEA contact Catherine Butcher ([email protected]). Am I entitled to an academic study budget? NATO Budget ACF's are entitled to up to £1000 funding per year from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) or for locally funded posts from the NATO budget. This can be used towards conferences fees and conference expenses only. Anything which you would be expected to attend if you were a clinical trainee cannot be claimed from this budget. Unfortunately you cannot use this money for funding courses or conferences unrelated to your academic program. If your claim is in a currency other than Sterling (£), it will be paid at the exchange rate on the day the claim is processed. We use http://www.ofx.com/ as our universal converter and encourage you also use this as it will help speed up the process. The claim year runs from 1 August to 31 July. There is no rule about when in
the year you can use your allocation or how many claims you can make. If you are in post for only part of the year, you will still have access to the full amount. Claims should be submitted to NATO via [email protected], and the forms can be found at https://www.uea.ac.uk/medicine/academic-clinical-training, via the NATO inbox ([email protected]) or at the end of this handbook. This money is there for you and you should take advantage of it to further your training. Clinical Study Budget You are also entitled to a clinical study budget from the NNUH if you are employed there. Public Health ACFs have a different system; please contact Nick Steel ([email protected] ) for more information. The amount is currently £600 for a 12 month full time post. This amount is reviewed annually. Funding requests must be approved prospectively by completing the Electronic Study Leave Form, which can be found on the NANIME Intranet and Internet pages. Your completed application form should be emailed to your supervisor for approval. Your supervisor is then responsible for forwarding your approved forms to [email protected] for processing. Once your forms have been processed the study leave administrator will inform you of any funding approved and provide you with instructions for claiming the funding after the course or event. Note that time off for academic training reasons (e.g. attending a course or conference) may still require you to fill in an NNUH study leave form, to secure the time away required. Therefore, mark all forms submitted to NANIME with ‘Academic’ or ‘Clinical’ written across to top so it is clear which budget you will be like to claiming out of. Consumables Award Twice a year NATO welcomes applications for research expenses. The award is based on certain criteria – • Whether the requested consumable equipment and/or reagents will assist in the preparation of a PhD Fellowship application for submission to a national funding scheme • Conference output – e.g. peer-reviewed oral presentation or poster • Training in research skills • Conference attendance required in addition to bursary Excellence in Training Awards NATO awards two annual prizes to the ACF’s/CL’s – aimed to incentivise trainees to develop proposals and undertake high quality research. The prizes are for “Best Research Proposal” and “Best Results from a Research Project.” The applications are scored independently by four senior MED academics on originality, robustness of methodology and likely impact. The awards are handed out at the annual NATO dinner. There is a first prize of a certificate and £100, and the runner-up receives a certificate and £20. Do I need to attend a Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Course? Before you are allowed to undertake any kind of clinical research, you must complete a course in Good Clinical Practice (GCP). This course can be undertaken as an online course by registering at http://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-faculty/clinical-research-staff/learning-and-development/national-directory/good-clinical-pratice/. You will need to follow the online instructions to ‘request’ this course, and once your request is approved you will be sent an email, enabling you to access the online GCP course. This can be completed in 2-3 hours. It’s best to print a copy of your certificate
and retain this for future reference. The GCP course can also be undertaken as a one day course through NNUH by contacting the Research and Development office ([email protected]). This course is free. Both online and day-courses have a test which you need to pass. The advantage of the online course is that you can repeat the tests as many times as required. Your GCP certificate is valid for two years, following which you must revalidate. We recommend you complete this early on, as you cannot undertake clinical research without it. Research Applications/Fellowships The end point of an ACF is hopefully a successful application for a Research Training Fellowship (to undertake a higher research degree) or an application for a place on an educational programme (leading to a higher degree). At UEA, all research applications are coordinated through the REN office. It is imperative to contact the REN office ([email protected]) as soon as you are preparing an application. This office will allocate a Project Officer to support the application, including the essential costings for your time, consumables and PhD fees. You cannot start this process early enough, as it is UEA policy that all applications need to be approved by the School at the start of the application process and before submission. There is also a mandatory 2 stage minimum peer review process (for external funding). If you are applying to the NIHR, the committee details are here - https://portal.uea.ac.uk/ren/apply-for-funding/internal-peer-review/nihr. Researchfish submissions Once a year you may be contacted by NIHR about a Researchfish submission. NIHR contacts existing as well as former ACF and CLs to invite them to update their Researchfish portfolio with their research outputs and to submit this information to NIHR. If you receive an email from NIHR then response is mandatory and nil returns are required. Failure to respond to the email can result in sanctions from NIHR. Assistance with Researchfish can be obtained by emailing [email protected]. How do I get a campus ID card? It is best to apply for this well in advance of your actual academic placement beginning, for several reasons:
It allows you to use the UEA’s e-resources – they have a larger collection that you’ll get with an NHS Athens password alone.
It allows you access to UEA computers, which feature useful programmes (EndNote, SPSS, and Stata etc) to help you plan your research.
It allows you to use the UEA library, should you wish.
Applying for your campus card is fairly straightforward – just follow the steps outlined below:
1. Fill in the application form v1 (appendix 1 of this document). For the purposes of this form
you are classified as a ‘visiting academic’. 2. Email a copy of this form to Catherine Butcher ([email protected]). cc in your
academic supervisor, who can confirm that you require the access if necessary. 3. Catherine Butcher will countersign your form. Once she has done this, you need to take 2
passport sized photographs to the UEA library building (see Campus Map, appendix 2). 4. They will then print your campus card, and you’re ready to go!
Alternatively, once you have registered for the MSc/diploma in clinical research, you will be invited to fill out an online enrolment form and upload a photo for your ID card. You will then be issued with a UEA ID card and email address. The campus ID card can be collected from the IT help desk on Floor 0 of the UEA library. This is probably the easiest way to get a campus card. Parking Car parking can be arranged; however you do need to have a campus card beforehand. Fill out the application form (appendix C – tick the ‘Group A – staff member’ box) and the direct debit form (appendix C). How do I access the University Library and electronic Journals? Your UEA campus ID card will allow you access to the University library and journal subscriptions. Is there any teaching for trainees? In addition to the ACF curriculum, you will be expected to attend any clinical teaching provided by your department or for your training programme. How can I get involved in teaching medical students? There are a number of ways to get involved in teaching at the Norwich Medical School.
1. ACFs will join a team of Problem Based Learning (PBL) Tutors. You will be allocated a
group of 10 medical students in year 3 and you will facilitate 8 – 10 tutorials. Training is essential for this roles. Please contact [email protected] to book a training place. ACFs have proved to be excellent PBL tutors and have really enjoyed their role. As well as gaining excellent educational experience they have found it to be a great way to revise for postgraduate exams! Year 3 PBL tutorials are on a Wednesday morning. Please contact Dr Pauline Bryant for further information and dates. [email protected]
2. Consultation skills teaching is another option. The Medical School has a number of trained actors and pre-prepared scenarios illustrating difficult situations in which communication with patients or their relatives is role-played by the medical students. Thus, there is less preparation on your part, and your job is to oversee the ‘consultation’ and provide feedback to the students. Once again, training in this method of teaching is
available at the Medical School – the contact to express an interest is Sandra Winterburn ([email protected])
3. A 3rd type of teaching you can get involved in is Long-Case Teaching, to 3rd and 4th year medical students. These are very similar to the CbDs you have to do as part of your clinical training/ePortfolio requirements. Students are asked to see a patient, and then come see you in pairs for an hour long session in which they present their cases and discuss the issues arising from their assessment of the patient. You can ask questions to determine their knowledge of the field and provide feedback. To get involved, contact Rebecca Ogden ([email protected])
4. Most clinical modules that the students undergo have at least one structured patient teaching session incorporated. This involves having patient volunteers attend the session who allow the students to take histories and perform clinical examination; your role is to chair the session and make sure the students pick up some learning points by the end of it. These sessions are organised within the departments, so it’s best to contact your departmental lead for teaching: Rheumatology: Dr Tarnya Marshall Gastroenterology: Dr Ian Beales/Dr Andy Hart Cardiology: Dr Santosh Nair Endocrinology: Dr Rosemary Temple Medicine for the Elderly: Dr Mary Miller Neurology: Dr Bridget Hemmant Respiratory Medicine: Dr Prasanna Sankaran
5. Another opportunity for teaching is to become an OSCE examiner. UEA students have frequent OSCEs at the end of each rotation and examiners are always required. To be trained as an OSCE examination and become involved in this, please contact Rebecca Ogden ([email protected])
6. Teaching opportunities in Interprofessional Learning:
ICS MPh/Pa – Interprofessional Clinical Skills
These sessions are run jointly with the school of Pharmacy and Paramedic science. Fourth year medical students are partnered with fourth year pharmacy students OR second year paramedic students. Together they solve practical scenarios in a non-assessed OSCE-like environment. We require 6 tutors each afternoon (1.30pm – 6.00pm) in order to deliver these sessions.
ICS MAdN – Interprofessional Clinical Skills These sessions are run jointly with the Nursing School. Final year medical students are partnered with Final year Nursing students and they work together to solve practical scenarios in an OSCE-like environment.
If you would like to volunteer to be a tutor for any of the above sessions, please contact The Centre for Interprofessional Practice Centre Assistant: Raquel Arroyo: [email protected]
7. SIMMAN – SIMMAN is currently used for teaching in almost all modules. The sessions are delivered to small groups of students with not more than six students scheduled to attend a session. In order to be involved in SIMMAN teaching you are required to attend training. Please contact Ruth Flather [email protected] for dates. Once trained your details will be placed on a database and you will be contacted to request your availability for teaching.
Are there any courses/conferences you recommend that I attend? These will depend on your speciality and research area, so discuss this early on with your academic supervisor so you can plan ahead, book the required time off and arrange funding to attend. An excellent training and networking opportunity is provided annually by the NIHR Trainees (http://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-faculty/trainees/events-for-trainees/annual-trainees-meeting/). The NIHR aims to ensure that all ACFs attend this meeting at least once during their fellowship. There will be the opportunity to present your work in poster format, attend lectures and small group sessions on topics such as ‘applying for PhD fellowships’ and ‘career management’, and to meet both peers and senior academic clinicians from a range of specialities who are only too keen to share their experiences and knowledge with you. If you are successful in gaining a place, the NIHR funds the conference fees and accommodation. Registration will open in late September 2017. Glossary
ACF Academic Clinical Fellow
ARCP Annual Review of Competence Progression
CL Clinical Lecturer
GCP Good Clinical Practice
HEEOE Health Education East of England (Deanery)
NANIME Norfolk and Norwich Institute for Medical Education
NATC Norwich Academic Trainees Committee
NATO Norwich Academic Trainees Office
NNUH Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
NSFT Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust
PDP Personal Development Plan
REN Research and Enterprise Services
Electronic Study Leave form for NNUH
Name of claimant (in CAPITALS) Currency claim to be paid in (form will be returned if left blank):
Purpose of Journey/Expense Claim Date(s) of Journey
Travelling Expenses (Road/Rail)
Date Single Return 2nd Class Mileage Rate Amount
TOTAL: £ 0.00
Other travelling expenses (please specify below):
TOTAL: £ 0.00
Hotels & Meals (Please attach all relevant bills and give details):
Hotels:
TOTAL: £ 0.00
Meals:
TOTAL: £ 0.00
Other expenses (please specify below):
There is no scale of allowance for meals and reasonable expenses, TOTAL: £ 0.00
necessarily incurred, will be refunded on production of receipts. TOTAL AMT CLAIMED: £ GBP 0.00
Signature of claimant: Certified for payment by (please sign):
Date form completed: Print name:
GBP
To From
Rail Car/Other VehicleJourney Details
UK Bank Name:
Account Name:
Sort Code:
Account Number:
Foreign Bank Name:
Swift Code:
Account Name:
IBAN/Account Number:
AmountAccount Code Charge Code
TOTAL CLAIMED:
NON - STAFF EXPENSES CLAIM FORM FORM UEA 6
0.00
Sterling (default)
Bank/Building Society Details (Please complete ALL of one of the sections below)
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NORWICH ACADEMIC TRAINING OFFICE Expenses request form
This travel and expenses request form for Academic Research Projects including consumables must be completed and submitted with an Expenses Claim Form (Non-Staff - Form UEA 6)
Full Name: Address: Speciality/Department: Academic Supervisor:
Please provide brief information on the expenses being requested Cost
Total cost
ACF / CL Signature
Date
Supervisor’s Signature
Date
Supervisor’s name (please print)
This form is to request expenses incurred for conferences and attendance. This form cannot be used for any academic training courses. You must have the signature of your academic supervisor or the academic lead in your speciality to request these funds. A maximum of £1,000 per year can be claimed while you are on the ACF/CL programme. Please return this form with supporting receipts and an Expenses Claim Form (non staff - Form UEA 6) to Norwich Academic Training Office, Research and Innovation Services, The Registry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ.
Specialty Academic Supervisor Email
Cardiology Professor Marcus Flather
Clinical Professor in Medicine
Endocrinology & Diabetes Mellitus
Dr Jeremy Turner [email protected]
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Gastroenterology
Professor Alastair Watson
Clinical Professor
Gastroenterology
Professor Andrew Hart
Clinical Professor
Geriatric Medicine
Professor John Potter
Clinical Professor
General Practise Dr Jamie Dalrymple GP Representative
Haematology Professor Kristian Bowles Clinical Professor
Microbiology/Virology
Dr Silke Schelenz
Clinical Senior Lecturer
Microbiology/Virology
Dr Justin O'Grady
[email protected] Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology
Microbiology/Virology Professor Tom Wileman Professor of Infection & Immunity
Microbiology/Virology Professor Paul Hunter Professor of Medicine
Medical Education/Public Health/Paediatrics
Professor Veena Rodrigues Professor of Public Health and Medical Education
Metabolic Bone Disease
Prof William Fraser
Professor of Medicine
Old Age Psychiatry Professor Chris Fox Clinical Professor
Older People's Medicine
Professor Yoon Loke Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology
Public Health
Professor Max Bachmann
[email protected] Professor of Health Services Research
Public Health
Professor Nicholas Steel
Clinical Professor
Respiratory
Professor Andrew Wilson
Clinical Professor
Rheumatology
Professor Alexander Macgregor
Professor of Genetic Epidemiology
Trauma & Orthopaedics
Professor Simon Donell
Honorary Professor