Funding and Fellowship
School of Clinical Medicine - Clinical Research Fellowship Scheme

Applicants should submit the followings for consideration by January 3, 2023 (Tuesday):

1. A completed application form.
2. A work plan (up to one A4 page) elaborating their participation and plan on the research project concerned:
   1. Role and commitment in the research project;
   2. Academic/clinical benefits expected upon completion of the fellowship; and
   3. Career plan upon completion of the fellowship.
3. A brief curriculum vita (up to 3 pages).

Successful applicants must seek proper approval from the Hospital Authority to undertake the research training.

The Clinical Research Fellowship Scheme was launched in 2020 as a pilot scheme with an aim to encourage Hospital Authority (HA) doctors to take part in research work at their early career stage and encourage a research culture within the clinical setting. The Scheme provides opportunities for HA doctors to broaden their perspective on career development in the field of research and build up a commendable track record of bringing evidence-based research knowledge to patient care. 

Eligibility

Full-time HA-employed doctors in either of the following categories:

1. Resident Trainee:
   The applicant should be a higher resident trainee who is about to sit for the exit/fellowship examination of their respective College of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and has a research-related elective in their specialist training curriculum.
   
   
2. Young Fellow (Resident Specialist/Associate Consultant):
   The applicant should have completed their specialist training for no more than five years and should have at least some published research or evidence of previous research experience.

Research topics

Research topics inviting interested applicants are available here. Applicants are also welcome to approach a related Department and potential mentor to discuss and suggest a research topic.

Mentor

The Mentor should be a clinical professoriate at HKUMed School of Clinical Medicine and be available to provide support and guidance to the awardee throughout the fellowship period. The Mentor will review the achievements of the Fellows and confirm their successful completion of the Fellowship.

Fellowship period and conditions

The awardee will engage in a basic science or clinical research project for a period of 6 to 12 months under an attachment programme at HKUMed School of Clinical Medicine. During the Fellowship period, the awardee will be attached to a Clinical Department under the School according to HKU’s prevailing honorary appointment arrangement.

Depending on the awardee and his/her clinical field of work, the awardee shall spend 50% to 75% of their working time on his/her research work and the remaining time on clinical duties in their parent department in HA, subject to the agreement between HA and HKUMed. The awardee shall return to their position in HA upon completion of the Fellowship.

The awardee is expected to commence their attachment within 6 months of the announcement of the Fellowship award, subject to the agreement between HA and HKUMed.

Upon completion of the fellowship, the awardee should deliver the following outputs:

1. A completion report which will be reviewed by the Mentor and the Director of the School of Clinical Medicine; and
2. An oral/poster presentation at an international conference; or a first-authored publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Fellowship award

The awardee and the Mentor will receive a grant of up to HK$190,000 (for a 6-month fellowship period) or HK$380,000 (for a 12-months fellowship period) in total to support the awardee’s research and subsidize associated costs to the Department. For the University’s administrative purposes, the account holder of the grant shall be the Mentor.

HKUMed will reimburse HA for the actual staff costs incurred in accordance with the agreement between HA and HKUMed.

One to two awards will be made each year. However, if there are no suitable candidates, the Faculty reserves the right to not grant any award in a given year.

Successful applicants must seek proper approval from HA to undertake the research training.

Selection Criteria

Selection is based on:

• Quality and research potential of the applicant;
• Quality of the work plan; and
• Strategic plans and needs of HKUMed School of Clinical Medicine.

For enquiries, please contact Kathy Wong of the HKUMed Faculty Office (Research):

+852 3910 2744
kathywcy@hku.hk