Election to the Fellowship

Overview

Fellowship of the Academy recognises exceptional achievement in medical science. Fellows are chosen for making outstanding contributions through research, discovery, scholarship, leadership, or service to the field.

Nominations for the 2027 Fellowship Election cycle are now open.

Our Fellows come from a range of backgrounds, including:

• Biomedical science
• Academic medicine
• Veterinary science
• Dentistry
• Laboratory science
• Medical and nursing care
• Other allied health professions
• Healthcare leadership, public health and health policy.

Every Fellow can play a part in helping us fill the pool with excellent candidates. One way is to seek out diverse nominations from underrepresented groups. Make yourself known and visible within your institution as an Academy nominator to allow potential candidates to come to you. Keep the doors of communication open so that people can approach you to discuss nominations.

Professor David Adams FMedSci Academy Registrar

Election process

• An annual election is overseen by the Registrar, Professor David Adams FMedSci, supported by the Fellowship Manager, Russell Crandon.
• Only Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences may nominate a candidate for Fellowship. This does not include Honorary Fellows.
• Candidates must be supported by three Fellows: a Principal, second and third nominator. 
• Candidates nominated for the first time are automatically eligible for election for five consecutive years.
• After the fifth unsuccessful election, the candidate must wait for a period of two years before they can be nominated again.
• Eight Sectional Committees scrutinise candidates and make recommendations to Council for election. Committee members each serve for three years. 
• Up to 60 Fellows are elected each year. Of this number, up to 52 may be assigned to the Sectional Committees and up to eight may be reserved as ‘floating’ candidates that can be used to elect additional Fellows in any of the sections or to build capacity in new areas.
• E-lect is the online system that supports the Academy’s Fellowship election process.
• The election of Fellows is governed by a set of regulations.
   

Who becomes a Fellow?

Successful candidates are elected because they have:

• Made a major contribution to advancing medical science, or
• Applied scientific knowledge in an innovative way that has improved human health and wellbeing.

Other candidates are elected for exceptional contributions such as:

• Providing outstanding leadership or inspiration in medical science.
• Advancing medical science through senior management roles.
• Improving public understanding and appreciation of medical science.
• Giving exceptional service to the medical science community in other ways.

Who is eligible?

• New Fellows are usually citizens of the United Kingdom. This includes foreign nationals who are UK residents. 
• In exceptional circumstances, candidates for Fellowship who are foreign nationals and resident overseas will be considered; such candidates must have strong and enduring links with the UK medical science community, making a personal and ongoing contribution to contemporary British science.

Principal nominators

Key responsibilities

• The Principal Nominator is the main contact for the nomination.
• The Academy communicates mainly with the Principal Nominator rather than the candidate.
• Principal Nominators can submit up to four new nominations per year, with no more than two from their own institution. Exceptions may be considered for candidates from underrepresented groups or regions.
• There is no limit on how many candidates a Fellow can support as a second or third nominator.
   

Useful links

• Top tips for writing a successful Fellowship nomination (full article)
• Evolving the Fellowship for tomorrow's health challenges
• Sectional Committees page
• Regulations which govern the Fellowship election. Fellows interested in nominating individuals for election may find this information useful.

 Contact [email protected] with any queries.

Our top tips summary for writing a successful Fellowship nomination

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Write for a broad audience

Reviewers will not all be specialists in the candidate's field. Use clear, accessible language and avoid excessive technical detail. Ensure the nomination is well written, accurate and professional.

My experience on the sectional committee really highlighted how excellent the people who apply are, and how difficult it is to disentangle these excellent people from each other. This emphasises the point of clarity and simplicity.
 

Professor John Radford FMedSci 

Focus on the four citation questions

The citation is considered the most important element of the nomination. Nominators should explain:

• What difference the candidate's work has made.
• How their contributions changed research, healthcare or society.
• Benefits to patients, healthcare or public health.
• How the candidate would contribute to the Academy.
   

These changes we’ve made to the citation are not about lowering the bar - they’re about widening the lens. We’ve worked to remove hidden barriers and create space for excellence in all its forms, so that every candidate has a fair opportunity to be recognised.

Professor Franklin Aigbirhio FMedSci EDI Advisory Committee co-chair

Link achievements and evidence

The summary of achievements should tell a compelling career story. The "Top 10 Principal Contributions" should provide evidence to support that narrative. Clearly describe the candidate's role, leadership and personal impact within collaborative work.

Choose the right sectional committee

Candidates are reviewed by one of eight sectional committees. Nominators should carefully select the committee that best aligns with the candidate's current achievements and impact. Candidates are only seen by one committee each cycle but can move committees at the end of a cycle.

Update nominations every year

Unsuccessful candidates remain in the election pool for up to five years. Nominators should refresh submissions annually to include new achievements and developments. Updated nominations help committees assess candidates based on their most recent accomplishments.

Information for candidates

Nomination requirements

• Candidates must be supported by three Fellows: a Principal, second and third nominator. 
• Principal Nominators will be the main contact for everything to do with a candidate’s nomination. The Academy has minimal contact with candidates.

A complete nomination must include:

• Nomination details entered in e-lect, the Academy's online system which supports the election process. 
• A signed online acknowledgement form from the candidate, sent from e-lect and completed digitally.
• Supporting documents uploaded to the candidate's e-lect profile.
• Copies of the candidate's ten most important publications or outputs.

Required documents

Principal nominators and candidates work together to provide:

• Completed citation questions. These are split into four targeted questions, each with a 300-word limit, and cover: 
  • Exceptional contribution to medical sciences
  • Collaboration and partnerships  
  • Future contribution to the Academy
  • Impact on wider society 
• A summary of achievements (which references the candidate's top ten most significant contributions; maximum 500 words).
• Details of the candidate's ten most significant contributions, as referenced in the summary of achievements.
• CV (maximum four A4 pages).
• A full list of publications and outputs.
• For overseas candidates, a Letter of Contribution explaining their specific contribution to UK biomedical science.

Updating existing nominations

Candidates nominated for the first time are automatically eligible for election for five consecutive years.

After the fifth unsuccessful election, the candidate must wait for a period of two years before they can be nominated again.

At the start of each new election cycle, the Academy will contact the Principal Nominators of existing candidates by email to invite them to update their candidate’s nomination. This occurs between July and September and is an important part of the process; candidates whose nominations are not updated will still proceed in the next election cycle, but their submission will not be as detailed as others.

Election timetable

Fellowship election 2027 timetable

• July 2026: Election cycle opens for new and updated nominations made via e-lect.
• 25 September 2026: Deadline for nominations.
• October–December 2026: First round scoring by Sectional Committee members.
• November 2026: Sectional Committee Chairs meet to shortlist candidates for peer review. 
• January–February 2027: Peer review of the shortlist by Fellows and external experts. At least three referees’ reports required.
• March 2027: Individual Sectional Committees meet to score final list of candidates for election.
• April 2027: New Fellows formally elected by Council.
• May 2027: New cohort of Fellows publicly announced.
• May 2027: Fellowship Committee meet to review election year.

For more information, please contact Russell Crandon, Fellowship Manager, by emailing [email protected]  
 

International Industrial Fellows

We are piloting a new route to bring exceptional international industry leaders into the Fellowship this year.

Developed through our 'Three sprints to 30' initiative launched in 2025, this pilot is part of a series of transformative changes to ensure our Fellowship reflects the full breadth of talent, disciplines, and experiences across the biomedical and health research community.  

Our second Sprint is a pilot designed to strengthen the Academy's links across UK and global life sciences by recognising the increasingly international nature of industrial careers. It will help ensure the Fellowship better reflects talented individuals whose careers have taken them overseas, but who continue to make significant contributions to UK medical science and maintain strong ties with the UK community.

Election remains grounded in excellence, with each candidate assessed on their achievements, impact and potential contribution to the Academy, supported by the new citation questions updated in 2025 as part of Sprint 1.  Every candidate will undergo the Academy's rigorous assessment process and must provide a letter outlining their contribution to UK medical science and its impact.

Who we're looking for

We are seeking outstanding industry leaders with strong and active connections to the UK medical sciences community, either based overseas or dividing their time between the UK and other countries, who:  

• have made outstanding contributions to medical science or its translation  
• bring perspectives from industry, innovation, data, technology or applied research  
• have strong and active links to the UK  
• would contribute meaningfully to the Academy’s work  

Nominating an International Industrial Fellow

Existing Fellows (excluding honorary Fellows) can:

• Nominate an International Industry candidate in addition to their other candidates in the 2026 election cycle via e-lect.
• Suggest a candidate or discuss a potential nominee 
• Register intent to nominate, enabling us to link other Fellows with your nomination in support
• Volunteer to nominate a recommended candidate 

For further information or to show interest in the above, contact Russell Crandon, Fellowship Manager, on +44 (0)20 3141 3204 or by emailing [email protected] 

I want to recommend an International Industrial Fellow

If you are not an Academy Fellow but have a suggestion of a potential International Industry candidate, we may be able to link you with an existing Fellow to develop or support the nomination. 

Please contact Russell Crandon, Fellowship Manager, on +44 (0)20 3141 3204 or by emailing [email protected]  

Nomination process and schedule

Nominations will be submitted through the usual e-lect system and require the same core evidence as other international Fellowship nominations:

• a full nomination case
• supporting documentation 
• and a letter outlining the candidate’s contribution to UK medical science.  

As part of this pilot, a dedicated one-off International Industry Sectional Committee chaired by Dr Pauline Williams CBE FMedSci will review candidates, with formal committee scrutiny and Council oversight throughout.

Schedule

• June and July: Candidates identified and Fellows linked to support nominations
• 23 July: Nominations for international industry candidates open as part of the 2027 election round
• 25 September: Nominations close
• 1 October: Dedicated one-off International Industry Sectional Committee meets to discuss and agree candidates
• December: Successful candidates admitted to the Academy
• January 2027 onwards: International Industry Fellows bring their expertise to the Academy’s work, strengthening cross-sector collaboration, and supporting our policy and research priorities.  

Looking ahead

While this first phase focuses on international industry leaders, we may explore similar approaches to other areas where the Academy can make the greatest difference in the future, such as:  

• emerging disciplines and fields shaping health innovation  
• underrepresented regions or sectors  
• earlier-career leaders with exceptional potential  

In each case, the aim will be to work proactively with Fellows and wider networks to identify outstanding candidates and support strong nominations where existing routes may be slower to surface them.  

This is about complementing rather than replacing the current election process, so that we can take a more active role in shaping a Fellowship that reflects the evolving landscape of medical science.  

Election statistics

42%

of Fellows elected in 2026 are women

8

nationalities represented among our new Fellows 2026

Election cycle statistics 2025–26

372 candidates were reviewed:

• 248 existing candidates
• 124 new candidate nominations
• 119 candidates went forward to peer review (32%)
• 60 candidates were elected (16% of the total candidate pool)
• 39 candidates lapsed from the candidate pool 

Candidates can and do get elected during any year of their period within the candidate pool. The Academy emphasises to nominators the importance of updating candidate information for each year candidates are in the pool, to enable the review committees to compare like data between candidates. The breakdown of the Fellows elected in 2025–26 by number of years since nomination is as follows: 

Breakdown of Fellows elected in 2025–26 by number of years since nomination

Number of years since nomination	Number of new Fellows elected 2025–26
1	21
2	9
3	10
4	10
5	2
Re-nomination	8

For a full breakdown of the Academy's diversity data across all our programmes, see our latest diversity report news article. For the Fellowship, this includes a detailed breakdown of the make-up of candidates, panel members and Fellows elected. For more information about our ongoing work towards diversity and equality of opportunity, visit our EDI Advisory Committee page.
 

Peer review

• The peer review of shortlisted election candidates takes place between January and February.
• If you have been contacted to provide a reference for one of the Academy’s candidates for election, please sign in to the Fellows’ portal and go to e-lect with the username and password you were given. 
• Deadline for the submission of peer reviews is usually February, and we notify Fellows of the exact date in due course.
• If you need more time to complete your review, are unsure whether you have a conflict of interest with the candidate, or have any queries regarding the process, please contact Russell Crandon, Fellowship Manager, by emailing [email protected], or calling +44 (0)20 3141 3204. 

E-lect

E-lect is the online system that supports the Academy's Fellowship election, which includes options for nominating new candidates and for viewing and updating information on existing candidates. E-lect is open to Academy Fellows only.

Sign in to the Fellows' portal to access e-lect and nominate a candidate for Fellowship.

Once you have accessed e-lect, you will find guidance on how to nominate new candidates and/or view and update existing nominations. 

For further information contact [email protected]