Clinical academics in training annual conference (CATAC)

Through our annual conference for clinical academics, we support early career researchers with a clinical background to share their work, develop skills and build the connections that help research improve health.

Summary

Our clinical academics in training annual conference (CATAC) is a cross-specialty conference for aspiring clinical academics working across a wide range of disciplines in the UK and Ireland.

By offering this unique opportunity, we harness the expertise and insights of researchers on the frontline of practice, helping a wide variety of committed people to develop their careers and forge the future of health.

What you’ll gain 

When you attend CATAC, you have the opportunity to develop as a clinical researcher while becoming part of a wider community committed to improving health through research. 

You will be able to: 

• share your research, possibly for the first time 
• develop your presentation skills 
• meet peers and senior academics to build your network 
• raise your profile within the clinical academic and research community. 

Watch: Why support for clinical academics matters

Video transcript

In the world of research, the playing field is not at all level. It's just harder for the wider range of health professionals, whether those are nurses or midwives or physiotherapists or occupational therapists or paramedics or one of the whole wide range of health professionals who have their own knowledge base, their own skill set to bring, it's harder for them.

Early career researchers, more than anything else, need networks and it's really fantastic that the Academy is bringing all of those professionals together with the early career medics as well so they can learn and network and grow together.

Competitions

We hold competitions at the conference to give early career clinical researchers the opportunity to showcase their work and gain recognition among peers and senior academics. You do not have to enter a competition to attend. 

Postdoctoral plenary competition 

This competition is for clinical researchers who have passed their PhD viva by the abstract submission closing date. If selected, you will be asked to prepare a 10-minute oral presentation, followed by 5 minutes of questions from the audience. The winner and runner-up of this competition receive a monetary prize. 

Predoctoral plenary competition 

This competition is for clinical researchers who have not yet passed their PhD viva by the abstract submission closing date. If selected, you will be asked to prepare a 5-minute oral presentation, to be followed by 2 minutes of questions from the audience. The winner and runner-up of this competition receive a monetary prize. 

Who can apply

We use the term 'clinical academics in training' to refer to any early-career researcher in medicine or health with a clinical background.

We welcome applications from all fields of clinical research, and particularly encourage applicants from nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals.

You must:

• be based in the UK or Ireland
• either be studying for your PhD OR have completed your PhD and are conducting research as an early-career post-doctoral researcher
• be conducting academic research that is related to your clinical background
• hold a relevant undergraduate and/or master’s degree in medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, veterinary sciences or another health professional degree.

If you have questions about whether you can apply, please contact [email protected].

Duration 

CATAC is a one-day conference. 

When to apply

Timings for the 2027 conference are to be confirmed.

How to apply

Registration information will be available in 2027.

To enter the competitions, you will need to submit a research abstract. Full application guidelines will be available in due course.

Selection process

Abstracts are assessed for overall quality, applicability and innovation of the research, and standard of written communication. A panel of Academy Fellows and senior researchers will score the submitted abstracts. 

Supporters

The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation

Wellcome

What participants say

My first experience attending CATAC was fascinating. All the presentations were brilliant and inspiring.

Dr Haotian Gu, CATAC 2022 poster competition winner

The poster session was run very well, with ‘tours’ where you went round with other people and spoke to the presenters. The range of talks was also good – it’s important to hear what other people are doing because it can help you to make a big leap in your own thinking.  

Dr Ben Faber, Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at the University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at North Bristol NHS Trust 

CATAC is open to a broad network of academics at different career stages, which I think is quite unique for academic meetings – it includes PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and established senior academics. The opportunity to network with people across these stages, and engage with potential mentors, is very helpful.

CATAC also helped me to gain a clearer understanding of where my PhD research might fit in the wider research ecosystem. I also gained a wider awareness of what the Academy of Medical Sciences do, and other opportunities offered beyond the conference.  

Dr Rose Penfold, Wellcome Trust Multimorbidity PhD Fellow, University of Edinburgh and Geriatrics & General Medicine registrar  

Further information

For further information, please contact [email protected].