Public health research is entering a phase of transformation following the publication of the Academy of Medical Sciences report ‘Health of the Public 2040’. There is a drive to build on existing strengths to make the UK the world leader in public health and prevention research, and to meet the substantial public health challenges we face. We want to see more research that is useful, timely and accessible to those responsible for delivering policies and services that ultimately protect and improve the health of the population. We need research that helps answer the most important questions facing policy makers, Local Authorities and service providers. To do this we need to inspire the next generation of academics into public health research with the option to combine academic research with practice as a career pathway.
The School is committed to equipping our trainees with the tools to develop and build a research career in public health, by providing options to combine academic research with practice and a range of training and development opportunities. We aim to provide a supportive environment for our trainees in which they can thrive through training, networking, mentoring, guidance and collaboration between members and their peers.
We provide a range of training opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in public health research including internships, PhD studentships, and pre and post-doctoral fellowships. More information about these opportunities are listed below.
SPHR summer internships in public health research
The summer internships are aimed at undergraduate students with an interest in a career in public health research. The funded internships offer support for six – eight-week projects supervised by SPHR Early Career Researcher (ECRs), Fellows and PhD students. We funded seven SPHR summer internships in summer 2020 and we plan to host more in 2021. Find out more about our internships.
SPHR PhD studentships in public health research
We have a cohort of 29 PhD students in the current quinquennium of the School. The funded PhD students all have a strong academic record and a passion to develop a career in public health research. The majority are aligned with our research programmes and themes. Each student benefits from cross-member and practice involvement in their supervision and opportunities for short, practice-based placements. Find out more about our PhD students.
SPHR-ARC joint PhD studentships in public health research
We have jointly funded 8 PhD studentships in the current quinquennium of the School. The funded students all have a strong academic record and a passion to develop a career in public health research The majority are aligned with our research programmes and themes. Each student benefits from both opportunities available through the SPHR and its members, and through the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC). Find out more about our PhD students.
SPHR pre-doctoral fellowship awards in public health research
We have a cohort of seven pre-doctoral Fellows in the School. The pre-doctoral fellowship offers up to 24 months for individuals with a strong academic record who wish to gain experience of research in public health. Fellows can access skills training in topics such as epidemiology, statistics, health economics, qualitative methods, health services research and developing and evaluating complex public health interventions by attending courses and working on a variety of pre-existing research projects. The goal of the fellowship is for the Fellow to gain experience, knowledge and, skills and to prepare an application to undertake a PhD in public health research in a way that supports the capacity and training needs for the future public health research workforce. The fellowship covers the Fellow’s salary with some research and training costs. Find out more about our Fellows and what we expect from them.
SPHR post-doctoral launching fellowships in public health research
We have a cohort of ten post-doctoral launching Fellows in the School. They offer up to 24 months for individuals with a strong academic record who wish to become an independent public health researcher but one that is closely connected to practice. The goal of these fellowships is for the Fellow to publish papers from their PhD and write fellowship or grant application(s) to secure further funding. The Launching Fellows will receive training and development opportunities provided by SPHR, the NIHR Academy and host organisation that equips them to undertake research that meets the substantial public health challenges we face in the UK in the 21st Century. The fellowships cover the Fellow’s salary with some research and training costs. Find out more about our Fellows and what we expect from them.
We provide a range of training and development opportunities for all of our PhD students, Fellows and ResNet members – find out more.