The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH)and Public Health England
Honorary Joint Training Fellowships for Physicians Taking Higher Specialist Training in Genitourinary Medicine 2021
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and Public Health England (PHE) run a programme of honorary joint Fellowships for physicians in higher specialist training in genitourinary medicine. This document and the appendix explain the background, how the Fellowships will work, and how those interested should apply.
Higher Specialist Training in Genitourinary Medicine
Physicians in higher specialist training (HST) in genitourinary medicine have to undertake four years of structured training according to the curriculum laid down by the JCHMT Royal Colleges of Physicians. In this, there are periods of time towards the end of the four years when optional work can be undertaken and these Fellowships would fit into such periods. It is also possible that other grades of staff (e.g Associate Specialists) may undertake this fellowship, if arrangements to protect their time can be agreed with their NHS employer and manager.
Public Health England
Public Health England’s mission is to protect and improve the nation’s health and to address inequalities through working with national and local government, the NHS, industry and the voluntary and community sector. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Visit the PHE web-site to find out more.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england)
PHE, with its reference laboratories and epidemiology and emergency preparedness function, is engaged in, or contributes to, a wide range of activities relating to genitourinary medicine. These include screening and surveillance, laboratory work, out-break response, mathematical modelling, economic analyses, infection control in hospitals, schools, nurseries and the community, and sexual health. It does not do this alone, but works in partnership with NHS microbiologists, clinicians, consultants in communicable disease control (CsCDC), NHS public health specialists, Environmental Health Officers, as well as academics. It is primarily engaged in public health work, but also has a strong series of applied research programmes supporting this. Hence, there are opportunities for clinicians to develop interests in epidemiology or public health in collaboration with PHE for part of their higher specialist training.
How will fellowships work?
It would be preferred if Fellowships and their associated attachment could be for a year, but they could be made on a shorter-term basis. In most cases the attachments would be a day per week. Each person with a Fellowship must have a “mentor” at Colindale or another part of PHE. That person might be, for example, in Colindale – an epidemiologist or microbiologist, but equally could be a regional epidemiologist or a senior scientist or medical microbiologist in a PHE laboratory or Local PHE Centre which are located across the country. The Fellow would be expected to undertake a project either with the relevant epidemiologist, laboratory director, or reference laboratory director. As indicated above, this might involve laboratory work, outbreak investigation, or analytic work and would depend on the interests of the Fellow and what is agreed with the “mentor”. The Project should be of interest to the Fellow and relate to some aspect of genitourinary medicine, but it should also be of use and value to the “mentor” and public health in general. The Fellow could also attend either an introductory course or an intensive epidemiology course at Colindale. It is important to appreciate that no additional funding is available for these Fellowships and that costs of courses (at PHE rates), travel and support (eg: when attending courses at Colindale) would need to be identified by the candidate, for example from local training budgets.
It is expected that fellows will seek to publish the findings from their research in a peer reviewed journal.
How to apply?
Candidates should submit the application to BASHH at admin@bashh.org and copy to Katy Sinka at katy.sinka@phe.gov.uk
The application should include:
• Short (2 pages A4) summary of the project with the agreement of the proposed mentor (only one project should be submitted).
• Concise CV (2-3 sides)
• Short document (not more than 2 sides of A4) entitled ‘Importance of this placement at PHE to my training and future career’.
• Written approval from the candidates’ Head of Department, Regional Speciality Training Committee and Regional Dean.
N.B. Applications missing any of the above items will not be considered.The applicants should identify a mentor and can contact katy.sinka@phe.gov.uk to discuss, if they are not already in touch with an appropriate PHE based mentor.
This fellowship should be considered competitive as in previous years there has been a high level of interest for a limited number of places.
Applications should be received by the 30th April 2021 Successful candidates will be informed by 31st May 2021 with a view to starting in the autumn of 2021.
March 2021