Clinician Researcher Fellowships 2027

Clinician researchers are well placed to identify research opportunities of great relevance to the health care of our patients and its delivery. The Clinician Researcher Fellowships (the Fellowships) are available to Gold Coast Health clinical staff, providing an opportunity to develop their clinical research careers while remaining clinically active, by contributing to high-quality research, supporting its translation and contributing to improved healthcare delivery.

Up to two Fellowships will provide Fellows with up to 0.4 FTE research time of three year’s duration to further their research career, support a research active culture, develop and undertake a body of research in areas of existing strength, working towards national and international recognition.

Key objectives:

• Support and develop research excellence in early career clinician researchers who are embedded within Gold Coast Health.
• Promote enhanced opportunities for diverse career pathways by attracting and retaining our early career clinician researchers.
• Expand early career clinician researcher capacity in a supportive and appropriately supervised, research-enabling environment.
• Enable capacity building, early career clinician researcher mentoring, and the continued development of leadership and supervision capabilities that align with Gold Coast Health’s Values and the broader Gold Coast Health Strategic Plan 2026 - 2030. 

• Ensure that you have read and understand the guidelines prior to commencing your application.
• Save progress regularly to avoid losing work due to possible timeouts. You can return to the form at any time to make edits, however, once 'submitted' no further edits can be made.
• An Assessment Framework has been provided to assist when addressing the assessment criteria (see Application Guideline Appendix 1).
• Obtain the requisite certifications and signatures before you submit the online application form:
  • download a PDF copy of the application form and Gantt chart (identifying timeline and milestones using Template provided).
  • provide a copy of your PDF application and the certification template to relevant delegates/ parties for signing. Please allow sufficient time for all delegates to review, certify and return the application to you. 
  • Once all signatures are obtained on the certification template, upload PDF of the application. Once uploaded, you can ‘submit’ the application.
• For any questions, please contact the grants coordinator P: 5687 0663 E: grantsgoldcoast@health.qld.gov.au 

Eligibility:

• Be employed in a clinical role with Gold Coast Health for the duration of the Fellowship, appointed to a minimum of 0.4 FTE clinician duties, as per the definition above.
• The total Gold Coast Health appointment must not exceed 1.0 FTE. Note: the total concurrent employment arrangement with Gold Coast Health does not have to equate to 1.0 FTE.
• The Fellowship program will be open to clinical staff across all disciplines and will provide up to 0.4 FTE of three years’ duration.
• To be eligible, evidence of completion of a Research Higher Degree (aka RHD and including PhD, MPhil, or MD by thesis) within 10 years of the fellowship application closing date (evidence must be provided). If a RHD thesis is imminent or under examination, applications may be considered if the RHD is conferred by 1 March 2027
• Detail any periods of career disruption, that will be considered for applicant eligibility
  (https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/resources/nhmrc-relative-opportunity-policy).
• Shortlisted applicants must be available to attend the face-to-face panel interview session on the week commencing 15 February 2027.

Letter of Support, Certification and Signature Requirements:

• A signed letter of support (maximum 2 pages) from the relevant Head of Department.
• A signed letter of support (where appropriate), from an Academic Partner or relevant collaborator (i.e., supervisor) (maximum 2 pages)
• Ensure that all requisite certifications and signatures are obtained on the certification template of the application form, including the following representatives:
  • Applicant
  • Head of Department
  • Primary Supervisor
  • Executive Director