Professor Phil Bennett says:

“I was an Action Medical Research Training Fellow between 1988 and 1991. My interest in medical research had been stimulated when I worked at Hammersmith Hospital in London, but to become a serious researcher I needed to learn laboratory skills in detail. Training in a medical specialism such as obstetrics is like an apprenticeship.

“Once a doctor starts up the well-established clinical career ladder it is difficult to get the opportunity to learn research skills or to do research. The catch 22 for the young and motivated would-be researcher is that without a previous track record they are not likely to obtain a project grant, but without a grant they are not likely to be able to do good research and establish a track record! This is where Action Medical Research Training Fellowships come in.

“After spending three years as an Action Medical Research Training Fellow myself, and obtaining a PhD, I was able to write my own research project grant applications. I went on to start a small research group, and then became an academic consultant. My research team has gradually grown to its current complement of ten researchers and, over the past ten years, nine PhD students have come through the group. ”