From the archive: What academy mentors taught me

MRC clinician scientist shares grants advice from Academy of Medical Sciences coaches

Helena Lee had several failed bids before winning a Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Fellowship in 2018, and she doubts she’d have done it without her mentors at the Academy of Medical Sciences. In this article, first published in May 2018, she passes on some of the advice that saw her through her MRC bid and beyond. “Academia can be a bit like the Hunger Games,” Lee acknowledges.

The next round of the MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowships will open on 23 July and close on 1 September. The scheme is for medically and other clinically qualified professionals with a higher research degree who want to lead their own research project and establish themselves as independent investigators. From this year, researchers can apply for up to five years of support.