Opportunities for clinicians

At The Institute of Cancer Research, London, we offer clinicians a variety of opportunities – from a taught master's course in Oncology, to fellowships providing protected time for research, and higher research degrees.

Clinicians make up one-third of research team leaders at the ICR. This essential link between basic scientific research and clinical practice helps to get treatments into patients sooner, while ensuring that clinical knowledge is fed back to researchers, who can then develop more effective treatments.

MSc in Oncology

Our MSc in Oncology is a taught master's degree run as a day release course for medically qualified candidates who intend to pursue a career in clinical or medical oncology. The overall aim is to encourage proactive problem solving approaches and a reflective approach to medical or clinical oncology practice, producing graduates who are well equipped for leadership careers in twenty-first century oncology.

Find out more about MSc in Oncology

Clinical Academic Training Pathway

For those wishing to follow a clinical academic training path the following opportunities are listed in the order they would be undertaken.

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships

The ICR and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust have a number of Academic Clinical Fellowships available as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Integrated Academic Training Programme. These are three-year posts for clinicians in the early stages of specialty training and provide trainees with 25 per cent protected time for research training.

Find out more about NIHR Academic Clinical Felllowships

PhD and MD(Res) for clinicians

There are two options available for clinicians who wish to pursue higher research degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

The ICR offers PhD programmes to applicants eligible for full registration or who hold limited registration with the General Medical Council. These three-year fellowships are intended to develop the applicant’s potential to pursue a career as an academic clinician.

Doctor of Medicine (Research) - MD(Res)

The MD(Res) is a research programme specifically designed for clinically-qualified trainees, lasting a minimum of two years (or part-time equivalent). These provide clinical specialists the opportunity to work in a unique multidisciplinary environment alongside world leaders in cancer research and clinicians from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Find out more about PhD and MD(Res) for clinicians

NIHR Clinical Lectureships

NIHR Clinical Lectureships are aimed at those who are advanced in their specialty training, have completed a research degree and show outstanding potential for continuing a career in academic medicine. Clinical Lectureships allow clinical researchers to spend half of their time undertaking specialist clinical training and half undertaking research training.

Find out more about NIHR Clinical Lectureships

Latest ICR News

Immunofluorescent image of autophagosomes in multiple myeloma cells 945x532px

Blood cancer patients should be offered genetic testing to spot ‘double hit’ high-risk cases earlier

19/02/25

Offering extended genetic testing to patients with the blood cancer myeloma would help doctors spot those with the most aggressive forms of the disease so that their cancer can be targeted more effectively, say scientists from The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

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High throughput DNA sequencing, Credit: National Cancer Institute via Unsplash

Simple blood test could lead to smarter, kinder treatments for childhood cancers

18/02/25

Institute of Cancer Research scientists have developed a simple blood test that will help them better understand children’s cancers - and pave the way for new targeted and less toxic treatments.

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Newly identified therapeutic target may lead to effective treatments for the most common and dangerous form of brain cancer

17/02/25

Scientists have shown for the first time that some of the most persistent cancer cells in glioblastoma, a common type of adult brain tumour, rely on a specific enzyme for survival and that inhibiting this enzyme leads to the death of the cells.

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Human melanoma cells are seen in green escaping from the tumour, with surrounding ECM in purple, arranged perpendicular to the tumour

Scientists discover the ‘roadmap’ that aggressive cancer uses to spread around the body – identifying ways to block its escape

14/02/25

Scientists have discovered a new way to predict which tumours will become aggressive before they metastasise and spread around the body.

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