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Clinician-scientist training

WEHI offers a range of training opportunities for clinicians and medical students to develop skills in medical research.

Clinician-scientists are key members of our multidisciplinary research teams.

Their first-hand clinical expertise enables clinician-scientists to identify important questions that can be addressed by research; and within the laboratory clinician-scientists drive research towards better detection, prevention and treatment of diseases.

Close links to the clinic, and support from WEHI’s Clinical Discovery & Translation team, enable clinician-scientists to oversee the translation of WEHI’s research from the laboratory to the clinic.

Clinician-scientist training opportunities

We encourage medical students and clinicians at all levels of their career to consider research training at WEHI, which is the University of Melbourne’s Department of Medical Biology. Opportunities for training include short-term placements as well as programs to support clinicians undertaking PhDs and postdocs.

Medical Student Vacation Scholarships

WEHI offers opportunities for medical students to undertake paid research placements over a 4-week period between November and February.

Vacation scholarships allow medical students to get hands-on experience in medical research, contributing to the work of leading research teams at WEHI. Students can be placed in a range of research disciplines, such as cancer, infection and immunity, neurological disorders, genetics and computational and structural biology.

Eligibility and selection criteria

  • Be currently enrolled in an Australian medical degree, and continuing with that degree in the year after the vacation placement
  • Be currently in years 2 to 4 of their degree*
  • Be available between November and February for their full-time placement
  • Have approached potential supervisor/s to discuss research project and placement

* First year students can apply if they have completed an Honours degree

If you have attempted to contact a potential supervisor, but have been unable to secure a placement, please email cdt_coordinators@wehi.edu.au to enquire regarding alternative opportunities.

How to apply

  • Applications open: Friday 9 June, 2023
  • Applications close: Sunday 20 August, 2023

To start your application, please complete the following form: WEHI Medical Student Vacation Scholarship Application Form 2023
Please ensure you upload all required documentation, in order to be considered.

Outcomes will be announced by the end of September.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Contact

For all other enquiries, please contact cdt_coordinators@wehi.edu.au.

Benefits of clinician scientist training at WEHI

WEHI offers specific programs for clinician scientists to support their professional development and career progression. These include mentoring, career advice and support for maintaining their clinical involvement.

Clinician-scientist clinical session support

To support clinician PhD students and postdocs remaining clinically engaged during their research tenure, WEHI offers clinician session support to selected applicants when other funding options are not available.

This scheme considers the value offered to the applicant and their host laboratory from the proposed clinical engagements.

Please contact the Clinical Discovery & Translation team to discuss this opportunity.

Clinician mentor program

WEHI has established an informal clinician-scientist mentor program. This program is open to all PhD student and postdoctoral clinicians.

Mentees are paired with a mentor who is a senior clinician lab head, to provide an opportunity to discuss their project, research experience, clinical workload and work/life balance, and also to enable clinicians to form networks within WEHI.

MACH-Track

MACH-Track is a new program organised by the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH) in which WEHI is a partner. It allows promising recent medical graduates to integrate career development in research, including PhD studies, with completion of postgraduate specialist or generalist training.

Learn more about MACH-Track.

Contacts

Clinical Discovery & Translation:
cdt_coordinators@wehi.edu.au

Student and academic administration:
Scientific Education Office, education@wehi.edu.au

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