Alison Maclean
Dr Alison Maclean is a Speciality Trainee in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ST5), who is currently undertaking a full-time MRC funded clinical research training fellowship in the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences (ILCaMS) and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
What type of fellowship do you have?
I am a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellow.
Can you tell us a bit about your research field?
My research is on a common gynaecological condition called adenomyosis, which affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, and causes heavy periods, pelvic pain, subfertility, and pregnancy complications. In adenomyosis, the inner lining of the uterus (the endometrium) is abnormally located in the muscle layer (myometrium), and this causes inflammation and pain. It is diagnosed after a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) or specialist scans of the pelvis. The cause is not known and treatment options are limited, with the only cure being a hysterectomy.
My research aims to identify key genes and pathways which are dysregulated in adenomyosis, to understand why the condition happens and identify targets for newer, better treatments. I’m also developing a laboratory model of adenomyosis using cells from the endometrium and myometrium, to be used in future to test potential new treatments and study the disease.
Why did you choose Liverpool to pursue your research?
I’ve been in Liverpool throughout my undergraduate studies and postgraduate training, through which I established a good relationship with my supervisor, and the research department in University of Liverpool/Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Advice for prospective fellowship applicants is to consider the ‘3 P’s’, person, place, and project. The techniques I planned to use in my proposed project were well established here in Liverpool, and I gained experience of them during my academic clinical fellowship. My supervisor is an expert in the field of endometrial research and hence well placed to support the project too. However, strong collaborators are also important for fellowship applications, therefore I have a co-supervisor in the University of Oxford who is an expert in gene expression analysis in the endometrium, which further supported the application.
What made you want to apply for a fellowship?
It was a gradual process, from my first experience of research as a medical student, to the positive experiences I had during my academic foundation programme (AFP), and academic clinical fellowship (ACF). I learned that I enjoyed working in translational researcher and found bridging the gap between laboratory-based research and clinical care exciting and rewarding (and challenging)! When I decided I wanted to continue to work in this domain, it became clear that the next step was to undertake a clinical research training fellowship, to allow me to focus full time on research and undertake a PhD.
Which scheme did you choose and why?
I chose to apply to clinical research training fellowships as these provide funding for the proposed research, tuition fees, and a salary, which allows you to work full-time in research for 3 years, without the added responsibilities of clinical duties. It is also possible to self-fund a higher research degree and work clinically at the same time, but the fellowship offers the chance to fully focus on research for 3 years, which is a unique opportunity for clinical trainees. Also, the career path for a clinical academic is very competitive, and having a competitively attained prestigious fellowship is beneficial. I wasn’t successful in my first application, which was very disappointing but the subsequent changes I made in response to the feedback improved the project significantly, and this was instrumental in my success in applying for my current fellowship.
How did you go about writing your application and preparing for interview?
In first year of my ACF I began having meetings with my supervisor and proposed collaborators to discuss potential research projects, and began writing a draft application. I want to subspecialise as a benign gynaecologist, so I chose to focus on an under-researched and common benign gynaecological condition, adenomyosis. I also sought the advice of colleagues in our department who had experience of applying for fellowships, and once the draft was written I got useful feedback from my supervisor, collaborators, and colleagues. I also submitted a draft of the proposal to the ILCaMS research support group for feedback, and this included a mock interview which was very helpful. It did feel very early in my ACF to be applying for fellowships, however they take so much time to prepare, and the success rates are so low that I didn’t want to waste an opportunity to apply and at least get some feedback. I was invited for interview, which was unsuccessful, but the reviewer’s comments were very helpful to understand why. After this my supervisor and I changed the project taking the feedback into account and submitted to a different funder (MRC). I felt this was a much improved project that I was actually much more excited about. I was invited for interview, and spent a LOT of time preparing. I was lucky to have a very dedicated supervisor who arranged multiple (I think 10..!) mock interviews with clinicians and academics, over a 2 week period leading up to the interview. This was exhausting... but made all the difference on the day. The MRC also have a mock interview video on their website which was very representative of the real interview.
Were you successful on your first attempt?
No, which really knocked me back. After spending all of my career up to that point far working in clinical academic training posts and spending such a long time on the application, I found it difficult to deal with the rejection at first. However, this was fundamental in improving my subsequently successful application. The reviewer’s and interviewers’ comments were incredibly helpful in understanding why I wasn’t successful, which included that the project was lacking clinical translatability, and this was within the remit of the funder, and some concerns about the experimental design and statistical power. We made changes to the project, and I also worked on my CV and achieved a first author publication which made me a stronger candidate. When I re-applied to a different funder, I was much more knowledgeable and excited about my re-shaped proposed project, which was then successful.
Was there anything that surprised you about the whole fellowship application process?
Yes – I was surprised about how far ahead I needed to plan to submit an application in time, and also how competitive it was! I was extremely lucky to be successful on my second application, and I think it can be really difficult to bounce back after a rejection of something you have worked so hard on. During an ACF you are aware that the purpose is to generate pilot data to support a fellowship application, and ideally for this fellowship to lead on from the ACF. An ACF is only 3 years long, so give the length of time that an application takes, that some funders only have one call a year, and that the chances of you being successful on your first attempt are low, it’s necessary to start working towards your first fellowship application within the first year of the ACF.
What are your top tips for someone thinking of applying for a fellowship?
Do:
- Consider a research focus that is in line with your clinical interests
- Have a mentor
- Make sure you have a supportive and accessible supervisor
- Prepare in advance, the applications will include multiple sections from the proposed project, to lay summary, and letters of support from supervisors and collaborators.
- Aim to finish at least 1 month before deadline
- Send to colleagues and collaborators for comments and feedback
- Make use of the application review services offered by ILCaMS
- For the interview, prepare, practise, rest, repeat
- Watch MRC mock interview video and panel advice videos on their website
- Do lots of mock interviews with a panel, take on board all feedback and criticism – better to know and improve on the points made before the real interview
Don’t:
- Leave the signatures till the last minute and keep an eye out for university holidays as no one will be around to answer your emails!
- Skim over anything you’re unsure about e.g. SoECAT
- Be afraid to ask for time off clinical duties to prepare for the interview
- Sell yourself short – emphasise your experience and sell yourself
- Give up if you’re unsuccessful, take the comments on board, improve the application, and go again!