Background

Specialist knowledge of hepatology is needed in all hospitals in the UK. All trainees are required to achieve core competencies in the management of patients with liver disease. A proportion of trainees who are interested in a career in Hepatology apply for the Hepatology ATP. The expertise required to work as a Consultant Hepatologist or as a Gastroenterologist with an interest in liver disease is achieved within the remit of Gastroenterology HST. However, senior trainees or new consultants may be moving into roles beyond their areas of confidence and a short period of further experience in a Level 2 or Level 3 Centre can prove beneficial to the trainee or young consultant and their base hospital. Equally young hepatologists may need experience of new techniques and ways of working in international centres of excellence. Both could be helpful in improving practice in the UK. Such opportunities would be outside conventional training programs. This program would also be open to allied health professionals who are committed to hepatology to fund similar opportunities.

Award

Awards of up to £5,000 will be made to successful applicants. The award will be available each year. More than one award or no award maybe made in any particular year, dependent on quality of the applications. This can be used to pay a combination of accommodation and travel expenses to facilitate a short-term Hepatology Clinical Fellowship (4-12 weeks or equivalent period of time taken flexibly) at a Hepatology Centre. The funding can be used in any way which can be justified as supporting the successful outcome of the training experience.

A Consultant at the Host Institution must provisionally agree to supervise the applicant for the period of the fellowship, and the applicant and Consultant should produce a draft timetable.

Conditions

• The candidate must be an active BSG member of at least six months standing at the time of application.
• The candidate if medically qualified must hold a Gastroenterology NTN, be on a Gastroenterology CESR pathway, or be within 5 years of Gastroenterology CCT.
• If the candidate is an allied health care professional evidence of commitment to hepatology should be provided.
• If undertaking Hepatology Clinical Fellowship during Gastroenterology HST programme, written approval from the trainee’s TPD and Educational Supervisor to release them from training is required.
• Successful candidates should submit a report of their fellowship which will be published on the BSG website.

Review process

Applications will be reviewed by the BSG vice-president for hepatology, one other member of the BSG Executive (nominated by the BSG president) and 3 members of the BSG Liver Section.