Fellowship information
When is the Topol Fellowship and how long is it?
The Fellowship runs annually from April and is approximately 12 months.
How many places are there?
In April 2024 we will be launching Cohort 5. There will be up to 50 NHSE funded places and including up to 2 sponsored places on each cohort so up to 50 places in total. All places are subject to final funding agreement.
Will I receive funding?
Yes. Each successful applicant’s employer will receive up to £15,000 to support the successful delivery of the project which will be paid directly to your organisation and must be ringfenced to support the delivery of the project. This payment will be made once a service agreement has been confirmed, this includes a commitment to the adherence of the NHS Values. If you have any questions about this please contact the Programme Team.
What is the required time commitment?
Employers must ensure that the fellow is given dedicated, protected time to conduct the work of their digital change project. We expect a minimum of 0.2 WTE to be protected but recommend that 0.4 WTE is fully protected. This protected time is mandatory for the completion of the fellowship and the receipt of the bursary. However, the programme is flexible as to how this time is taken over the 12 months of the programme.
Are the Fellowship workshops and masterclasses on a set day and time?
Yes. When you receive your offer of a place you will be given all scheduled dates. These will be on a variety of days and time to best accommodate the whole cohort. Attendance at sessions is mandatory as part of the successful completion of the Fellowship. Whilst we will endeavour to not make changes to the dates, this is not always possible. We will give as much notice as we can to changes to delivery date.
I am planning a career in a certain specialty or area; can I be connected with someone in this field to find out more about the Fellowship?
Yes. Please contact the Fellowship support team with your request and we will make these introductions.
Application Process
What is the application process? What are the application dates?
Applicants will be asked to complete an online application form via our website. Applications will then be shortlisted and invitations will be sent out to attend virtual interviews. Successful interviewees will then be notified.
All details about application dates can be found in the How do I become a Topol Digital Fellow? section of our website
What does the application entail?
In addition to your personal and professional information you will be asked a series of questions covering:
- Your prior experiences
- Your professional aspirations
- The problem you would like to explore
- The support you can access and organise
Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply for the Fellowship?
The Fellowship is open to all clinical staff who are Band 5+ or post FY2 working in an area that delivers NHS clinical services in England.
Is this scheme open to applicants in outside of England?
Unfortunately there are no NHS England funded places available outside of England. However there are up to 2 sponsored places via the British Association of Dermatologists for those meeting the set criteria across the UK. Full information about the sponsored places will be available from 23 October on the Cohort 5: How to apply page of our website.