Midlands Mental Health & Neurosciences PhD Programme for Healthcare Professionals (360G-Wellcome-223508_Z_21_Z)

This unique partnership between four Midlands-based universities (and regional NHS Trusts) builds an innovative multidisciplinary doctoral training centre for healthcare professionals focussing on Mental Health & Neurosciences (MH&N), which will foster a progressive and dynamic inclusive research culture to support and develop 25 outstanding PhD scholars. Our holistic approach ensures that scholars’ needs are central to a supervisory system, supporting their research skills and career development, while ensuring wellbeing and quality of life. Every multidisciplinary cohort will have multiple opportunities to meet professionally and socially for peer support and companionship during their PhD. Scholars can choose to research a ‘theme’ representing the lifespan (children, young people and perinatal MH; common MH; severe MH; dementia; and physical health comorbidity with MH), using specific bio-psycho-social ‘approaches’. Profession-specific mentors will ensure scholars remain connected to their primary professional groups. Scholars will leave our programme as well-rounded clinical-academics with high-levels of MH&N research acumen, and enhanced communication and leadership skills. Ultimately, we aim to: (1) develop the next generation of multidisciplinary clinical academics in MH&N (2) conduct and disseminate world-leading research (3) create and sustain an ambitious Midlands-based, internationally connected, compassionate clinical-academic ecosystem, collaborating to address the key contemporary mental health challenges.