NIHR Associate Principal

Investigator (PI) Scheme

Aims of the Associate PI Scheme

• To integrate clinical research into clinical training
• To develop doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals to be the PIs of the future
• To recognise, and promote healthcare professionals’ engagement in NIHR portfolio research
• To increase opportunities for patients to be involved in high quality research to ultimately improve care

What is the Associate PI Scheme

• Six month in-work training/mentorship opportunity.

​

• Provides practical experience for health and care professionals starting their research career

​

• The chance to experience what it means to work on, and deliver, an NIHR portfolio study under the mentorship of an enthusiastic Local PI

​

• Receive formal recognition of engagement in NIHR Portfolio research studies through the certification of Associate PI status, endorsed by the NIHR and Royal Colleges

​

​

​

​

​

Associate PI Scheme - Where are we now?

• Currently the Scheme is open in 27 NIHR specialties, listed here on the right

​

• We currently have 497 studies registered for the Scheme

​

• 1096 Associate PIs are currently taking part in the Scheme.

​

• 1352 have completed the scheme to date

​

​

API Scheme - East Midlands

395 Studies registered and open to applications

​

198 API trainee applications

​

61 API Alumni

​

70 API trainees confirmed/currently going through the scheme.

East Midlands Scheme Performance

EM API Alumni by Specialty (61)

EM API Trainees per Specialty (70)

Associate PI Scheme - Applicant Eligibility Criteria

• Any qualified health and care professional (doctor, nurse, midwife, AHP, pharmacist, etc). This also includes medical Trainees from FY1 upwards

​

• Applicants can only be an Associate PI for one study at a time

​

• The general rule is that we allow one Associate PI, per study, per site (1 Associate PI to 1 PI)

​

• Not eligible if your role is more than 50% specifically funded to work on research or you funded to work on the study you are applying for.

​

• Trainees must be able to commit to 6 months of working on a study at their site

​

• Trainees must gain prior approval from their Local PI

​

Associate PI Scheme Trainee Application Process

• Check the List of Registered Studies use the dedicated API ODP app to see if your local site is participating

​

• Speak to the Local PI for the study to get their approval

​

• Complete the applicant registration form

​

• The Associate PI trainee works alongside their Local PI for 6 months,

the Local PI acts as a mentor during their time on the Scheme

​

• The Associate PI trainee must complete the Checklist of competence, and

complete the Associate PI Scheme Learning Pathway in NIHR Learn

​

• The Checklist gets signed off by Local PI and National Study Coordinator

​

• Certificate is issued by the API team, officially confirming ‘Associate PI’ status

​

• Acknowledged in primary publication from the study in a PubMed searchable way,

normally in the appendix as a collaborator.

Please note we cannot mandate this but we heavily encourage it.

​

Benefits of the Associate PI Scheme

For the API

​

• Experience of research with the oversight of the local enthusiastic PI

​

• Learns about the challenges and practicalities of delivering a portfolio study

​

• Participation is recognised through certification for their training portfolio

​

• Associate PIs will be acknowledged in the primary publication(s) from the study

For the PI

​

• Additional support with the delivery of the study
• Developing the PIs of the future

​

​

For Study Team/CTU

• Increased support for the trial at sites -
• Demonstrated Speedier delivery
• Enhanced Recruitment

​

​

For the Patient

• Increased opportunities to be involved in high-quality research

Associate PI Scheme - Next Steps

Encourage study teams to register their study

Encourage individuals to register

For further information visit the website at:��www.nihr.ac.uk/AssociatePIscheme

​

or scan the QR code below

The journey to becoming an Associate Principal

Investigator (API)

​

My experience as an AHP

Bruno Mafrici (BSc, MSc, SP, RD)

Clinical Specialist Renal Dietitian, Non-medical prescriber (NMP)

bruno.mafrici@nuh.nhs.uk

Introduction

CPMS ID: 50088, API Study Number: 000243

Why I applied for the API scheme?

What is it?

What does it look like in practice ?

July 22 Aug 22 Sept 22 Oct 22 Nov 22 Dec 22 Jan 23 Feb 23 Mar 23 Apr 23

Site initiation visit of the trail

Month 1

​

Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Training set up

​

Self portfolio

Month 2

​

Consent

presentation to other

Self portfolio

Website

East midlands

link support

Alison Hill

Month 3

​

Support with recruitment and

Monitoring of participants

​

Self portfolio

Month 4

​

Support with recruitment and

Monitoring of participants

Additional

training

​

Self portfolio

Month 5

​

Monitoring of participants

​

Self reflection

​

Self portfolio

Month 6

​

Delay with AL/ strike and sick leave meant I did not manage to complete my final review with my PI until 3.4.23

​

Final Submission

Self reflection as an AHP

Acknowledgements

Dr Charlotte Bebb Consultant Nephrologist (PI)

Holly Waterfall Senior Renal research nurse