BGS & Dunhill Medical Trust Joint Doctoral Fellowship

The British Geriatrics Society has partnered with the Dunhill Medical Trust (DMT) to co-fund Doctoral Training Fellowships to support front-line health professionals undertake research relevant to age-related diseases and frailty.

Eligible candidates include doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working with older people. One award will be made per year over the lifetime of the joint agreement, with each award covering the costs of a three-year Fellowship.

In the UK today more than 12 million people are aged 65 years or over,1 equating to nearly one in five of the population. It is estimated more than a third of these older people are living with a longstanding health condition.2 In addition, research has shown that 75% of 75-year-olds have more than one long term condition, rising to 82% of 85-year-olds.3 This challenge of managing healthcare needs is only set to increase with projections indicating that in 50 years’ time, there are likely to be an additional 8.6 million people aged 65 years and over in the UK who will need access to health services.4 Clinical research conducted by front-line health professionals is therefore key if the NHS is to meet the needs of an ageing population. Within this context, these new Fellowships will make an important contribution to furthering the understanding and treatment of age-related diseases and frailty.  

Applicants must be a Member of the British Geriatrics Society for the lifetime of the grant and meet the requirements for a programme of PhD study at a UK-based University. The grant covers salary, tuition fees, and consumables.

Click here for more information on the Dunhill Medical Trust website. 

1. Office for National Statistics. (2018) Overview of the UK population: November 2018

4. Office for National Statistics. (2018) Living longer: how our population is changing and why it matters

Past recipients

Quality of Life Tool for Care Homes to be developed by BGS/Dunhill Doctoral Training Fellow

New advance care planning interventions to be developed by BGS/Dunhill Doctoral Training Fellow

Research on the role of immune cells in delirium to be undertaken by third BGS/Dunhill Doctoral Training Fellow

Dr Hannah Moorey has been awarded the third joint British Geriatrics Society/Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Training Fellowship to support her PhD researching delirium. Hannah is a geriatric registrar in the West Midlands, and will undertake her doctorate at the University of Birmingham.

Dr Shiv Bhakta and Dr Marc Österdahl awarded BGS/Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Fellowships

Dr Shiv Bhakta and Dr Marc Österdahl have been awarded joint British Geriatrics Society/Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Training Fellowships to carry out PhD research benefiting the healthcare of older people. The Fellowships aim to support research projects that have the potential to prevent, delay or reduce future health and social care requirements and to improve older people’s quality of life.

Dr Liam Barrett awarded 2024 BGS/Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Fellowship

Dr Liam Barrett has been awarded a joint British Geriatrics Society/Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Training Fellowship to carry out PhD research benefiting the healthcare of older people

Dunhill Medical Trust Academy Excellence Awards

DMT has launched the Academy - a place for professionals across all career stages and disciplines to come together to share their knowledge through collaboration and networking and to provide a supportive place for the future leaders in the care of older people.

Why was the Academy created and what can it offer?
DMT recognises the importance of creating and fostering networks of support, celebrating success and providing safe and supportive spaces to learn and explore solutions to the many challenges that exist in providing care for older people. Conversations with existing professional networks, membership organisations, the recently-formed BBSRC-MRC funded ageing networks and other groups have highlighted an appetite, not to duplicate existing networks, but to provide a forum for connecting people working in a range of professions and disciplines, to:
  • Celebrate success, achievement and ambition in ageing-related research and evidence-informed practice
  • Create a supportive place to find new collaborators, mentors and advisors
  • Facilitate better understanding and foster relationships between academic and clinical researchers and community organisations working with older people
  • Sustain existing and nascent networks for the longer term.
The Academy aims to provide a growing, searchable portal of researchers and evidence-informed community organisations with an interest in age-related research. By joining the Academy, members will have access to:
  • Advance notice of future funding calls
  • A platform for advertising job vacancies
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Content from experts to share best practice
  • Networking and shared learning events.
DMT Academy Excellence Awards
Academic and clinical members of the Academy will also be eligible for nomination for our excellence awards – Two three-year awards of £40k pa each will be made to two researchers:
  • One to an early/mid-career researcher: a “rising star”
  • One to a senior leader in ageing-related research
Academy membership
Membership of the Academy is open to:
  • Current, former and prospective DMT academic and clinical research award holders.
  • Members of the UKRI-funded ageing across the life course interdisciplinary research networks
  • Evidence-informed community organisations working with older people.
For more information and how to join please click here.