Sir Peter Tizard Research Bursary
Each year we invite trainee paediatricians and newly qualified consultants planning a surveillance study through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) to apply for this bursary. The successful applicant receives a fully funded slot on the BPSU Orange Card and a stipend towards their training needs.
Purpose of the award
- To encourage paediatricians who are not research active to undertake a study of a rare disease or condition which affects children and which addresses a question of clinical or public health importance.
- To enable paediatricians to further develop their research knowledge and skills.
- To contribute to the body of knowledge of rare childhood diseases and conditions.
- To promote the role of the BPSU in the surveillance of rare diseases affecting children.
- To support the RCPCH’s objective of building and strengthening research in paediatrics
As a neonatal clinical trainee, I was fortunate enough to be supported by an excellent supervisory team led by Professor Don Sharkey in securing the 2019 Sir Peter Tizard bursary for carrying out a surveillance study on neonatal stroke. The bursary allowed me to understand better how research, especially a surveillance study, is carried out, alongside the opportunity to meet and work with the BPSU scientific committee. As this was the first surveillance study to be carried out on a new BPSU platform, I learnt a lot during the study set-up and surveillance period as we had to overcome various challenges that arose during the study period. I would encourage anyone interested to apply as it will provide a good introduction to research.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be an RCPCH member, and
- be a paediatrician working (at least part of their time) in the NHS who is a:
- specialty trainee (any grade)
- academic trainee, or
- new consultant (within three years of appointment to a consultant post).
The candidate must not have previously led a BPSU study.
The study team must not have previously submitted an application on the same topic for consideration by the BPSU scientific committee.
Any one candidate can only submit one application per year
Joint applications (ie where two applicants work together on a BPSU study under supervision and share the award) are acceptable.
How to win a Tizard bursary
Dr Simon Lenton presents this short video on how applicants can put forward an application to win this bursary. You can watch here, or download the slides below.