Clinician Scientist Pathway

Barwon Health and Deakin University know a thriving clinician PhD program is vital to our partnership and brings immediate and long-term benefits to patient care.

The Barwon Health and Deakin University Clinician Scientist Pathway (CSP) is a jointly funded four year PhD scholarship program for Barwon Health employees across medicine, nursing, midwifery and allied health. As well as clinicians, the CSP is open to scientists or health professionals working alongside clinicians in a Barwon Health Clinical Directorate to support safe and effective patient care.

The Clinician Scientist Pathway differs from existing PhD pathways because it supports a clinician to maintain a clinical role at up to 0.5 FTE with protected PhD research time, blending patient care with research.

The pathway:

• Supports researchers to complete clinical training or maintain clinical roles and work flexibly with their training body to meet requirements, such as specific clinical competencies and rotations.
• Provides employees with excellent opportunities to build their research track record, positioning them for future funding success and clinical and research leadership.
• Provides improved career prospects for allied health, nursing, midwifery and medical clinicians with PhD qualifications.

For high potential clinicians with limited research experience, the Clinician Scientist Pathway will also support a clinician to undertake the Deakin Graduate Certificate of Health and Medical Research, which provides training and credits towards PhD entry criteria and can be undertaken remotely and part-time during the 6-12 months leading up to PhD commencement. Importantly, it can include development work on the proposed PhD.

Read about Catherine Williams, recipient of the inaugural CSP Scholarship here.

Applications for the next round will open in early 2026.

Barwon Health staff: Guidelines for prospective Clinician Scientist Pathway candidates are available here (updated Sept 2025).  To submit an application, register your interest or find out more, contact research@barwonhealth.org.au.

If you are not a member of staff at Barwon Health, find out more here or contact research@barwonhealth.org.au for guidelines.