We’re focused on offering research opportunities and support to local health and care professionals, to help build careers and improve services. We’re sharing our latest development and support opportunities for health and social care professionals, and established researchers.
Training, development and support opportunities for health and care professionals
PenARC has a wide range of training, development and capacity-building opportunities for health and social care professionals across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset (and beyond).
Health Services Modelling Associates (HSMA) Programme
Learn how to use data modelling to tackle a problem facing your organisation through our national, free, accredited, flexible, online programme.
Making Sense of Evidence Workshops
Making effective, caring decisions with patients relies on an understanding of how and when to use research evidence. This programme helps participants develop skills and understanding to harness research to underpin their work.
Social care capacity – Internships
This internship programme is intended for those with little research experience and who want to develop their research profile.
Social Care Capacity – Research Champions
PenARC are currently looking for 10 Research Capacity Building Champions working in or with care homes or people in supported living intending to support others to learn more about research, be the point of contact to support research engagement, be involved, influence and informing research and practice.
Knowledge Mobilisation Fellowships
Designed to give health and care practitioners and managers the skills to promote meaningful change in your service, informed by research evidence. These Fellowships are fully funded and offered on a flexible part-time basis to suit their needs. Fellows can explore an important problem faced by their organisations, identify appropriate evidence, develop implementation skills, and help implement potential solutions. In 2025, we’re looking to reopen applications and welcome in a new cohort of Knowledge Mobilisation Fellows.
Mental Health Research Associates
The Mental Health Associates strand of PenMHRI offers an opportunity for people within the local system to develop their research/improvement skills during part-time secondments where they will address important problems facing their organisations.
INSIGHT
The INSIGHT South West Peninsula programme offers up to 30 research studentships each year to support fees and a stipend to study a research masters qualification via a full time or part time route for registered healthcare, social work and public health professionals. The studentships will enable individuals to gain academic training and develop the necessary skills and experience to lay the foundations for a research career.
Leading Clinical Research Delivery (Online) MSc
The MSc Leading Clinical Research Delivery at Exeter is one of only three NIHR- funded, fully online MSc programmes, developed in line with the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework. It supports practising clinical professionals aspiring to work in the clinical research delivery workforce. This course is supported by PenARC researchers and has a limited number of NIHR-funded spaces.
Already involved in research or have ideas and would like support?
PenARC has a wide range of opportunities for those involved in research, whether you’re just taking your first steps or are an established researcher.
Patient & Public Involvement & Engagement Advice Clinics
Whatever your query, from finding out more about Patient and Public Involvement to creating a PPIE strategy for a research bid, you can speak to one of PenARC’s researchers for advice.
Virtual Ideas Cafes with PenPEG
These 30-minute slots have been organised for you to give a 5-minute pitch about your research idea followed by an informal chat with members of the Peninsula Public Engagement Group (PenPEG). Members are keen to be more involved in early research development, so don’t worry if your idea is only half-formed.
Searching and Review Clinics
These clinics have been set up to help the PenARC Evidence Synthesis Team manage and respond to systematic review-related queries from within the South West region. Whether you are an academic or a health/social care professional who needs to know where to start on the systematic review process or how to go about designing a search strategy, you can book an appointment with one of our reviewers or information specialists.
Not based in the South West?
There are 15 ARCs based across the country, many of which offer similar opportunities. Additionally, some of our training and opportunities are open to professionals from outside of our region, such as our Health Services Modelling Associates programme which is free and open nationally.
Keep up to date with our opportunities for health and care professionals
To hear about the latest PenARC opportunities you can sign up for our e-newsletter and follow us on social media at: