Clinical Academic Pathway program for nurses and midwives
Western Health, in partnership with Deakin University, Victoria University, and Australian Catholic University, has launched a new Clinical Academic Pathway for PhD-qualified nurses and midwives.
The program gives eligible clinicians one day per week (pro rata) of protected time to undertake research and academic work while continuing clinical practice.
What the program offers
- Dedicated research time to design and run projects in a participant’s clinical specialty.
- Support to prepare and submit research grant applications.
- Time to prepare Human Research Ethics and governance submissions.
- Opportunities to build academic collaborations, receive clinical–academic mentorship and grow research teams.
- Practical pathways to translate the best available evidence into clinical practice.
- A platform to develop into professional leaders and independent, grant-funded researchers.
University Partnerships
Participants will hold an Honorary or Adjunct appointment with a partner University, which provides:
- Academic title and recognition.
- Access to university library and digital resources.
- Mentorship from experienced academic researchers in nursing, midwifery and public health.
- Collaborative opportunities in teaching, seminars and research forums.
Opportunities to co-supervise honours, master's and doctoral students.
This initiative is one of the first programs in Australia to offer a clinical academic pathway specifically for nurses and midwives.
Western Health’s investment in the program aims to strengthen clinical scholarship across the service, improve patient care through evidence-based practice, and support clinicians to become research leaders in the largest sector of the health workforce.