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Applications invited for Primary Care Network’s early career conference bursary scheme
The NHS Research Scotland (NRS) Primary Care Network is now inviting applications for its ‘potentially career-transforming’ conference bursary, made available for a fifth year.
The scheme encourages GP trainees and medical students to apply, allowing recipients to attend a national Primary Care conference of their choice, deepen their research knowledge, and potentially use fresh insights to shape future clinical methods.
The Network says the scheme continues to “promote and encourage awareness, understanding and experience of research among GP trainees and medical students,” while offering a “potentially career-transforming” experience.
By taking advantage of the funding, the Network believes that GP trainees and medical students can help to enhance both “research capacity and capability within Primary Care” across Scotland.
The bursary is open to all GP Specialty Trainees (ST1, 2 and 3), ScotGem (years 2 and 3) and 4th year medical students who have completed a Quality Improvement or research project.
Successful applicants from those groups will receive a bursary to cover conference registration and accommodation to attend their chosen conference.
Applications should be made using the electronic application form by the deadline of Friday 24 April 2026. If you have any queries regarding this bursary scheme, please email nrsprimarycarenetworkadmin@dundee.ac.uk
Among forthcoming Primary Care conferences in the UK are:
• NADEGS 2027, known as ‘Scotland’s premier Academic Primary Care conference’, taking place January 2027
• The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Conference, taking place in Glasgow on 29-30 October
• The Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) annual scientific meeting in St Andrews from 24-26 June
• The Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME) annual scholarship meeting in Birmingham from 30 June-2 July
Dr Ellen Drost, NRS Primary Care Network Manager said: “We consider the scheme to be hugely beneficial on many levels, so would encourage applications to be submitted by relevant parties soon.
“The future of research in primary care is bright, but we must also fuel engagement and widen the scope of our knowledge by supporting Scotland’s next generation of trainee and student parties in their desire to learn more.
“Attendance at events across the UK could ultimately help to inform better approaches to clinical practice and engender new connections and collaborations in order to increase the quality of Scottish research.
“We look forward to receiving applications and supporting future agents of change.”
The Network was established in 2002 as a framework to coordinate national research activity in primary care. Funded by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO), its aim is to increase the amount of research relevant to patient care undertaken in a primary care setting.
Publication date: 18th March 2026
