NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI: NES supported graduates

NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI: NES supported graduates

NES works in collaboration with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) to support candidates in Scotland undertaking the NHS Fellowship in Clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Through the Innovation and Workforce Diversification workstream, and with support from the NES Medical Directorate, NES leads this collaboration with the national UK Clinical AI programme to develop Clinical AI capability and future system leaders.

NES is proud to have supported two fellows who successfully completed the NHS Fellowship in Clinical Artificial Intelligence in August 2025: Dr Jesus Perdomo Lampignano and Dr Rachel Thomson.

The fellowship is delivered in partnership with GSTT, the NHS Digital Academy Programme, the University of Glasgow’s Digital Health Validation Lab (DHVL), and Scotland’s three regional Innovation Hubs.

This 12-month work-based programme runs part-time alongside clinical work. Learning objectives focus on:

• AI Fundamentals
• Clinical AI Regulations and Standards
• Validation and Evaluation
• Integration and Systems Impact

Fellows gain hands-on experience deploying AI in clinical workflows under expert supervision in multidisciplinary teams. The cohort is drawn from across the UK’s diverse clinical workforce.

Dr Jesus Perdomo Lampignano, Graduate 2025 reflected on his experience:

“As my year as an NHS Fellow in Clinical Artificial Intelligence comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on the projects, experiences, and the importance of opportunities like this for early-career doctors.

“This fellowship has been an incredible chance to step away from day-to-day clinical training and immerse myself in the fast-paced world of healthcare innovation. I’ve contributed to significant work on AI quality assurance and post-market surveillance, gaining first-hand insight into governance, implementation, and evaluation of AI tools in the NHS. These areas are crucial as we work to ensure safe, effective, and equitable healthcare AI in Scotland.

“For Scottish trainees, programmes like this are invaluable. They provide protected time, mentorship, and access to networks that are hard to find in routine clinical training. They help us build the skills and perspectives needed to lead change not only in AI but across all areas where technology and healthcare intersect.

“My advice: if you’re motivated by the future of healthcare, seek out innovation opportunities, even beyond your comfort zone. The skills, networks, and perspectives you gain will stay with you throughout your career. I’m deeply grateful to NES, my supervisors, and everyone who made this fellowship possible. I hope others will follow and help shape the future of healthcare in Scotland and beyond.”

Dr Rachel Thomson, Graduate 2025 added:

“I’m a final-year public health registrar in Scotland, working between Public Health Scotland, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, and the University of Glasgow. My interests include policy evaluation, policy modelling, health inequalities, and environmental sustainability.

“The fellowship gave me dedicated time to develop my understanding and hands-on experience of a key technology that will influence my future career as a public health consultant. It offered great flexibility to focus on individual learning priorities. I explored environmental sustainability, while also upskilling on AI integration in clinical pathways.

“I particularly enjoyed the training bootcamps across the UK, learning from leaders in AI and hearing from other fellows about their projects. The diversity of topics and specialties made every discussion inspiring. My time at the University of Glasgow’s DHVL, working with Clinical Innovation Fellows, helped me build a strong network of like-minded colleagues.

“Overall, the year was hugely enriching and provided learning I’ll carry forward in my career. I would highly recommend this fellowship to others in public health and beyond.”

Professor David Lowe, Director of Clinical Innovation, University of Glasgow and Lead, Digital Health Validation Lab (DHVL) said:

“It has been a privilege to support Jesus and Rachel during their Fellowship in Clinical AI. At the DHVL, we create an environment where fellows benefit from one-to-one mentorship while being fully embedded within a wider innovation community. By working alongside our Clinical Innovation Fellows, they’ve learned from peers across healthcare disciplines, shared perspectives, and contributed to the exchange of ideas.

"Their fellowship has been rooted in real-world programmes such as our RADICAL study, giving them the opportunity to apply their skills in practice. Through the NES-supported Fellowship in Clinical AI, we’ve been delighted to help them grow as early-career clinicians and future leaders in AI adoption within the NHS.”

Fiona Fraser, Associate Director for Innovation and Workforce Diversification, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) concluded:

“This progressive programme is preparing future Clinical AI leaders through development opportunities grounded in Scotland’s clinical innovation pipeline, with expert support and guidance. It offers a cohesive and well-connected pathway that NES is proud to be part of. Fellows not only learn but contribute to clinical growth and capacity during their time in the programme, gaining from extended peer networks. NES aims to continue offering multidisciplinary opportunities like this.”

Applications for 2026 entry open in November. Find out more and apply for Cohort 5.

Let’s start a conversation, meet NES Research, Innovation and Workforce Diversification team at Scotland’s Health Research and Innovation Conference on 23 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

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