NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI: NES supported graduates

Jesus Perdomo Lampignano | Graduate 2025

“As my year as an NHS Fellow in Clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes to an end, I have been reflecting not only on the projects and experiences, but also on the significance of opportunities like this for doctors early in their training careers.

This fellowship has been an incredible chance to step out of the day-to-day of clinical training and immerse myself in the fast-paced world of healthcare innovation. I have been able to contribute to significant and relevant work on AI quality assurance and post-market surveillance, gaining first-hand insight into the governance, implementation, and evaluation of AI tools in the NHS. These are areas of growing importance as we position ourselves at the forefront of 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 difficult to access in routine clinical training. They help us develop skills and perspectives that will be vital for leading change—not only in AI, but across all areas where technology and healthcare intersect. This experience has reinforced my belief that investing in and nurturing early-career clinicians will allow us to develop a generation of leaders equipped to guide innovation responsibly and effectively. 

My advice to others is simple: if you are motivated and excited about working towards the future of healthcare, always keep an eye out for opportunities in the innovation space, even if they are outside your immediate comfort zone. The skills, networks, and perspectives you gain will stay with you throughout your career and may open doors you didn’t even know existed. My career path has certainly been shaped by this last year!

I am immensely grateful to NHS Education for Scotland, my supervisors, and all those who made this fellowship possible. I hope many others will follow in these footsteps and help shape the future of healthcare in Scotland and beyond.”

Rachel Thomson | Graduate 2025

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

For me, the fellowship has meant a gift of dedicated time to focus on developing my understanding and practical experience of one of the key technologies that will undoubtedly influence my future clinical career as a public health consultant. I have found it hugely valuable, with considerable flexibility built in to prioritise the learning needs which are of most importance to each individual fellow. In my case, I was able to focus on a topic which has huge public health importance— environmental sustainability—while still rooting this alongside technical and practical upskilling on AI integration into clinical pathways.

I particularly enjoyed the many training bootcamps across different UK locations, as it was fantastic to be able to learn from genuine leaders in the AI field as well as hearing what other fellows were working on. The huge variety in topics, specialties, and projects meant that it was always really stimulating and exciting to hear the cohort talk about their progress and development.

I also had a great experience at the University of Glasgow Digital Health Validation Lab (DHVL) working directly alongside their Clinical Innovation Fellows and feel I have developed a fantastic network of like-minded colleagues who I know I will work with again in future. Overall the year has been hugely enriching and left me with so much learning which I will take forward into my future career—I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others in public health or any other specialty!”

Professor David Lowe | Director of Clinical Innovation at University of Glasgow and Digital Health Validation Lab (DHVL) Lead  

“It has been a privilege to support Jesus and Rachel during their Fellowship in Clinical AI. At the Digital Health Validation Lab (DHVL), we are committed to creating an environment where fellows benefit not only from one-to-one mentorship, but also from being fully embedded within our wider innovation community. By working alongside our cohort of Clinical Innovation Fellows, they have been able to learn from peers across healthcare disciplines, share perspectives, and contribute to cross-pollination of ideas. 

Equally important, we are pleased that their fellowship has been firmly rooted in established programmes of work with real-world impact, such as our RADICAL study. This has given them the opportunity to see their skills and learning applied in practice. Through the NES-enabled Fellowship in Clinical AI, we have been delighted to support Jesus and Rachel in developing as both early-career clinicians and future leaders in AI adoption within the NHS." 

Fiona Fraser | Associate Director for Innovation and Workforce Diversification at NHS Education for Scotland (NES)

“This progressive programme design is preparing future clinical AI leaders, development opportunity grounded in Scotland’s clinical innovation pipeline, with expert support and guidance. This is a cohesive and well-connected pipeline and one NES is delighted to play a role within. Fellows not only learn but contribute to clinical growth and capacity for the duration, which is a precious mix whilst also gaining from extended peer networks. NES aim to offer mixed discipline opportunity ongoing."