MRes Medical Sciences

Course description

Our MRes Medical Sciences course has been designed to bridge the gap between the skills of new medical graduates and those required to embark on a clinical academic career.

This course equips students and graduates from the medical and dental sciences with the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a research-based career in academic medicine. We focus on medical research rather than biological science research, although our students' research projects have spanned the breadth of basic, clinical and epidemiological research across a wide range of medical specialities.

We welcome applications from intercalating medical and dental students who can interrupt their clinical training after Year 3 or 4 to undertake this MRes, as well as applications from other eligible candidates.

Our course has both taught and research components and is suitable for those with little or no previous research experience. Many of our students have no previous research experience and the MRes Medical Sciences is seen as a first introduction into medical research.

Teaching and learning

The course has both taught and research components. Laboratory experience is gained through taught units, and many students gain additional laboratory experience within their research placement.

Taught units include a research skills unit, tutorials focusing on critical appraisal and research publications, practical skills in biomedicine and a clinical masterclass unit which focuses on clinical research skills such as study design, ethics and academic career pathways.

Your research placement is spent with a single research group over the year, which has the advantage of allowing you to become an integrated part of the team and increases the depth and complexity of your research. The first ten weeks are spent undertaking a literature review and writing a research proposal. This is followed by six months of laboratory/research time, ending with submission of a final dissertation.

You will also attend a series of one-to-one meetings with the course director to ensure learning goals are being achieved.

Coursework and assessment

You will be assessed through presentations, written reports and a final report.