What Postgraduate Study Options Does the School of Clinical Medicine Offer?

Updated

The School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge offers postgraduate study across two broad routes: research programmes and taught programmes. According to the School, its postgraduate community spans research-only degrees, research with taught elements, higher doctorates, higher degrees by special regulations, and master's courses. It also runs taught MPhil programmes covering clinical medicine, translational research, and emerging areas of health. If you are deciding between a research career and a taught qualification, the choice below turns on how much of your time you want spent on a supervised project versus structured coursework.

Research routes

The School lists these research-oriented options:

  • Research only — a supervised project with no taught component.
  • Research with taught elements — a supervised project combined with some taught modules.
  • Higher doctorates — for candidates typically already holding a doctorate and submitting a substantial body of published work.
  • Higher degrees by special regulations — a route for specific cases set out in the University's regulations rather than the standard programme structure.

These suit applicants who already have a clear research question and, for the higher awards, an established publication record.

Taught routes

  • Master's programmes — the School refers to a range of master's courses.
  • Taught MPhil programmes — described as spanning clinical medicine, translational research, and emerging areas of health. The School points to these as a way to "advance your career."

Taught MPhils are the more structured option: you follow a set curriculum rather than designing your own project from the start.

Choosing between them

Your situation Route to look at
You have a defined research question and want to work mainly on a project Research only, or research with taught elements
You want structured teaching plus a qualification to advance your career Taught MPhil or master's
You already hold a doctorate and want to submit published work Higher doctorate
Your background does not fit a standard programme Higher degree by special regulations

How to find a specific course

The School directs prospective students to its "Find a course" and "Explore Clinical Academic Training" pages, where you can browse undergraduate and postgraduate courses in primary, community-based, or hospital care, and look at specialised programmes, fellowships, and lectureships. Start there to confirm which of the routes above is actually offered in your area of interest, along with entry requirements and deadlines — the School's summary describes the categories but not the individual course details.

Related option: clinical academic training

If you are already clinically qualified, the School's clinical academic training programmes, fellowships, and lectureships are a separate path from the degree routes above. They are aimed at developing academic research skills alongside clinical work, so consider them if you want to combine both rather than pause clinical practice for a degree.