About the course

As a DPhil in Clinical Medicine student, you will conduct research in basic science and/or in clinical medicine. The degree will provide you with research skills, in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in your chosen field of research.

Research subjects cover a broad spectrum of sciences related to medicine and include. behavioural science, bioinformatics & statistics (including modelling and computational biology), cell and molecular biology, clinical epidemiology, drug discovery, genetics and genomics, global health and tropical medicine, immunology, integrative physiology (systems biology), microbiology, protein science and structural biology, transcription biology.

Doctoral students within the Nuffield Department of Medicine carry out research in a single laboratory for three to four years if studying full-time, or six to eight years if studying part-time. There is no period of rotation between laboratories. All doctoral students develop their skills through a range of research training and skills development in their first year of full- time study or first two years of part-time study, by attending compulsory and optional courses and lectures in laboratory techniques and generic skills, including scientific writing and statistics, while also working at the bench.

Assessment

Students will be admitted to the course as a Probationer Research Student (PRS) and will transfer to the status of DPhil Student after successfully completing their Transfer of Status milestone. By the end of the 9th term students will be assessed for their Confirmation of Status milestone with the doctoral work culminating in a thesis that will be defended in an oral examination (viva voce).

Graduate destinations

DPhil in Clinical Medicine students follow a wide variety of career paths, including all branches of biomedical research, clinical medicine, teaching, health administration and commerce.