Clinical Medicine

As a doctoral student with the Nuffield Department of Medicine, you will 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.

You will be encouraged to attend lectures and seminars related to your programme of research and make the most of the doctoral training and research methods provision available across the Medical Sciences division. The aim is to tailor this training to individual needs and bring all students up to satisfactory level in background knowledge. Later training is focused on the skills required for a successful career in independent research.

For both full-time and part-time students, the doctoral work will culminate in a thesis that will be defended in an oral examination (viva voce).

The department’s students are part of the Medical Sciences Division; lectures and seminars cut across departments and collaborations are widespread within the University.

The Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) comprises research groups in several institutes and laboratories, including:

• the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology (CCMP)
• the Jenner Institute (JENNER)
• the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Oxford Branch (LICR)
• the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC)
• the Division of Structural Biology (STRUBI)
• Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics (WHG)
• Experimental Medicine (EXPMED)
• NDM Research Building (NDMRB).

The department also has a Tropical Medicine (TROPMED) unit and its major overseas programmes are based primarily in Thailand, Vietnam and Kenya.

In exceptional cases, students may be admitted to study for the MSc by Research degree.

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Medicine and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Nuffield Department of Medicine.

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.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. In certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

Applicants are strongly advised to visit the Medical Sciences Graduate School website to help them identify the most suitable course and supervisors.

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

Courses suggested by the department

Integrated Immunology MSc
Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam) DPhil
International Health and Tropical Medicine MSc
Genomic Medicine and Statistics DPhil

All graduate courses offered by the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine

Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam) DPhil

Clinical Medicine DPhil

International Health and Tropical Medicine MSc

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Entry requirements