Section outline


  • If you’re a doctor with at least 3 years practice in a clinical role and have a special interest in clinical medicine or want to become a clinical academic, this course is for you. The Professional Doctorate in Clinical Medicine provides you with an integrated learning programme with flexible study options so you can tailor your learning experience and gain high-level research expertise alongside clinical practice.  

    You will develop a foundation in the core knowledge and skills required to underpin high level clinical practice in the 21st century. This degree integrates clinical skills training with doctoral level research. Experienced clinical and academic staff will expose you to comprehensive, contemporary, and novel knowledge in medicine at a specialist level and provide advanced training in healthcare skills such as audit, service evaluation, quality improvement and clinical research, as well as clinical expertise and skills in speciality fields.  

    Your programme will be divided into three phases: 

    Phase One: Coursework - 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time study incorporating 8 modules from one of  three optional tracks, alongside 2 longitudinal modules in Professional Studies and Research into Practice.  This phase can be studied on campus or online.

    Phase Two: Placement and Coursework - 1 year full-time clinical placement in a UK NHS Trust working alongside clinicians with exposure to comprehensive, contemporary and novel clinical medicine practice, supplemented by 3 modules: Applied Research I, Applied Clinical Skills, Research II. 

    Phase Three: Research - 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time advanced study to complete an independent research project and dissertation that demonstrates the application of scientific method to a problem of relevance to your chosen subject. This phase can be studied on campus or online.

    About this site
    This site is designed to provide you with all the information you need to apply, and subsequently prepare for, the Clinical Doctorate in Medicine or in Surgery. Click through the tabs to learn more about the programme structure, the application process and applying for GMC registration, as well as some sample learning materials.