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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the University's principal research degree for graduate students and is available in all faculties and departments.

A Cambridge PhD is intellectually demanding and you will need to have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research.

In most faculties, a candidate is expected to have completed one year of postgraduate study, normally on a research preparation master's course, prior to starting a PhD.

Completion normally requires three or four years of full-time study, or at least five years of part-time study, including a probationary period.

Terms of research are normally consecutive and, for full-time students, require residency in Cambridge. Not all departments offer part-time research degrees.

Various routes to the PhD are possible and, if you are made an offer of admission, it will be made clear whether you are required to study for a master's degree or certificate in the first instance, or will be admitted directly to the probationary year for the PhD. You are registered for the PhD only after a satisfactory progress assessment at the end of the probationary year (five terms for part-time degrees). The assessment is designed also to focus your mind on the stages necessary for the completion of your research within the normal time limit and to address any structural problems that have arisen during the first year. Students must pass the first year assessment in order to continue their PhD study.

During your PhD, your effort will be focused on writing a dissertation. The word count of the dissertation is dependent on the department and the Student Registry or Educational Student Policy will be able to tell you the maximum word limit. This must represent a significant contribution to learning, for example through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of a new theory, or the revision of older views, and must take account of previously published work on the subject. Some Cambridge dissertations go on to form the basis of significant publications.

Although you will spend long hours working independently, your department and College will both support you throughout your PhD. You are also able to attend regular seminars in your subject area and could be involved in teaching, perhaps giving seminars or supervising, or in the social life of your department and College.

PhD course search

Go to the Course Directory and filter courses using the relevant checkboxes.

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5 routes to getting a Doctorate

While most of those studying for a PhD take the PhD by thesis pathway, there are five viable routes to achieving a Doctorate degree

PhD by thesis

This is the most common means of getting a Doctorate degree. Over the three or four years of research at university, your PhD supervisor will support you as you aim to produce a thesis based on your research proposal .

A thesis is typically 60,000-90,000 words in length - although this can vary between institutions. For instance, the University of Glasgow's College of Social Sciences expects a thesis to be 70,000-100,000 words including references, bibliography and appendices, while the University of Cambridge has set an upper limit of 80,000 words.

Once completed, you'll need to defend your PhD thesis in front of a panel of examiners during your viva voce .

PhD by publication

This route involves submitting previously published work - such as books, book chapters and journal articles, which together form a coherent body of work and show evidence of an original contribution to a particular field of study.

It's often taken by mid-career academics that haven't had the opportunity to undertake a standard Doctorate degree.

Generally, a minimum of five to eight published pieces are required, but this varies between institutions and depends on their length. The published work will be assessed to the same rigorous standards as a traditional PhD by thesis.

You must also provide a written supporting statement, which can range from 5,000 to 20,000 words, and present your work to an academic committee. A supervisor will assist you with selecting which publications to submit and with the supporting statement.

Some universities accept only their own graduates for a PhD by publication, while others restrict this route to their academic staff. In general, you should have graduated from your first degree at least seven years ago to be eligible.

For example, The University of Manchester has published its own Guidance for the PhD By Published Work , with eligibility only extending to current members of staff.

Professional Doctorate

Geared primarily towards current professionals in vocational sectors such as healthcare , teaching and education , and engineering and manufacturing , this type of Doctorate degree includes a significant taught component and a smaller research project.

Professional Doctorates are often taken on a part-time basis and can last between two and eight years. Like their standard PhD counterparts, they usually begin in October or January.

While you won't typically be looking to get an academic job , your research is expected to contribute to theory as well as professional practice. Projects often revolve around a real-life issue that affects your employer.

Several professional Doctorates, such as the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), are accredited by a professional body - for instance, the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and The British Psychological Society (BPS) - and may also lead to a professional qualification .

Common titles for graduates of professional Doctorate degrees include:

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Doctor of Education (EdD)
• Doctor of Engineering (EngD)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Unlike many professional Doctorates, the EngD is typically offered as a full-time course and is aimed at young engineering graduates with little or no professional experience.

Explore what's currently available at Find a Professional Doctorate .

Integrated PhD

This four-year qualification, also known as the New Route PhD, involves studying a one-year research Masters degree (MRes) before progressing onto a three-year PhD.

Offered by a select number of universities across the UK, integrated PhDs are supported by the government and the British Council through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . Visit Research Council funding for further information on research and funding for different types of PhD.

The integrated PhD involves a combination of taught materials, practical experience and advanced research. This allows you to learn subject-specific methodologies, while building the transferable skills that will enable you to become a leader in your chosen profession.

Institutions can also develop personalised integrated PhD programmes to meet each student's needs. For example, universities may offer you the opportunity to gain a postgraduate certificate (PGCert) in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - perfect if you're considering a career as a higher education lecturer .

As PhDs are based primarily on independent research rather than time spent in lectures and seminars, distance learning has always been a viable route for many Doctoral students.

PhDs by distance learning offered by course providers such as The Open University are therefore a good option to consider if you've got family or work commitments or are an international student - as this gives you the chance to undertake Doctoral research without having to live close to your chosen institution. It's also a suitable mode of study if your subject requires you to be based in a specific location away from the university.

For the most part, you'll be in touch with your supervisor by phone, email or Skype/Zoom. You'll need to bear in mind that even if you opt for this form of research, you'll generally still need to attend university for one or two weeks of each academic year for meetings and to receive research skills training. Your final examination may be undertaken either face-to-face or virtually.

With online PhDs, you can usually register as a full or part-time student. The level of fees you pay varies between institutions - some charge the same as for a standard PhD while others offer a reduced rate.

Check that any funding you plan to apply for is available to distance learning students, as this isn't always the case.

Search for distance learning PhDs .

Find out more

• Explore what is a PhD?
• Sort out funding for postgraduate study .
• Consider what to do after completing your PhD .

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PhD Fellowships for Health Professionals

Wellcome’s PhD Programmes for Health Professionals offer health professionals outstanding research training in supportive and inclusive research environments. Fellowships supported through these programmes aim to create knowledge, build research capability and train a diverse group of future leaders in clinical academia, within a positive research culture.

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Scheme at a glance  

Salary and research expenses covered

3 years (full-time equivalent)

Key dates  

Individual programmes recruit PhD fellows annually. Please contact individual programmes for more information on recruitment cycles and the application process.

Eligibility and suitability  

Who can apply, who can't apply show, who can apply.

The  PhD Fellowships for Health Professionals are for individuals who have demonstrated the potential to pursue a career as an academic health professional.  

Our programmes are based in centres of excellence throughout the UK. These programmes provide research opportunities for registered health professionals and specialities, including:   

• allied health professionals (art therapists, chiropodists/podiatrists, dieticians, drama therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, osteopaths, paramedics, physiotherapists, prosthetists and orthotists, radiographers, and speech and language therapists)
• chiropractors
• clinical psychologists
• dental hygienists
• dental nurses
• dental therapists
• doctors (all specialities, including General Practitioners)
• healthcare scientists (in life sciences, physiological sciences, physical sciences and biomechanical engineering, and bioinformatics)
• health visitors
• non-medical public health specialists
• optometrists and dispensing opticians
• pharmacists
• social workers
• pharmacy technicians
• practitioner psychologists

Individual programmes have their own eligibility requirements. See ‘How to apply’ for more details.

Who can't apply

You can’t apply for this award if you’re looking for funding to do a PhD outside of our programmes. See details of the recruiting programmes in ‘How to apply’.

You can’t apply to carry out activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China.

What we offer  

Costs you can claim for, what we don't offer show, costs you can claim for.

A PhD undertaken as part of one of our programmes is for three years. Some programmes may offer opportunities for additional support pre- or post-PhD. Fellowships can be undertaken on a part-time basis.

Each programme includes support for:

• a salary in line with the most appropriate clinical salary scale in the UK, as determined by the host organisation
• PhD registration fees at the home (UK) rate. We will not fund the difference between this rate and the international fee rate. Visit the individual programme pages or contact the programme teams for more details on the fees you may be required to pay.
• college fees (where required)
• research expenses
• travel costs, including registration fees, carbon offset costs, childcare and costs for other caring responsibilities. Find out about the costs Wellcome fellows can claim on a grant .
• training costs, including for technical, discipline-specific and transferrable skills.

What we don't offer

We don’t fund overheads .

How to apply  

Individual programmes show.

To apply for a PhD Fellowship for Health Professionals, contact the relevant programme directly. Please don’t apply to the Wellcome Trust. 

The following PhD programmes for health professionals will recruit once per year.

4Ward North PhD Programme for Health Professionals

Available at:

• Newcastle University
• University of Leeds
• University of Manchester
• University of Sheffield.

Visit the programme page .

Contact: Saini Manninen ( [email protected] ). 

Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track  – Inclusive (ECAT-I) PhD Programme

• University of Edinburgh.

GW4-CAT PhD Programme for Health Professionals

• Cardiff University
• University of Bath
• University of Bristol
• University of Exeter.

Health advances in underrepresented populations and diseases (HARP) PhD Programme

• City University of London
• Queen Mary University of London.

King’s PhD Programme in Mental Health Research for Health Professionals

• King’s College London.

Visit the programme page.

Leicestershire Healthcare Inequalities Improvement PhD Programme (LHIIP)

• Loughborough University
• University of Leicester.

Contact: [email protected] . 

Liverpool Clinical PhD Programme for Health Priorities in the Global South

• Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
• University of Liverpool.

Midlands Mental Health & Neurosciences PhD Programme for Healthcare Professionals

• University of Birmingham
• University of Leicester
• University of Nottingham
• University of Warwick.

Contact: Roxanne Lockett ( [email protected] ). 

Multimorbidity PhD Programme for Health Professionals

• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Glasgow
• University of St Andrews.

PhD Programme for Health Professionals at the Universities of Cambridge and East Anglia

• University of Cambridge
• University of East Anglia
• Wellcome Sanger Institute.

PhD Programme for Primary Care Clinicians

• Keele University
• Queen Mary University of London
• University College London
• University of Exeter
• University of Oxford
• University of Southampton.

Visit the programme page . 

PhD Programme in Global Health Research in Africa

• King's College London
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• St George's University of London
• University of Sussex.

Contact: Katherine Barrett ( [email protected] ).

More information  

Read more information on how we selected these programmes through our  PhD Programmes for Health Professionals competition . This competition is closed to new applicants.

Our previously funded Clinical PhD Programmes are no longer recruiting new fellows.

Find out how we've worked with the funding community to develop principles and obligations  setting out what we expect from those responsible for clinical academic training across the UK.

If you have a question about your application, contact the relevant university PhD programme.

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What is a PhD?

A PhD is a postgraduate degree. It stands for ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ and is one of the highest academic qualifications you can achieve.

Courses involve both research and academic learning where you take on a significant amount of independent work.

For most PhDs, you’ll research for, write and publish an extensive thesis on a specialist subject area.

How long is a PhD? 

PhDs courses usually last between three to four years if you study full-time. Students often extend their thesis deadlines and finish the work in their fourth year. If you study part-time, courses can last six or seven years. 

Courses can begin anytime throughout the year, though most studentships (doctorate scholarships) start in September or October.

What qualifications do you need for a PhD?

You usually need a good second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree in a relevant subject area, or equivalent. Many courses also ask for a master’s degree. 

When applying, you may need to demonstrate an ability to conduct research. This could be by showing your experience of independently working on a research project. You’ll probably also have to submit a research proposal that outlines what you’ll be studying.

How is a PhD taught?

There’s very little teaching involved in a PhD degree. Your course may begin with five or six hours per week of classes where you learn about research methods and techniques. Aside from this, you’re in control of your studies, though you’ll receive some guidance from an academic tutor.

How is a PhD assessed?

PhD students are assessed mainly by a thesis, and a closed oral examination where examiners ask questions about the thesis. 

Degrees are usually graded as pass or fail.

What skills do you learn during a PhD?

As well as subject-specific skills, you develop transferable skills such as: 

• Organisation 
• Research 
• Work habits 
• Project management 
• Critical thinking 
• Written communication 
• Presentation

How much does a PhD cost? 

Fees vary widely between courses and institutions, but are commonly between £3,000 and £6,000 per year for UK students. International students often pay more. 

Many degrees are partly or fully funded, and lots of students receive scholarships and bursaries. UK Research Councils provide universities with grants of around £4,000 per year for each funded PhD student.

PhD degree facts

Some new PhDs are more vocational and offer practical experiences as well as research. These are designed for those looking to advance their careers. 

When applying for a PhD, you show the university that you’re the right person for an advertised position, or that you’d be suitable to complete your research proposal. 

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Doctor of Medicine (DM)

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The Doctor of Medicine is a flexible, variable intensity, clinical research-based doctorate. You will pursue research that is in synergy with your medical practice. The degree will provide you with research skills, in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in your chosen field of research.

To apply to this course you must be medically-qualified (registered with the UK General Medical Council) and employed at the time of application at ST1 grade or above (including those who have completed their training) within the University of Oxford, in Primary Care within Oxfordshire or in an approved NHS Trust (see Entry requirements ).

The Doctor of Medicine is a highly distinctive degree. It is flexible enough to allow you to study part-time for some parts of your degree and full-time for others, to balance time for Doctor of Medicine degree work with your professional duties (milestones will be set accordingly).

Your Doctor of Medicine project will be in synergy with your clinical work, but may be undertaken across the whole spectrum of medical science from basic biology to clinical therapies. Prior work, judged to be of adequate academic rigour and coherence with the Doctor of Medicine project by the Doctor of Medicine committee, may be included in your thesis.

At the start of the course, you will be placed in a host department within the University's Medical Sciences Division depending on the match between your research and the departmental expertise. Your admission to the Doctor of Medicine degree will be overseen by the Doctor of Medicine committee. At the commencement of the degree you will be expected to establish a clear work plan and timeline for your research.

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 a satisfactory level in background knowledge. Your later training is focused on the skills required for a successful career in independent clinical research.

You will need to ensure that your available time for study not only allows your research to progress but also permits you to attend any training that may be necessary for your research (or desirable for the development of transferable skills).

As an alternative route to undertaking research work, the Doctor of Medicine committee may, exceptionally, permit applicants to present an integrated thesis with an introduction and conclusion, drawing together a series of publications that represent a substantial body of original research, and submit this to be considered for the award of the degree.

In exceptional cases, if progress towards the Doctor of Medicine degree is inadequate, students may be admitted to study for the MSc by Research degree following initial assessment for Transfer of Status from probationary to DM status (see the Assessment section below for further details).

Doctor of Medicine students will be exempt from residency requirements. These are replaced by the employment requirements which are deemed to allow access to appropriate supervisory arrangements.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Medical Sciences Board's Doctor of Medicine committee and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff.

You will be expected to propose supervisors at the point of application. The Doctor of Medicine committee will adjudicate on their suitability and where necessary appoint co-supervisors in liaison with departmental Directors of Graduate Studies.

It is anticipated that you will meet monthly or termly with your supervisor, depending on the intensity of study you are undertaking and the relationship between the research project and your clinical environment.

Students will be admitted to the course as a Probationer Research Student (PRS) and will transfer to the status of Doctor of Medicine student after successfully completing their Transfer of Status milestone. Students will subsequently be assessed for their Confirmation of Status milestone. The timing of relevant milestones will be established when a workplan is agreed at the commencement of this course of study. Assessment as having made inadequate progress at Transfer of Status may result in registration instead for the degree of MSc by Research.

Doctor of Medicine students must submit a thesis not exceeding 50,000 words that details the original research they have undertaken in the context of their overall field of study.   

At the end of the programme, Doctor of Medicine students will produce a written thesis, followed by an oral examination based on both this and a broader knowledge of their chosen area of research.

Graduate destinations

All Doctor of Medicine students will be medical graduates currently employed in clinical positions, and as such will already be highly employable. However, obtaining a Doctor of Medicine degree is likely to further enhance their professional standing and open up a range of opportunities as clinical academics. The return to clinical practice after completing a research degree is an important time in determining the future career path for clinical trainees. For all, research experience will enhance and refresh their professional practice. For many, there will also be a question of how best to retain their research activity and status. Oxford has a proven track record of developing clinical academics through the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School.

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. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, 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 illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence, degree-level qualifications.

As a minimum, applicants should hold the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• an undergraduate degree with honours in Medicine; and
• ongoing registration with the UK General Medical Council .

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
• Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Evidence of excellence in the area of clinical practice that is in synergy with the research project will be an advantage. 
• Relevant experience  in the area of clinical practice that is in synergy with the research project will be a pre-requisite.
• Relevant publications will be an advantage to all applicants.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor and have an understanding of the background to the proposed area of study.
• Candidates for the Doctor of Medicine degree who are post-graduate doctors in training will need to arrange their research workplan in conjunction with the relevant authorities overseeing their clinical training (Health Education England/NHS England) and where appropriate arrange to have a period of time 'Out of Programme'.
• Candidates for the Doctor of Medicine degree, whether in training or in substantive posts, will need to make appropriate arrangements with their employers to ensure they have enough flexibility in their clinical duties to undertake this programme of research successfully.     

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  standard level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's standard level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

The timetable for the majority of interviews will be aligned as closely as possible with recruitment for postgraduate research courses in the Medical Sciences Division. Interviews may be held on termly basis if the course remains open to applications after the March deadline.

By preference, interviews will be conducted in person, but when this is not possible interviews will be conducted online. Normally the interview will consist of a seven-minute presentation of the proposed project, supervisory arrangements and workplan by the applicant, followed by 15-25 minutes of questioning from the panel. There will usually be a minimum of two to three academics on the interview panel.

Supporting documents will be considered as part of the interview shortlisting process and the assessment criteria for these can be found in the How to apply section of this page. Questions arising from the Doctor of Medicine committee's deliberations on your application may be directed to you for a response (eg requesting clarification about the methods, sample size, the extent of the applicant’s role, etc) either in writing or as part of the interview process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

As a Doctor of Medicine student, you will be based in one of the constituent departments of the University's Medical Sciences Division. The Medical Sciences Division is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for biomedical and clinical research and teaching, and the largest academic division in the University of Oxford. World-leading programmes, housed in state-of-the-art facilities, cover the full range of scientific endeavour from molecular to population levels. With our NHS partners we also foster the highest possible standards in patient care.

Departments offering this course

As a Doctor of Medicine student, you will be based in one of the constituent departments of the University's Medical Sciences Division. All of the Division’s departments are in receipt of Athena SWAN awards that recognise advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success for all.

This course is offered by the following departments:

Department of Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry comprises over 45 research groups and around 400 researchers and support staff, including more than 100 graduate students.

Oxford's Department of Biochemistry is a vibrant research and teaching department and benefits from state-of-the-art research facilities in its stunning purpose-built building occupied since 2008.

Research in the department is very broad and encompasses all aspects of modern molecular and cellular biochemistry, from atomic resolution biophysics to cell biology and imaging. The quality of research is outstanding, as demonstrated by an impressive publications output and the international standing of many of the department's researchers.

Research students reading for their DPhil or MSc by Research in the Department of Biochemistry are admitted to one of several programmes, either by the department or one of Oxford’s Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs).

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine

The Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine (NDM) is a large multi-disciplinary department that links high quality clinical and basic research. The underpinning motivation behind all research carried out by NDM is the pursuit of academic excellence and the positive impact of research on the health and wellbeing of the global community.

Much of the £130 million per annum grant income is spent on understanding the most basic principles of biology and disease pathogenesis. As well as its research and clinical commitments in Oxford, the department has Africa and Asia programmes in Thailand, Vietnam and Kenya.

The NDM has a community of around 60 graduate research students each year, the majority of whom are studying towards a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree, which is the University of Oxford's equivalent of a PhD. The department also offers an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine, an MSc in Modelling for Global Health and an MSc in Genomic Medicine, each with an intake of around 20 students every year, plus a PGDip in Global Health Research. The Careers Service at Oxford University reports that six months after leaving Oxford, postgraduate research students at NDM are on average earning £31,000 with 83.8% in employment and a further 11% in further study (eg Graduate Entry Medicine).

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences

The Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN) comprises more than 500 staff including over 150 graduate students. The DPhil and the MSc (Res) in Clinical Neurosciences cover all areas of the research carried out in the department.

NDCN was formed in November 2010 and incorporates the Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, the Division of Clinical Neurology, the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, the Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology (which also houses sleep medicine research) and the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging.

The department usually admits over 30 postgraduate research students per year, from both scientific and clinical backgrounds. Each research student will work on a specified research project with close supervision from one or more of the department’s principal investigators and their teams, and become part of a vibrant research community both within the department and the wider University. The department's sleep medicine course admits c. 15-20 postgraduate taught students per year across the MSc, PGDip and standalone modular routes.

Department of Experimental Psychology

The Department of Experimental Psychology has a thriving graduate community. As a graduate student in the department, you will receive advanced training in psychological methods and theory, and gain hands-on research experience under the supervision of world-class academic staff.

Research in the department is organised around five core themes — behavioural neuroscience, developmental psychology, perception and cognition, psychological and brain health, and social psychology—and extends into several cognate areas. Research facilities in the department include labs for behavioural testing, EEG and brain stimulation, infant research including eye-tracking and EEG, and neuropsychological patient testing.

Through its links with departments and centres across the University, the department also enjoys excellent access to fMRI, MEG, genetic testing, and animal testing facilities.

The department recognises the vital contribution of graduate students to its research and teaching and strives to create a competitive and supportive programme to develop and challenge students. You would be encouraged to participate in training within the department and wider university, and to attend invited lectures and seminars by leading scientists from across the world, to complement the close supervision on your chosen topic received within your home lab.

Radcliffe Department of Medicine

The Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM) is a large multi-disciplinary department with research interests that span the translational spectrum, from basic biological research through to clinical application. 

The department offers one DPhil (Doctor of Philosophy) degree, which is the University of Oxford equivalent to a PhD. The DPhil in Medical Sciences covers all areas of RDM research. In keeping with the department’s focus on translational research, applications are welcomed from both basic scientists and clinicians for this programme.

The department has a community of around 150 students, the vast majority of whom are studying for a DPhil. A DPhil typically lasts three to four years, depending on the project and the student. The department has considerable experience supervising clinicians who hold three-year fellowships and tailors research projects for such students accordingly. 

You will be admitted directly onto a research project with one of RDM’s world-leading scientists, who will act as your supervisor. 

Department of Oncology

The Department of Oncology has an established graduate training programme for science graduates and clinical research fellows under the leadership of Professor Mark Middleton.

It is one of the largest departments in the University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division. It houses over 400 staff and graduate students, both clinical and non-clinical, and brings together research and clinical groups from across Oxford who are based at the Old Road Campus Research Building (ORCRB), the Radiobiology Research Institute (RRI), the Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine (WIMM) and the NHS Cancer and Haematology Centre.

The Department of Oncology offers promising graduates a broad range of multidisciplinary and translational cancer research projects. As a result, its graduates come from a wide range of scientific backgrounds, including biology, medicine, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, and physics. The department prides itself on supporting and training the next generation of world leaders in cancer research to ensure its research continues over the long term.

The department ethos is to improve treatment of cancer patients by harnessing Oxford University’s scientific research prowess and translating this into an impactful benefit to cancer patients through our own clinical trials. Working together to achieve this aim, we have renowned experts alongside cutting-edge scientists that collaborate across the university to understand the biology of cancer and how to best adopt new therapeutic strategies in medical and clinical oncology.

Research in the Department of Oncology is focused on the biology of cancer and how to translate discoveries into better treatments for patients. The department research strategy centres around the three core themes of DNA (including DNA damage, repair, and replication), cell and tissue biology (tumour microenvironment), and immuno-oncology (including cancer vaccines and virotherapy). Details of individual research groups  which work within each of these themes can be found on the department website.

Department of Paediatrics

The Department of Paediatrics has major research interests in developmental immunology and haematology, infectious diseases of infancy and childhood, mucosal immunology, HIV infection and immune control, design, development and testing of vaccines, neuromuscular biology, the origins of childhood leukaemia, paediatric neuroimaging, and in paediatric molecular genetics.

As a graduate student, you will conduct research within an expanding department that has over 30 DPhil students and 270 members of staff including clinical practitioners, research scientists, support staff and academic visitors.

You will join one of our research groups with primary supervision provided by faculty members in one of the department's laboratory or clinical research facilities, and you will become part of a vibrant research community both within the department and in the wider University.

You will develop research skills by making use of a range of research training and skills development offered by the Medical Sciences Division, alongside direction by your supervisor in specific research methods in relation to your project. You are encouraged to develop a literature review in your first year and to attend courses in manuscript and thesis writing as well as in presentation skills. At the heart of the skills provision are regular group meetings and the Annual Departmental Research Day where you will have the opportunity to present and develop your research ideas and proposals and gain feedback and support from your peers.

Sir William Dunn School of Pathology

Research at the Dunn School addresses the fundamental causes of human disease and the development of new approaches to therapy. 

The Dunn School is a world-class biomedical research department with an outstanding track record. Over 300 scientists from more than 30 countries aim to discover the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie human health and disease. Famous for the development of penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics, this is a dynamic, innovative, and growing department located in beautiful surroundings near the historic centre of Oxford.

The department offers students opportunities to do research in a wide range of areas, including cell biology, stem cells, development, infection, immunity, cancer and genome stability.

The department has around 70 graduate students at any one time, of whom at least half are from outside the UK. The department is large and well-funded, and able to offer graduate students plenty of space and outstanding facilities. Students benefit from the department's close proximity to colleges, libraries and other facilities in the University Science Area.

The department is very friendly and sociable with a popular central cafeteria and recreational area. The very enthusiastic graduate students’ association arranges many social activities, as well as science and networking events.

Department of Pharmacology

The Department of Pharmacology is one of the top preclinical departments in the country with excellent research and teaching facilities with a large and vibrant community of graduate students. Since 2019, the Department has been top of the QS World University Rankings for Pharmacy and Pharmacology.  

In the 2021 the Research Excellence Framework (REF), research from the Department of Pharmacology was submitted to Unit of Assessment UOA5 along with Biochemistry, Biology (Zoology/Plant Sciences), The Dunn School of Pathology and DPAG. Within UOA5, Oxford's submission had the largest volume of world-leading research (overall 4*x submitted FTE) and scored 100% 4* for Environment.

The department has over 50 DPhil students and around 25 MSc taught course students at any one time who enjoy outstanding facilities. Students also benefit from having close proximity to colleges, libraries and other facilities in the University Science Area.

The department has a very active graduate student association and a Pharmacology Society, which arranges talks and social activities.

Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics

The Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (DPAG) is a major basic-science department within the Division of Medical Sciences.

The department offers top-quality advanced degrees, covering an extraordinarily wide range of specialised and interdisciplinary topics. These include molecular, cellular and integrative neuroscience, cardiovascular physiology, cellular and whole-body metabolism, functional genomics, neurobiology of sleep and circadian rhythms. 

DPAG is home to a large number of internationally-renowned teams of scientists addressing major questions in biomedicine, the answers to which will have a profound effect on modern biology. Crucially, DPAG thinks learning is just as important as research, and at the department's core lies a belief that a synthesis of the two is key to advancing our understanding. As such, DPAG works to provide outstanding opportunities for graduate students to enjoy cutting-edge training across a diverse range of state-of-the-art methodologies in leading laboratories in the field, to develop practical skills to excel in academia, industry, consulting, high-tech start-ups and have made outstanding achievements in a variety of career fields; from making ground-breaking discoveries into fundamental biological processes to translational contributions with real-life impacts.

Since the department's work is multidisciplinary and cross-cutting, researchers often work across more than one theme, as well as collaborating with colleagues in the physical sciences, life sciences and clinical departments across Oxford and elsewhere. It is hoped, the postgraduate students’ experiences in DPAG will help them to become the leaders in science of tomorrow, to communicate and employ their research in the wider world.

In parallel to research, DPAG staff undertake the majority of the pre-clinical teaching for the University's top-ranked medical degrees while the department's graduate courses also attract a wealth of international talent. Ultimately, the department is built on a desire to understand – its scientific research areas with a belief its students are the future of research.

Nuffield Department of Population Health

The Nuffield Department of Population Health (NDPH) brings together over 500 staff from a number of world-leading research groups with the aim of reducing premature death and disability from human disease.

A number of world-renowned research groups and disciplines are part of the NDPH, including the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Cancer Epidemiology Unit (CEU), National Perinatal Epidemiology Group (NPEU), Health Economics Research Centre (HERC) and Ethox. These groups are responsible for some of the world’s largest population cohorts and randomised trials, and produce highly-cited practice-changing research, which continues to have a major impact on international clinical management guidelines (eg on statins, aspirin, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, heart failure, serious childhood illness and infections). The department offers three taught courses: the one-year taught MSc in Global Health Science and Epidemiology, the PG Certificate in Statistics and Epidemiology and the two-year distance learning MSc in Clinical Trials. The department also offers the DPhil in Population Health, offered full-time over three to four years and part-time over six to eight years.

Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences

The University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has been one of the world's most important primary care centres for over 20 years.

Leading world-class research and training to rethink the way healthcare is delivered in general practice and other primary care settings, both across the UK and globally. Integrating evidence and innovation, its main research focus is on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of common illness, health services research and digital health.

Research is led by internationally renowned scientists; many of whom are practising GPs, but NDPCHS also has academics from a range of non-medical disciplines including the social sciences and humanities. The department covers the broad range of issues that you might expect to consult your GP about including cardiovascular and metabolic disease, infectious diseases and childhood illness, diet, smoking and cancer. It also focuses on understanding and improving the experiences of patients, utilising big data, developing digital health interventions and working internationally. 

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has methodological expertise in clinical decision making and diagnostics, clinical epidemiology, medical statistics, modelling, qualitative research and the wider application of social science theory and methods to address practical and theoretical challenges in health and care settings. The department also has a dedicated in-house Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit.

The department is home to 14 of the National Institute for Health Research's 200 most prestigious and prominent researchers. These NIHR Senior Investigators contribute significantly to the health sciences as senior leaders, demonstrate research excellence and lead in training of the NIHR's people.

We teach elements of the undergraduate programme in medicine including arranging placements for medical students in GP practices. We also provide a highly supportive environment for postgraduates whether they are registered for a DPhil, enrolled on one of our short courses or the Evidence Based Health Care programme (administered by the Department for Continuing Education ). We welcome domestic and international students to join our experienced and enthusiastic teachers, mentors and supervisors in aspirational study and research.

Department of Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry offers supervision in a wide range of research areas including laboratory-based neuroscience, brain imaging, literature synthesis and psychological and pharmacological treatment research.

The DPhil and MSc by Research degrees, both of which can be studied on a full- or part-time basis, provide students with the opportunity to gain expertise in their chosen field and to develop the skills and experience required to manage a project and conduct independent research. Supervision is provided by senior researchers from within the department and, where appropriate, students can be linked with a co- supervisor in another department (for example, the Department of Experimental Psychology and Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences). Students are also encouraged to attend seminars and research meetings which are held frequently within the department.

In addition to academic supervision, the graduate studies team within the department provide support and advice to student at all stages of their study. This includes holding regular meetings to provide a forum for students to discuss their research and identify those working in related areas with whom they can share ideas.

Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences

The Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS) is the academic department of surgery at the University of Oxford. It hosts a multidisciplinary team of senior clinical academic surgeons, senior scientists, junior clinicians and scientists in training.

The Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences offers research training opportunities for both clinical and non-clinical graduate students. It has a growing number of full-time funded research student opportunities. Research undertaken within the NDS covers many areas including fields such as cancer, immunology, and neurosciences, and specialities such as patient safety, transplantation, urology and vascular surgery.

The graduate research programme within NDS provides a fully integrated training environment. You will be working closely with an academic supervisor who oversees your studies.

NDS also offers two graduate taught courses: the MSc in Integrated Immunology and the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice. The MSc in Surgical Science and Practice is offered jointly with the Department for Continuing Education.

Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health

The Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health is one of the largest academic and clinical  departments in the world in its field, encompassing multi-disciplinary research across the full spectrum of women’s health.

There are around 180 people working in the department, including senior academic staff, research support staff, professional staff, and graduate students (including clinicians) carrying out research towards a higher degree.  The department's work has four overarching themes: cancer, global health, maternal and foetal health and reproductive medicine and genetics.

Our clinical and laboratory programmes are based in the Women’s Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital; the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine; the Institute of Reproductive Sciences (IRS) and the Big Data Institute, and there are collaborations with the School’s Institutes, the University’s Science Departments and with researchers outside Oxford, in both the UK and abroad, especially in low middle income countries.

The department has a variety of students studying towards research degrees, including students from both scientific and clinical backgrounds. The basis of the department’s research programmes are laboratory or clinical projects in which you carry out independent research in your chosen area, as agreed with your supervisor.

The department also offers a taught MSc course which prepares students for active employment within the clinical embryology/artificial reproductive technology (ART) sector and/or a research career in reproductive science. The MSc provides students with theoretical and practical understanding of human reproductive biology, embryology, infertility and ART. Significant emphasis is placed on providing ‘hands-on’ practical training in a range of laboratory techniques associated with scientific research, clinical diagnosis, or ART, including vitrification, comparative array hybridisation, gamete micromanipulation and infra-red laser biopsy.

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the Medical Sciences Graduate School website.

Variable intensity fees

The fees for this course are charged in the same way for all students, regardless of their intensity of study in any given year. Course fees are charged in two parts. You will pay a registration fee (approximately 75% of total fees) at the start of your first year and a submission fee (approximately 25% of total fees) when you submit your thesis. The registration fee will be payable at the rate shown below. The submission fee will be payable at the published rate applicable in the year in which you submit your thesis, which may be higher than the rate shown below.

Fees for the 2024-25 academic year

Information about course fees.

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the Doctor of Medicine:

• Corpus Christi College
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Lincoln College
• The Queen's College
• St Catherine's College
• Somerville College
• Wadham College

Can I return to my former Oxford college?

If you'd like to return to your former Oxford college, but it is not included on the list above, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. If your college indicates that it is willing to consider your application please contact Graduate Admissions before applying.

Before you apply

We strongly recommend you consult the Medical Sciences Graduate School's research themes to identify the most suitable course and supervisor .

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application.  You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

To apply to this course you must be medically-qualified (registered with the UK General Medical Council) and employed at the time of application at ST1 grade or above (including those who have completed their training) within the University of Oxford, in Primary Care within Oxfordshire or in an approved NHS Trust (see  Entry requirements ).

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses

If you apply to this course and up to two eligible associated courses from our predefined list during the same cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee.

The list of eligible associated courses may be updated as new courses are opened. Please check the list regularly, especially if you are applying to a course that has recently opened to accept applications.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You should identify two relevant supervisors in advance of applying and contact them to discuss their proposed area of Doctor of Medicine research. Where ‘prior work’ is requested to be considered, at least one of the supervisors will be expected to have been involved in its conduct and attest to its quality.

It expected that project ideas will arise in the context of your clinical practice and that in general you will be well placed to identify suitable supervisors. We anticipate that you will have extensive discussions with these prospective supervisors to refine the detailed project proposal prior to formal application.

Prior to application you will also need to gain permission from those you work for clinically and those overseeing any clinical training you are required to undertake to ensure sufficient flexibility to undertake the degree requirements.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

You must enter the project you are applying to under 'Field and title of research project' on the 'Course' tab of the application form.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

You should identify two members of staff willing to supervise you with the resources to support your proposed research project, listing them in order or indicating equal preference. Applicants who have not identified a potential supervisor will not be considered.

At least one proposed supervisor should write a reference relating to your application, to attest to the synergy between your proposal and your clinical work and your suitability to undertake this project.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred - at least one must be independent of your proposed supervisor(s) 

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

References should usually be academic, though professional references are acceptable where they relate to work within a research setting.

At least one reference should be provided by a supervisor you have proposed, to attest to the synergy between your proposal and your clinical work and your suitability to undertake this project.

At least one referee must be independent of your proposed supervisor(s). 

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group and the synergy between your proposal and your clinical work and your suitability to undertake this project.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal: Statement of a maximum of 500 words and a proposal of a maximum of 1,500 words

Statement of purpose/personal statement (maximum 500 words).

You should provide a statement of your research interests, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the programme. If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

The statement should focus on academic or research-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying;
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study;
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English;
• capacity for sustained and focused work; and
• understanding of problems in the area and ability to construct and defend an argument.

It will be normal for students’ ideas and goals to change in some ways as they undertake their studies, but your personal statement will enable you to demonstrate your current interests and aspirations.

Research proposal (maximum 1,500 words)

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English, covering areas such as the background to the research, methodology, expected results and the contribution to the field of learning.

The word count does not include bibliography, brief footnotes, captions, titles or legends that are applied to images, tables or charts.  

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your research proposal will be assessed for:

• comprehensive understanding of the subject area;
• understanding of problems in the area;
• synergy with the applicant’s clinical work;
• accessibility, motivation and academic suitability; 
• ability to construct and defend an argument;
• powers of analysis;
• powers of expression;
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course;
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course;
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques;
• capacity for sustained and intense work;
• reasoning ability; and
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

Written work A workplan of a maximum of 2,500 words

You will need to provide a timeline of your proposed work in the form of a Doctor of Medicine ‘workplan’. This should set out the periods of time across the period of study when you plan to work at full-time or part-time (and if the latter at what percentage full-time equivalent intensity) on your Doctor of Medicine research project. The workplan should not exceed 2,500 words.

The workplan must set out in sufficient detail how you propose to balance time for Doctor of Medicine research and academic training as a student of the University, alongside your professional employment with the NHS, postgraduate medical training and other clinical responsibilities.

If you are seeking for previous work to be counted towards your Doctor of Medicine (DM) studies, you will need to provide detailed information about the work you wish to include, when it was performed and under what supervisory arrangements (at least one of the proposed DM supervisors must have been involved). The justification for inclusion of this work will need to be particularly strong if it was undertaken more than 12 months prior to commencement of the degree.

The workplan is a key part of the application process and it must be agreed by both you and your employer before your application is submitted (or your application will be delayed until employer agreement has been secured). In many cases this will involve the local Deanery (or successor organisation), since it is the postgraduate Dean who is responsible for approving requests for time ‘out of programme’ (OOP) for doctors in training.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

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Up to a week's notice of closure will be provided on this page - no other notification will be given

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 1 December 2023 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 December . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

*One-year average (applications for entry in 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by multiple departments within the Medical Sciences Division , except for the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS).

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Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

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Imperial College London Imperial College London

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Postgraduate doctoral admissions process

Become a doctoral student at Imperial

Find out more about applying for doctoral study as a Home student.

Applying as an international student may involve a few extra steps. Find out all you need below.

Personalise my experience

Find a doctoral course.

Explore our postgraduate doctoral courses, which give you the chance to create original knowledge in your chosen field through an intensive programme of in-depth research. Options include PhDs, integrated PhDs and professional Doctorates for working professionals.

Find a course

How to apply

Follow the steps below to apply for a postgraduate doctoral course. You may only be considered for a maximum of two courses in any one admission cycle – each will require a separate application.

Create a MyImperial account

Get started by registering a MyImperial account.

Ensure you meet the entry requirements

Explore the minimum entry requirements required for accepted qualifications - your course of interest may have higher requirements.

Take note of any deadlines

While many supervisors accept new students throughout the year, funded PhD projects may have defined deadlines for entry.

Upload all supporting documents

We won't start processing your application until you have uploaded all supporting documents.

Check your application status

Sign in to your MyImperial account at any time to check your application's progress.

• Submit your offer conditions

Before you can register for your course, pay tuition fees (if you’re self-funding), or receive a CAS to support your visa application (if you need one), you will need to show you have met all your offer conditions.

Student visa – CAS

If you need a visa to study in the UK, you'll need to provide a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) with your visa application. We'll issue this automatically after you have met your offer conditions.

If you need a visa to study in the UK, you'll need to provide a Confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) with your visa application. We'll issue this automatically after you have met your offer conditions.

Doctoral loan

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan for Home students can help with course fees and living costs while you study.

• Application process

Get more information about the application process.

• English language requirements
• Advice on choosing a course

After you apply

Find out what happens after you apply

• Track your application

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You're on your way to joining our community. Explore some of the next steps.

• Apply for a visa (if you need one)
• Apply for an ATAS certificate (if required)

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Funding for biomedical research and innovation

Phd studentships and doctoral fellowships.

A PhD is a postgraduate research degree, usually lasting three or four years, if undertaken full time. It involves independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field and is normally assessed by a written thesis and oral examination.

Funding options available

Alzheimer’s Research UK: PhD scholarships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend plus tuition fees and research/travel costs Duration: 36 months

Alzheimer’s Society: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Up to £85,000 (£91,000 for London) Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Non-clinical PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD in cardiovascular science. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend, tuition fees, consumables Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Four-year PhD programme Funding for research organisations to provide a PhD studentship programme in cardiovascular research. Career stage: Prospective students should apply to individual research institutions Funding: Student stipend, tuition fees, research consumables Duration: Four years

MRC: Studentships Find out more about how MRC funds and supports PhD students at universities and MRC units, institutes and centres.

National Centre for the Replacement Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD studentship relevant to any area of medical, biological or veterinary research which supports the development and application of the 3Rs. Funding: Cash-limited award of £30,000 pa (£90,000 total over three years) Duration: 36 months

National Institute for Health Research: Doctoral fellowships Funding to undertake a PhD in an area of NIHR research. Funding: Fully funded including current salary Duration: 36 months with p/t options

Last updated: 6 July 2022

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

• Schools & departments

Professional doctorates

Professional doctorates are aimed at working professionals who have advanced research interests, and would like to use applied research to solve problems in their field.

They allow you to study for a number of years to achieve an internationally recognised qualification and an advanced level of skills and knowledge.

They are sometimes referred to as a “doctorate by practice” or “industrial doctorate”. A good example in the UK is the EngD or Doctorate of Engineering, where the research undertaken relates to a topic specified by an industrial sponsor.

Our most popular professional doctorates are in the following areas:

• Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol)
• Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Offshore Renewable Energy
• Doctor of Engineering (EngD) - Sensor and Imaging Systems

For a full list of available doctorates, check our degree finder:

Find a research programme

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about this subject area

PhD Education / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
• Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 60% or above, a minimum mark of 60% in your dissertation (or overseas equivalent)

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 19 January 2024.

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self-funding, you must submit your application before the below deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after this date has passed.

• For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024

Programme options

Programme overview.

• 2nd in the UK for Education (Complete University Guide 2024).  
• The University of Manchester was ranked in the top 10 in the UK for Education research (overall GPA, REF2021).
• Learn with research-active experts in the field of education and work with highly diverse cohorts of students and staff.
• Contribute to improvements in the overall wellbeing of students, their families and communities throughout the world through research.

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The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and programmes. On this day, you will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

For more information, see Open days.

We will be conducting our PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £6,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £3,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,750

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Your fees will cover the cost of your study at the University, as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision, examinations and graduation (excluding graduation robe hire).

Payment of tuition fees will also entitle you to membership of The University of Manchester library, the Students' Union and the Athletic Union.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including School of Environment, Education and Development studentships is 19 January 2024.

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Environment, Education and Development Postgraduate Research Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• School of Environment, Education and Development Enhancing Racial Equality (SERE) Studentship - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

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The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

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Funded PhD research programmes 2024 UK

The University of Brighton regularly invites applicants for fully-funded PhD studentships across all its disciplines. 

These allow motivated, high-calibre applicants for research degrees to join our thriving academic community and contribute to our rich and innovative research environment. 

Our deadline has passed for the October 2024 start for funded PhDs, but there will be further announcements shortly. Meanwhile, please visit our PhD funding advice pages . 

Visit our PhD disciplinary programme lists

What UK PhD studentships are available ?

Our academics at the University of Brighton regularly develop research projects in which they can offer outstanding support and which they are committed to developing and growing.

The studentships available will be given to candidates who best fulfil the promise outlined by these academic departments.

These funded PhD opportunities are generally open to home and international students. 

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube .

Can you be a researcher? Professor Bhavik Patel reassures applicants of all backgrounds that they can study for a PhD and aim for a research career. 

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application for our schemes will usually involve:  

• submitting a full application through the university's PhD application portal, accessible from the  PhD funded projects webpages . You will upload your research proposal as part of this process.
• The submission must include two letters of reference, academic qualifications, a proposed project approach, a personal statement and your CV (resumé).
• Please note, deadline for 2024 start on the most recent funding scheme was 29 February 2024 16:00 (UCT/GMT).
• Shortlisted applicants are likely to be invited for interview.

Details of application for fully funded PhD studentships

To apply for your studentship at the University of Brighton, you should first review the specific projects or project areas that our academics are offering to support. 

All eligible applications for the funded PhD will be reviewed, with shortlisted candidates entered for final decisions on the allocations of funding, which will rest with the university's central Doctoral College. 

What does PhD funding include?

The funding for the PhD usually cover the full fee and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus an allowance of £1,500 per year for researcher training for three years (or part-time equivalent). 

Successful candidates benefit from expert supervisory teams, a programme of postgraduate researcher development workshops and membership of specialist, interdisciplinary research centres and groups. There will be introductions to a network of relevant researchers, careers advice and opportunities for interaction within and beyond the university. Through this, our PhD students have the best start possible towards ambitious careers that make use of their research degrees.

The University of Brighton fosters research careers and will provide doctoral training, attentive and expert supervision and access to world-class laboratories and equipment. 

We are renowned as a leading applied university, with pioneer academics in disciplines from sport science to design history and applied science research that translates efficiently to the global challenge of worldwide health and wellbeing. Our strategy of 'practical wisdom' leads to real-world partnerships and beneficiaries across all disciplines while the development of community-university partnership practices have placed us among the best universities for many aspects of co-produced research and innovation.

We pride ourselves on the ways we work in partnership with those outside higher education, across the European Union and internationally. Through our research collaborations we work with a wide range of universities, both internationally and with universities in the UK. We are also founding members of two UKRI Doctoral Training Partnerships which, this year, are dealt with outside our University of Brighton studentship offer. We learn constantly from our involvement in these, and our rich resources are offered across all doctoral research programmes.

Recently the University of Brighton celebrated its performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) and the Knowledge and Exchange Framework (KEF2023). Over 87 per cent of our submitted impact case studies in REF2021 were rated as having 'outstanding' or 'very considerable' impact beyond academia. We are dedicated to developing this quality work with new students. Read more about the review of our research and knowledge exchange performance in REF2021 . Also, read more about our KEF2023 results, which placed Brighton in the top tier for economic and social benefits .

How will you build a relationship with your supervisor? Professor Annebella Pollen and Dr Tom Ainsworth are among those offering advice. This film was made by the University of Brighton for UKRI and also features academics from other institutions.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You must be able to show your suitability for a UK research degree if you wish to apply for fully-funded studentships.

This includes evidence either of a relevant and successful academic background or equivalent relevant professional/expert background in the applied subject area. Applicants from overseas will also have to fulfil any English language and visa requirements.

This will be true for studentships in the UK across most of the UK universities. It is usual for applicants either to have completed (or be about to complete) a masters degree, have an exceptional undergraduate record and references, or demonstrate the equivalent scholarly potential.  

Supervisory staff and research students at the University of Brighton consider how important diverse thinking and inclusive practice are to their doctoral studies.

Can I get PhD funding at the University of Brighton?

We have a long-standing annual programme of funded PhD opportunities across all our disciplines, including several rooted in research council (UKRI) partnerships.

The initiatives allow postgraduate study for UK-based students as well as study in the UK for international students (depending on the PhD programme). 

We are also keen to encourage students who might be able to self-fund their doctoral studies. Studying part-time, for example, is likely to prove more affordable and more easily balanced with professional life than you'd imagine. 

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and structure for your studies. Show us your own qualities and your suitability for these programmes. We look forward to receiving your application. Good luck!

Is a PhD Worth it UK

• Maisie Dadswell
• September 6, 2023

If you are wondering if it is worth doing a PhD in the UK the answer is yes! Whether you want to become a PhD candidate through an unquenchable thirst for knowledge in any given field or to further your career by becoming more employable, PhDs are highly valuable in the UK. 

PhDs provide candidates with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue research in an area of interest. When candidates reach the writing-up stage, they are genuine experts in their field. Once your thesis has been submitted and the viva examination has been passed, your intellectual prestige will be on par with the academic panel, which possesses the authority to award you your doctorate title. Naturally, PhDs can improve your standing in academia and outside of it. 

The only qualification higher than a PhD is a Doctor of Science degree, which makes it one of the most well-respected qualifications you can strive to gain. Whether you want to continue your career inside academia or research or outside of it, a PhD can help to prepare you for a range of high-paying and desirable professional positions. 

In addition to contributing creative knowledge to your field, you will also obtain a range of other valuable skills that will look great on your CV! These transferable skills that are valued by employers and institutions across innumerable sectors and industries include public speaking, professional networking, research capabilities, academic writing, and project management. 

It is only natural that students wonder if a PhD is worth it in the UK before they commit the time, money and energy to pursue their doctorate title. Thankfully, there is solid evidence available which proves that even if your PhD takes four to eight years to complete, it will be worth it in the long run. The increased earnings a PhD can provide you with can also easily reimburse you for your investment in time.

A PhD or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest level of degree that you can earn in any field. It typically takes several years of study, and involves original research that contributes new knowledge to your chosen field. You can learn more about PhD here . 

Employability After Obtaining a PhD in the UK

Is it worth doing a PhD in terms of future employability? In 2023, data provided by the UK government outlined that, in comparison to students who only hold Masters postgraduate degrees, the rates of employment for PhD graduates are far higher. This data came from the Graduate Outcomes survey conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) after they looked at the career paths of graduates from the 2019 – 2020 academic year, 15 months after they completed their Masters degree or PhD courses. The information outlined below is a great way to gauge your future career prospects after graduating; it is not a guarantee that the benefits you will enjoy will be the same – you could end up in a far higher-paying position, depending on which way you decide to go with your career, along with several other factors, including age, location, and experience.

After completing a taught Masters degree, 62% of graduates from the 2019 – 2020 academic year were in full-time employment, 9% were in part-time employment; a further 8% were employed and participating in further study, and 1% were solely focused on additional higher education. As for the graduates who had completed their doctoral research and passed, 71% were in full-time employment, 9% were employed part-time, 10% decided to further their studies around employment and 1% stayed committed to studying. Meaning that doctoral researchers are, on average, 7% more likely to hold a full-time position. 7% is a slim margin, but this quantitative data doesn’t allude to the seniority of job roles following graduation or how much they are earning, which are the main reasons people undertake doctoral research if their motivators revolve around career advancement. 

Job Opportunities After Obtaining a PhD in the UK

Obtaining a PhD in the UK won’t only ensure that you can find full-time work; according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the majority of PhD graduates boast professional occupations. Regardless of your field of study, if you have a PhD, you have an 8% advantage over graduates with a taught Masters title when it comes to being offered a professional tole. From the surveyed 2019 – 2020 graduates, 83% of PhD students had a professional occupation 15 months after their study, as opposed to 64% of postgraduates holding Masters degrees.

Do UK PhDs Increase Salaries?

As a hattrick of employability benefits, PhDs can also improve earning potential. After writing up their dissertation and earning their title, PhD students in the UK are far more likely to earn over £30,000 a year. While many PhD graduates earn significantly more after they enter the postgrad workforce, HESA showed that 43% of Masters graduates earn over £30,000 a year, compared to 87% of their PhD counterparts. This makes the £30,000 figure an excellent benchmark for earnings success after completing a PhD. 

The HMRC also provides valuable data on PhD graduate salaries. As the statistics don’t solely rely on the information shared by a sample of graduates surveyed, it is infinitely more reflective of the earnings and employability outcomes that PhD candidates can expect when they finish their doctoral research. One, two, three, five and ten years after graduation, the median annual salary for PhD students was £33,200, £37,000, £39,200, and £43,000, respectively. For Masters graduates, the figures were £26,700, £31,500, £33,700, and £35,900, respectively. Once again, remember that these median averages aren’t the limits of your income potential after graduation. Nor do they account for your previous experience or how in demand your freshly acquired skills are in your respective field.

Preferential Professions for PhD Students in the UK

Though it is far from the only option, many PhD students, after completing their thesis and being awarded their doctorate title, become professors. To 3 – 4 years after finishing their programme, 20% of PhD-holders are higher education teaching professionals; a further 10% remain in academia through involvement with research. 

Modern PhDs, in all fields, are very versatile qualifications with the ability to develop a vast array of transferrable skills in candidates. Many UK universities, such as UWS London, also work with PhD candidates to create highly employable PhD graduates, meaning that the job market for doctoral researchers is a diverse landscape – you certainly won’t be scrambling for the same professional teaching and research roles as the rest of your PhD peers! Other desirable roles in higher education for PhD graduates include administration and leadership positions. But if you want to look beyond academia, your options won’t be limited.

How to Assess the Value of a UK PhD for You

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, is a PhD worth it in the UK, as this will very much depend on your plans and aspirations after you have submitted your thesis and performed your oral examination. It is common for PhD candidates to enrol on a research course with no particular academic career in mind – they are simply inspired by the fields their undergraduate and postgraduate studies allowed them to graze in before they found the inspiration to dig a little deeper and plant their own seeds of creative knowledge.

If you don’t share this same passion for knowledge, even if you are tempted by the promise of a certain career, a PhD may not be for you. However, if you have read this far, you likely possess the drive and determination to see your doctoral research through to the end with the world-class supervisors at UWS London. If the cost of your PhD is one of the major factors in why you are questioning the value of a PhD, you will be relieved to learn that undertaking doctoral research is cheaper than you think. In UK universities, PhD fees are far lower than the cost of acquiring an undergraduate degree and typically below the cost of a taught Masters degree. However, you will need to take into account more than just the tuition fees – you must also consider how you will support yourself for the three+ years while you are studying. 

The good news is that funding is available for researchers participating in pre-funded projects. Doctoral loans and individual scholarships are also available to qualifying students. Before deciding to become a PhD candidate, always take the time to research what funding options are available; this process can automatically add value to your doctoral research!

Other Benefits of Obtaining a PhD in the UK

If money and employment status aren’t your main motivators and you are driven by intellectual curiosity and academic achievement, PhDs are still valuable for home and international students in the UK. Through studying for and writing your PhD thesis, you will research topics and phenomena that no one has ever conducted before to make a distinctive contribution to your field of interest. 

Making a contribution to the sum of all human knowledge is a massive achievement in itself, that is before accounting where your new title can take you in the professional realm. Furthermore, you will hold a prestigious title that has only been granted to a tiny fraction of the global population. A 2022 study outlined that, globally, only 25 – 64-year-olds have a PhD. In the UK, the figure is slightly higher at 2%, and the figure is growing yearly as more potential PhD candidates see the value in participating in doctoral research.

What can a PhD lead to?

Naturally, you’ll be thinking about what you can do with a PhD , but the potential career paths for students after completing their PhD will depend on the nature of their research and previous experience and skills. While we can’t outline every possible employment option, just know that many different avenues and institutions typically only welcome employees with specialised knowledge and advanced higher education statuses.

You might also like

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Do You Get Paid for a PhD? For many students who don’t have the luxury of never worrying about money, one of the main considerations

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me?

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me? In the dynamic world of finance, a PhD is not just an academic accolade; it’s a launchpad

Should I Do a PhD in London?

​​Should I Do a PhD in London? Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant decision, one that shapes your academic and professional future. Once

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• Alternative routes...

Alternative routes into clinical research: a guide for early career doctors

• Related content
• Peer review
• Phillip LR Nicolson , consultant haematologist and associate professor of cardiovascular science 1 2 3 ,
• Martha Belete , registrar in anaesthetics 4 5 ,
• Rebecca Hawes , clinical fellow in anaesthetics 5 6 ,
• Nicole Fowler , haematology clinical research fellow 7 ,
• Cheng Hock Toh , professor of haematology and consultant haematologist 8 9
• 1 Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
• 2 Department of Haemostasis, Liaison Haematology and Transfusion, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham
• 3 HaemSTAR, UK
• 4 Department of Anaesthesia, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Plymouth, UK
• 5 Research and Audit Federation of Trainees, UK
• 6 Department of Anaesthesia, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham Hospital, Rotherham
• 7 Department of Haematology, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Treliske, Truro
• 8 Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Prescott Street, Liverpool
• 9 Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool
• Correspondence to P Nicolson, C H Toh p.nicolson{at}bham.ac.uk ; c.h.toh{at}liverpool.ac.uk

Working in clinical research alongside clinical practice can make for a rewarding and worthwhile career. 1 2 3 Building research into a clinical career starts with research training for early and mid-career doctors. Traditional research training typically involves a dedicated period within an integrated clinical academic training programme or as part of an externally funded MD or PhD degree. Informal training opportunities, such as journal clubs and principal investigator (PI)-mentorship are available ( box 1 ), but in recent years several other initiatives have launched in the UK, meaning there are more ways to obtain research experience and embark on a career in clinical research.

Examples of in-person and online research training opportunities

These are available either informally or formally, free of charge or paid, and via local employing hospital trusts, allied health organisations, royal colleges, or universities

Research training opportunities

Mentorship by PIs at local hospital

Taking on formal role as sub-investigator

Journal clubs

Trainee representation on regional/national NIHR specialty group

API Scheme: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/health-and-care-professionals/training/associate-principal-investigator-scheme.htm .

eLearning courses available at https://learn.nihr.ac.uk (free): Good clinical practice, fundamentals of clinical research delivery, informed consent, leadership, future of health, central portfolio management system.

eLearning courses available from the Royal College of Physicians. Research in Practice programme (free). www.rcplondon.ac.uk

eLearning courses available from the Medical Research Council (free). https://bygsystems.net/mrcrsc-lms/

eLearning courses available from Nature (both free and for variable cost via employing institution): many and varied including research integrity and publication ethics, persuasive grant writing, publishing a research paper. https://masterclasses.nature.com

University courses. Examples include novel clinical trial design in translational medicine from the University of Cambridge ( https://advanceonline.cam.ac.uk/courses/ ) or introduction to randomised controlled trials in healthcare from the University of Birmingham ( https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/mds/cpd/ )

This article outlines these formal but “non-traditional” routes available to early and mid-career doctors that can successfully increase research involvement and enable research-active careers.

Trainee research networks

Trainee research networks are a recent phenomenon within most medical specialties. They are formalised regional or national groups led by early and mid-career doctors who work together to perform clinical research and create research training opportunities. The first of these groups started in the early 2010s within anaesthetics but now represent nearly every specialty ( box 2 ). 4 Trainee research networks provide research training with the aim of increasing doctors’ future research involvement. 5

A non-exhaustive list of UK national trainee led research networks*

Acute medicine.

No national trainee research network

Anaesthesia

Research and Audit Federation of Trainees (RAFT). www.raftrainees.org

Cardiothoracic surgery

No national trainee-specific research network. National research network does exist: Cardiothoracic Interdisciplinary Research Network (CIRN). www.scts.org/professionals/research/cirn.aspx

Emergency medicine

Trainee Emergency Medicine Research Network (TERN). www.ternresearch.co.uk

Ear, nose, and throat

UK ENT Trainee Research Network (INTEGRATE). www.entintegrate.co.uk

Gastroenterology

No national trainee research network. Many regional trainee research networks

General practice

No national trainee-specific research network, although national research networks exist: Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) and Primary Care Academic Collaborative (PACT). www.sapc.ac.uk ; www.gppact.org

General surgery

Student Audit and Research in Surgery (STARSurg). www.starsurg.org . Many regional trainee research networks

Geriatric Medicine Research Collaborative (GeMRC). www.gemresearchuk.com

Haematology (non-malignant)

Haematology Specialty Training Audit and Research (HaemSTAR). www.haemstar.org

Haematology (malignant)

Trainee Collaborative for Research and Audit in Hepatology UK (ToRcH-UK). www.twitter.com/uk_torch

Histopathology

Pathsoc Research Trainee Initiative (PARTI). www.pathsoc.org/parti.aspx

Intensive care medicine

Trainee Research in Intensive Care Network (TRIC). www.tricnetwork.co.uk

Internal medicine

No national trainee-led research network. www.rcp.ac.uk/trainee-research-collaboratives

Interventional radiology

UK National Interventional Radiology Trainee Research (UNITE) Collaborative. https://www.unitecollaborative.com

Maxillofacial surgery

Maxillofacial Trainee Research Collaborative (MTReC). www.maxfaxtrainee.co.uk/

UK & Ireland Renal Trainee Network (NEPHwork). www.ukkidney.org/audit-research/projects/nephwork

No national trainee-led research network

Neurosurgery

British Neurosurgical Trainee Research Collaborative (BNTRC). www.bntrc.org.uk

Obstetrics and gynaecology

UK Audit and Research Collaborative in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (UKAROG). www.ukarcog.org

The National Oncology Trainee Collaborative for Healthcare Research (NOTCH). www.uknotch.com

Breast Cancer Trainee Research Collaborative Group (BCTRCG). https://bctrcguk.wixsite.com/bctrcg

Ophthalmology

The Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Network (OCTN). www.ophthalmologytrials.net

Paediatrics

RCPCH Trainee Research Network. www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/rcpch-trainee-research-network

Paediatric anaesthesia

Paediatric Anaesthesia Trainee Research Network (PATRN). www.apagbi.org.uk/education-and-training/trainee-information/research-network-patrn

Paediatric haematology

Paediatric Haematology Trainee Research Network (PHTN). https://b-s-h.org.uk/about-us/special-interest-groups/paediatric-sig/phtn

Paediatric surgery

Paediatric Surgical Trainees Research Network (PSTRN). www.pstrnuk.org

Pain medicine

Network of Pain Trainees Interested in Research & Audit (PAIN-TRAIN). www.paintrainuk.com

Palliative care

UK Palliative Care Trainee Research Collaborative (UKPRC). www.twitter.com/uk_prc

Plastic surgery

Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network (RSTN). www.reconstructivesurgerytrials.net/trainees/

Pre-hospital medicine

Pre-Hospital Trainee Operated Research Network (PHOTON). www.facebook.com/PHOTONPHEM

Information from Royal College of Psychiatrists. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/members/your-faculties/academic-psychiatry/research

Radiology Academic Network for Trainees (RADIANT). www.radiantuk.com

Respiratory

Integrated Respiratory Research collaborative (INSPIRE). www.inspirerespiratory.co.uk

British Urology Researchers in Surgical Training (BURST). www.bursturology.com

Vascular surgery

Vascular & Endovascular Research Network (VERN). www.vascular-research.net

*limited to those with formal websites and/or active twitter accounts. Correct as of 5 January 2024. For regional trainee-led specialty research networks, see www.rcp.ac.uk/trainee-research-collaboratives for medical specialties, www.asit.org/resources/trainee-research-collaboratives/national-trainee-research-collaboratives/res1137 for surgical specialties, and www.rcoa.ac.uk/research/research-bodies/trainee-research-networks for anaesthetics.

Networks vary widely in structure and function. Most have senior mentorship to guide personal development and career trajectory. Projects are usually highly collaborative and include doctors and allied healthcare professionals working together.

Observational studies and large scale audits are common projects as their feasibility makes them deliverable rapidly with minimal funding. Some networks do, however, carry out interventional research. The benefits of increasing interventional research studies are self-evident, but observational projects are also important as they provide data useful for hypothesis generation and defining clinical equipoise and incidence/event rates, all of which are necessary steps in the development of randomised controlled studies.

These networks offer a supportive learning environment and research experience, and can match experience with expectations and responsibilities. Early and mid-career doctors are given opportunities to be involved and receive training in research at every phase from inception to publication. This develops experience in research methodology such as statistics, scientific writing, and peer review. As well as research skills training, an important reward for involvement in a study is manuscript authorship. Many groups give “citable collaborator” status to all project contributors, whatever their input. 6 7 This recognises the essential role everyone plays in the delivery of whole projects, counts towards publication metrics, and is important for future job applications.

Case study—Pip Nicolson (HaemSTAR)

Haematology Specialty Training, Audit and Research (HaemSTAR) is a trainee research network founded because of a lack of principal investigator training and clinical trial activity in non-malignant haematology. It has led and supported national audits and research projects in various subspecialty areas such as immune thrombocytopenia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, venous thrombosis, and transfusion. 8 9 10 Through involvement in this network as a registrar, I have acted as a sub-investigator and supported the principal investigator on observational and interventional portfolio-adopted studies by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). These experiences gave me valuable insight into the national and local processes involved in research delivery. I was introduced to national leaders in non-malignant haematology who not only provided mentorship and advice on career development, but also gave me opportunities to lead national audits and become involved in HaemSTAR’s committee. 10 11 These experiences in leadership have increased my confidence in management situations as I have transitioned to being a consultant, and have given me skills in balancing clinical and academic roles. Importantly, I have also developed long term friendships with peers across the country as a result of my involvement in HaemSTAR.

Associate Principal Investigator scheme

The Associate Principal Investigator (API) scheme is a training programme run by NIHR to develop research skills and contribute to clinical study delivery at a local level. It is available throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for NIHR portfolio-adopted studies. The programme runs for six months and, upon completion, APIs receive formal recognition endorsed by the NIHR and a large number of royal colleges. The scheme is free and open to medical and allied healthcare professionals at all career grades. It is designed to allow those who would not normally take part in clinical research to do so under the mentorship of a local PI. Currently there are more than 1500 accredited APIs and over 600 affiliated studies across 28 specialties. 12 It is a good way to show evidence of training and involvement in research and get more involved in research conduct. APIs have been shown to increase patient recruitment and most people completing the scheme continue to be involved in research. 12 13

Case study—Rebecca Hawes

I completed the API scheme as a senior house officer in 2021. A local PI introduced me to the Quality of Recovery after Obstetric Anaesthesia NIHR portfolio study, 14 which I saw as a training opportunity and useful experience ahead of specialist training applications. It was easy to apply for and straightforward to navigate. I was guided through the six month process in a step-by-step manner and completed eLearning modules and video based training on fundamental aspects of running research projects. All this training was evidenced on the online API platform and I had monthly supervision meetings with the PI and wider research team. As well as the experience of patient recruitment and data collection, other important aspects of training were study set-up and sponsor communications. Key to my successful API scheme was having a supportive and enthusiastic PI and developing good organisational skills. I really enjoyed the experience, and I have since done more research and have become a committee member on a national trainee research network in anaesthesia called RAFT (Research and Audit Federation of Trainees). I’ve seen great enthusiasm among anaesthetists to take part in the API scheme, with over 150 signing up to the most recent RAFT national research project.

Clinical research posts

Dedicated clinical research posts (sometimes termed “clinical research fellow” posts) allow clinicians to explore and develop research skills without committing to a formal academic pathway. They can be undertaken at any stage during a medical career but are generally performed between training posts, or during them by receiving permission from local training committees to temporarily go “out of programme.” These positions are extremely varied in how they are advertised, funded, and the balance between research and clinical time. Look out for opportunities with royal colleges, local and national research networks, and on the NHS Jobs website. Research fellowships are a good way to broaden skills that will have long term impact across one’s clinical career.

Case study—Nicole Fowler

After completing the Foundation Programme, I took up a 12 month clinical trials fellow position. This gave me early career exposure to clinical research and allowed me to act as a sub-investigator in a range of clinical trials. I received practical experience in all stages of clinical research while retaining a patient facing role, which included obtaining consent and reviewing patients at all subsequent visits until study completion. Many of the skills I developed in this post, such as good organisation and effective teamwork, are transferable to all areas of medicine. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it is something I hope to talk about at interview as it is an effective way of showing commitment to a specialty. Furthermore, having a dedicated research doctor has been beneficial to my department in increasing patient involvement in research.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Holly Speight and Clare Shaw from the NIHR for information on the API scheme.

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Patient and public involvement: No patients were directly involved in the creation of this article.

PLRN, MB, and CHT conceived the article and are guarantors. All authors wrote and edited the manuscript.

Competing interests: PLRN was the chair of HaemSTAR from 2017 to 2023. MB is the current chair of the Research and Audit Federation of Trainees (RAFT). RH is the current secretary of RAFT. CHT conceived HaemSTAR.

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

• Downing A ,
• Morris EJ ,
• Corrigan N ,
• Bracewell M ,
• Medical Academic Staff Committee of the British Medical Association
• ↵ RAFT. The start of RAFT. https://www.raftrainees.org/about
• Jamjoom AAB ,
• Hutchinson PJ ,
• Bradbury CA ,
• HaemSTAR Collaborators
• ↵ National Institute for Health and Care Research. Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme. 2023. https://www.nihr.ac.uk/health-and-care-professionals/career-development/associate-principal-investigator-scheme.htm
• Fairhurst C ,
• Torgerson D
• O’Carroll JE ,
• Warwick E ,
• ObsQoR Collaborators

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Understanding the value of a PhD for post‐doctoral registered UK nurses: A survey

Susan hampshaw.

1 School of Health Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield UK

2 Division of Nursing and Midwifery, Health Sciences School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield UK

Steve Robertson

Rachel king, associated data.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

This study investigated, ‘What is the perceived value of a PhD to doctoral and postdoctoral nurses in the UK?’

Little is known about what happens to the careers of nurses who undertake a doctorate and whether they use these skills in the next career steps.

Nurses ( n  = 47) with doctorates were recruited via professional networks and twitter (@NMAHP_DoctorateStudy). Qualitative responses from the nurses were analysed using thematic analysis.

Three themes emerged from qualitative analysis: impact on career, utilization and value, and impact on self.

Conclusions

This study provides one of the few insights into how doctoral trained nurses understand and experience the value and utility of their studies to themselves and others.

Implications for nurse management

Nurse managers can play a crucial role in generating a research‐led culture within their clinical setting. This would include promoting an understanding of research as something directly related to patient benefit rather than an abstract, intellectual activity.

1. INTRODUCTION

Undertaking doctoral studies alongside clinical practice in nursing has been advocated for many years and has gained momentum over time being supported by academic infrastructure and policy levers (Moule et al.,  2017 ). Advocates, such as Kitson ( 1999 ), have argued for doctorate level education to be developed in order to build a stronger culture of inquiry in clinical nursing practice. There has been an increase in the number of nurses undertaking doctorate level research in many countries including the Australia, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (Carrick‐Sen et al.,  2019 ; Henshall et al.,  2021 ; Wilkes et al.,  2015 ). In the UK, the ‘Shape of Caring’ review reiterated these earlier messages and highlighted that nurses who are educated to doctoral level should form an integral part of the clinical workforce in order to generate a research culture in practice and provide the foundation architecture to make the necessary change (Health Education England,  2015 ). This resulted in an approach to developing research alongside clinical practice through a designated Clinical Academic Pathway Framework, which was established in England for the nursing, midwifery and Allied Health Professional (NMAHP) workforce and delivered through the National Institute of Health Services Research (NIHR). However, the number of professionals developed through this route is small. Further opportunities such as access to the pre‐doctoral and doctoral fellowships have been made available for these professionals through other parts of the NIHR infrastructure tasked with delivering research capacity (Cooke et al.,  2016 ). Some argue that we are at the tipping point to sustained progress in clinical academic pathways for these professional groups (Carrick‐Sen et al.,  2019 ).

Despite these developments, there is some evidence that this increase in training opportunities has not been matched by parallel developments of infrastructure in the clinical and practice context. For instance, NMAHP progress compared to that of medics has been slow with fewer clinical academic career opportunities where research is routinely expected and undertaken as part of practice (Henshall et al.,  2021 ). A bottle neck reflecting poor post‐doctoral progress in career pathways has also been noted, particularly in nursing (Dickinson,  2017 ). Carrick‐Sen et al. ( 2019 ) acknowledge these limitations and gaps to progress, noting particular concerns around nursing and clinical leadership to support clinical academic careers. Cooke et al.'s ( 2016 ) mapping of research capacity activities supporting non‐medical professionals found that NMAHP managers have little experience of supporting clinical academic pathways. It further found that NHS career structures for clinical academic posts are inconsistent at best and non‐existent as the norm. Similarly, a small study based in Holland (van Oostveen et al.,  2017 ) highlighted that there is an absence of supporting structures for nurses who combine clinical and academic work. They describe a culture of ‘misfit’ between academic and direct patient care in nursing practice and highlight a lack of leadership in the profession to support the ambition of clinical academic careers. They also found that nursing managers did not strategically plan for clinical academic roles in services. Similar issues have been identified in Sweden where managers did not understand the competencies of nurses who have a doctorate (Orton et al.,  2019 ). Conversely, a systematic review of interventions and strategies for supporting clinical academic pathways for nurses highlighted the importance of robust clinical and academic leadership with a clear strategic vision for success, shared partnership models between academic and service provider organisations and the need for role models and well‐defined strategic goals and outcomes (Henshall et al.,  2021 ). Despite this, most doctoral graduates continue to work in the academy rather than clinical practice (Wilkes et al.,  2015 ), a situation which was not the ambition of the Shape of Caring review.

2. BACKGROUND

The study reported here set out to examine the experiences, outcomes and motivations to study in nurses who have completed doctorates. The research was developed in partnership with a community of practice (CoP) of senior research managers and lead professionals (including nurses) in the NHS. The project aimed to inform research‐practice career pathways ‘close to practice’ in the NHS. Unlike medical colleagues, such pathways were poorly established in NMAHPs. The CoP had developed a cohort of NMAHP clinical academic fellowships who were at the start of a 4‐ to 5‐year programme of work. The CoP wanted to collect information about how to support such individuals after their doctoral training. Consulting with NMAHPs with prior doctoral experience was therefore proposed as a helpful step in exploring what the support needs were and how they might be met and to help map destinations for such career pathways. A PhD is considered to be the gold standard and mark of an independent researcher (Powell & Green,  2007 ), and conversations within the CoP suggest that it could and should be the ‘gateway’ to an integrated clinical and research career.

Our study sits in the broader context of a UK national focus on increasing and improving doctoral level study (Great Britain Department for Education,  2017 ; The Royal Society,  2010 ). This is underpinned by economic theory on the role of doctoral‐level study in developing knowledge economies and the benefits of this to both society and the individual (Diamond et al.,  2014 ; Neumann & Tan,  2011 ). Specifically, this paper addresses the question, ‘What is the perceived value of a PhD to doctoral and postdoctoral nurses in the UK?’

Following ethics approval (reference number 023667), nurses and allied health professionals with doctorates from across the UK were recruited to the study via professional networks with support from the Collaboration and Leadership for Allied Health and Care Research for Yorkshire and Humber (CLAHRC‐TH). A twitter account @NMAHP_DoctorateStudy was set up for the purpose of the study, and a link to an online survey was disseminated via this twitter feed. Within twitter, accounts that were run as representative bodies or Communities of Practice (such as @PICSNurses) were targeted and these ‘organisations’ actively retweeted. The online survey was active for just over a month (5 February 2019 to 15 March 2019). Twitter users were asked to retweet and share the questionnaire link within their twitter networks. The sample is therefore a convenience sample with diversity being achieved through the snowball technique that retweeting facilitated.

The survey questions were bespoke to the aims of the study and included closed questions about professional background, motivation for undertaking a doctorate and the risks and benefits of the degree drawing on issues raised within the literature (Bryan & Guccione,  2018 ; Diamond et al.,  2014 ; Wilkes et al.,  2015 ). These questions were sense checked and amended in consultation with CoP members. The survey also included a number of open questions for respondents to provide more detail about their experiences and views (Table  1 ).

Open questions

Given the research question reported in this paper, data from nurses were separated from the clinical scientists and AHPs and analysed descriptively. Qualitative responses from the nurses were analysed using thematic analysis, and this was supported by Quirkos© software. Initial coding was undertaken independently by SR and sections of this checked by AT and RK. Further coding, categorizing and initial theme development was completed collaboratively by these three co‐authors, and then, final themes were refined in discussion with the whole research team.

4. FINDINGS

There were 214 respondents from across the UK of which there were 47 nurses (including 33 adult nurses, 4 mental health nurses, 6 children's nurses, 2 health visitors and 2 midwives).

4.1. Quantitative data

Nurses were motivated to undertake PhD study by several factors, including professional development 34 (72%) n  = 47, intellectual curiosity 32 (68%) n  = 47, seeking a career in academia 12 (26%) n  = 47 and other reasons 13 (28%) n  = 47. Other reasons included already working in academia and the PhD being expected/needed, answering a clinical problem, serendipity and personal development.

Five nurses worked in academia prior to starting the PhD, and 12 were seeking a career there (17/47 or 36%). However, 24/47 (52%) are currently working in academic posts with another 10/47 (22%) being clinical academics.

4.2. Qualitative data

Three themes emerged from analysis of the open questions: impact on career, utilization and value of the doctorate and impact on self.

4.2.1. Impact on career

When describing the route to PhD, many outlined a gradual progression to doctoral level study rather than it being part of an established career plan. It was also often linked with a move into the academic setting:

I started my career as a [specialism] nurse and completed courses to support that role, including a [specialist] nursing course and Masters degree. I developed a [specialist] nurse educators post before moving to Practice Education. I completed a NMC recognised teaching qualification during this time before moving to academia. The opportunity to complete doctoral studies was one of the factors which encouraged me to move to the university. RN14

For many working, or wanting to work, in Higher Education Institutes (HEI), the PhD was not only seen as a requirement but was recognized as an important part of career change or progression:

I undertook a PhD largely to facilitate a career change and it did this. I did a PhD then secured funding for a post‐doc and I'm now a Senior Lecturer who undertakes teaching and research. I could not have got into this position without a PhD. RN7

However, this was not the case for all of those who worked in HEIs with others suggesting it was not always linked to progression:

I could have gotten into my current job role without a PhD. I found out that academics in nursing education can operate at Bachelors, Masters and PhD level. That was a huge demotivator, especially given the volume of work that goes into it. RN16

For some in HEIs, completing a PhD represented a backward step (at least initially) in terms of career progression, status and/or salary as they moved away from clinical practice and tried to progress:

The biggest problem for me post‐doctorally was that I was starting again at the bottom of the ladder as a career researcher and it has taken me far too long to be able to get to the point I now am […] I have been offered jobs at lower grades and lower salaries than I left the NHS with. RN12

Such challenges around salary and progression were also noted by those who stayed in clinical practice or who had a clinical academic role:

Three years after graduation I'm still not back to previous salary. I'm also penalised for remaining in clinical practice as I am part time at university and cannot take on senior academic roles therefore do not fit the promotion criteria […] undervalued clinically, paid as a band 6 with no prospects of improvement in NHS, only progression possible is in academia unfortunately. RN13

These narratives around the challenges to career progression, both in HEI and clinical roles, raise questions about how, when and by whom the doctorate is utilized and valued.

4.2.2. Utilization and value of doctorate

In response to the question on the extent to which the PhD benefits their current role, the majority of participants were positive with responses such as fully utilize , completely significantly , and use them every day . This utility was noted in terms of enhanced confidence, the benefits of critical thinking skills, in supporting clinical work and in fulfilling educational roles:

Informs my critical decision making on a daily basis. RN6

Enhanced confidence, has removed some of the ‘imposter syndrome’ I frequently experienced. RN31

At its most positive, it was described as transformational:

I use all of these on a daily basis. I could not have anticipated how much of a personal and professional impact that gaining my Doctorate would have been. Although I have only had it for a short period of time, it has been transformational. RN15

For a few, however, particularly those in teaching only or clinical roles, there seemed less opportunity to utilize and further develop skills gained through the doctoral journey:

So far there has been little opportunity to use the benefits in my current role. RN14 [Nurse lecturer]

It is not required for my current role. RN17 [Specialist nurse practitioner]

This lack of opportunity to utilize skills developed was frequently linked to a lack of recognition and valuing of the doctorate by others, which limited or stifled opportunities. This seemed particularly marked in the clinical setting leading some to end up working in academic roles even when this was not the intended career trajectory:

The personal benefits from undertaking a PhD result in a great deal of frustration in the workplace because the environment, your colleagues, the context within which you work and the way you are regarded do not change. You are equipped with greater insight, a more curious mind and a better ability to problem solve and critically analyse but the culture of the NHS is not ready for it. RN10

Having a doctorate has made me into a researcher, which was not my intention. My intention was to be a consultant nurse specialist […] I had planned to return to the NHS with my PhD but my skills were not valued in that setting and I have never been able to find a job in clinical practice that valued what I could bring as a doctorally prepared nurse. RN12

There was a strong implication here that such lack of recognition was particularly prevalent among nurses own colleagues and profession. This was seen as part of a cultural denial of the importance of academic skills and a dissociation of this from clinical care:

In the past, being interested in academic study was a bit of slur in the clinical area and I seemed to be regarded as someone not committed to the clinical area or not having strong practical skills. RN2

This contrasted with how medical colleagues valued what doctoral study could bring to the clinical setting:

Significantly undervalued by the senior nursing executive, and interestingly highly valued and regarded by medical colleagues. RN24

It is interesting, of everyone I worked with I think my consultant colleagues were actually the most respectful of my doctoral qualification. They definitely spoke to me and communicated differently when they knew I was doing a doctorate and once I graduated and they really made me feel it was recognised. RM1

While the PhD was seen as beneficial and well utilized by participants themselves, recognition of its value by others, especially by peers in clinical contexts, was clearly variable.

4.2.3. Impact on self

Outside of the impact of the PhD on career, there was a range of impacts from doctoral and post‐doctoral experiences on participants themselves. Many experienced disappointment and stress during their doctoral studies often related to a lack of support and the challenges of completing doctoral study while working:

Isolated as a PhD student whilst working full time, felt unsupported at times, acute anxiety in final year pre/post VIVA. RSCN1

I was apprehensive about starting a PhD given the amount of studying I knew it would require. Therefore I moved my family 200 miles to another HEI where I was aware the support and funding was more robust. (RM2)

Employer probably does not understand how challenging it is to undertake a PhD and run a Trust‐wide clinical service. RN25

Notably, for some, similar feelings persisted in the post‐doctoral phase being linked to the lack of recognition and value attached to the doctorate as well as to work pressure and expectations:

In HEI, in nursing in particular, the university wants you to teach, supervise, mark, manage modules, generate income, publish world leading outputs, supervise doctoral students etc. Do I feel valued? No. I just feel the demands are unrealistic. They want the penny and the bun. It's actually depressing for me and I'm increasingly disillusioned. RN7

However, despite these challenges, there was clearly a huge sense of pride and achievement attached to completing the PhD even when it did not seem to advance career or to be valued and recognized by others:

This has given me great kudos and respect outside my clinical team—and I am still able to undertake outcomes research in my field of expertise both individually and collaboratively on an international ‘stage’. It's still the best thing I ever did! RSCN5

The personal impact of the doctoral and post‐doctoral journey clearly varied then not only between participants but for the same participants at different points in the journey.

5. DISCUSSION

Key points emerge from this study. While the majority of participants could and did utilize the learning from their doctoral training, the opportunity to maximize the value of this was seen as more limited for those who remained in clinical settings. Other career opportunities, particularly in clinical settings, were seen as limited at best. These findings reaffirm research from the Netherlands (van Oostveen et al.,  2017 ) where a nursing culture that emphasizes direct patient care is perceived as an academic misfit and where insufficient leadership and supporting structures were seen to stifle clinical academic opportunities. Bullin ( 2018 ) describes this misfit as being (at least partly) a result of differences in epistemic cultures between professional nursing communities (based around discipline specific knowledge for clinical practice) and educational settings (based on critical thinking and transformational learning).

This cultural rift has been recognized in other empirical work. For example, a study from Australia (Borbasi & Emden,  2001 ) conducted interviews with nurses in positions of responsibility for employing nurses. While these employers recognized many of the same skills developed through doctoral study that our participants outlined, results also suggested a discrepancy between these skills and those required in practice and a ‘high degree of scepticism as to the usefulness of the degree for the workplace’ (Borbasi & Emden,  2001 , p. 192). Similarly, research from the US among Chief Nursing Officers found that while those surveyed had mainly positive perceptions of the doctorate, only 19% felt that nurse executives should pursue a doctorate of nursing, and only 9% believed that a doctorate should be the recommended degree option for nurse executives (Swanson & Stanton,  2013 ). There is an on‐going challenge then in helping colleagues and organisations recognize the link between skills developed through doctoral study and benefits for the clinical setting and patient care.

Our findings further highlight the financial and personal sacrifices that nurses often make when pursuing doctoral study. These sacrifices are not only made during the period of the PhD but, importantly, any career benefits that do accrue are frequently preceded by a (sometimes prolonged) post‐doctoral period of reduced salary and diminished status. The personal challenges of completing doctoral study while continuing to work, and the sacrifices made in doing so, have been well documented (e.g., Baldwin,  2013 ; Trusson et al.,  2019 ), but less attention seems to have been paid to the positive personal impact. Both Baldwin ( 2013 ) and Trusson et al. ( 2019 ) do, however, note the sense of personal achievement and increased confidence highlighted by our participants. The extent of the financial and personal sacrifices noted in our current study is likely, in part, to be a result of limited nurse leadership and a still underdeveloped infrastructure to support and develop clinical academic pathways for nurses in ways comparable to their medical colleagues.

Finally, findings here suggest that when such leadership and support are present, when nurses feel their doctoral skills are valued by their organisation and within their clinical setting, then doctoral study is seen as less of a risk (and therefore more attractive). Leadership and support can help bridge the cultural rift noted above. While recognizing how accessing funding and training (such as that provided by NIHR) is beyond the reach of many nurses at the point‐of‐care delivery, Cooper et al. ( 2019 ) highlight a range of practical, applied examples for supporting clinical career development for NMAHPs. These focus on strategic commitment, generating structures to engage, enthuse and empower, and realizing benefits for staff and patient experience—the very areas our participants thrived off when present and experienced as serious challenges when they were not.

6. LIMITATIONS

This study makes important contribution but is not without limitations. The recruitment routes for the study generated a convenience sample that may not be representative of UK doctoral nurses—although there is a reasonable spread across the four nations of the UK and across the fields of nursing practice. Caution should therefore be exercised in regard to the generalizability of these findings.

Finally, all data collected relied on self‐reported information. Such reporting is, by nature, subjective. However, as the aim of the study is to explore the perceived value of a PhD to nurses, it is the very substance of these subjective accounts that constitute the intended focus of the data.

7. CONCLUSIONS

This study provides one of the few insights into how doctoral trained nurses understand and experience the value and utility of their studies to themselves and others. Despite attempts in the UK to develop research alongside clinical practice, findings suggest that there remain barriers for nurses wishing to develop clinical career pathways through doctoral study. In particular, a cultural rift in how the skills and knowledge gained through doctoral study might benefit patients, clinical settings and organisations often leads to an undervaluing of the PhD and a concomitant loss of doctoral nurses from clinical settings to academia even when this is not a personally desired outcome for nurses embarking on such study. However, where organisational infrastructure and leadership recognize, support and value what doctoral skills can bring then the opportunities and benefits known to accrue from research‐led clinical environments are more likely to emerge and clinical‐academic pathways become more embedded.

8. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSE MANAGEMENT

Nurse managers can play a crucial role in generating a research‐led culture within their clinical setting: a culture that helps bridge the current misfit between clinical practice and critical thinking. This would include promoting an understanding of research as something directly related to patient benefit rather than an abstract, distant, intellectual activity.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

There is no conflict of interest.

FUNDING INFORMATION

This study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration and Leadership for Allied Health and Care Research for Yorkshire and Humber (CLAHRC YH). The analysis and reporting for this paper were further funded by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) as part of the Strategic Research Alliance between the RCN and the University of Sheffield.

ETHICS STATEMENT

Ethical approval was gained from the University of Sheffield, School of and Health and Related Research: reference number 023667.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The research was developed in partnership with a community of practice (CoP) of senior research managers and lead professionals (nurses and AHPs) in the NHS. This CoP called ACORN (Addressing Capacity in Organisations to do Research Network) based in the North of England (see https://www.arc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/what-we-do/capacity-building/acorn ).

Hampshaw, S. , Cooke, J. , Robertson, S. , Wood, E. , King, R. , & Tod, A. (2022). Understanding the value of a PhD for post‐doctoral registered UK nurses: A survey . Journal of Nursing Management , 30 ( 4 ), 1011–1017. 10.1111/jonm.13581 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Funding information Royal College of Nursing; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration and Leadership for Allied Health and Care Research for Yorkshire and Humber

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

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• Data Schools

Announcing: CDH Gates Cambridge Scholars 2024

• 17 Apr 2024

Two outstanding scholars from the inaugural cohort of Cambridge Digital Humanities’ new PhD in Digital Humanities have been selected as Gates Cambridge Scholars . Emmanuel Iduma and Sonia Fereidooni, who begin their doctoral studies at CDH in October, join the Gates Cambridge Class of 2024, a cohort of 75 new scholars studying diverse disciplines who represent 69 different nationalities in total.

Emmanuel  Iduma

After qualifying as a lawyer in Nigeria, Emmanuel  Iduma studied art criticism and wr iting at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Over the past 15 years, he has developed a diverse body of work that spans criticism, memoir, photography and fiction, including three books and a digital platform for African photography, as well as varied editorial and curatorial projects.

In my writing, criticism, and curatorial work to date, I have been interested in the ways photographs explore human dignity in complex ways. I am grateful to come to Cambridge as a Gates Scholar, and as part of the inaugural cohort of a PhD in Digital Humanities. While here, I intend to use computer vision techniques to explore how the circulation of conflict photographs shapes perception, especially about the African continent. I hope, in addition, to develop a curatorial and ethical framework for engaging with photographs in an age of misinformation and AI-generated imagery.

Sonia Fereidooni

Born in Eastern Canada and raised in rural Washington-State in the US, Sonia Fereidooni completed her BS in Computer Science & Data Science, her BA in Sociology, and her MS in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. As a student at the UW Allen School , she won the Allen AI Outstanding Engineer Scholarship in 2023. Her research explores three different branches of Computer Science: (1) AI Bias, Ethics, Fairness, and Governance, (2) Commonsense Reasoning and development in AI, (3) Designing equitable pedagogies in Computer Science curricula. She also has significant industry experience in AI development at Google Brain, DeepMind, and AI2.

During my PhD in Digital Humanities at Cambridge, I hope to research how to effectively legislate AI governance in protection of intersectional identities from the Global South, especially in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. I hope to pursue fieldwork in critical areas that are most adversely-affected by the recent accelerated developments of AI, and research how it is that AI can be universally-regulated to avoid such outcomes. In deep gratitude, I am honored to join the Gates Cambridge community and continue to learn about the humanities’ intersections with technology from scholars of other fields.

Commending the scholars’ success on behalf of the CDH community, Professor Caroline Bassett, Director of Cambridge Digital Humanities , and Dr Leonardo Impett, convenor of the MPhil and PhD in Digital Humanities , share their congratulations:

Congratulations to Emmanuel and Sonia, our two Gates scholars. We are excited by their research proposals and thrilled that these exceptional scholars will join the first ever cohort of our Digital Humanities PhD programme next year.  Graduate students are at the heart of this exciting and fast-growing field at Cambridge and we are grateful to the Gates Foundation for supporting a number of outstanding scholars at CDH. W e look forward to welcoming a phenomenal inaugural cohort of PhD students, including Emmanuel and Sonia, to Cambridge this Autumn.

Could you be our next Gates Scholar in Digital Humanities? Applications for entry in the academic year 2025-26 will open in September 2024.

Find out more about the PhD in Digital Humanities at cdh.cam.ac.uk/phd

Find out more about the MPhil in Digital Humanities at cdh.cam.ac.uk/mphil

Find out more about the Cambridge Gates scholarship programme , the University of Cambridge’s flagship international postgraduate scholarship programme, at gatescambridge.org

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Doctoral Oral Exams for April 29, 2024 – May 3, 2024

The Graduate Dean invites all graduate faculty to attend the final oral examinations for the doctoral candidates scheduled as follows:

Ricardo Salas Diaz , PhD., Economics Monday, April 29, 2024, 4:00PM, Cotty Hall 308 and via Zoom Dissertation: “Investigations on Global Elite Education, A Century of Background Traits of the Board Members, and Cultural Promotion at the Banco de la República.” Gerald Epstein, Chair.

Margaret A. Hilliard , PhD., Food Science Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 10:30AM, ISB 145 Dissertation: “Population- and Community- Level Investigation of Human Milk Oligosaccharide Structure on Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis Phenotype.” David A. Sela, Chair.

Khwlah Almutair , PhD., Economics Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 2:00PM, Crotty Hall 308 Dissertation: “Essays on Stock Market Liberalization, Banking Stocks Volatility, and Sovereign Wealth Fund.” Gerald Epstein, Chair.

Ahmed Nabawy , PhD., Chemistry Friday, May 3, 2024, 2:00PM, Goessman 153 Dissertation: “Engineered Polymer-Based Nanomaterials for the Treatment of Biofilm-Associated Infections.” Vincent Rotello, Chair.

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