MSt in Clinical Medicine

Person working at laptop with stethoscope on desk next to them

The Master of Studies (MSt) in Clinical Medicine is the final year of a 3-year study pathway.

The course is only open to learners who have successfully studied the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Medicine and builds on the subjects studied during the certificate and diploma years:

clinical research, education and leadership in year 1
healthcare law, advanced leadership and healthcare informatics in year 2

This final year of the programme focuses on providing the skills and training to deliver a high-quality dissertation in an area of clinical knowledge and training studied earlier in the programme.

Alternative modular study

For students wishing to gain valuable medical knowledge without completing a full award-bearing course, we also offer modules for standalone Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) study, not for credit.

For more information, and to see what CPPD modules we’re running in 2025-26, visit our modular study page.

Course Dates

Our learners

Kivlyn, MSt in Genomic Medicine

“The teaching style really stood out; it’s personal, engaging, and supportive. I’ve grown so much, both professionally and personally.”

/student-stories/medical-and-health-science-courses-student-stories/kivlyn

Dominic, MSt in AI Ethics and Society

“The ability to [study] part-time in the residential/home structure has also allowed me to continue working full time.”

/student-stories/social-science-courses-student-stories/dominic

Our learners

Key course information

The programme has been developed by Cambridge University Health Partners in conjunction with the School of Clinical Medicine and University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE).

It is taught part-time and is designed to be flexible and accessible to working healthcare professionals contributing towards research and professional development through reinforcement of Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

Watch the information session for the Clinical Medicine Pathway from our Medical Open Week 2025.

Who is the course designed for?

This course is designed only for students who have completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Medicine. It is suited for doctors, dentists, nurses and allied health professionals.

Aims of the programme

All parts of the course, the Postgraduate Certificate, the Postgraduate Diploma, and the Master of Studies - are delivered with the following overarching educational aims:

provide professionally relevant teaching and learning informed by research in an integrated clinical and teaching environment
create an international cohort of consultants, GPs, dentists and other healthcare professionals able to pursue and develop their roles in a rapidly-changing and challenging environment of clinical medicine
develop the confidence within this cohort to lead service improvement for safe and high quality patient care, with the required knowledge, skills and capability to have a positive personal impact on the work of others in their clinical team and wider service
develop clinicians with an understanding of teaching, professional development and assessment in the field of clinical medicine
develop clinicians with an understanding of research methodologies and ethical considerations relevant to clinical medicine
encourage participants to develop as reflective practitioners with the emotional intelligence, resilience and astuteness required to be effective clinical leaders
encourage a commitment to intellectual challenge and evidence-based clinical practice informed by the latest conceptual and theoretical knowledge of medical education, research methods, ethics and clinical leadership and governance

We welcome applications from healthcare staff including doctors, dentists, nurses and allied health professionals. As part of our admissions process, you’ll need to meet certain requirements and make sure you’re able to attend teaching sessions in the UK.

Standard entry requirements

You must have successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Medicine at Cambridge.

Typically, we expect a good UK undergraduate degree, such as a 2.1, or international equivalent.

If your degree is not from the UK, check international qualifications on the University’s postgraduate site to find the equivalent in your country.

If you wish to apply to join the programme you must:

hold a qualification in one of the healthcare professions or another relevant qualification
be a post-foundation-year doctor in primary, secondary or tertiary care or a professional allied to medicine who is involved in teaching students at undergraduate or postgraduate levels or who has a role in training and appraising healthcare professionals
have had at least one year of experience as a teacher prior to starting the programme

English language requirements

Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. For more information, visit Postgraduate and Master's admissions and the University’s English language requirements.

Visa information

We welcome applications from international students. If you’re coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission.

It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions. To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website.

This is a part-time course designed to fit with the demands of full-time employment. The programme is delivered through a mix of in-person and self-directed learning.

Learners will attend in-person teaching each Term. This teaching will cover the skills and methodology required to effectively engage in independent learning and a dissertation in the chosen area of Clinical Medicine. This will include guidance on formulating a viable research question, choosing a topic and appropriate methodology, conducting a project, structuring and writing a dissertation. A strong emphasis is placed on experiential and interactive learning using individual and group activities. The development of a cohesive peer-learning network will be supported. Additional materials will be provided through the course Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Teaching

Below are the expected teaching dates for this course. If they change, we'll update offer-holders in line with the University's Terms of Admission. Exact teaching dates will be added to this webpage in due course.

October 2026 (2 full teaching days): focused on developing a research question, academic practice and skills.
January 2027 (2 full teaching days): focused on reviewing and refining your proposal, progressing your dissertation and engaging with your peers via presentations on your dissertation topics.
April 2027 (2 full teaching days): feedback from your peers, dedicated writing sessions and advice and guidance on how to complete your draft dissertation.

Assessment

The MSt course will be assessed through the production of a dissertation in an area related to one, or more, of the areas covered by Units 1 to 6 studied during the postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma. This may focus on areas such as the completion of the research project, the design and implementation of educational activity, quality improvement or a leadership project.

Feedback

You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor who will be experienced in the area and/or methodology being studied as part of the dissertation. You will meet at least five times with the supervisor, either in person or remotely. These meetings will support development of the research question and methodology, acquisition and analysis of data and feedback on a single draft of the dissertation.