The University of Birmingham

Key Features• Undergraduate Masters• All taught modules completed in the first semester• Choose your project before starting• 7 month project with successful supervision teams in world-class research institutes with the possibility of publicationsThis undergraduate masters degree should benefit you both in the short term, in relation to career progression, but also in the long term by broadening your understanding of academic medicine. The Clinical Sciences degree introduces you to translational research; clinical and laboratory research that is aimed at moving laboratory research to the bedside. In particular, the course involves a seven month extended research project in your chosen specialist subject stream allowing you to gain substantial, direct experience of modern medical research. A wide range of projects are available to choose from including both laboratory based and data analysis designs. Many students present their findings at national conferences or have had their work published. In addition you will receive a range of lectures that highlight topics of current debate.Upon successful completion of both taught elements and the research project, students will graduate with MSci Clinical Sciences or a specialism. The specialist streams currently available are: • MSci Clinical Sciences (Endocrinology and Metabolism) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Reproduction and Women’s Health) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Cardiovascular Sciences) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Cancer Sciences) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Geriatric Medicine and the Biology of Ageing) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Immunotherapy) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Microbiology & Infectious Diseases) • MSci Clinical Sciences (Ophthalmology)The course consists of:• a research project which leads to a thesis to be submitted in March/April. Students spend approximately 60% of their time on their research projects• a 20 credit module in your specialist stream subject area• a 20 credit taught module (Clinical Bioinformatics and Statistics) which will provide you with training in analysis of large clinical and laboratory data sets, including genomics• a 20 credit taught module from a selection in the various disciplines of Clinical SciencesExamples of optional modules that have previously been run are: Immunology and Liver Disease: Applications of Immunotherapy; Cancer: Genomics and Molecular Pathology; Endocrinology and Metabolism; An Overview of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Science; Reproduction and Women’s Health; Ophthalmology; Rheumatology and Orthopaedics; Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; Geriatric Medicine and the Biology of Ageing.The Geriatric medicine and Biology of Ageing module will be run using pre-recorded lectures, face to face seminars, gamification and flipped classroom techniques, with some practical research methods sessions on the following topics:· Demographic change and Evolution of ageing· The ‘hallmarks’ of ageing and chronological age vs biological age· v Cellular senescence, immunesenescence, ‘inflammageing’· Ageing of the major body systems· Multimorbidity – clusters, time course, and treatments· Frailty – different models of frailty and their clinical relevance· Frailty syndromes – delirium, falls, sarcopenia· Geroscience – how can we correct age related changes pharmacologically· Lifestyle interventions to target ageing mechanisms· Clinical geroscience – correcting cellular senescence and inflammageing in human populations· Diseases of ageing in a social and global contextJournal Club – discussing recent journal articles (4 hour private study each for 5 papers) with formative assessment on science communicationA practical examining research in older people with frailty with measurements of frailty and immunsenescence, both clinical and laboratory as options. By the end of the module students should be able to:· Understand the basic changes in biology that occur with age, and these are expressed in clinical presentations of disease· Understand current and proposed treatments of frailty and ageing disease through the lense of geroscience· Understand the relationships between frailty, multimorbidity and healthy ageing· Learn to critique research papers generally and in the biogerontology field specifically

Entry Requirements

Building on work already undertaken within your medical studies, you may take the programme between the third and fourth, or fourth and fifth years of a medical degree. Applications are also accepted from pharmacy and dental students and students who have completed their medical degrees.

To be considered for the programme you will have to demonstrate that your performance in your current degree is equivalent to a 1 or 2.1 in a standard classified degree.

Details and application deadlines of bursaries and awards are sent to all students at the start of the programme. At the end of the year prizes are also awarded to the top performing students in a number of categories.

How To Apply To apply, please complete our online application form found here.

 Current University of Birmingham students should use this form.

Further information can be obtained from Fiona Collard (Programme Administrator), email: intercalclinscience@contacts.bham.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)121 415 8120

Closing Date

Please contact our Intercalation team mdsintercalationenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk to make enquiries and apply.