School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing

Students are encouraged to think for themselves and to develop critical and enquiring minds. The format focuses on self-directed learning, tutorials, problem solving, with a small number of expert lectures. Teamwork is encouraged. Communication skills (oral and written) form a significant proportion of this course.

The programme is divided into four main sections:

a) Core Course

The core course has a general aim of providing the transferable research skills and a knowledge of current issues in medical research. This will involve the development of key generic skills which will provide the basic background necessary for research in any medically related subject.

Two major themes run throughout the core course:-

• Information retrieval and dissemination
• Experimental design and interpretation

Information retrieval and dissemination
The aims of this section of the course are that students acquire and develop the skills which will complement the Experimental Design & Interpretation section of the core course.

Experimental Design & Interpretation
The aim of this section of the course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of the methodology involved in clinical research from the conception of the ideas to the presentation of the completed project. 

b) Specialist subjects

The aim of these subjects is that you gain an in-depth knowledge of the subject and are familiar with current research. Students study one of the subjects detailed below. Specialist Course co-ordinators can provide further information. 

c) Medical statistics

This is designed to equip students with a solid foundation in the necessary statistical approaches in order to aid understanding of the scientific and medical literature, as well as to allow appropriate and accurate analysis of students’ own research projects. The course is taught by a number of statisticians with research interests in medical and biological sciences, therefore the focus of the teaching is in a relevant context. Teaching is delivered through a mixture of lectures and tutorials, with a number of assignments to aid students in developing practical statistical skills.

d) Research Project

Each student is required to carry out a substantial research project, which is normally associated with the specialist subject. Projects take up one day a week before Christmas, at least three days a week between Christmas and Easter. After Easter they occupy the majority of course time. Students are required to present a project proposal before Christmas. The work completed is submitted within a research paper, an abstract, a poster, and described in an oral presentation. All are a major part of the final project assessment. 

Mr Nigel Jamieson

Mr David Holroyd

Dr Jean Quinn

Information from:
Mrs Olena Bolotova

One person in three in the Western world will experience malignant disease at some stage of their lives and, in Scotland, one in four currently dies from it. Effective management of cancer needs information on its causation and epidemiology, to guide preventive measures. It also requires a clear understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of the development of cancer, as a prerequisite for improving detection, diagnosis and treatment. Cancer arises primarily as a result of mutations, that can occur in cells of almost all tissues, which perturb cell growth and behaviour. It is therefore essential to appreciate the controls, within and between cells that govern normal tissue architecture if we are to understand how they go awry in cancer. The past twenty five years have seen outstanding advances in our knowledge of the basic molecular and cell biology of cancer which could greatly influence the management of the disease in coming decades. This module aims to provide you with a research-based understanding of the development and spread of cancer, together with a critical appreciation of how this new basic knowledge might affect current and future prevention, screening, therapy and palliation. The emphasis will be on principles rather than details and on giving you a discriminating insight into the challenges of tackling one of our most important health problems.

Number of students: maximum of 12 and minimum of 4. 

Dr Lorraine Work

Information from: Mrs Laura McMichael 

Diseases of and injury to the nervous system contribute substantially to global ill health. The development of novel treatments for nervous system disorders is one of the major goals of modern medical science. This course aims to introduce advanced concepts in understanding of the patho-physiological basis of the nervous system injuries and diseases. Contemporary approaches to the design and clinical integration of novel treatments for are also a major focus. The course will comprise seminars/tutorials by members of staff and student presentations based on these seminars/tutorials. The course focuses on selected clinical conditions where there is current research and clinical expertise in Glasgow. Students will be taught and supervised by both clinicians and basic scientists.

Number of students: maximum of 6 and minimum of 4.

Dr Andrea Williamson

Global health synthesises population and individual health disciplines and is concerned with improving health and achieving equity for all. The aim of the course is to provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge, and develop critical and analytical skills, in the field of global health with a primary health care focus. Taught topics are the global burden of disease including the health of travellers; the social-economic and environmental determinants of health; health systems and policy; global health governance; human rights and ethics including the health needs of vulnerable groups; and cultural diversity and health.

Prof Stefan Siebert and Prof Neal Millar

The immune system has evolved primarily for defence against pathogens using innate and adaptive immunity. However, inappropriate activation of the immune response can lead to autoimmunity and destruction of the body's own tissues. Thus, a major theme of this course is to understand the delicate balance which allows the immune system to generate effective responses against infection and tumours, but which also maintains homeostasis. There have been major advances in this area leading to novel and exciting therapies. The course covers both basic and clinically applied Immunology, aiming to give the student an understanding of the entire immune system under physiological and pathological conditions. Its applications to infectious disease, vaccination, transplantation and the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular and inflammatory bowel disease, will be a focus of the course, with the aim of explaining how such knowledge can be translated to improve patient care. The course will comprise seminars/tutorials and practical applications taught and supervised by both clinical and non-clinical members of staff who are active researchers and/or clinicians in these fields.

Number of students: maximum of 10 and a minimum of 4.

Dr Tomoko Iwata

Pathology is the study of disease and the scientific foundations of medicine. The course will introduce students with physiological mechanisms important in the regulation of homeostasis (e.g. cell division, differentiation and gene regulation) and will discuss how these mechanisms may be altered in the development of disease (pathogenesis).

Study of pathogenesis has become increasingly important enabling us to suggest efficient therapeutic strategies of the disease. Molecular Pathology is the new discipline that provides the essential support in the multidisciplinary team approach in modern medicine. The course is also intended to demonstrate how modern laboratory techniques and analytical skills can help elucidating the disease processes so that future clinicians can make a formal diagnosis and give a prognosis confidently.

Number of students: maximum of 10 and minimum of 4.

Dr Catriona Douglas

Dr Thushitha Kunanandam

Otolaryngology – Head and Neck surgery is the third largest surgical speciality and it covers problems of the head and neck region, including speech, swallowing, breathing, balance and hearing. It also treats people with head and neck cancer including tumours of the thyroid, neck, larynx, sinuses, oropharynx and skull base. ENT surgeons treat people of all ages, from newborn babies to the elderly. There are 4 main subspecialties in ENT, paediatric ENT, otology and hearing, rhinology/facial plastics/skull base, and head and neck surgical oncology.

In this course students will learn about head and neck anatomy and physiology, radiology of the head and neck, head and neck cancer and its management, hearing and management of deafness, rhinology/facial plastics/skull base surgery, paediatric ENT and laryngology/airway pathology.

The course aims to give students an in-depth knowledge about the basic science, disease processes and treatment of head and neck diseases, while also introducing them to clinical and scientific research in this field.

The course will comprise seminars/tutorials from ENT/Head and Neck Surgeons working in Glasgow. The course is particularly suited to those wishing to pursue a surgical career.

Dr Filippo Queirazza

Dr Jason Lang

Information from:
Mrs Margaret Naismith 

Psychological Medicine brings together neuroscience, psychology and clinical psychiatry within an integrated and intellectually challenging BSc programme. The course provides a range of excellent training experiences for medical undergraduates who have an interest in understanding the biology and psychology of human development and behaviour. A solid understanding of the causes and treatment of mental health problems is essential for all doctors, not least because physical and psychiatric disorders rarely occur in isolation. This course builds on the excellent research opportunities offered by the Institute of Health and Wellbeing (including work on depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis and population mental health) and students with an interest in psychiatry as a career will be supported with additional mentorship opportunities. Previous Psychological Medicine BSc graduates have presented their work at international conferences and have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Number of students: maximum of 8 and a minimum of 4.

Dr Antonia Roseweir

Dr Dilys Freeman

Information from:

Mrs Olena Bolotova

Future improvements in the detection and treatment of disease will increasingly depend on our understanding of developmental processes. Knowledge of these factors is important in many fields of medicine. Growth of the fetus in-utero for example has effects on the incidence of cardiovascular disease in later life. In addition, nutrition both in childhood and adult life affects the level of obesity and therefore health in general, diseases such as type 2 diabetes being much commoner in those who are obese. The topics covered include genes and development, pregnancy and parturition, infertility and its treatment, childhood health and nutrition and environmental and genetic influences on health.

Number of students: maximum of 10 and a minimum of 4.