The School of Medicine offers a range of research areas spanning medical education. Our current portfolio includes topics covering the development of professional identity and professionalism lapses and the development of empathy during undergraduate medicine studies. In line with current changes in the NHS and workforce, transitioning into clinical posts and their impact upon wellbeing, is also a research area.

Why study with us?

34
Associate Clinical Teachers for trainee doctors in Merseyside recruited in the 2017/18 Academic Year
1000
postgraduate students in the Faculty.
One
of the largest medical schools in the country.

Overview

Situated within one of the UK’s larger Schools of Medicine, undertaking a PhD in Medical Education at Liverpool gives PhD candidates based here a unique opportunity to work alongside an engaged and committed cohort of Medical Students all of whom are encouraged to take an interest in the development of medical education, for the improvement of systems and processes for future generations of students.

The University of Liverpool’s School of Medicine is one of the largest medical education providers in the UK. We train and develop doctors throughout their careers, enabling them to use the latest advances to provide exceptional care to their patients.

We deliver teaching and training for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as continuous professional development for medical practitioners. Joining our department involves you in this vibrant medical education community.

We work collaboratively; across professions, institutions and departments. Completing your studies with us means an opportunity to work with world-leading educators and clinical staff across a full range of disciplines. In all these areas, our work is characterised by a focus on research excellence and by attention to the real world impact of our scholarship.

We have expertise in a range of methodological approaches, and are happy to hear from potential PhD candidates who are interested in undertaking either quantitative, qualitative or mixed-method approaches to their work. Our current PhD students are using a range of unique techniques, including longitudinal impact studies and narrative interviewing and analysis.

PhD students undertaking their research here often have the opportunity to see the they develop as part of their research implemented immediately into the curriculum, as part of research-led practice.

Research themes

We particularly welcome research proposals that match those of our researchers, including:

Professionalism
Curriculum Development
Technology Enhanced Learning
Professional Identity Development
Simulation-based training
Wellbeing and resilience
Interprofessional / inter-disciplinary working
Leadership and Management.

Facilities

Research undertaken within Medical Education is usually desk-based, but you may be interested in working with one of our NHS sites. Please visit our undergraduate website pages for details of each of the different sites aligned to Liverpool. We are also willing to consider co-facilitation with other, relevant departments (psychology, sociology, history etc) so please do not hesitate to contact us if you would be interested in such arrangements.

Study options and fees

The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year

MPhil / PhD / MD	Duration	UK students	International Students
Full time	2-4 years	£4,786	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences £29,750 (Band A)^ Faculty of Science and Engineering* £29,750 (Band A)^ or £23,400 (Band B) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences £23,400 (Band B)
Part time	4-6 years	£2,393	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences £14,900 (Band A)^ Faculty of Science and Engineering* £14,900 (Band A)^ or £11,700 (Band B) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences £11,700 (Band B)

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

You'll need a 2:1 or first class or equivalent first degree in a relevant discipline, such as medicine, psychology or sociology. This breadth reflects our commitment to multidisciplinary approaches when investigating complex research questions.

English language requirements

IELTS Academic requirement - SELT and non-SELT	Overall 6.5 no band below 5.5
TOEFL iBT requirement	Minimum 88 overall with L 17 W 17 R 17 and S 19
C1 Advanced CAE requirement	Overall 176 with no less than 162 in any paper
PTE Academic requirement	61 with minimum scores of 59 in each component
Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE II)	ISE II with an overall pass with merit in components
Cambridge IGCSE as a First Language	Grade C
Cambridge IGCSE as a Second Language	Grade B
Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Proficiency)	Overall 176 with 162 in components
Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced)	Overall 176 with 162 in components
Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced)	Overall 176 with 162 in components

Additional requirements

Your research can be in any area that matches our research interests and expertise, outlined above. CRB and other checks may be necessary for some project types and every proposal will need to receive ethical approval.

You'll also need coherent writing skills, along with the stamina, self-motivation and organisation to complete a demanding research project.