Program Overview

Surgery MCh

Overview

Enhance your career progression through this postgraduate educational course, working with our consultant specialist surgeons and surgical faculty, with five potential pathways available.

Course Structure

Year 1 Core Modules

• Data Management in Clinical Research
  • This module is delivered three hours a week for 10 weeks. You gain a solid understanding of statistical concepts to analyse basic clinical and medical data and statistics. You learn the basic fundamentals leading up to multivariate analysis. There is one assessment for this module, submitted in week 11, where you analyse a dataset according to three given tasks and give a 20-minute presentation on your findings.
• Developing Research Projects
  • Develop the knowledge and skills you need to design and manage primary or secondary research, audit or evaluation project relevant to your practice, preparing you for dissertation. You also cover research governance and ethics, to prepare you to apply for ethical approval or release.
  • You are assessed through a written 4,000-word proposal for a research, audit or evaluation study, which is worth 100% of the module marks and should be submitted in week 13.
• Introduction to Research, Ethics, and Governance
  • Gain an understanding of the basic premises of ethical clinical research, with a solid foundation to build on as you progress. Explore the concept of clinical governance and the importance of evidence in a clinical context. To ensure a good understanding of research outcomes, you examine data and basic analysis techniques, enabling you to complete more advanced modules that follow. You also explore the concept of mastery and studying at level 7.
  • The module is delivered in the first semester across 10 three-hour sessions. You work with students from a range of courses to enable cross profession discussion and learning.

Year 1 Specialist Module

• General and Minimal Access Surgery in Urology
  • Study topics including anatomy and physiology, clinical assessment and investigation, evidence-based surgical urology and minimally invasive surgery practice, and advanced clinical decision-making.
• General and Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
  • Develop your understanding of anatomy and physiology, clinical assessment and investigation, evidence-based practice for oncoplastic breast surgery, and advanced clinical decision-making.
• Gynaecological, Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Learn about anatomy and physiology, clinical assessment and investigation, evidence-based gynaecological oncology, and advanced clinical decision-making.
• Surgical Gastroenterology and Minimal Access Surgery
  • Consider anatomy and physiology, clinical assessment and investigation, evidence-based surgical gastroenterology and minimally invasive surgery practice for common upper and lower gastro-intestinal disorders, and advanced clinical decision-making.
• Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
  • Study topics including anatomy and physiology, clinical assessment and investigation, evidence-based practice for vascular and endovascular surgery, and advanced clinical decision-making.

Year 2 Core Modules

• Dissertation and Research Article
  • In this module, you build on the skills you have learned previously and become a more independent learner. You also enhance your employability by developing the ability to produce work to a publishable standard.
  • Component 1 is a detailed written account of the research project (15,000 words, worth 70% of the overall module mark).
  • Component 2 is the production of a research article ready to be submitted for publication (worth 30% of the overall module mark).

How You Learn

• You learn through a mix of lectures, seminars, clinical simulations and group work. Teaching is a blend of online and face-to-face learning for UK-based students and 100% online for students outside the UK.
• Specialist modules are delivered at James Cook University Hospital.

How You Are Assessed

• You are assessed through written reports, computer-based statistics exams, statistics mini-projects, research proposals, written exams, oral exams, and a dissertation thesis and research article. You also receive regular feedback whilst studying.

Entry Requirements

• For the one-year, full-time route with on-campus attendance, you must have:
  • a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
  • membership of the Royal College of Surgeons or equivalent qualifications, such as Diplomate of National Board
  • recent work experience within general surgery.
• If you are an international applicant, you must have IELTS 6.5 or above. And you must study on campus to ensure that your UKVI requirements are met.
• For the two-year, part-time route for students employed and studying in the UK (on-campus and blended), you must:
  • be a qualified doctor employed in the UK, with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
  • have Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons or hold equivalent qualifications, such as Diplomate of National Board
  • work in general surgery at or above F2, SHO, ST3 (or equivalent)
  • be registered with the General Medical Council.
• If you are an international applicant, you must have been offered a job in the UK through the Medical Training Initiative and have IELTS 7 or above before applying.
• For the two-year, part-time distance online route for international students working outside the UK, you must:
  • be a qualified doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
  • have Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons or hold equivalent qualifications, such as Diplomate of National Board
  • work in general surgery at or above F2, SHO, ST3 (or equivalent)
  • have an IELTS of 6.5 or above
  • be a licenced or registered doctor (General Medical Council equivalent in your country of employment).

Employability

• By enhancing you research and evidence-based practice skills and contributing to the evidence base of publications, you develop essential skills to progress to a consultant position.

Work Placement

• If you are studying the one-year full-time route, you can complete an optional observational clinical experience across the duration of your course. You are allocated a clinical advisor to help you identify the observational opportunities available and negotiate the types of sessions you observe.

Fees

• Full-time:
  • Fee for UK applicants: £11,000
  • Fee for international applicants: £17,000 a year
• Part-time:
  • Fee for UK applicants: £11,000
  • Fee for international applicants: £17,000 a year

Duration

• Full-time: 1 year
• Part-time: 2 years

Start Date

• September

Qualifications

• International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.