Doing a part time masters degree as a junior doctor?

Is this common for somebody looking to do a phd down the line during specialty training; whats ur opinion....
Doing a part time masters degree as a junior doctor? apply for the part time masters programme in y5 of med school?

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

You don't necessarily need a masters degree to do a PhD. Most medically-related PhD programmes will consider people with a masters and undergrad (MSc + BA/BSc), just an undergrad (BA/BSc/MSci) or a qualifying medical degree (MBBS). Of course having one might help with funding applications. I would suggest looking into intercalation options (not necessarily for a masters, just at all) in the first instance. Intercalating and getting a high classification/result, plus having a very good dissertation/thesis/project will probably be a big help I think. It also will be a structured part of your course and so you won't be having to try and juggle different responsibilities while doing it so much!

Bear in mind though application process for PhDs isn't like medical specialty applications where you get points for different types of qualifications and activities you've done though; it's a lot less rigid and more holistic (and hence, vague). Also the main bottleneck for PhD applications is funding, which is where the competition comes in; having a masters at distinction (or at least merit) might help with that, and having a 1st or equivalent is probably essential too. Actually being admitted to the uni for a PhD (even "top" universities like Oxbridge, Imperial etc) is usually the "easy" part compared to getting funding for the project.

I think @nexttime did some kind of part-time masters and might be able to advise on that possibility?

Reply 2

nexttime

22

Original post by wyann LT

Is this common for somebody looking to do a phd down the line during specialty training; whats ur opinion....
Doing a part time masters degree as a junior doctor? apply for the part time masters programme in y5 of med school?

I wouldn't say this is common no. You don't really need a masters to do a PhD in this context.

Some people do a part time PGcert alongside working as a doctor, which can be made into a masters with additional years of part time study. Some roles e.g. academic foundation program, might even pay the fees for you.

You sound like you might be interested in academic training in general - you should look into it.

Reply 3

wyann LT

OP

6

Original post by nexttime

I wouldn't say this is common no. You don't really need a masters to do a PhD in this context.

Some people do a part time PGcert alongside working as a doctor, which can be made into a masters with additional years of part time study. Some roles e.g. academic foundation program, might even pay the fees for you.

You sound like you might be interested in academic training in general - you should look into it.

would academic training also pay for my phd and would I have to do academic training at the university hospital to do funded phd e.g to do a funded phd in cambridge do I have to work in addenbrookes/ or cambridge area uni?

Reply 4

nexttime

22

Original post by wyann LT

would academic training also pay for my phd and would I have to do academic training at the university hospital to do funded phd e.g to do a funded phd in cambridge do I have to work in addenbrookes/ or cambridge area uni?

PhD funding is separate. The whole point of it is that you might need hundreds of thousands if not millions of pounds, so you need to be justifying it. Obviously that is a rigorous process that cannot be skipped.

You can get PhDs funded by the same body that funds academic training (NIHR) though.

Reply 5

wyann LT

OP

6

I want your opinion regarding this matter because I am thinking of doing a combined masters phd course (4years) in clinical neuroscience part time. This is because I want to advance in my training from f2 to specialty training (neurosurgery) at the same time also as I am afraid I will lose/forget my practical clinical skills (hospital skills) and some knowledge once I come back to the hospital environment if I had did the phd full time (so I want to still keep in touch with my job and gain experience)
Or do you recommend taking out the 4 years separately when doing this if so do you recommend I do this in between f2 and specialty training or take the 4 years out once I get into neurosurgery training, if so how far into neurosurgery training is it better to take years out for the phd?
@nexttime
@artful_lounger

thank you

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 6

Ezike

4

Original post by wyann LT

I want your opinion regarding this matter because I am thinking of doing a combined masters phd course (4years) in clinical neuroscience part time. This is because I want to advance in my training from f2 to specialty training (neurosurgery) at the same time also as I am afraid I will lose/forget my practical clinical skills (hospital skills) and some knowledge once I come back to the hospital environment if I had did the phd full time (so I want to still keep in touch with my job and gain experience)
Or do you recommend taking out the 4 years separately when doing this if so do you recommend I do this in between f2 and specialty training or take the 4 years out once I get into neurosurgery training, if so how far into neurosurgery training is it better to take years out for the phd?
@nexttime
@artful_lounger
thank you

Hi there!
I’m having this same concern now. What did you eventually do? HELP!

Doing a part time masters degree as a junior doctor?

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