Primary Care Clinical Sciences PhD/MSc by Research

Summary

The RAE 2008 results place the University's Primary Care researchers as some of the top in the UK. With a world-class research programme focusing on the impact of major diseases among the population, our researchers also have significant expertise in smoking cessation, clinical decision-making, exercise and how ethnicity affects health.

Key facts

Type of Course: Doctoral research

Duration: PhD – 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time; MSc by Research – 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Start date: Research degrees may start at any time of the year, though for most this will be September 2012

Entry requirements

Learn more about entry requirements

International students
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries – learn more about international entry requirements

Standard English language requirements apply

Contact details

Postgraduate Research School Administrator
Richard Haslop
Email: r.j.haslop@bham.ac.uk

How to apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

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Fees and funding

Standard fees apply, although in some projects a bench fee is also payable 
Learn more about fees and funding

Scholarships and studentships
We are able to offer a small amount of paid undergraduate tutoring in medical ethics to full-time research students and local part-time research students; home/EU students should contact the School directly for further information. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

For further information contact the School directly or email sfo@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Programme overview

Primary Care Clinical Sciences at Birmingham is one of the largest centres for academic primary care in the UK and has a very substantial teaching role.

Primary care research focuses upon three main clinical areas:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer and chronic disease
  • Behavioural medicine and mental health research 

These are supported by cross-cutting methodology expertise in health services research, research on health related quality of life, trials methodology, and qualitative research. In addition, we have a strong cross-cutting theme on ethnicity and health. The Department has invested in and supports its research programme through the Primary Care Clinical Research and Trials Unit (PCCRTU) and large Primary Care Research Network (MidReC).

Primary Care is a major research strength within the College of Medical and Dental Sciences, as evidenced by the fact 65% of our 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) submission in this area was considered internationally excellent or world leading, including 35% of world leading quality. The RAE 2008 results place the University's primary care researchers as amongst the top in the UK.

Our research crosses all stages of the translational spectrum, from early stage studies through to implementation research and service delivery research. We do research on devices, pharmacological, psychological, and organisational interventions to improve health.

Related links

School of Health and Population Sciences website:
www.haps.bham.ac.uk

Research interests of staff

  • Behavioural medicine in the field of tobacco control and addictions
    Contact: Dr Paul Aveyard
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 8529
    Email: p.n.aveyard@bham.ac.uk
  • Behavioural medicine in treatment of obesity
    Contact: Dr Paul Aveyard
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 8529
    Email: p.n.aveyard@bham.ac.uk  
  • Quality of life.
    Contact: Dr Melanie Calvert
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 8595
    Email: m.calvert@bham.ac.uk
  • Behavioural medicine: effects of exercise in clinical populations and community groups.
    Contact: Dr Amanda Daley
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3762
    Email: a.daley@bham.ac.uk
  • Cardiovascular trials; anti-coagulation in primary care; near patient testing; asthma; decision-making.
    Contact: Professor David Fitzmaurice
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7420
    Email: d.a.fitzmaurice@bham.ac.uk
  • Clinical trials; modelling.
    Contact: Professor Nick Freemantle
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7943
    Email: n.freemantle@bham.ac.uk
  • Health inequalities, including ethnicity; prescribing; evidence-based practice.
    Contact: Dr Paramjit Gill
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3758
    Email: p.s.gill@bham.ac.uk
  • Complementary medicine; patient self-management; prescribing.
    Contact: Dr Sheila Greenfield
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 6493
    Email: s.m.greenfield@bham.ac.uk
  • Cardiovascular disease; new technology assessments; evaluation of screening interventions, and clinical therapeutic trials.
    Contact: Professor Richard Hobbs
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 6764
    Email: f.d.r.hobbs@bham.ac.uk
  • Primary care management of cardiovascular disease; hypertension, especially self-monitoring/management; using primary care routine data in research.
    Contact: Dr Richard McManus
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 2658
    Email: r.j.mcmanus@bham.ac.uk
  • Thyroid disease; evaluation of undergraduate teaching programmes.
    Contact: Professor Jim Parle
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 6420
    Email: j.v.parle@bham.ac.uk
  • Impact of chronic diseases; evaluation of complementary or psychological therapies; irritable bowel syndrome.
    Contact: Dr Lesley Roberts
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3356
    Email: l.m.roberts@bham.ac.uk
  • The language of spoken and written medical communication; medical education.
    Contact: Professor John Skelton
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3767
    Email: j.r.skelton@bham.ac.uk
  • Community based mental health
    Contact: Dr Liz England
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 8584
    Email: e.j.england@bham.ac.uk  
  • Community-based trials and health services research; early diagnosis and screening for cancer
    Contact: Prof Sue Wilson
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7397
    Email: s.wilson@bham.ac.uk
  • Reproductive technology and responsibility, specifically the ethical and philosophical implications of genetic relatedness; ethics and transplantation; ethical decisions at the end of life.
    Contact: Dr Heather Draper
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 6941
    Email: h.draper@bham.ac.uk
  • Moral concern and vulnerable groups; ethical issues at the beginning and end of life.
    Contact: Dr June Jones
    Tel: +44 (0)121 414 2532
    Email: j.jones.1@bham.ac.uk

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