Study and receive hands-on training in a purpose-built laboratory, based on a routine clinical microbiology laboratory.
Our programme allows you to take the next step in your clinical career. It is specifically designed for those who have a medical background, and it will give you the cross-disciplinary skills and knowledge you need to describe, understand and practise advanced-level research. This programme has been designed to give you an in depth and clinically relevant understanding of clinical microbiology and associated topics such as antimicrobial therapy, infection control in the hospital and public health. It includes carefully planned content to cover both clinical and laboratory aspects of diagnosing infectious disease as well as a strong foundation in host-microbe pathogenesis, infection control, public health, and antimicrobial therapy. This course delivers a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of medical microbiology and professional practice.
We will teach you how to read and appraise scientific literature and so encourage you to form your own opinions and a deeper level of understanding of infectious disease. This will help you in your current role and to develop your skills as a reflective practitioner. You will also develop your own original scholarship and scientific research, preparing you to pursue further research or professional study. You will have the opportunity to undertake a relevant research project within the Blizard Institute or Barts Health NHS Trust, benefitting from the support and guidance of our hugely experienced supervisory academic team.
If you are studying on the programme part-time, the schedule allows you to balance your studies while you continue to work. If you are studying as a full-time student, you will take part in regular, interactive, small group tutorials. Additional theoretical tutorials are also available throughout the year to those studying on the postgraduate diploma, and you will also have the option of joining clinical journal clubs at Barts Health NHS Trust.
A major draw of this programme is the opportunity to study and receive hands-on training in a purpose-built laboratory, which is based on a routine clinical microbiology laboratory. We place particular emphasis on real-world application, and within the laboratory you will gain a practical understanding of techniques applicable to your own research or advanced scholarship. You will also acquire the ability to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses. You will also be encouraged to relate current workplace practices to your studies, discuss and critically evaluate these techniques with other students.