Health Professions Education

The field of Health Professions Education is concerned with how we educate health professionals across the continuum of undergraduate and postgraduate training and lifelong clinical practice.

• PhD: 3 years full-time;
• MD (Doctor of Medicine): 2 years full-time; 4 years part-time;

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Overview
Overview

Doctoral study in Health Professions Education (HPE) builds upon the broad scholarly and practical experience in the theory, research, and practice from our MSc in HPE .

Our PhD/MD degree:

• will prepare graduates to be at the forefront of research, scholarship, leadership, teaching and assessment in the discipline of health professions education.
• is a higher research degree, that supports a focused piece of research building on the competencies found in the MSc in HPE.
• is suitable for those wishing to develop their skills as independent and thoughtful researchers in the field. This can enable graduates to lead on their own HPE research after graduation. And enable them to incorporate their work into their scholarly practice as educators.

Those who enter the programme will come from a variety of health professional backgrounds (including medicine, dentistry, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, dietetics, optometry and more). Our learners may also have a background in education, biomedical sciences, psychology or linguistics.

Ideally, learners will also have completed a Masters’ degree in HPE, medical education or equivalent. This provides a strong foundation in the field and relevant research approaches (including theory and methodology). Therefore, we strongly recommend you consider the completion of our MSc in HPE  before joining our PhD/MD.

Most supervisors are are based in the College of MVLS. Though we also encourage cross-disciplinary research and are able to draw on wider supervisory expertise relevant to you chosen area of interest.

For more information or to discuss your interest in and suitability for the programme please contact the Director for Doctoral Studies in Health Professions Education: james.boyle@glasgow.ac.uk .

Example areas of staff expertise/interest include:

• Clinical Reasoning, Decision Making and Error
• Human Factors
• Simulation based education and clinical skills.
• Faculty Development
• Linguistics
• Assessment
• Technology enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) including AI, Virtual patients and Flipped classroom.
• Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
• Small Group Teaching including Flipped Classroom, Problem-based Learning and Case Based Learning.
• Near Peer Education
• Admissions
• Curriculum
• Community Based Education
• Transitions in undergraduate and postgraduate education (e.g. IMGs)
• Sustainable Healthcare Education
• Anatomy Education

We encourage doctoral learners to come to us with topics and areas of interest for their PhD studies. Typically these are related to their own professional context. We have a wide range of research interests and welcome early conversation about areas of interest with Professor James Boyle, our Programme Director (email: james.boyle@glasgow.ac.uk ).

Study options
Study options
PhD

• Duration: 3 years full-time supervised research

MD

• Duration: 2 years full-time; 4 years part-time

Entry requirements
Entry requirements
PhD/MD programmes in Health Professions Education

A medical, dental or nursing degree or a recognised degree from another relevant health profession (please see above) from an institution recognised by the University Court.

Normally you should also have completed a PG Diploma or Masters’ degree in Health Professions or Medical Education (see our postgraduate taught MSc in HPE here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/health-professionseducation/). Alternatively, consideration will be given to applicants who can demonstrate who have proven substantial experience of working in a health professions education content.

Applications will also be considered from individuals with other primary degree qualifications (such as a BSc in a biomedical science), from individuals who also meet point 2 above.

English language requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government , the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

• 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
• IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

• 90 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

• 92 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 23; Writing 21
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

• 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) 

• 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Oxford ELLT

• 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

LanguageCert Academic SELT

• 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Password Skills Plus

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Trinity College Tests

• Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

• Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

• Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  
  • students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
• Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
  
  • students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

• direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
• essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
• flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

• Pre-sessional courses

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

• Heriot Watt
• Kingston Upon Thames
• Middlesex University
• Manchester University
• Reading University
• Edinburgh University
• ST Andrews University
• UCL
• Durham.

Fees and funding
Fees and funding
Fees
2026/27

• UK: £5,238
• International & EU: £33,210

Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time fee.

Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.

• Fee status and policies

Alumni discount

We offer a 20% discount to our alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, Exchange programme, International Summer School or Erasmus programme with us. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships. No additional application is required.

Possible additional fees

• Re-submission by a research student £540
• Submission for a higher degree by published work £1,355
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed £350
• Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship £790

Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.

Sanctuary Scholarship

The University of Glasgow Sanctuary Scholarship has been created to support applicants with Refugee or Asylum Seeker status who are currently living in the UK.

• Sanctuary Scholarship full details
• Search our database for all scholarships

Funding

• External funding information

Support
Support

The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences Graduate School  provides a vibrant, supportive and stimulating environment for all our postgraduate students. We aim to provide excellent support for our postgraduates through dedicated postgraduate convenors, highly trained supervisors and pastoral support for each student.
 
Our overarching aim is to provide a research training environment that includes:

• provision of excellent facilities and cutting edge techniques
• training in essential research and generic skills
• excellence in supervision and mentoring
• interactive discussion groups and seminars
• an atmosphere that fosters critical cultural policy and research analysis
• synergy between research groups and areas
• extensive multidisciplinary and collaborative research
• extensive external collaborations both within and beyond the UK 
• a robust generic skills programme including opportunities in social and commercial training

How to apply
How to apply
Identify potential supervisors

All Postgraduate Research Students are allocated a supervisor who will act as the main source of academic support and research mentoring. You may want to identify a potential supervisor and contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply. Please note, even if you have spoken to an academic staff member about your proposal you still need to submit an online application form.

You can find relevant academic staff members with our staff research interests search .

Gather your documents

Before applying please make sure you gather the following supporting documentation:

Final or current degree transcripts including grades (and an official translation, if needed) – scanned copy in colour of the original document.

Degree certificates (and an official translation, if needed): scanned copy in colour of the original document

Two references on headed paper and signed by the referee. One must be academic, the other can be academic or professional [except iPhD applicants, where only one academic or professional reference is required]. References may be uploaded as part of the application form or you may enter your referees contact details on the application form. We will then email your referee and notify you when we receive the reference.  We can also accept confidential references direct to rio-researchadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk , from the referee’s university or business email account.

MVLS cover letter  must be completed and uploaded with a copy of your CV.

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Contact us

If you require assistance before you apply: mvls-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk  

After you have submitted your application: Admissions Enquiries form