DPhil in Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease
About the course
This programme provides research-based doctoral training for current medical students, offering a choice of interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research projects in an environment that encourages the student’s originality and creativity in their research.
Please be advised that this course only accepts applications from UK-based medical students. Students will need to have successfully completed the Pre-clinical Course (First BM) in order to apply (see 'Entry Requirements' for further details).
In the programme, students will receive a world-leading research training experience in musculoskeletal and inflammatory diseases. Students participating in the scheme will be offered:
- a choice of interdisciplinary cutting-edge research projects;
- the opportunity to gain a working in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of inflammatory and musculoskeletal diseases and patient care through advanced level seminars;
- a world-renowned research environment that encourages the student’s originality and creativity in their research;
- opportunities to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, in developing new theories, and in planning and conducting experiments; and
- an environment in which to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and publishing the results of their research in high-profile scientific journals, through constructive feedback of written work and oral presentations.
At the end of their DPhil course, students should:
- have a thorough knowledge of the basic principles of research into inflammatory disorders, including the relevant literature and a comprehensive understanding of scientific methods and techniques applicable to their research;
- be able to demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;
- have developed the ability to critically evaluate current research and research techniques and methodologies;
- be able to act autonomously in the planning and implementation of research; and
- have the grounding for an influential researcher of inflammatory diseases in the future.
Research themes are:
- Basic mechanisms of inflammation
- Inflammatory and rheumatic disease
- Pain
- Clinical trials
- Epidemiology, computational and data science
- Tissue engineering and remodelling.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre. Students will be allocated at least two supervisors, one of which will be a clinical academic. Students will meet their primary supervisor weekly or fortnightly in the early stages of their project.
Assessment
Students will be admitted to the course as a Probationer Research Student (PRS) and by the end of the fourth term will transfer to the status of DPhil Student upon successful completion of their Transfer of Status milestone. By the end of the ninth term, students will be assessed for their Confirmation of Status milestone with the doctoral work culminating in a thesis of no more than 50,000 words that will be defended in an oral examination (viva voce). The thesis should be submitted after three, or at most four, years from the date of admission to the programme.
Graduate destinations
All graduates are expected to return to their ongoing training in undergraduate clinical medicine upon completion of the course. Graduates may be anticipated to follow a clinical academic career path after graduating in clinical medicine.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25
Proven and potential academic-experience
Degree-level qualifications
Medical students currently at Oxford
Medical students currently at Oxford should have successfully completed the Pre-clinical Course (First BM) and hold or be predicted to achieve:
- a first class or strong upper second-class BA Honours in Medical Sciences.
Medical students who are currently undertaking a primary medical qualification within the UK (MBBS, MBChB or equivalent)
At entry (with the exception of Medical students currently at Oxford, see above), applicants should provide evidence of successful completion of at least the first two years of a primary medical qualification and should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications:
- a first class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with Honours in a relevant discipline such as biology, biochemistry, or medicine.
Entrance is expected to be very competitive and it is anticipated that most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.
A previous master's degree is not required.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Evidence of a prior experience in the area of research proposed is likely to advantage your application.
- Prior publications are not required but may be considered an advantage in applying.
- It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor and have an understanding of the background to their proposed area of study.
Further guidance
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's standard level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's standard level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.0 | 6.5 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 100 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 185 | 176 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 185 | 176 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
Candidates who are shortlisted are interviewed as part of the admissions process. Shortlisting will be based solely on the criteria given above. Normally the interview will consist of a five-minute presentation of previous research project work by the applicant, followed by 15-25 minutes of questioning from the panel.
How your application is assessed
Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.
References and supporting documents submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.
An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about how applications are assessed.
Shortlisting and selection
Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:
- socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of the University’s pilot selection procedure and for scholarships aimed at under-represented groups;
- country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
- protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.
Processing your data for shortlisting and selection
Information about processing special category data for the purposes of positive action and using your data to assess your eligibility for funding, can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.
Admissions panels and assessors
All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).
Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a Student visa (under the Student Route). For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.
Resources
The programme provides research-based doctoral training for University of Oxford medical students. Students will receive a world-leading research training experience that integrates an education initiative spanning patient care, research impact, on- and post-programme mentorship, as well as a specialised, fundamental, subject-specific training tailored to individual research needs.
All the resources of the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre will be available to students and they will be offered training in transfer of status and thesis writing, in addition to a variety transferable skills including presentation.
Additional lectures on a variety of topics will be provided in the first term and return to clinical practice teaching in the final year.
Departments offering this course
This course is offered jointly by the following departments:
Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre
The Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre (MSDTC) accommodates the interdisciplinary, cross-departmental DPhil programmes in medical sciences.
Most are structured DPhil programmes, which provide students with the opportunity to undertake two or three 'rotation' projects and relevant course work in their first year of each four-year structured programme. The main doctoral project starts in the second year of each programme. Most of our programmes receive external core-funding, and currently from the Wellcome Trust (WT), British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and EPSRC.
The MSDTC also accommodates the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars’ Programme, the DPhil in Cancer Science programme funded by CRUK which welcomes applications from clinicians, basic scientists, and medical undergraduates, and the new DPhil in Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease which is funded by the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research and is open to Oxford University medical students wishing to undertake DPhils in the fields of musculoskeletal disease, inflammation and immunology.
The department also offers an exciting new programme (the DPhil in Advanced Bioscience of Viral Products) run in collaboration with Oxford Biomedica, which aims to deliver the next generation of bioscience leaders to advance research on the underpinning bioscience of viral products for future gene therapies and vaccines.
Each programme has a distinctive intellectual flavour, designed to nurture independent and creative scientists. Students are supported in their development through:
- supervision and mentoring by world-class academics training in a wide range of research techniques
- development of student resilience and maintenance of mental health and wellbeing from the start and throughout each programme.
Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences
The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is a vibrant multi-disciplinary department focusing on musculoskeletal and immunological diseases, from bench to bedside.
NDORMS is the largest European academic department in its field and runs a globally competitive programme of research and teaching, supported by a grants portfolio worth £169 million.
The department, headed by Professor Jonathan Rees, comprises over 400 staff including 45 professors/associate professors, approximately 100 graduate students and, several university lecturers and senior researchers supported by prestigious awards.
NDORMS has two institutes, the Botnar Research Centre (led by Professor Jonathan Rees) on the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) site, and the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (led by Professor Fiona Powrie) on the Old Road Campus. It also has a number of world-renowned units, including the Centre for Statistics in Medicine (led by Professor Gary Collins), the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit and the Kadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research (led by Professor Matt Costa) and Education (based in the John Radcliffe Hospital).
The Botnar Research Institute provides a unique setting for basic science researchers, statisticians and clinical trials experts to interact with clinician scientists, and to translate new experimental medicines and surgical designs into successful treatments. The Botnar Research Centre is strongly connected to the internationally renowned NOC, providing crucial access to patients' samples and an overall capacity for clinical and surgical trials.
The Kennedy Institute carries out basic and clinical research in chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases including arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The Kennedy Institute is famous for its development of anti-TNF therapy to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic debilitating disease. This treatment has improved the lives of millions of patients around the world.
Funding
All applicants who are offered a place on this course will be offered a fully-funded scholarship, covering course fees for the duration of their course and a living stipend.
Further information about funding for this course can be found on the department's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2024-25
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £9,500 |
| Overseas | £31,480 |
Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.
If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference. For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.
If you'd like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check the list below to see whether it accepts applications for the course to which you are applying. If it does, you can indicate this preference when you apply. If it does not, please refer to the instructions in our application guide under the heading 'Can I stay at my current Oxford college?'.
The following colleges accept students on the DPhil in Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease:
Before you apply
We strongly recommend you consult the Medical Sciences Graduate School's research themes to identify the most suitable course and supervisor.
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines in our Application Guide.
Please be advised that this course only accepts applications from UK-based medical students. Students will need to have successfully completed the Pre-clinical Course (First BM) in order to apply (see 'Entry Requirements' for further details).
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses
If you apply to this course and up to two eligible associated courses from our predefined list during the same cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee.
The list of eligible associated courses may be updated as new courses are opened. Please check the list regularly, especially if you are applying to a course that has recently opened to accept applications.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
Before you apply, you should identify an academic member of staff who is willing to supervise you and has the resources to support your proposed research project. You should do this by contacting them directly. Details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the department's website.
You will need to identify up to three projects that you would like to work on from the list of available projects.
Student-generated projects in the fields of inflammation and musculoskeletal diseases will also be considered. You will first need to identify project supervisors and contact them to confirm that they would be willing to supervise your project if your application is successful.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Proposed field and title of research project
Under 'Field and title of research project', you should enter the the project (s) you have chosen to be considered for, making sure you identify them by number, eg #OxKEN-2022/1, #OxKEN-2022/2, etc.
To enter a student-generated project, please enter 'Stu-Gen' followed by the name of the supervisor.
Proposed supervisor
It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.
Referees:
Three overall, academic and/or professional
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Your references will be assessed for your intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and interest in the course and subject area, and ability to work both in a group and independently.
Official transcript(s):
A letter of permission from the medical school is also required.
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Applicants must be able to provide a letter from the medical school confirming permission to intercalate for the duration of the DPhil programme. You will need to upload this in the transcript section of the application form.
Statement of purpose/personal statement:
A maximum of 500 words
You should provide a statement of your research interests, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the programme. If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
The statement should focus on academic or research-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.
This will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying;
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study;
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English;
- capacity for sustained and focused work; and
- understanding of problems in the area and ability to construct and defend an argument.
It will be normal for students’ ideas and goals to change in some ways as they undertake their studies, but your personal statement will enable you to demonstrate your current interests and aspirations.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice. You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.