The programme has been developed by the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education and Cambridge University Hospitals in partnership with Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences, and EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute.
This is a part-time course designed to fit with the demands of full-time employment.
Aims of the programme
- provide professionally relevant teaching and learning informed by research in an integrated clinical and research environment;
- develop and create a cohort of doctors and other professionals allied to medicine able to pursue and develop their roles in the rapidly-changing and challenging environment of genomic medicine;
- prepare healthcare professionals for the adoption of genomic technologies and the increasing use of genomic information as part of the diagnostic and treatment pathway;
- develop researchers competent in the use of genomic technologies for biomedical research
- develop a cohort of health care professionals with the ability and confidence to lead service improvement for safe and high quality patient care
- develop a cohort of health care professionals allied to medicine with an understanding of research methodologies and clinical opportunities relevant to genomic medicine;
- encourage a commitment to intellectual challenge and evidence-based clinical practice informed by the latest conceptual and theoretical knowledge of genomic medicine;
- develop students' intellectual, practical and transferable skills related to genomic medicine;
- encourage critical thinking related to genomic medicine;
- equip students for entry into health care professional training schemes including graduate entry medicine courses;
- prepare students for undertaking research degrees (PhD) in genomic medicine-related research fields;
- provide students from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other industries with an understanding of the relevance of advances in genomics for current and future health care.
Teaching and Learning
The PG Certificate is a 10 month course, running from October to the end of July, during which time students must complete four modules. There is additional between-module reflection, study and assignment work. The introductory module in October is compulsory for all students.
Kindly note that, as the Certificate is a 10 month programme, all four modules should be taken within one academic year* (i.e. October 2024 to July 2025).
*the only exception being where a student is progressing from Modular to Award-bearing study.
Students choose from the following:
Genomic Medicine Modules
2024-25 dates to be confirmed. Please note that approximate dates for these modules are provisional and may be subject to change.
* Mandatory module for all students
•An introduction to human genetics and genomics (GM1A): October 2024*
•Omics techniques and their application to genomic medicine (GM2): November 2024
•Bioinformatics, interpretation and data quality assurance in genome analysis (GM7): December 2024
•Application of genomics in infectious disease (GM5): January 2025
•Molecular pathology of cancer and application in cancer diagnosis, screening, and treatment (GM4): February 2025
•Pharmacogenetics and stratified healthcare (GM6): beginning of March 2025
•Counselling skills for genomics (GMO2): mid March 2025
•Advanced bioinformatics - from genomes to systems (GMO4): end of March 2025
•Epigenetics and epigenomics (GMO5): April 2025
•Genomics of common and rare inherited diseases (GM3): May 2025
•Expanding the content of the MSt in genomic medicine with a workplace-based module (GMO6): May-June 2024
•Research and statistical skills in genomic medicine (GMO7): Please note that this module is only suitable for part-time students who are within easy commute of Cambridge as it is delivered one day per week over a series of weeks.
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To meet eligibility requirements, some funding providers such as HEE may require the study of specific modules.
Further study options:
The Genomic Medicine programme, provides the following additional course and study options:
To note: Not all module options will necessarily be offered in any one year.
For further information please see our FAQs