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MSc Genomic Medicine / Application and selection

Year of entry: 2024

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How to apply

Please apply via our online application form . See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.

Advice to applicants

We require the following documents before we can consider your application: 

• Transcript of your studies to date.
• Degree certificate (if you have already graduated).
• Personal statement (approx. 300-500 words about why you wish to take this course and how it will affect your personal and professional development. This statement should refer to your current role and must clearly demonstrate that you have background knowledge of human genetics if this is not obvious from your degree or transcripts. Applicants that cannot demonstrate this may be rejected on the basis that they have insufficient background knowledge to allow them to cope with a Master's level course in the subject).
• Curriculum vitae (CV).
• An academic reference. You will be required to provide the name and contact details of two referees during completion of the application form.

If any of the supporting documents are not in English, you must also provide us with official or certified English translations.

If English is not your first language, we require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application. We may be willing to consider your application without this document, but if we choose to make you an offer, the conditions will include IELTS (or equivalent qualification).

How your application is considered

Your application will be reviewed by the course director once we receive all supporting documentation.

We consider applications on an academic and relevant professional experience basis based on all of the information provided.

We consider your full academic history including which undergraduate course units you have taken and the marks obtained. When application numbers are high, even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant undergraduate course units in our final decision making.

Interview requirements

Overseas (non-uk) applicants.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. This means that if you intend to begin a course on 16th September 2024, we will not issue you with a CAS number before 16th June 2024.

Your CAS number is only valid for one student visa application.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again.

Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

MSc in Genomic Medicine

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

The MSc in Genomic Medicine is a full-time, one-year cross-disciplinary course, which benefits from world-leading expertise in genomic science across the University of Oxford coupled with direct links to clinical and translational medicine.

The course is designed to equip students from diverse academic and workplace backgrounds with knowledge of the fundamental principles, technologies and basis of genomic science and how this can be translated for the benefit of human health, economics and broader society.

The course seeks to promote:

• rigorous scientific training to understand the complexities of genomic data;
• the concept of ‘gene to patient’ in its broadest sense, encompassing fundamental genomics research, bioinformatics pipelines, clinical trials, drug development, translational genomics, education and training for healthcare practitioners, patients and the wider public; and
• a multi-disciplinary approach providing the awareness and skill sets needed to engage with relevant specialists and technologies for the future development and delivery of genomic medicine.

Course structure

Core modules.

The following four modules are taken by all students in the first term:

• Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics
• Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases
• Omic Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine
• Bioinformatics, Statistics and Data Interpretation in Genomic Analysis

Elective modules

In the second term, you will take three elective modules from the following six options, with the option to attend further modules that are not formally assessed.

You will select two modules from set A:

• A1 Molecular Pathology and Precision Medicine
• A2 Advanced Quantitative Methods (Bioinformatics and Statistics)
• A3 Genome Engineering and Gene-based Therapeutics
• A4 Single Cell Application of –Omic Approaches

You will select one module from set B:

• B1 Genomics in Clinical Practice
• B2 Application of Genomics for Therapeutics, Vaccinology and Industry

Research project

The final term will focus on a research project undertaken for a twelve to fourteen week period. Approximately 30 projects will be offered by academic research groups and affiliated clinical supervisors in Oxford, as well as industry placements where possible. You will have a named supervisor with experience in supervision of postgraduate students. You will produce a written dissertation based on your research project of 10,000-12,000 words.

Academic and research skills

This module will run throughout the course helping you develop skills in academic writing, scientific communication and good research practice, alongside topics such as career support. It will also include bespoke computational and statistics training as a foundation for the core module ‘Bioinformatics, Statistics and Data Interpretation in Genomic Analysis’.

Teaching format

Modules will comprise a mix of lectures, small-group tutorials, structured learning, individual and group-based assignments, practical wet-lab and computational sessions and independent learning. You will be expected to spend approximately 30-40 hours studying per week, with the balance of contact teaching hours and self-directed learning being approximately equal. In the first term, a student-focussed seminar series will feature expert guest speakers discussing cutting-edge research in genomic medicine and its clinical application.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Medicine 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 Nuffield Department of Medicine.

All MSc students will have an individual named Academic Advisor assigned on enrolment who will provide guidance in choice of research project and plans, support any specific training needs and also provide pastoral support. They will usually meet with you at least twice per term. In addition, you will have formal and informal supervision from your host group during your research project.

Termly graduate supervision reporting will be completed in Michaelmas and Hilary term by the Academic Advisor and in Trinity term by the research project supervisor.

Summative assessment of the course

Core module content is assessed by written assessments with a mix of question types, taken at the start of the second term and contributing 30% of the final course mark. Towards the end of the second term, elective modules are assessed by written assessments or oral presentations, with each chosen module (three in total) contributing 10% of the final mark. The research project is assessed by a dissertation contributing 40% of the final mark.

You will be required to pass the summative assessment elements for both core and elective modules, and you will have one opportunity to retake/revise each component if needed.

Formative assessment of the course

All modules will include formative assignments devised to test the ability to understand, apply and extend the learning from the module in a variety of formats and through a mix of group/individual work. Formative assessment in the first term will be carefully designed to prepare students for the core module exam papers. Successful completion of these will ensure all students have attained a sufficient level of understanding of fundamental material to complete the elective and research elements of the course. Formative assessment of the research project will include submission of a project proposal during the second term and an oral presentation reporting on progress eight weeks after starting the project.

Graduate destinations

This course will help train the next generation of expert practitioners and leaders in genomic medicine by:

• providing critically important skills and knowledge for specialist health care professionals;
• equipping students to apply for doctoral research and academic careers; and
• offering career development opportunities for industry professionals.

There are routes to tailor the course to individual interests and future career trajectories, which are carefully woven into the overall course.

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 excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant field.

The qualification above should be achieved in one of the following subject areas or disciplines:

• biological or biomedical sciences
• medicine or nursing
• bioinformatics or computer science
• statistics or other quantitative discipline.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

Applicants would usually be expected to have a strong undergraduate degree but this requirement can be alternatively demonstrated through substantial relevant professional experience in exceptional cases.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Research or work experience in an area relevant to the course in a hospital, life-science or industry setting may be an advantage.
• Please note that a publication record is not expected for entry to this course.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher 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 higher level are detailed in the table below.

*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.

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. 

Panel members will shortlist applications based on independent scoring (using Graduate Studies admission scoring criteria established by the Medical Sciences Division) and a shortlisting meeting. All shortlisted candidates will be interviewed with references available at the time of interview.

Interviews are expected to be held in mid-late January. A five-minute presentation will be requested from the candidate as part of the interview process. Details of the presentation requirements will be provided in advance of the interview. The interview panel will comprise of senior academics and the interview will last no longer than 30 minutes. All shortlisted applicants will be interviewed virtually.

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.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

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.

The MSc in Genomic Medicine is embedded within the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics (WHG), which has made landmark contributions to understanding the genetic basis of rare and common disease over the last 20 years. Research groups at the WHG continue to pioneer application of cutting-edge genomic techniques and translating those findings to improve clinical practice, including novel treatments, therapeutics and diagnostics.

The WHG is based in purpose-built laboratories on the University of Oxford’s Biomedical Research Campus in Headington, one of the largest concentrations of biomedical expertise in the world. You will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and expertise, as well as opportunities to attend a wide range of training, seminars and journal clubs.

The MSc in Genomic Medicine has dedicated teaching space within the WHG building and close links with our established DPhil programme in Genomic Medicine and Statistics, as well as other MSc programmes hosted within the Nuffield Department of Medicine.

During your research project in Trinity term, you will be embedded within the research groups in the WHG and other institutes, giving you the opportunity to work alongside experienced post-graduate and post-doctoral research staff. The laboratories in the WHG are well-established and well-equipped with cutting-edge technology. Several Core facilities support research activity with specialist expertise, techniques and equipment including high-throughput sequencing, single cell genomics, genome editing, microscopy and cellular imaging, flow cytometry, chromosome dynamics, bioinformatics and high performance computing.

You will have access to a wide range of journals, books and electronic resources through the University libraries including the Knowledge Centre on the Old Road campus, the Cairns Library at the John Radcliffe Hospital and the Radcliffe Science Library, the University’s main teaching and research science library. The libraries also offer dedicated workshops on topics including information discovery, training on use of software and online tools, managing research data and intellectual property.

Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine

The Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine (NDM) is a large multi-disciplinary department that links high quality clinical and basic research. The underpinning motivation behind all research carried out by NDM is the pursuit of academic excellence and the positive impact of research on the health and wellbeing of the global community.

Much of the £130 million per annum grant income is spent on understanding the most basic principles of biology and disease pathogenesis. As well as its research and clinical commitments in Oxford, the department has Africa and Asia programmes in Thailand, Vietnam and Kenya.

The NDM has a community of around 60 graduate research students each year, the majority of whom are studying towards a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree, which is the University of Oxford's equivalent of a PhD. The department also offers an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine, an MSc in Modelling for Global Health and an MSc in Genomic Medicine, each with an intake of around 20 students every year, plus a PGDip in Global Health Research. The Careers Service at Oxford University reports that six months after leaving Oxford, postgraduate research students at NDM are on average earning £31,000 with 83.8% in employment and a further 11% in further study (eg Graduate Entry Medicine).

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

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 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.

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.

The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Genomic Medicine:

• Balliol College
• Brasenose College
• Green Templeton College
• Hertford College
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Merton College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Hilda's College

Before you apply

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 and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

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.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

General course enquiries should be made to the graduate studies administrator, via the contact details provided on this page.

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.

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 assessed for:

• your intellectual ability;
• your academic achievement;
• your motivation an interest in the course and subject area;
• your ability to work effectively, both in a group and independently; and
• professional experience and capability.

Official transcript(s)

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.

Statement of purpose A maximum of 750 words

Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.

Your statement should focus on your academic achievements and interests, rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations. 

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• your interest and commitment to the subject
• your capacity for sustained and intense work
• your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
• your ability to present a coherent case in proficient English.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

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.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 1 December 2023 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 December . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

*Two-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the  Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine , embedded within the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics

• Course page  on the  centre's website
• Funding information from Clinical Medicine
• Academic and research staff  at the centre
• Research  at the centre
• Medical Sciences Graduate School
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected]

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Genomic Medicine Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Genomic Medicine
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

Personal Statement Example Links

• Personal Statement Example 1
• Personal Statement Example 2
• Personal Statement Example 3

Intrigued by the potential of harnessing the power of genomics to revolutionize healthcare? Eager to uncover the secrets held within our genes and translate them into personalized medical solutions?

Pursuing a course in Genomic Medicine could pave the way for you to be at the forefront of the genomic revolution, transforming the way we understand and treat diseases.

Genomic Medicine is an exciting and relevant university course for students interested in the rapidly advancing field of genetic research.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the rapidly evolving field of genomic medicine. Students will learn about the latest advancements in the field, including the use of genomic sequencing and analysis, the development of personalised medicine, and the ethical implications of using genetic information.

Through lectures, seminars, and laboratory work, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the science and technology behind genomic medicine, as well as the ethical implications of using genetic information.

Additionally, students will explore the potential applications of genomic medicine, such as the development of personalised medicine and the potential for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

This course provides a unique opportunity for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of this rapidly advancing field and its implications for the future of healthcare.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Someone with a degree in genomic medicine can pursue a variety of career opportunities in the medical and scientific fields. These include:

1. Clinical Geneticist: Clinical geneticists diagnose and treat genetic disorders. They assess patients for genetic conditions, interpret results from genetic testing, and provide counseling to patients and families about genetic conditions. They may also conduct research on genetic diseases and develop new treatments.

2. Genetic Counselor: Genetic counselors provide advice and support to patients and families about genetic conditions. They assess the risk of genetic disorders, interpret test results, and provide counseling and support to patients and families.

3. Biomedical Scientist: Biomedical scientists conduct research on the causes and treatments of genetic diseases. They use genomic data and other laboratory techniques to study the genetic basis of diseases, develop new treatments, and design clinical trials.

4. Bioinformatician: Bioinformaticians use computer science and mathematics to analyse large amounts of genomic data. They develop algorithms and software tools to analyse and interpret genomic data, and use these tools to study the genetic basis of diseases and develop new treatments.

5. Genetic Technologist: Genetic technologists use laboratory techniques to analyse genetic material. They prepare and analyse samples, run tests, and interpret results. They may also work with bioinformaticians to develop new methods for analysing genomic data.

6. Medical Writer/Editor: Medical writers and editors create content for medical journals, websites, and other publications and media.

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into the University of Kent’s Genomic Medicine course, applicants must have achieved a minimum of a 2:1 in a relevant degree. This is typically a degree in biological science, such as genetics, biochemistry, or molecular biology. Applicants must also have achieved a minimum of Grade B in A-level Maths or equivalent.

In comparison to similar courses, the University of Kent’s Genomic Medicine course has more stringent entry requirements. For example, the University of Oxford’s Genomic Medicine course requires a minimum of a 2:2 in a relevant degree and a minimum of Grade C in A-level Maths or equivalent.

UK Earnings Potential For Genomic Medicine

The average earnings for someone with a degree in genomic medicine will vary depending on the specific job role and the individual’s experience. Generally, a genomic medicine specialist can expect to earn an average of £50,000 – £70,000 per annum.

The job market for genomic medicine is growing rapidly, with many employers looking for specialists in this field. The demand for genomic medicine specialists is expected to increase in the coming years as technology advances and becomes more widely used in the healthcare sector. There are also opportunities for genomic medicine specialists to work in research, teaching and consulting roles.

Similar Courses in UK

1. Bioinformatics and Systems Biology MSc at the University of Edinburgh: This course focuses on the use of computational methods to analyse and interpret large datasets in the life sciences. It covers topics such as genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, as well as the development of software tools and databases to support research.

The key difference between this course and Genomic Medicine is that this course focuses more on the computational and mathematical aspects of genomics, while Genomic Medicine focuses more on the clinical applications of genomics.

2. Genomics, Genetics and Bioinformatics MSc at the University of Manchester: This course covers the principles of genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, as well as the application of these principles to the study of disease. It also provides training in the use of data analysis tools and techniques.

The key difference between this course and Genomic Medicine is that this course provides a more comprehensive overview of the field, while Genomic Medicine focuses more on the clinical applications of genomics.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in a university course in Genomic Medicine include:

1. Introduction to Genomic Medicine: This module will provide an overview of the field of genomic medicine, including its history and development, current trends and applications, and the ethical and legal implications of genomic medicine.

2. Genomic Technologies: This module will cover the various technologies used in genomic medicine, such as next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and data analysis.

3. Clinical Implications of Genomic Medicine: This module will explore the clinical implications of genomic medicine, including the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, the use of personalized medicine, and the implications for public health.

4. Genomic Research and Applications: This module will cover the research methods used in genomic medicine, including laboratory techniques, data analysis, and the development of new applications.

5. Ethical and Legal Issues in Genomic Medicine: This module will explore the ethical and legal implications of genomic medicine, including privacy, consent, and the use of genomic data.

In addition to the above modules, a university course in Genomic Medicine will typically involve hands-on experience and practical work. This could include laboratory work, data analysis, and the development of new applications. It could also involve field trips to research institutes and other relevant sites.

Alumni Network

One notable alumni from the course in Genomic Medicine is Dr. Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and CEO of 23andMe. She is a pioneer in the field of genomic medicine, having founded the first direct-to-consumer genetic testing company in 2006. She has since grown the company to become the largest consumer genetics company in the world.

Dr. Wojcicki has used her knowledge of genomic medicine to develop innovative products and services that allow individuals to access their own genetic information and use it to make informed decisions about their health. She has also been a strong advocate for the use of genomic medicine in research and clinical settings.

23andMe has a number of alumni events and networking opportunities available, including an annual alumni summit, which brings together alumni from all over the world to share their experiences and knowledge in the field of genomic medicine. Additionally, the company hosts various webinars and online events throughout the year to help alumni stay connected and engaged with the latest developments in the field.

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Genomic Medicine Personal Statement

Example Genomic Medicine Personal Statement

Having worked hard to gain a background in both laboratory and statistical analysis of infectious disease, I am excited by the prospect of applying this knowledge to an extended study of the role genetics. As a native of Saudi Arabia, a cultural and religious destination for people from a range of genetic backgrounds, I am aware of the importance of understanding the way in which this interaction can influence the spread of disease. During certain religious holidays Saudi Arabia faces an influx of people, which can often lead to the spread of diseases, such as meningitis, tuberculosis and other pulmonary and respiratory infections, which are then spread to other countries as people return to their homes. My proposal is to utilise this unique, temporary population surge to research variation in pathological response with respect to genetic variation.

Work that has already been done in this field has centred mainly on the importance of heterogeneity among population and studying new strains of disease. In addition to this, I believe it is important that we develop statistical tools which track genetic alteration and mutation of infectious agent strains to identify the mechanism of virus and bacteria evolution, then factor in both environmental variables and the variation between populations in pathological response and routes of disease transition. This nuanced modelling will add to both the effectiveness of vaccination procedures and other protection procedures.

In order to effectively carry out this research, I have focused my previous studies on gaining the necessary skill and knowledge. I began with a Bachelor’s degree in Laboratory Medicine, which honed practical skills and my knowledge of diagnostics. While my graduation project inspired my passion for medical research, it was really during my internship year that my interest in genome science began. Working at Al-Hada Armed Forces Hospital, I undertook a range of research, gaining an Award for Achievement of Excellence. I was also asked to train prospective internship students in molecular genetic diagnostic methods and their application in stalling the spread of disease, which demonstrated the vast potential of gaining knowledge of this field for improving, and saving, lives.

While I was unable to immediately secure an employment position which built on this burgeoning interest, my role as a demonstrator of medical statistics at Al-Baha University allowed me to supplement my existing knowledge with an in depth exploration of this central pillar of genomic research. I was also awarded a scholarship to undertake postgraduate study abroad, which led to me undertaking a Master’s course in Medical Statistics at Oxford Brookes, where I studied survival analysis, meta-analysis, modelling data and the application of statistics in research and epidemiology.

Having gained a thorough understanding of medical research, both practical and statistical, I am excited by the prospect of combining this previous knowledge with the skills and experience I could gain through studying at a global centre for excellence in genomic medicine and statistics. As a dedicated, ambitious student with a strong track record of working hard to acquire necessary skills and of teaching those skills to others, I have proven that I have the drive and ability to make a real contribution to academic understanding and the practical application of genomic medicine and statistics in the fight against infectious disease.

We hope this example Genomic Medicine Personal Statement proves useful when writing your own.

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2024 Medical School Personal Statement Ultimate Guide (220+ Examples)

220+ medical school personal statement examples, plus a step-by-step guide to writing a unique essay and an analysis of a top-5 medical school personal statement.

Part 1: Introduction to the medical school personal statement

Part 2: a step-by-step approach to writing an amazing medical school personal statement, part 3: in-depth analysis of a top-5 medical school personal statement, part 4: unique vs. clichéd medical school personal statements: 10 key differences, appendix: medical school personal statement examples.

You probably know someone who achieved a solid GPA and MCAT score , conducted research, shadowed physicians, engaged in meaningful volunteer work, and met all the other medical school requirements , yet still got rejected by every school they applied to.

You may have even heard of someone who was rejected by over 30 medical schools or who was shut out by every program two years in a row, despite doing “all the right things.”

It’s also common to come across people who have incredibly high stats (e.g., a 3.8 GPA and a 518 MCAT score) but didn’t get into a top-10 or top-20 medical school.

With stories like these and the scary statistic that over 60% of medical school applicants do not matriculate into medical school in any given year , it’s hard not to be anxious about the admissions process and wonder how you’ll ever get into medical school .

We bet you’ve puzzled over why so many qualified applicants are rejected beyond the fact that there are too few spots. After all, you’ve noticed how some applicants receive many interview invitations and acceptances, whereas others receive few or none.

The main reason why many qualified applicants are rejected from every med school—or significantly underperform expectations based on their admissions profile—is that they do not stand out on their application essays.

While the need to stand out holds true for every piece of written material on your applications, your personal statement is the single most important essay you will have to write during your admissions process. It’s especially important to get right because it allows you to show admissions committees how your story sets you apart among other qualified candidates (i.e., your competition). Moreover, the quality of your personal statement has a significant influence on your admissions success.

Of course, this means that writing a great medical school personal statement comes with a lot of pressure.

Gain instant access to the most in-depth personal statement resources available so you can write an essay that stands out. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will soon increase for new subscribers. (Note: You can end your subscription at any time and retain access to the content through the end of the period for which you signed up.)

Medical school personal statement challenges and opportunities

As you prepare to write, you’re probably concerned about:

Choosing the “right” topic

Making sure your essay is unique and not clichéd

Your essay clearly highlighting why you want to go into medicine

Whether it’s what admissions committees are looking for

The good news is that the AMCAS personal statement prompt—“Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school”—is intentionally vague and gives you the opportunity to write about anything you want in up to 5,300 characters (including spaces). If you’re wondering how many words 5,300 characters comes out to, it roughly corresponds to 500 words or 1.5 single-spaced pages.

In other words, you have complete control over how you show admissions committees the following:

Who you are beyond your numbers and your resume (i.e., why you? )

The reasons you want to go into medicine (i.e., why medicine? )

Struggling to write your med school personal statement?

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Medical school personal statement character limits

Remember that admissions committees want to accept people , not just a collection of GPAs, MCAT scores, and premed extracurricular activities. Your personal statement and other written materials must therefore clearly highlight the specific qualities and experiences that would make you an excellent physician.

If your essay does this, you’ll have a leg up on other applicants. On the other hand, a clichéd personal statement will bore admissions readers and consequently make them less interested in admitting you.

Put another way, your personal statement is your best opportunity to stand out—or to look like everyone else who reads tons of sample essays, tries to “play it safe” with boring anecdotes, and ends up in the rejection pile.

What this personal statement guide covers

As you begin drafting your essay, you might find yourself perusing countless medical school personal statement examples online, at your college’s premed counseling office, or from friends who applied to med school a year or two ago. But remember that the sample personal statements you find on Student Doctor Network, Reddit , premed blogs, or at your college’s pre-health advising center are the same ones that everyone else is looking at and attempting to imitate!

To help you avoid common pitfalls and write a memorable personal statement, we wrote a comprehensive guide to help you get one step closer to earning your white coat rather than having to reapply to med school .

At a high level, this guide covers the following:

A step-by-step approach to producing a standout personal statement (Part 2)

A paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of a top-5 personal statement (Part 3)

Key differences that separate unique vs. clichéd personal statements (Part 4)

Medical school personal statement examples (Appendix)

Upon reviewing this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to go from having no topic ideas to producing a personal, meaningful, and polished essay. Throughout the guide, you’ll also come across various “special sections” that address common questions and concerns we’ve received from applicants over the years.

And if you’re left with lingering questions about how to write a personal statement for medical school, just submit them in the comments section at the end of the guide so we can answer them, usually within 24 hours.

Without further ado, it’s time to begin the writing process.

When should I begin to write my med school personal statement?

The earliest we recommend you begin working on your personal statement is fall of your junior year. That way, even if you decide to go to med school straight through (i.e., without taking a gap year or two), you will have completed a bulk of the extracurriculars that you will cover on your application and will also have an essay that describes your current thoughts and feelings about medicine. But regardless of whether you apply straight through or apply post-undergrad, it’s a good idea to begin working on your personal statement during the fall or winter preceding your application cycle (e.g., start writing your essay between September 2023 and January 2024 if you intend to apply during the 2024-2025 application cycle) so that you have plenty of time to write a great essay and can take full advantage of rolling admissions by submitting your primary application early.

Before writing, the typical applicant does two things:

Pulls up their resume and attempts to identify the experience that is “most unique” or “most authentic”

Searches for essay sample after essay sample, hoping to be inspired by someone else’s writing

Eventually, students begin to read every sample essay they can get their hands on, hoping that consuming countless examples will give them the “aha moment” they need to produce their own personal statement.

Here’s the problem: Without understanding why an essay is strong, you risk producing a cliché essay based on some “template” you came across.

With this “template approach,” you’ll risk making your essay sound like someone else’s, which is a sure-fire way of producing a clunky or clichéd essay. This is precisely why we included the numerous sample medical school personal statement essays at the end of this guide.

We also don’t believe that reviewing your CV or thinking through your personal experiences to identify the “most unique” topic ideas is a valuable approach to brainstorming your personal statement. This “resume-first” approach tends to lead to writing an introduction that may not communicate your intended message, especially because it might not flow with the remainder of your experiences.

So, what should your personal statement include? Over the years, our students have found the most success by taking our “qualities-first” approach—thinking through the impression they want to leave on adcoms and then selecting the experiences that best highlight those qualities.

The myth of the "perfect topic"

Every topic can lead to a standout or average personal statement, depending on how compellingly you write it. In other words, there's no such thing as a "good" or "bad" essay topic, only strong or weak execution. Many students delay working on their personal statement until they discover the “perfect topic,” but no such topic exists. We’ve read incredible essays and weak essays on pretty much every topic. What mattered was how the writer linked the topic with their personal path to medicine. We should reinforce a point mentioned in passing in the previous paragraph: pretty much every medical school personal statement topic has been used at this point. You can stand out by sharing your personal stories, unique insights, and eye-opening experiences, not by writing about a brand-new topic, as so few exist.

How to write a great personal statement introduction (Goal: Engage the reader)

Before you begin to write, we recommend that you:

Develop a list of qualities you want to demonstrate; and

Think of events or situations that highlight these qualities.

Then , you should write about one of these events or situations in a way that demonstrates these qualities and captures the reader’s attention.

Does my personal statement need to have a "hook"?

The short answer: Yes. But as with most things related to medical school admissions, the answer is more complicated. A "hook" is a sentence or story, typically presented in the opening paragraph, intended to grab the reader's attention. Because adcoms read tons of applications each year, it's important that they're engaged from the start. Otherwise, it's very likely that they will discount the remainder of your personal statement and your odds of getting into their school will drop precipitously. Unfortunately, many medical school applicants go overboard and force a dramatic story in hopes of presenting a hook—a trauma they observed in the ER, an emotional moment with a patient, and so on. The story might be marginally associated with the rest of their essay but will largely be viewed as a cheap way to capture attention. To be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with discussing a difficult medical counter, personal difficulty, or any other particular type of story. However, your selection must be associated with the qualities you want to demonstrate across your entire essay and serve as its foundation. In addition, your hook need not be your opening sentence. It could be the entire first paragraph, a cliffhanger at the end of your opening paragraph, or even a second paragraph that was set up by the first. The goal is simply to ensure that you're engaging your reader early and setting the tone for the remainder of your essay.

Step 1: List your greatest qualities.

To answer the personal statement prompt more easily, focus again on the question of what you want admissions committees to know about you beyond your numbers and achievements.

We’re not talking about your hobbies (e.g., “I followed Taylor Swift to every concert she performed in the U.S. during this past year”), although you could certainly point to aspects of your lifestyle in your essay to make your point.

Instead, we’re talking about which of your qualities –character, personality traits, attitudes–you want to demonstrate. Examples include:

Extraordinary compassion

Willingness to learn

Great listening skills

Knowledge-seeking

Persistence

And so on. If you have difficulty thinking of your great qualities (many students do), ask family members or close friends what you’re good at and why they like you. It might be awkward, but this exercise really helps because others tend to view us very differently from how we view ourselves.

Finally, choose the two or three qualities that you want to focus on in your personal statement. Let’s use compassion and knowledge-seeking as the foundational qualities of an original example for this guide.

We cannot overstate how important it is to think of the qualities you want to demonstrate in your personal statement before choosing a situation or event to write about. Students who decide on an event or situation first usually struggle to fit in their qualities within the confines of their story. This is one of the biggest medical school personal statement mistakes we see students make.

On the other hand, students who choose the qualities they want to convey first are easily able to demonstrate them because the event or situation they settle on naturally highlights these qualities.

I listed several qualities I can demonstrate, but I'm not sure which to choose. Can you say more?

Your personal statement represents just one part of your much larger application. You'll have opportunities to demonstrate several of your great qualities through your AMCAS Work and Activities section, your secondary essays, and even your interviews. Therefore, any two or three qualities you want to convey through your personal statement will work; don't stress about figuring out the "perfect" ones, as no such thing exists. And when in doubt, ask family members and friends.

Step 2: When or where have you demonstrated these qualities?

Now that we’re off our soapbox and you’ve chosen qualities to highlight, it’s time to list any event(s) or setting(s) where you’ve demonstrated them.

We should explicitly mention that this event or setting doesn't need to come from a clinical experience (e.g., shadowing a physician , interacting with a young adult patient at a cancer center, working with children in an international clinic) or a research experience (e.g., making a major finding in cancer research during your gap year ), although it’s okay if it involves an extracurricular activity directly related to medicine.

In fact, since most students start their essays by describing clinical or research experiences, starting off with something else–travel (e.g., a camping trip in Yellowstone), volunteering (e.g., building homes in New Orleans), family (e.g., spending time with and learning from your elderly and ill grandmother back home in New Hampshire), work (e.g., helping out at your parents’ donut shop)–can help you immediately stand out.

Let’s start with the example of building homes in New Orleans. Why? Because we could easily demonstrate compassion and knowledge-seeking through this experience. Notice how the qualities we select can choose the story for us?

Step 3: Describe your event as a story.

Here’s where the art of writing a great personal statement really comes in.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays, most of which are very clichéd or dry. Therefore, it’s critical that you stand out by engaging the reader from the very beginning. The best way by far to capture admissions officers’ attention early is by developing a story about the event or situation you chose in Step 2 at the start of your essay.

Keep in mind, however, that the same event can be written about in a boring or engaging way. Therefore, the story or topic you choose is less important than how you pull it off.

Let’s look at an actual example of how the same event can be described in a routine vs. compelling manner:

One of my most eye-opening experiences came when I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans during the summer months of 2014. Up to that point, I had only heard about the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina nine years earlier. Although pictures and stories of the aftermath compelled me to volunteer, it was not until I observed the emotional pounding the people of New Orleans had experienced that I developed a greater sense of compassion for their plight.

Compelling:

New Orleans was hot and humid during the summer months of 2014–no surprise there. However, for a native Oregonian like me, waking up to 90-degree and 85%-humidity days initially seemed like too much to bear. That was until I reflected on the fact that my temporary discomfort was minute in contrast to the destruction of communities and emotional pounding experienced by the people of New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina nine years earlier. Although pictures and stories of the aftermath compelled me to understand its effects on the community and volunteer, actually building homes and interacting with the locals, like nine-year-old Jermaine, who cried as I held his hand while we unveiled his rebuilt home, taught me that caring for people was as much about lifting spirits as making physical improvements.

Many people may feel the routine example is pretty good. Upon closer look, however, it seems that:

The focus is as much on New Orleanians as the applicant

The story is not particularly relatable (unless the reader had also volunteered there)

There isn’t much support for the writer actually being touched by the people there

On the other hand, the compelling example:

Keeps the spotlight on the applicant throughout (e.g., references being from Oregon, discusses her reflections, interacting with Jermaine)

Has a relatable plot (e.g., temporary discomfort, changing perspectives)

Is authentic (e.g., provides an example of how she lifted spirits)

Does my essay need to have an “aha moment,” that is, the moment when I decided to become a doctor? I’ve noticed that so many medical school personal statement examples include one.

Your essay does not need to include an “aha moment.” In fact, many of the best med school personal statements we’ve read do not include such a moment. Students who believe they need to mention an “aha moment” in their personal statement are typically falling into the trap of writing what they believe the reader wants. But frankly, the reader simply wants to learn about your personal and professional path to medicine. We’ve polled many students over the years about whether they had an experience that immediately switched them on to medicine. Our findings indicate that only 10 percent of students have experienced a moment where they knew they wanted to become a doctor and never looked back. The other 90 percent either knew they wanted to become a physician since childhood, had a growing interest in medicine over years, or came to the realization during or after college.

Step 4: Demonstrate your qualities.

(Note: This section applies to all aspects of your essay.)

“Show, don’t tell” is one of the most common pieces of advice given for writing personal statements, but further guidance or examples are rarely provided to demonstrate what it looks like when done well.

This is unfortunate because the best way to understand how standout personal statements demonstrate qualities through an engaging story is by reading two examples of the same situation: one that “tells” about a quality, and another that “shows” a quality.

Let’s revisit the last sentence of each story example we provided in the previous section to better understand this distinction.

Telling (from the routine story):

…it was not until I observed the emotional pounding the people of New Orleans had experienced that I developed a greater sense of compassion for their plight.

Showing (from the compelling story):

…actually building homes and interacting with the locals, like 9 year-old Jermaine, who cried as I held his hand while we unveiled his rebuilt home, taught me that caring for people…

Notice how the second example demonstrates compassion without ever mentioning the word “compassion” (hence no bolded words)? Moreover, the same sentence demonstrates knowledge-seeking:

Although pictures and stories of the aftermath compelled me to understand its effects on the community and volunteer, actually building homes and interacting with the locals ...

That’s what you’re going for.

Think about it. Whom do you consider to be more kind:

A person who says, “I’m really nice!”; or

A person who you've observed doing nice things for others?

Clearly, the second person will be viewed as more kind, even if there's no real-world difference between their levels of kindness. Therefore, by demonstrating your qualities, you will come across as more impressive and authentic to admissions committees.

Is it ever okay to tell in a medical school personal statement?

Telling, rather than showing, is okay in your first couple of drafts so that you get something on paper. The purpose of engaging in a robust revision process is to help you chisel out the main ideas you wish to convey and communicate them in the most effective way possible. Furthermore, telling is sometimes the most efficient way to convey certain information. For example, background information about people or situations in your essay can be told as this will move the narrative along and save valuable characters. However, if your final draft is full of instances of telling instead of showing, you likely haven’t thought through your experiences enough. Showing demonstrates a robust thought process that the writer has gone through and signals to adcoms this is an intelligent and thoughtful applicant who can bring a substantial amount of value to their institution, not to mention the profession of medicine itself. Further, showing generally makes for a more engaging and memorable reading experience. Sensory details and personal anecdotes will be more memorable for adcoms than general statements.

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How to write strong personal statement body paragraphs (Goal: Describe your path to medicine)

After writing your opening paragraph to engage the reader, it’s time to write the meat and potatoes of your personal statement. Specifically, it’s time to discuss experiences that helped you grow and led to you to pursue medicine.

What should be avoided in a medical school personal statement?

Put differently, "What should you not talk about in your personal statement?" There are no specific topics that you should definitely avoid in your essay. Unfortunately, you will hear many people tell you not to bring up certain things—a parent who is a physician, a physical health or mental health condition, sports participation, volunteering abroad, etc. However, all of these anecdotes or topics can be the foundation for strong personal statements as well as weak ones; what matters is your writing approach.

Step 5: Discuss your most formative experiences that led you to medicine.

Return to your list from Step 2 (When or where have you demonstrated these qualities?)   and choose one to three more experiences/areas (e.g., research, clinical work) that led you to medicine.

Why choose no more than four experiences total?

Because you should be aiming for depth over breadth (remember, you’re working with a 5,300-character limit for both AMCAS (MD application) and AACOMAS (DO application). Rather than discuss everything you’ve done, apply the following five-step formula to expand on key experiences in the body paragraphs of your personal statement:

Discuss why you pursued the experience

Mention how you felt during the experience

Describe what you accomplished and learned

Discuss how your experience affected you and the world around you

Describe how the experience influenced your decision to pursue medicine

Does the guidance in this resource apply to DO personal statements as well?

Yes, for the most part. We cover similarities and differences between AMCAS and AACOMAS personal statements in detail in our MD vs. DO guide . The general themes and writing styles of your personal statement can be similar if you’re applying to both types of schools. Also, since 2019, AACOMAS increased the length of personal statements they will accept to match AMCAS at 5,300 characters. The biggest difference between the two will be how you target the underlying philosophies of the practice of medicine in your essay. You know that osteopathic medicine uses a more holistic approach, so you’ll have to rethink your essay to better appeal to adcoms at a DO school.

Below are two examples–one routine and one compelling–to demonstrate how to achieve this:

Shadowing the neurosurgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital and witnessing their unwavering dedication to their patients and patients’ families helped me realize that I wanted to make a similar impact on people's lives.

This sentence doesn't answer the “Why medicine?” question (for example, you could greatly impact people's lives through law or teaching), nor does it demonstrate your qualities (although it makes the neurosurgeons look really good).

I was initially frustrated while shadowing neurosurgeons and caring for patients (e.g., conversing with them during downtime and providing anything in my power to make them comfortable, such as extra pillows, water, or snacks) at Massachusetts General Hospital because many patients recovered very slowly–and sometimes not at all. I wondered whether these experiences would deter me from pursuing medicine. Therefore, I was surprised when the opposite occurred. The physicians’ unwavering dedication to their patients and families' expressed gratitude–even in their saddest days–provided more than enough confirmation that medicine was the path I should pursue to make a similar physical and emotional impact on people's lives.

By going deeper about an experience, this example allowed the student to convey:

How they felt (“I was initially frustrated while shadowing…”)

How they were affected (“…the opposite [of determent] occurred”)

How they were influenced to pursue medicine specifically

Collectively, the student demonstrated their compassion, personal growth, and desire to pursue medicine.

(Note: Discuss your formative experiences in the body paragraphs in chronological order, as long as it doesn’t disrupt your essay’s flow. For example, if you choose to write about one experience in 2014 and another in 2013, write about your 2013 experience first, even if you wrote about the 2014 experience in your introductory paragraph. Having a clear timeline makes it easier for the reader to follow along.) 

How many experiences should I cover in my personal statement?

If you’re like most students, you should cover somewhere between three and four personal or professional experiences in your personal statement. Beyond four, and you risk covering too much and not achieving sufficient depth; your essay might read like a narrative. Fewer than three, and your experience descriptions might get too wordy. That said, every essay is different, so you might be able to write a fantastic personal statement with fewer than three experiences or more than four. In fact, one of the best personal statements we’ve ever helped a student produce focused on a single 24-hour time period that spanned two separate experiences.

How to write a memorable medical school personal statement conclusion (Goal: Tie it all together)

It’s (almost) time to end your personal statement and move on!

The concluding paragraph should highlight three things:

Your positive qualities (you can mention them explicitly here rather than “show” them)

Perspectives gained from your formative experiences

Your passion for medicine

Additionally, the best essays somehow refer to their introductory paragraph’s story to “close the loop.”

Step 6: Reemphasize your qualities, perspectives, and passions.

Focusing on experiences in your introduction and body paragraphs that convey your greatest qualities helps you develop a consistent theme throughout your essay. It also makes closing your essay much easier.

To demonstrate this, we’ll show you how New Orleans volunteering and neurosurgery shadowing can be tied together to reemphasize compassion and knowledge-seeking, highlight perspectives gained, and communicate a strong desire to pursue medicine.

The consistent theme throughout my extracurricular work is that, whereas I initially pursue experiences–clinical, volunteer, or otherwise–to learn, what sticks with me even more than newfound knowledge is the compassion I develop for the people I serve. Furthermore, I have realized that there is a multitude of ways to serve, such as treating people’s physical ailments, offering empathy for anxious family members, or leaving my comfort zone to help a struggling community. These perspectives, coupled with my lifelong fascination with the human body’s complexities, leave no doubt that medicine is the path through which I want to use my abilities to make a positive holistic impact on people’s lives. I hope 9-year-old Jermaine knows that I was equally touched by his gratitude for a rebuilt home, and how his reaction was partly responsible for me devoting my career to help others feel the way he did on that hot and muggy summer day.

Let’s see whether this concluding paragraph checks all three boxes:

Positive qualities (“knowledge-seeking” and “compassion,”): check

Perspectives gained from formative experiences (“…realized that there is a multitude of ways to serve”): check

Passion for medicine (“medicine is the path through which I want to use my abilities to make a positive holistic impact on people’s lives”): check

This paragraph also gets bonus points for looping Jermaine in one final time.

Essay conquered.

Does the guidance in this resource apply to TMDSAS personal statements as well?

Yes, though the TMDSAS personal statement offers a 5000-character limit vs. 5300 characters for AMCAS and AACOMAS. You can learn more about the Texas medical school application by reading our TMDSAS guide , which includes examples of a successful personal statement, personal characteristics essay, and optional essay.

Final thoughts

Your medical school personal statement offers a unique opportunity to share your story and describe your path to medicine–however you want to.

Rather than dive right in and list the extracurricular experiences that you think will most impress admissions committees, consider what impression you want to leave them with. In other words, which of your qualities do you want to be remembered for?

Once you've identified your defining qualities, the task of communicating why you  are specifically fit for medicine  becomes much easier. Through engaging stories, you can leave no doubt in readers' minds that you're not only qualified for this field, but also the right person for the job.

If you've ever read an article or forum post offering “tips” on how to write a great medical school personal statement, you've probably been given clichéd advice with very little supporting information, like:

“Be yourself”

“Offer a unique angle”

“Show, don’t tell”

“Get personal”

“Don’t use clichés”

“Be interesting”

“Check for grammar and spelling errors”

And so on. Here’s what usually happens when you read tips like these: You understand the information, but you’re still stuck in the same place you were before reading the article. You continue to stare at the blank document on your computer, hoping you’ll have an “aha moment.”

Unfortunately, “aha moments” rarely, if ever, come. Much more typically, students procrastinate and/or end up writing about extracurricular and personal experiences that they think admissions committees (adcoms) will be impressed by.

The problem is that if you don’t get your personal statement right, you can compromise your entire application.

If you’re a high-achieving applicant with a strong GPA , MCAT score , and rich extracurricular activities , you may get into less desirable schools than you’d hoped. If you’re an applicant on the borderline, you may not get in at all.

On the other hand, writing a powerful medical school personal statement provides adcoms insights into who you are as a person and as a budding physician. More importantly, it helps maximize your odds of admission in an increasingly competitive process.

We want you to be part of this latter group so that you can get into the best schools possible. Therefore, we figured it would be valuable to share a paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of a medical school personal statement that helped one of our students get into their dream school, which also happens to be ranked in the top 5 of the U.S. News & World Report Best Medical Schools rankings.

Throughout the analysis, we apply our internal essay evaluation framework, QPUD , which stands for the following:

You can apply the QPUD framework to analyze your own writing. You’ll soon learn that the best personal statements aren’t produced by accident, but rather through multiple thoughtful iterations.

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Full-length medical school personal statement with analysis

Before we get into the weeds with our analysis, we encourage you to read the personal statement example in its entirety. As you go through it, you should keep the following questions in mind:

Does the applicant demonstrate qualities that are desirable in a physician? If so, which ones?

Is the personal statement mostly about the applicant, or other people?

Could anyone else have written this personal statement, or is it unique to the applicant?

Does the personal statement cover too much, or is there real depth ?

Here’s the personal statement sample:

Sure, it was a little more crowded, cluttered, and low-tech, but Mr. Jackson’s biology classroom at David Starr Jordan High School in South Los Angeles seemed a lot like the one in which I first learned about intermolecular forces and equilibrium constants. Subconsciously, I just assumed teaching the 11th graders about the workings of the cardiovascular system would go smoothly. Therefore, I was shocked when in my four-student group, I could only get Nate’s attention; Cameron kept texting, Mercedes wouldn’t end her FaceTime call, and Juanita was repeatedly distracted by her friends. After unsuccessfully pleading for the group’s attention a few times, I realized the students weren’t wholly responsible for the disconnect. Perhaps the problem was one of engagement rather than a lack of interest since their focus waned when I started using terminology—like vena cava—that was probably gibberish to them. So, I drew a basic square diagram broken into quarters for the heart and a smiley face for the body’s cells that needed oxygen and nutrients. I left out structure names to focus on how four distinct chambers kept the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood separate, prompting my students with questions like, “What happens after the smiley face takes the oxygen?” This approach enabled my students to draw conclusions themselves. We spent much of class time going through the figure-8 loop, but their leaning over the table to see the diagram more clearly and blurting out answers demonstrated their engagement and fundamental understanding of the heart as a machine. My elation was obvious when they remembered it the following week.

Ever since my middle school robotics days when a surgeon invited us to LAC+USC Medical Center to unwrap Tootsie rolls with the da Vinci surgical system, I’ve felt that a physician’s role goes beyond serving patients and families. I feel an additional responsibility to serve as a role model to younger students—especially teenagers—who may be intrigued by STEM fields and medicine. Furthermore, my experience in Mr. Jackson’s classroom demonstrated the substantial benefits of assessing specific individuals’ needs even when it requires diverging slightly from the structured plan. Being flexible to discover how to best engage my students, in some ways, parallels the problem-solving aspect I love about medicine.

Clinical experiences go even further by beautifully merging this curiosity-satisfying side of medicine with what I feel is most fulfilling: the human side of care provision. My experience with a tiny three-year-old boy and his mother in genetics clinic confirmed the importance of the latter. Not only was I excited to meet him because he presented with a rare condition, but also because he and his chromosomal deletion had been the focus of my recent clinical case report, published in Genetics in Medicine. While researching his dysmorphic features and disabilities, other patients with similar deletions, and the possible genes contributing to his symptoms, I stayed up until 4 AM for several weeks, too engrossed to sleep. What was more exciting than learning about the underlying science, however, was learning about the opportunity to meet the boy and his mother in person and share my findings with them.

As soon as I walked into the examination room, I noticed the mother avoiding eye contact with the genetic counselor while clutching her son to her chest. I sensed her anxiety and disinterest in hearing about my research conclusions. The impact of her son’s condition on their daily lives probably transcended the scientific details in my report. So despite my desire to get into the science, I restrained myself from overwhelming her. Instead, I asked her to share details about the wonderful interventions she had procured for her son—speech and physical therapy, sign language lessons, special feeds, etc. Through our conversations, I realized that she was really looking for reassurance—for doing a great job caring for her son. I validated her efforts and offered relief that there were other families navigating similar difficulties. As the appointment progressed, I observed her gradually relaxing. Rather than feel weighed down by the research findings I was eager to get off my chest, I felt light as well.

At the end of the appointment, the mom offered to let me hold her son, who gazed back at me with his bright blue eyes. While cradling the little boy humanized the medical details, the mother’s gesture displayed profound trust. Above all, this experience allowed me to recognize that interactions between a patient plus family and their doctor are more than intermediary vehicles to treatment; they are critical and beneficial in their own right. Learning this affirmed my longstanding desire and eagerness to become a physician. While research is essential and will surely always trigger my curiosity, I want my work to transcend the lab bench. Specifically, I want to continue engaging with patients and helping them through life’s difficult moments—with physical treatment and genuine support. And since working with each patient constitutes an entirely different experience, I know my medical career will never cease to be fulfilling.

(Word count: 835; Character count: 5,223)

What if some of the experiences I choose to write about in my essay aren't directly related to medicine?

No worries. Medical school admissions committees look to admit individuals with qualities befitting good doctors. These qualities can be demonstrated through experiences directly related to medicine, as well as through experiences that seemingly have little to do with medicine but cast a very positive light on you. That said, your personal statement should include at least one experience directly related to medicine. In your essay, you'll want to briefly describe how your interest in medicine developed, followed by how you consistently pursued that interest.

Now, let’s analyze the entire personal statement paragraph by paragraph and answer the questions posed above.

Paragraph 1

The applicant does a great job of engaging the reader. While reading the paragraph, it’s easy to get transported to the classroom setting they describe due to the level of detail provided. (e.g., “crowded, cluttered, and low-tech,” “Cameron kept texting, Mercedes wouldn’t end her FaceTime call…,” “leaning over the table”) The applicant also highlights their service work in the community, and hints that the school may be in an underserved part of town.

The applicant contrasts the chaotic, distracted classroom with the attention and enthusiasm students exhibit after their educational intervention. This “transformation” reflects positively on the applicant because it demonstrates that they can get creative in addressing a difficult situation.

At this point, we don’t yet know about the applicant’s passion for medicine, but we learn about their interest in biology, teaching, serving, and working directly with people. All of these activities can be pursued through medicine, so the transition to medicine later in their personal statement can be seamless.

Q: Does the applicant demonstrate qualities that are desirable in a physician? If so, which ones?

Patient, assumes responsibility, flexible (e.g., “I realized the students weren’t wholly responsible for the disconnect. Perhaps the problem was one of engagement rather than a lack of interest since their focus waned when I started using terminology—like vena cava—that was probably gibberish to them. So, I drew a basic square diagram…”)

Commitment to helping students/people learn and understand (e.g., “prompting my students with questions…,” “My elation was obvious when they remembered it the following week.”)

P: Is the paragraph mostly about the applicant, or other people?

While the applicant discusses others in the introduction (e.g., the 11th graders, Nate, Juanita), there’s no question that they are the primary and most interesting character in the paragraph.

U: Could anyone else have written this paragraph, or is it unique to the applicant?

Although all competitive applicants participate in service work—many within schools—the writer makes this paragraph their own by doing the following:

Including highly specific details about the setting, environment, and students

Describing their thoughts, insights, and emotions whenever possible

D: Does the paragraph cover too much, or is there real depth?

This paragraph is a model of depth. The applicant describes how they taught a single biology lesson during a single class period at a single school. It doesn’t get much more focused than that.

Does my personal statement's introduction paragraph story have to be about an experience during college or beyond?

Not necessarily. That said, if you write your introduction about an earlier-than-college experience, you'll want to quickly transition to your college and post-college years. While medical schools want to learn about your most formative experiences, they really want to know about who you are today.

Paragraph 2

The applicant effectively uses the second paragraph to provide context, about their early interest in medicine and in mentoring youth. It becomes clear, therefore, why the applicant started off their essay writing about a teaching experience in an 11th-grade classroom.

In addition, the applicant quickly transitions from a non-medical service experience to introduce reasons behind their interest in medicine. For example, the applicant describes how they intend to serve patients and families through the field, as well as scratch their own problem-solving itch to help people.

Another important piece to highlight is how the applicant uses showing vs. telling differently across the first two paragraphs. Whereas the introductory paragraph primarily shows qualities (e.g., “So, I drew a basic square diagram…”), the second paragraph primarily tells (e.g., “Being flexible to discover how to best engage my students…”).

Because the applicant proved their flexibility in the introduction (i.e., by showing it), they can claim to be flexible here (i.e., by telling it). On the other hand, if the applicant called themselves flexible from the outset without providing evidence, they may have come across as arrogant or unobservant.

Beyond describing their early interest in medicine (i.e., “Ever since my middle school robotics days when a surgeon invited us to LAC+USC Medical Center…” there is little demonstration of qualities here. Nevertheless, the goals for this paragraph—transition to medicine, describe at a high level what draws them to medicine, set up later stories about problem solving—are clearly achieved.

The second paragraph highlights hypothetical individuals (e.g., patients and families, specific individuals) to describe the applicant’s medical interests.

Between the early experience observing the da Vinci surgical system and continuing the discussion of Mr. Jackson’s classroom, it would be very difficult for another applicant to convincingly replicate this paragraph.

The applicant certainly covers more experiences here than in the intro, but they do so to bridge the service discussion with the upcoming discussion of medical experiences. Notice also how this paragraph is intentionally kept short. The goal isn’t to get too deep into their middle school experiences, or to do more telling than necessary. Make the transition and move on so you can achieve more depth later.

Does my med school personal statement need to discuss a challenge I experienced?

It’s a common misconception to think that you have to highlight some major adversity to sound impressive. It’s true that some students have experienced greater challenges than others and their process of overcoming those challenges has led them to develop qualities befitting a great doctor. But what matters is your ability to discuss your commitment to becoming a physician and the insights you developed about your place in the medical field via personal and extracurricular experiences.

Paragraph 3

The third paragraph immediately builds off of the preceding one by letting the reader know that even more fulfilling than satisfying their own curiosity (and problem solving) is providing care to real people. This is a very important disclosure because the reader may be wondering what the applicant’s primary motivation is. As a medical school applicant, you must convey a “people first” attitude.

The applicant then dives right into what sounds like a fascinating research experience that not only results in a publication (to be discussed further in their AMCAS Work and Activities section ), but also leads to actually meeting the patient with the rare genetic condition. The applicant’s approach clearly integrates their passion for research and clinical work.

The paragraph also ends with a strong “hook.” The admissions reader is left wondering how the meeting with the boy and his mother went, so they will continue to read attentively.

Curious and hard-working (e.g., “While researching his dysmorphic features and disabilities, other patients with similar deletions, and the possible genes contributing to his symptoms, I stayed up until 4 AM for several weeks, too engrossed to sleep”)

Accomplished (e.g., “my recent clinical case report, published in Genetics in Medicine .”)

Once again, the applicant does a masterful job of incorporating storytelling and other characters (i.e., the boy and his mother) to convey the qualities that will make them a great doctor. In other words, this paragraph isn’t really about the boy and his mother, but rather how the applicant prepped for their meeting with them.

Between the upcoming meeting with the three-year-old boy and his mother, researching the boy’s genetic condition, and getting published in a specific journal, it’s basically impossible to replicate this paragraph.

The applicant maintains focus on how their interest in service and research can be applied to help real people. They take it one step further by highlighting a specific time when they did just that. There is no additional fluff, tangential information, or competing storylines.

How do you write a hook for a medical school personal statement?

Tomes could be written discussing this very topic. The best way to hook a reader in your personal statement is to open with something interesting and engaging. A good hook will leave an emotional impression on them, thereby implanting your narrative in their memory. Of course, this is easier said than done. Writing a good hook is tricky because you want to strike the right balance between intriguing and naturally engaging. You can leave an emotional impression without being overly dramatic. Too much drama and your hook risks sounding forced which will diminish your essay’s effectiveness. You may end up “standing out” but for the wrong reasons. To write a hook for a medical school personal statement, you’ll want to think backwards. You can do this in multiple ways. First, think about the overall arc of your story. What point are you trying to convey about your experience and journey to medicine? Visualize the story in your mind and consider different points of entry to your personal statement for the reader. Write a few different opening sentences, then roughly outline what path each version of the essay would take by jotting down the main ideas for each subsequent paragraph. Personal anecdotes (true stories from your own life that demonstrate a concept or illustrate a point you want to make) can be a great point of entry. They make an essay feel unique and authentic without venturing into the overdramatic or cliche. Don’t worry about the sentences being expertly crafted at this point; you can refine them later. Then, change your perspective. Read your sentences from the reader’s point of view. Would the reader think your journey to medicine is as captivating as you do? What grabs you, if anything, about your potential hooks? Take notes about what you think and draw connections. Aim for something compelling that you can expand on later in your essay. Keep in mind that this is an iterative process. The idea is to draw your reader in to learn more about your interest in medicine, not to shock them and hope they see you as interesting enough to be admitted. Overly dramatic openers are like a sugar high for your personal statement—a quick boost of interest that quickly dissipates. We cover this in more detail with examples below in part four.

Paragraph 4

As soon as I walked into the examination room, I noticed the mother avoiding eye contact with the genetic counselor while clutching her son to her chest. I sensed her anxiety and disinterest in hearing about my research conclusions. The impact of her son’s condition on their daily lives probably transcended the scientific details in my report. So, despite my desire to get into the science, I restrained myself from overwhelming her. Instead, I asked her to share details about the wonderful interventions she had procured for her son—speech and physical therapy, sign language lessons, special feeds, etc. Through our conversations, I realized that she was really looking for reassurance—for doing a great job caring for her son. I validated her efforts and offered relief that there were other families navigating similar difficulties. As the appointment progressed, I observed her gradually relaxing. Rather than feel weighed down by the research findings I was eager to get off my chest, I felt light as well.

The applicant right away begins to describe their meeting with the boy and his mother. We understand that while the applicant was ready to share their research with the family, the mother appears anxious and is more interested in understanding how she can help her son.

It should also be noted that the applicant does not judge the mother in any way and offers supporting evidence for their conclusions about what the mother must’ve been thinking and feeling. For example, rather than just call the mother “anxious,” the applicant first describes how she avoided eye contact and clutched her son tightly.

The applicant once again demonstrates their flexibility by showing how they modified their talking points to fit the family’s needs rather than satisfy their own curiosity and self-interest. Moreover, they highlight not only the approach they took with this family, but also the impact on their care. For example, after discussing how they validated the mother’s care efforts, the applicant mentions how the mother relaxed.

Socially aware (e.g., “I noticed the mother avoiding eye contact with the genetic counselor while clutching her son to her chest. I sensed her anxiety and disinterest in hearing about my research conclusions. The impact of her son’s condition on their daily lives probably transcended the scientific details in my report.”)

Flexible (e.g., “So despite my desire to get into the science, I restrained myself from overwhelming her. Instead, I asked her to share details about the wonderful interventions she had procured for her son—speech and physical therapy, sign language lessons, special feeds, etc.”)

Socially skilled and validating (e.g., “Through our conversations, I realized that she was really looking for reassurance—for doing a great job caring for her son. I validated her efforts and offered relief that there were other families navigating similar difficulties.”)

At first glance, it may appear that this paragraph is as much about the mother as it is about the applicant. After all, the mother procured various services for her son and has done a marvelous job of caring for him.

Nevertheless, the applicant is not competing in any way with the mother. By demonstrating their flexibility and social skills, the applicant reinforces great qualities they’ve demonstrated elsewhere and remains at the top of our minds.

In isolation, perhaps. However, at this point in the personal statement, along with the loads of insights, thoughts, and feelings, there’s no question that this story is unique to the applicant.

This paragraph is another model of depth. The applicant goes into highly specific details about a memorable experience with a specific family. There’s significant showing vs. telling, which continues to maintain the reader’s engagement.

Paragraph 5

How many people should i ask to review my personal statement.

Typically, we recommend that no matter than two people—people who have experience evaluating med school personal statements—review your essay. Everyone you show your essay to will have an opinion and suggest changes, but trying to appease everyone usually leads to diluting your own voice. And even if your personal statement is great, someone will eventually identify something they perceive to be an issue, which will only exacerbate your anxiety. Two people is a good number because you can receive more than one opinion but avoid the problem of having too many cooks in the kitchen.

The final paragraph accomplishes three key goals:

Concluding the story about meeting the boy and his mother;

Bringing the applicant’s insights full circle; and

Restating their interest in medicine while offering a preview of what type of physician they intend to be.

By describing how they built a trusting relationship with the patient and his mother, the applicant deliberately continues the theme of patient-centered care ultimately being more important to them—and to medicine—than underlying pathologies and interestingness of various medical scenarios.

Although the applicant does not circle back to the classroom story in the introduction, they close the loop with the personal statement’s central and most important story. In addition, they end on a high note by mentioning how enthusiastic they are about their medical career.

Trustworthy (e.g., “At the end of the appointment, the mom offered to let me hold her son, who gazed back at me with his bright blue eyes.”)

Insightful (e.g., “Above all, this experience allowed me to recognize that interactions between a patient plus family and their doctor are more than intermediary vehicles to treatment; they are critical and beneficial in their own right.”)

Patient-centered and caring (e.g., “While research is essential and will surely always trigger my curiosity, I want my work to transcend the lab bench. Specifically, I want to continue engaging with patients and helping them through life’s difficult moments—with physical treatment and genuine support.”)

This paragraph is all about the applicant. Even the detail about cradling the boy highlights their earlier efforts in building trust with the family. After this brief conclusion to the story, the applicant explores their own developing insights about the field and how they intend to practice medicine in the future.

In combination with the insights shared in this paragraph, the story and details up to this point round out the personal statement uniquely.

Conclusion paragraphs should summarize insights and information presented earlier in the personal statement. The applicant does a fine job of solidifying their longstanding interest in medicine without adding significant new details, knowing they can cover additional stories throughout their secondary applications  and during interviews .

Can you say a little more about how I can write my essay so that it's clear I want to go into medicine and not another health care field?

• A long-term commitment to medically-relevant experiences
• A clear understanding of what medicine entails that other fields don't

At various points while writing your personal statement, you may wonder whether your essay is “good enough.”

The goal of this guide isn’t to allow you to compare your personal statement to the sample we’ve provided. Rather, we want you to have a framework for evaluating your work to ensure that it conveys your outstanding qualities, engages the reader, and describes your authentic journey to medicine.

If you’re like most applicants, you’re worried about choosing a clichéd medical school personal statement topic . You fear that your application may be thrown into the rejection pile if you fail to present yourself in a unique way.

To help you avoid common pitfalls and write a memorable personal statement, we’ve highlighted eight different ways that unique personal statements differ from clichéd ones.

We’ll first describe the clichéd approach and describe why it’s problematic. Then we’ll provide specific writing techniques you can use to make your essay truly stand out.

Clichéd Approach 1: Only discussing experiences that you think make you seem the most impressive.

Most applicants begin writing their essays by choosing the experience(s) that they think will help them stand out to admissions committees. By focusing on specific experiences that applicants think will impress the admissions committee (e.g. clinical shadowing, research, and volunteering), students often forget to demonstrate their unique qualities.

Let’s see how this becomes a problem.

In your AMCAS Work and Activities section, you may have included your experience conducting chemistry research for three years, shadowing in a clinic for two years, volunteering as an English tutor for underserved youth in Chicago for six years, volunteering with a medical mission trip to Haiti for two summers, and serving as president of a premed organization for one year.

Given these choices, most students would choose to write about clinical volunteering in Chicago or their medical mission trip to Haiti because they think these experiences were most impressive. If you take one of these two approaches, you would probably start the essay by describing an interaction with a very ill patient or one with whom you experienced a language barrier.

An essay about clinical shadowing could start something like this:

Clichéd introduction

I used to eat lunch with Felipa on Wednesdays. She was always very nervous when she came in to get her blood drawn, and she liked to speak with me beforehand. Although she was suffering from breast cancer, she had a positive attitude that made the doctors and the nurses feel like one big family. Her positive attitude helped lift the spirits of other patients in the room. Throughout my lunches with Felipa, she would tell me how she still cooked dinner every day for her husband and two young kids. She brought that same compassion to the hospital, always with a contagious smile. I endeavored to give her the best care by offering her water and chatting with her on her chemo days. However, I was always bothered that I could not treat Felipa’s cancer myself. This powerlessness I felt inspired me to pursue medicine to help future patients battle this horrible illness by discovering new treatments.

While we gain some information about the applicant’s motivations to study medicine (e.g., to help future patients…by discovering new treatments ), it explores a common topic (i.e., a realization that came during clinical shadowing) with a typical delivery (i.e., written broadly about interactions with a specific patient).

The paragraph does not do a good job of painting a picture of the applicant, as we don’t learn about her standout qualities or other aspects of her identity.

Moreover, if we replace “Felipa” with another name, it becomes clear that any applicant who engaged in a similar shadowing experience could have written this paragraph. This is not to say that an essay that includes shadowing will always be clichéd. After all, the topic is only one aspect of your personal statement.

Remember, there are no good or bad topics. Rather, there are strong ways—and poor ways—to write about these topics.

Instead of asking if your topic is “good” or “bad,” you should be asking yourself whether your essay has a “typical” or “standout” delivery.

You want your personal statement to be written so engagingly that it serves as a pleasant interruption to the admissions committee member’s routine. Surprise them when they rarely expect to be surprised.

Unique Alternative 1: Demonstrating the qualities that make you distinct by choosing experiences that highlight your best characteristics.

The best personal statement writers decide which qualities they want to emphasize to admissions committees before choosing a certain experience. Then, they focus on a specific event or situation that captures the admissions committees’ attention by telling a detailed story—oftentimes a story that does not overtly involve medicine.

By deciding on your qualities beforehand, you will choose a story that authentically delivers your intended message.

Don’t be afraid to select an experience or story that strays from the typical, “impressive” premed extracurricular activity. After all, med schools want to accept applicants because of their wonderful qualities and unique attributes, not because of a specific experience or extracurricular activity.

Let’s imagine that the same applicant from the previous example chose to write about her community involvement outside of medicine.

From her list of extracurricular activities, she could choose to write about volunteering as an English tutor or being the lead saxophone player in a campus jazz ensemble. By picking one of these options, this student could write an entirely unique personal statement introduction.

Let’s see how an effective essay might begin with her volunteer work as an English tutor:

Unique introduction

I could feel the sweat rolling down my back as twenty first graders stared at me. It was July in Chicago, and the building where I volunteered as an English teacher twice a week did not have air conditioning. I had volunteered as a one-on-one tutor for the past six years, but this was my first time teaching a large group. The students, largely from working-class, Spanish-speaking households, reminded me of myself, as I grew up as the daughter of two Mexican emigrants. I personally understood the challenges the students faced, and I wanted to use my own experience and knowledge to help set them on the path to academic success.

This introduction would likely stand out to an admissions committee member not only because it discusses something other than clinical shadowing but also because it demonstrates the writer’s commitment to her community, and it reveals something about the applicant’s personal background.

Should I mention bad grades in my personal statement?

In most cases, no. With limited characters, your primary goal for your personal statement should be to tell medical school admissions committees why you will be an excellent doctor. Admissions committees will already see your grades. If you use too much space discussing your poor grades during freshman year or some other time, you'll draw even more attention to the red flags on your application and lose a golden opportunity to demonstrate your impressive qualities. One exception is if you received poor grades due to some extraordinary circumstance, such as recovering from a significant accident or illness. Even then, you might want to discuss your poor grades in another section of your application, such as a secondary essay.

Clichéd Approach 2: Listing your qualities and accomplishments like you are explaining your resume.

When many students begin writing their personal statements, they “tell” and don’t “show”.

Even though the advice to “show, don’t tell” is commonly given, students rarely know what it actually means to demonstrate or “show” their qualities rather than simply listing them.

We’ll provide an overly simple example to highlight why “telling” your qualities is such a problem:

Ever since I was a kid, I have received excellent grades and have excelled at all things related to science. My success in conducting chemistry research and my numerous presentations at biochemistry conferences is testament to my ability to succeed as a doctor. In fact, my family and friends have encouraged me to pursue this route because of my academic success.

While we learn that the applicant thinks that he is a great student who is excellent at science, and we learn that his family believes that he should pursue medicine because of his academic success, we do not actually see any evidence of these qualities. Sure, he tells us that his family thinks that he is brilliant, but we do not know why they think he is brilliant.

Unique Alternative 2: Showing, and not telling, the applicant’s qualities.

When you demonstrate your best qualities through examples, you provide a more authentic glimpse about the type of person you really are.

For instance, if you read the following sentences from two different applicants, who would you think was more caring?

Applicant 1: I am very empathic.

Applicant 2: Volunteering with elderly Japanese women has taught me how aging immigrants face cultural barriers while also navigating health problems, from diabetes to cancer.

Even though Applicant 1 says that they are empathic, you probably picked Applicant 2, even though she never uses the word “empathic” (or a synonym) in her sentence. As the reader, you were able to extrapolate how empathic that applicant is by seeing what they do.

Returning to the introductory paragraph with Felipa from example 1, we can see that the typical introduction “tells” about the applicant’s qualities, whereas the standout paragraph “shows” the applicant’s qualities. Let’s look at some examples to clarify:

I endeavored to give her the best care… (giving)

This powerlessness I felt inspired me to pursue medicine to help future patients… (inspired)

I had volunteered as one-on-one tutor for the past six years, but this was my first time teaching a large group. (dedicated, risk-taking)

I personally understood the challenges the students faced, and I wanted to use my own experience and knowledge to help set them on the path to academic success (giving, empowering, empathetic)

Is it OK to discuss a mental health condition in my med school personal statement?

You might have heard that, given the stigma surrounding many mental health conditions, that you should avoid discussing them in your personal statement, no matter what. However, as with many things related to med school essays, the answer depends on the specific condition, severity, and reason behind sharing it. Certain conditions have more stigma associated with them than others and are therefore more difficult to sensitively incorporate in your personal statement. But regardless of your specific mental health condition or its severity, it’s important to ask yourself why you would share it. For instance, if the primary reason for sharing your mental health condition is to show adcoms how much adversity you have overcome, then you should probably leave out your condition or reconsider why you would share it. However, if your reason is to describe the insights you developed about people and about medicine, or how your condition served as a springboard for you to pursue certain activities, then it might be worthwhile to share. Writing about mental health conditions in your personal statement should be approached delicately, so make sure to work with someone who has experience doing so.

Clichéd Approach 3: Stating that you want to be a physician to help people or talking about how being a doctor is such an honor.

When you ask medical school applicants why they want to be a doctor, they usually say that they want to help people. While you should include this fact in your personal statement, it can be difficult to articulate why you want to help people or how you will help them in a way that is not clichéd. 

Most applicants will probably write some version of the following in their personal statement:

I want to be a physician because I want to help people who are sick. It would be an honor to serve people in need.

The problem with these statements is that any applicant could have written them. Every doctor wants to help patients who are sick or in need.

Failing to offer a specific reason for your motivation to become a doctor or a specific way in which you plan to help your patients will make it hard for the admissions committee to see what unique approaches and insights you will bring to medicine.

Unique Alternative 3: Explaining specific ways that you intend to help patients or specific reasons why you want to help patients.

To make your statement more convincing, you could add a specific method that you will use to help patients. Consider the following example:

I want to become a physician to provide reassurance to a patient awaiting their lab results, and laughter to a patient who needs an uplift after a week of chemotherapy.

Whereas any medical school applicant could have written the statement in the clichéd example, the statement in the unique example demonstrates specific qualities about the applicant. By explaining that certain patients might need reassurance while others might want laughter, the applicant shows us that they are empathic and sensitive to the needs of individual patients.

To make your statement more authentic, you can also explain why you are drawn to a specific aspect of medicine or a certain demographic of patients. Let’s look at another example:

As a woman with PCOS, I want to improve the field of women’s health so that I can provide other young women comfort and reassurance as they come to terms with their bodies.

This applicant shows that she is passionate about women’s health by connecting her desire to enter medicine to her own health condition. This statement suggests that she will use her own experience to empathize with patients when she becomes a physician.

Should I mention my desired specialty in my med school personal statement?

Probably not. Admissions committees want to recruit students who are incredibly curious and open to different training opportunities. Highlighting a desire to enter a specific specialty might make you seem closed off. That said, it's perfectly fine to express a commitment to serving certain communities or a desire to address specific issues so long as you don't inadvertently box yourself in.

Clichéd Approach 4: Focusing too much on characters who are not you.

The previous two approaches focus on how your personal statement introduction should tell a story. And what do we need for a great story? A character!

Applicants often make another character (e.g. a family member, patient, a physician they shadowed or worked under) the most compelling and interesting character. But when you give or share the limelight with another character, you make it easy for the admissions committee to forget the most important person in the story: YOU. You should be the star of your own personal statement.

We are not saying that you should avoid including another character in your personal statement. In fact, including other characters in your statement reminds the admission committee that you have had a positive impact on other people.

However, these other characters must be used to demonstrate your qualities. These qualities can come from an insight you had while interacting or observing them.

We see how this becomes a problem in the clichéd paragraph from example 1. Felipa and the applicant are both main characters. Indeed, we don’t even read about the applicant or their insights until the seventh sentence. Who knows? Admissions committees might even offer Felipa an interview instead of you. 

Unique Alternative 4: Maintaining the focus on the main character—you!

In contrast, the unique paragraph from example 1 about the English tutor in Chicago tells us about the applicant’s passions, commitments, and initiative. Let’s revisit the example:

I personally understood the challenges the students faced, and I wanted to use my own experience and knowledge to help set them on the path to academic success.

Even though she writes about tutoring first-grade students in Chicago, their role in the story is to highlight how she is dedicated to helping her community and empowering students from backgrounds like hers. The students never get in the way of us learning about the applicant.

Now, you may be worried that focusing on you and your qualities will make you come off as arrogant or cocky to the admissions committee. By letting the stories do the talking for you, your personal statement will avoid making you appear egoistical. On the other hand, saying that you are a “good person” or “brilliant” without telling a story can make you seem arrogant.

With only 5,300 characters, you should aim to keep the emphasis almost entirely on you.

Clichéd Approach 5: Focusing too much on describing the activity itself.

Many applicants will write about clinical shadowing, volunteering, or research at some point in their personal statements. Sometimes, however, applicants are so excited by the activity that they forget to include themselves in the experience.

For instance, an applicant looking to highlight their work in a prestigious lab might write:

Working in Dr. Carpenter’s lab, an endowed professor at Harvard Medical School, was exhilarating. The main research project was an experiment that explored how rats responded to various stimulant medications. Our results demonstrated that one of the drugs we tested on the rats may have significant promise for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

While this paragraph demonstrates the student’s familiarity with and excitement about original research, it does not tell us much about the applicant’s specific characteristics or contributions. We learn about the research project in Dr. Carpenter’s lab, but we don’t know what qualities or insights the applicant has gained from conducting the research.

Unique Alternative 5: Unique statements explain how you made an impact through an activity and how the activity impacted you.

While you may think that highlighting a research experience with a famous doctor or in a prestigious lab will bolster your application, writing about it in your personal statement may actually harm you if you do not highlight your own accomplishments and traits.

Focus on activities where you had an impact, even if the activity itself does not seem impressive. Consider the following examples:

Applicant 1: While working in Dr. Smith’s lab, I managed five interns. To make the lab a more congenial environment, I started a weekly lunch hour where we could all discuss our different research projects. This opportunity gave the interns more confidence to talk about their individual lab work, which made it easier for the entire research staff to collaborate on different experiments.

Applicant 2: Working in Dr. Martin’s lab with five other interns taught me the importance of serving on a team. When one of our experiments failed, I made sure that the group met to discuss the results. I offered advice to my lab mates on how they could obtain better results on the next trial. This experience taught me the importance of learning new research methods from my peers to achieve the best results possible.

We do not know whether Applicant 1 or Applicant 2 are working in prestigious labs or with prestigious PIs. However, we do learn that Applicant 1 has shown leadership skills and initiative by working to make the lab a more collaborative space.

Similarly, even though Applicant 2 highlights her lab’s failures, we nevertheless discover that she is a team player, eager to learn from her fellow researchers, and does not let failure stop her. She sounds like someone you might want to have in your medical school study group.

I feel like I don’t have enough space to write everything I want. What should I do?

You shouldn't try to fit everything into your personal statement. In fact, if you try to cover everything within the 5,300-character limit, you'll end up covering nothing well. Remember that your complete application includes multiple written sections: your personal statement, Work and Activities section, and secondary application essays. You should aim to provide admissions committees with a holistic view of who you are across your entire application, not solely through your personal statement. Your personal statement should be used to offer a bird's eye view of who you are and your path to medicine, whereas your AMCAS Work and Activities section and secondary essays should cover the finer details.

Clichéd Approach 6: Articulating an idea without explaining how it relates to your qualities or insights.

Even when some applicants pick unusual topics, they forget to relate those experiences to why they want to be a doctor. Consider the following applicant who has a passion for running.

Applicant 1: I am passionate about running and encouraging others to run because it is good for everyone’s health. That is why I have spent years running marathons and coaching cross country in my free time.

While the applicant says that he is excited about running because it is “good for everyone’s health,” we do not exactly see what the applicant means. Most people believe that exercise is good for your health already, so this applicant would need to explain why he believes running is important, and how his passion for running relates to medicine.

Unique Alternative 6: Explaining your thought process, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities.

When you make an obvious claim (e.g., exercise is good for your health), you should explain why you personally believe this. By drawing on specific evidence and observations, you can show the admissions committee what unique and specific insights you have about a so-called obvious idea.

Applicant 2: After my sister started to run, she began to lose weight. I also noticed that her depression waned and that she regained energy, which manifested in her eagerness to socialize with family and friends. While I always knew that exercise was important, I never believed that it could entirely change a person. This experience led me to believe that exercising can serve as a form of medicine.   

Whereas Applicant 1 makes a general claim about running, Applicant 2 draws on a specific, personal example by connecting his sister’s running habit to her holistic health. He mentions her weight loss, improvements in mental health, and increase in energy. In other words, we see why the applicant believes that running provides a health benefit.  

Clichéd Approach 7: Writing an overly dramatic first sentence.

Recalling writing courses from high school and college, applicants often try to “hook” the reader’s attention by beginning with a dramatic first sentence. Because of this, applicants sometimes begin their essays with a dramatic moment that fails to offer insight into the applicant’s motivations for studying medicine.

Let’s look at the following first sentence by an applicant who worked in the ER.

It felt as if the world was going to end on that faithful day in the ER when I first witnessed someone die.

This introduction is typical of students writing about clinical shadowing. Rather than showing how he is unique, this statement simply demonstrates that the applicant has had a challenging experience during clinical shadowing.

Unique Alternative 7: Introducing your personal statement with a unique observation or idea that you will further develop in subsequent paragraphs.

Instead of dramatizing or hyperbolizing an experience, you can make your introduction truly unique by making a claim about an idea, insight, or observation that tells the admissions committee why you are excited by medicine. Let’s see how the applicant who wrote about running in example 6 might begin their statement in this way:

For my sister and me, running is a form of medicine.

Even though this example is not as dramatic as the previous one, it catches the reader’s attention by making a unique claim that the reader will want to know more about. The reader will see that the applicant is thinking critically and creatively about what medicine means to him.

Clichéd Approach 8: Writing about various experiences without showing how they are connected.

Even when applicants have thoughtfully selected a few experiences that demonstrate their personal qualities, they sometimes fail to create a “bigger picture” in their personal statement and, consequently, in their entire medical school application. In other words, the experiences described in their essay do not connect or cohere around a central theme.

A personal statement without a theme will come across as unfocused and, most likely, unmemorable. Even if each section of your essay is well-written, if they don’t together add up to highlight something larger, admissions officers will be left without a clear takeaway of who you are and what your goals and motivations are for entering medicine.  

Unique Alternative 8: Connecting the experiences in your essay through a common theme.

A theme will serve as the connective tissue that holds everything in your personal statement together. What’s more, it provides a lens through which adcoms will remember you.  

For example, if your personal statement discusses playing jazz saxophone, volunteering with children at a community garden, and scribing in an emergency room, you might begin by writing about how studying jazz taught you the value of improvisation, a quality you then brought to the fore while volunteering with children and working as an ER scribe. With a central theme of improvisation, your essay will provide a clear takeaway of you as flexible, adaptable, and creative (i.e., the qualities you decided to highlight).

Alternatively, some applicants choose more concrete themes that focus their essays around a central interest. For instance, perhaps your personal statement describes growing up in a rural community without access to adequate primary care, which led you to eventually volunteer with a mobile clinic for agricultural workers and intern in the public health department of your state. You’ll likely be remembered as “the applicant who’s passionate about improving rural health.”   

Just as your personal statement is the foundation of your medical school application, your theme is the foundation of your personal statement. Therefore, it’s important that your personal statement’s theme is reflected throughout your medical school application, including in your Work and Activities section and secondary essays.

Clichéd Approach 9: Moving abruptly from one section of your personal statement to the next.

A theme isn’t the only tool that’s important for connecting the different components of your personal statement; you also want to ensure that you’re using effective transition sentences when moving from one idea to the next.

You can think of theme as the macro glue and transitions as the micro glue that make your personal statement cohere. Without smooth transitions, your personal statement will come across as choppy and your ideas may appear unlinked, making your theme seem illogical or unclear.

Unique Alternative 9: Using effective transitions to smoothly link different experiences and ideas.

There are a number of ways to transition from one experience or idea to the next. Here are a few, along with examples of transitional phrases that can help you build bridges between different parts of your personal statement:

You can show logical consequence or how one event led to another (e.g., “As a result,” “For this reason,” “Therefore”)

You can describe experiences in chronological order (e.g., “Next,” “Since then,” “After”)

You can point out the similarity between two things (e.g., “Similarly,” “Additionally,” “Furthermore”)

You can highlight the contrast between two things (e.g., “Even though,” “Despite,” “However”)

You can give an example (“For instance,” “By doing X,” “When I embarked on Y”)

However (no pun intended!), it isn’t strictly necessary to use transitional phrases or sentences between every section of your personal statement. Sometimes, the logic between ideas will be obvious through simple description, and excessive transitions may get in the way of smoothness and flow.

To learn more, we recommend this resource on transitions from the University of Wisconsin.

When should I aim to have my personal statement finalized by?

We recommend having a final version of your personal statement completed by May 15 of your application year so you can take full advantage of the rolling admissions process. To learn more about writing and submission deadlines, you’re encouraged you to review the ideal medical school application timeline .

Clichéd Approach 10: Writing in a way that can be replicated by other applicants.

Admissions committees are eager to learn about what makes you distinct from your peers, why you want to pursue a career as a physician, and what you will contribute to their school and the larger medical community.

If your personal statement reads like a completely different applicant could have written it, admissions committees will struggle to differentiate you from your competition.

Our earlier example of the applicant who describes her shadowing experience with Felipa does not offer any information specific to her. We do not learn about her physical appearance, town of origin, culture, country of origin, hometown, etc. There simply are not enough details or unique insights that paint a portrait of the applicant.

Unique Alternative 10: Writing a personal statement that could have only been written by you.

At any point while writing the draft of your personal statement, asks yourself whether another applicant could have written it. If the answer is “yes,” you have two options:

You can return to the first few paragraphs of your essay and add distinct details about yourself, such as your town of origin, physical appearance, etc., to help the reader visualize who you are better.

Start over. If you find that it is too difficult to add details about your life story and standout qualities in your original essay, then you may need to start over by including different stories and experiences that show how you are unique.  

Let’s look at how you might revise a clichéd sentence to come across as more unique:

Applicant 1: I developed a passion for helping people by volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

Applicant 2: Growing up in rural Idaho, I had no idea how many people in my community lived in poverty until I started to volunteer at the local soup kitchen.

Whereas any applicant who has volunteered at a soup kitchen could have written the first sentence, only someone who grew up in rural Idaho could have written the second sentence.

As a bonus, the second statement also shows us a realization that the applicant has about her hometown, which suggests that she is thinking critically about her environment.

In your essay, you can include several unique details, including state of origin, country of origin, religion, hobbies, studies and research outside of medicine, creative pursuits, family’s culture, physical appearance, health history, special talents, language abilities, etc. Admissions committees look for candidates that can bring unique insights and different perspectives to their programs.

While certain details can help paint a meaningful portrait of you, it is important to remember that the personal statement is not a work of creative writing.

For example, including details about the color of your shirt and the type of shoe you were wearing may help make the story in your personal statement more vivid, but these details fail to offer insights about your unique qualities or your life experiences. Admissions committees will be interested by your unique traits, not the look of your clothes.

Clichéd Approach 11: Building your personal statement around an inspiring quote

When many students struggle to craft a compelling introduction to their personal statements, they’ll often look to inspiring quotes from famous individuals to use as a framework for the theme of their essay.

These quotes may even have directly inspired the applicant to take action or seemingly relate to the applicant’s personal experience. A good quote can appear like a connecting thread between abstract ideas such as your desire to become a doctor and real-world challenges you face in choosing that path. This is an attractive option since one of the most difficult parts of writing a personal statement is effectively condensing difficult abstract ideas into a memorable narrative.

Using quotes by themselves is not necessarily going to kill your essay, but it’s tricky to use them as scaffolding for the main idea.

Essentially, an inspiring quote risks taking the focus off of you, your qualities, thoughts, and experiences while placing the focus within the sphere of an idea thought by someone else.

Unique Alternative 11: Employing the use of quotes to enhance your point rather than build your point

There’s nothing inherently wrong with using a quote, but it should be used to reinforce your point or theme, rather than being your point itself.

The placement of a quote within your essay is key. Place it near the beginning and it’s a feature of your essay, in the middle and it could signal a turning point, or at the end and it may just wrap things up nicely.

Let’s look at an example using a quote from Charles Kettering.

"No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm." My dad loved to remind me of this Charles Kettering quote whenever I was struggling with a new task or activity. From my difficulties preparing for my piano recital in seventh grade to applying to college, every obstacle seemed like a ship I couldn’t get off of. However, I didn’t understand the depth of its true meaning until volunteering to help addicts in the Kensington neighborhood of my hometown of Philadelphia.

Opening with this quote has set up the entire essay to revolve around the quote’s idea. The reader doesn’t even get to your experience of volunteering (and likely your true entry point into medicine) until the final sentence of the introduction. There’s nothing wrong with the idea the quote conveys, but how the writer is featuring it in their essay is problematic.

Instead, let’s see what happens when the quote is moved to another section of the essay.

My heart swelled as I watched Steven walk in through the door of our therapeutic community grinning from ear to ear and proudly announcing he’d been hired as a dishwasher. I recalled how just three months prior, I daily cleaned the necrotizing fasciitis on his legs caused by his tranq use and participated in counseling sessions with the coaching team. I thought of what our head counselor would often remind him, “No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm,” and I knew I wanted to spend my life helping others through their storms.

At this point, the reader has followed you through your journey in your essay before they encounter the quote. Rather than the quote’s idea of perseverance being the main focus, your encounter with Steven (and the ultimate realization that you want to spend your life helping others persevere and heal) is the focus—encapsulated in the quote itself.

Wherever you decide to place a quote, you want it to be an interesting addition that enhances your qualities and your experience. Ask yourself how the quote is directly relevant to you and your essay and make sure using it adds something meaningful to your writing.

How can I know when my personal statement is ready to submit?

• It highlights your great qualities;
• It clearly describes your path to medicine—or discusses experiences that led you to develop key insights about the field;
• It tells the actual story of your desire to become a physician and not what you believe someone wants to hear;
• It is highly personal and could have only been written by you; and
• It is devoid of spelling or grammatical errors.

By following these instructions on how to avoid clichés, you can write a memorable personal statement that stands out to admissions committees.

Whereas writing a clichéd personal statement will likely cause your application to end up in the rejection pile, crafting an authentic, unique personal statement will help lead you to your white coat ceremony.

About the Author

Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.

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I partly grew up in Bangkok, a city in which there are more shopping malls than there are psychiatrists. I did this math as soon as I found out that my older sister had attempted suicide outside of a shopping mall. The stigmatization of mental illness is still widespread in Thailand and as a result, the hospital and my family treated her case as anything but an attempt on her own life. At the time, I was reading “The Yellow Wall Paper” in school, a story about inadequately treated postpartum depression in the 1890s. I saw parallels, as my sister had begun to look gray after the birth of her daughter. I repeatedly voiced my concerns, but no one listened to me. No one was addressing her health from a broader perspective, and as a result, she was left to fend for her own mental health. She was powerless, and I felt powerless too.

This blindness for mental wellbeing in my society confounded me, so I chose to study it further at UT Austin. When I began working at the Dell Seton Medical Center, however, my idealism about patient-centered care was quickly put to the test when I was regarded with cynicism due to my own identity. One afternoon, a diabetic patient approached me for assistance in applying for food stamps. Although he was visibly in discomfort, he refused the chair I pulled out for him. While we gathered information, he gruffly asked me where I was from. “America,” I answered. Unsatisfied with my answer, he repeated his question eight more times until I caved and answered with my ethnicity. Following this, he grew impatient and kept insisting he could complete the process with another shift. But I knew arranging transport would be difficult and costly. Determined to turn the interaction around, I soldiered on with the application process. I discovered that he had a daughter, and I asked about her interests. He grew animated as he talked lovingly about her, and I completed my work. Commuting home in the dark, I beamed; I was able to build rapport and assist someone who did not initially believe in me.

I strove to supplement my education with parallel experiences in research and volunteer work. In a course about stigma and prejudice, I discovered that minority status was a marker for increased IL-6 inflammation, and that individuals primed with stereotypes about race, sex, or disease suffer greatly, but often invisibly. Walking out of lecture, I planned out how I could implement these findings in my own work. During data collection for a community sleep study, I applied my renewed perspective on the phone with a participant. I sensed exasperation in her voice, so I sincerely thanked her for her time. Suddenly, she began to wail into the phone. As her personal story unraveled, I found out that experiences of racial discrimination had breached every area of her life, including her healthcare—as a result, she felt alienated and left with inadequate treatment. When she expressed thoughts of suicide, I began to panic. But I kept my voice composed, reinforced her resilience, and gained a verbal confirmation that we would speak the next day. The disempowering marginalization she felt mirrored my sister’s situation years ago. But this time, I was equipped with my education.

The more I learned about the social determinants of health, the clearer it became that healthcare was inherently social. This solidified my interest in medicine and motivated me to pursue research in social psychology. As I trained on how to code facial expressions for my honors thesis, I shadowed Dr. Sekhon, a geriatric psychiatrist, at an assisted living facility. One of his patients was an injured former athlete who was having trouble standing. His wife held back tears as he grimaced and repeatedly referred to “passing on.” Dr. Sekhon studied his patients’ face intently, and then, instead of altering medications or suggesting tests, he encouraged his patient to stand for 10 seconds longer each day. There was a shift in the room, and I could measure it by the expressions on their faces. The man’s eyes wrinkled in a genuine smile and his wife’s enthusiastic agreement reflected Dr. Sekhon’s success. The way a physician could read facial expressions to address what the patient did not verbalize was incredibly powerful—I was awestruck.

Inspired by this observation, I wrote my honors thesis on the relationship between power and health outcomes. Experiences of disempowerment and of illness magnify one another, but a doctor can empower someone in their most vulnerable moments by connecting with them. Much like my sister, many patients need clinicians that address both physical and invisible hardships. I am eager to be part of a new generation of healthcare providers with sensitivity to the diverse ways that people communicate distress and wellbeing. One patient at a time, we can shift archaic mindsets deeply rooted in our communities, and ensure that every life we touch receives socially and culturally competent care. For me, studying medicine means being part of something bigger by empowering others—and myself—along the way.

Paragraph 1 Analysis

The applicant begins their essay by immediately (and effectively) putting their unique upbringing in conversation with their family-inspired interest in medicine. Even though they do not say anything directly about an interest in medicine in this paragraph, we can see that the applicant is clearly passionate about doing the right thing, and about helping people in general. We can also see that they are aware of a gap that needs filling and a stigma that needs addressing.

Thoughtful/empathetic/high moral principles - Despite cultural resistance to mental healthcare, the applicant understands the value of protecting one’s mental wellbeing, and that it is an essential aspect of a healthy life. They take the initiative to listen to their sister, to carefully watch for signs of illness, and to advocate for her even in the face of a society pushing against them.

The paragraph is about how much the applicant cares for their sister, and that makes it personal. Even though the sister is a huge part of this paragraph, and even though Bangkok itself almost reads like a character on its own, the applicant’s careful reflections connect all of these outside sources to who they are and what they value.

The geographical, cultural, and familial details make this paragraph unique. Also notice how the applicant is able to discuss their sister’s suicide attempt without it feeling appropriative or self-serving, since they connect the trauma to a larger cultural issue that the applicant wants to address.

Even in the first paragraph, there is depth that will be fleshed out in the rest of the essay: The applicant sees something wrong in their culture, and is determined to fix it. The applicant is also showing an awareness of just how complicated and imperfect the healthcare system can be, demonstrating a perspective that is nuanced, mature, and compelling.

Paragraph 2 Analysis

Notice how the applicant takes the essay in a different direction than we expected after reading the first paragraph. We move from an anecdote about their sister nearly committing suicide to a seemingly unrelated anecdote about a prejudiced patient. The connecting thread between these two stories, of course, is the applicant. Their reflections on and reactions to both situations highlight their character, which is what the personal statement is all about. We also see another take on how it feels to encounter someone’s resistance to your own voice and perspective, just as the applicant encountered resistance in the face of their efforts to advocate for their sister.

Gumptious/perseverant - Most people would have a hard time helping the patient described in the above paragraph. Prejudiced, unkind, and ungrateful, he seems like a nightmare to work with. And yet the applicant shows us that, despite his rude, racist behavior, they remained strong, patient, and helpful, turning the situation into something more positive for both of them. This ability to face adversity and overcome it is a very desirable quality for any physician to possess. It also shows that the applicant knows how to adapt and problem solve in a high stress situation, putting the needs of the patient before their own, albeit justified, frustration.

As always, although the paragraph tells us the story of a particular patient, it is truly about the applicant’s interaction with that patient.

The specificity of this story makes it utterly unique to the applicant. Also, the applicant is demonstrating a nuanced and unique ability to transition between seemingly disparate experiences in paragraph one versus two.

The depth of this paragraph is rooted in the qualities it highlights in the applicant, as outlined above. As such, the strategy here is doubly effective: Not only are we reading an engaging moment of narrative, we’re also gaining some insight into why this was particularly meaningful for the patient.

Paragraph 3 Analysis

The process of personal growth. This essay does a fantastic job of highlighting the applicant’s personal growth through potent anecdotes and life experiences. This allows the applicant to show how they've changed and brings the personal statement to life. Notice how they set this up in the first paragraph when writing about their sister’s mental health. “She was powerless, and I felt powerless, too.” Later, when the applicant speaks to a patient over the phone and realizes the “disempowering marginalization” she felt, they remark, “But this time, I was equipped with my education.” Adcoms realize that the path to an MD doesn’t start and end at clearly defined points. The process of “becoming” a doctor is a road you will travel even after you’ve earned your white coat. Learning will continue as you grow in your career. You may not have a story of discrimination to tell, but we’ve all experienced moments of personal growth. Positively highlighting your growth is a great way to show your resilience and determination to succeed in medicine.

After detouring from the first paragraph’s anecdote to share with us the prejudice they’ve experienced directly, the applicant returns to the story of their sister’s attempted suicide, but this time the story has a comparative function. By juxtaposing the helplessness they felt in regards to their sister with the empowering experience on the phone, we can see that the applicant has not only grown, they’ve also shown real initiative in taking on a societal problem head on.

Determined/collected/resilient - Despite the emotional impact of being reminded of their sister’s near-death, the applicant pushes forward, collecting themselves and utilizing their education to make a real impact.

Empathetic - The applicant is able to stay calm in a high stakes situation because they are unconditionally empathetic towards the caller.

The paragraph is about the applicant’s genuine desire to help other people. We see a real passion in their desire to make an impact in regards to high-stakes issues, which allows us to get to know who they are not only as a potential physician, but as an advocate as well.

The connection to the first paragraph makes this paragraph unique both narratively and structurally.

The depth of this paragraph can be seen in its comparison to the first paragraph. Where the applicant initially felt powerless in the face of suicide, now they have matured and become better equipped to tackle such a high-stakes situation.

Paragraph 4 Analysis

The applicant provides us with three important details in this paragraph: First, that they trained to code facial expressions, second, that they shadowed Dr. Sekhon, and third, that they were inspired by the shadowing experience. Notice how their education immediately comes into play in discussing the expressions on the patients, and how the interest in the depth of facial complexity speaks both to their interest in mental health and their empathy.

Observant - Although an important aspect of your pre-med career, shadowing is sometimes a difficult experience to write about, for obvious reasons. What about the experience is interesting, if you were merely a shadow? How do you personalize work that nearly every applicant is going to have done? This applicant makes themselves stand out by telling the story of Dr. Sekhon and the retired athlete in such detail that they are indirectly showing us how careful and observant they are.

Although the narrative in this paragraph is entirely focused on other people, the thematic core belongs to the applicant, because the paragraph is about their observation of and reaction to this incident, more so than the incident itself.

The details of this office visit, combined with the hard skills the applicant is displaying and the awareness of a physician whose values they will want to embrace in their own way, make this paragraph unique.

This paragraph has depth in an indirect sense—the way the applicant was inspired is the most important point that the writing gets across.

Paragraph 5 Analysis

To conclude their essay, the applicant employs a tried and true formula: connecting the introduction to the conclusion. By reintroducing their sister into the narrative, we as readers come full circle. We remember where the applicant began, what influenced them, and how they have evolved over the course of their life, an evolution mirrored in the way the essay itself has developed.

Ambitious - This applicant has big dreams. They want to make an authentic change in the healthcare system, and since we’ve seen them mature throughout the essay, we believe that they’re capable of enacting such changes. Since they outlined this desire to make change from the very beginning, we also get a sense of how enduring and consistent it truly is, furthering our respect for the applicant’s goals.

Humble/social - Despite their ambition, the applicant is clearly aware that in order to make a real change, they will have to team up with others.

This concluding paragraph is quite clearly all about the applicant—their goals, ambitions, and values.

Although some of the sentences are broad, the paragraph remains unique due to the references to the sister, as well as the details about the applicant’s honors thesis. Connecting broad goals with specific details helps this conclusion feel more concrete, and less generalized and abstract.

The depth here is in what the applicant tells us directly, speaking to their desire as reiterated throughout the essay: “We can shift archaic mindsets deeply rooted in our communities, and ensure that every life we touch receives socially and culturally competent care.”

King's College London

Genomic medicine msc, pgdip, pg cert.

Of all the life sciences, genomics is one of the most dynamic areas. The past 20 years have seen an explosion in our ability to explore the structure, function and evolution of the human genome, with mapping and editing of gene variants now possible due to technological advances, including next-generation sequencing. In seeking to identify how alterations to our genomes directly affect disease and health, genomics is also leading a revolution in healthcare by giving a better understanding of how drugs affect people differently and thus allowing for focused, effective, treatment or ‘personalised medicine’. Under the umbrella term of genomic medicine, there are many different areas that are covered. We look at the transcriptome – the total set of RNA molecules which represents the genes active in a given organism or particular cell type at a given point in time. Changes to the transcriptome can both reflect and cause diseases such as cancer. We also consider the ‘epigenome’, heritable chemical modifications to DNA and DNA-associated proteins in the cell, which alter gene expression as a result of natural development and tissue differentiation or in response to disease or environmental exposures. In both instances, we seek to identify how these changes directly affect disease and ill health. You will learn how recent technological advances have transformed how genomic data is generated, analysed and presented; how bioinformatics is enabling us to handle and make sense of big data and its impact across healthcare. In doing so, you will consider its relevance to a range of clinical scenarios, such as the spread of specific infections across hospitals, the COVID-19 pandemic, and identification of biomarkers of response to targeted therapies. This master’s degree, awarded by St George’s University of London, is taught in partnership with King’s College London. You will benefit from the combined teaching and research expertise, and the comprehensive and specialist resources provided by these two institutions, as both specialist health universities, and two of the UK’s top research universities. Studying genomic medicine can help inform day-to-day medical or clinical practice, giving you a better understanding of what causes illness and the effects of disease, which is of interest to a wide range of health professionals. You can choose to study either single modules, a PgCert, a PgDip or the full MSc, which can lead to a range of careers, including in the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry and bioinformatics, or provide preparation for a PhD.

Key benefits

• Taught jointly by St George’s and King’s; institutions with world-class research, clinical and teaching expertise across the full spectrum of genomic medicine
• Specialist optional taught modules in cardiovascular genetics and genomics, advanced bioinformatics and counselling skills reflect institutional expertise
• If you work in the NHS, our modules are available with or without assessment fully funded by HEE (subject to available commissions).
• You will have the opportunity to experience working within an internationally recognised research group when you do your research project.
• Both institutions are NHS preferred providers and co-located with leading teaching hospitals.
• Both have participated in the Genomics England 100,000 Genomes Project to sequence 100,000 whole genomes from around 85,000 NHS patients with rare diseases or cancer, now using expertise to understand critical illness in Covid-19.
• You will be surrounded by like-minded individuals which helps to build your multidisciplinary understanding and context.
• Course essentials
• Entry requirements
• Teaching & structure

Employability

This course is designed for students and healthcare professionals who wish to acquire training in genomic technologies and their interpretation within a medical context. Genomics is an area of rapid change, with a particular skills shortage in the area of bioinformatics, an area you can specialise in through this programme.

An MSc in Genomic Medicine will provide career opportunities for a range of professions, from laboratory-based researchers to diagnostic and healthcare professionals. Our graduates have gone on to work in clinical diagnostics, clinical trials, scientist training programme, bioinformatics, laboratory research assistant, and have continued on to study postgraduate medicine and PhDs.

• Bioinformatics
• Clinical diagnostics
• Clinical trials
• Genomic counselling
• Graduate entry medicine
• NHS research
• NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP)
• Pharmaceutical company
• Teaching/training.
• Fees & Funding

Application closing date guidance

To apply for this course and for further information, please visit the St George's webpage

• How to apply
• Register your interest
• Chat to a student
• Order a prospectus

Related departments

• Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
• School of Basic & Medical Biosciences
• Teaching Department of Genetics

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Genomic Medicine

Entry criteria, course structure, teaching and learning.

• Facilities and student support

Fees and funding

One year full-time, two years part-time

Overseas fee payers: 1 July | Home fee payers: 19 August (Module deadlines vary)

St George's, University of London and King's College London

9 September 2024

About this course

Genomic medicine is a rapidly evolving discipline that is already making an impact in the fields of oncology, pharmacology, cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, infectious disease and biomedical research. The science behind improvements to patients’ clinical care and health outcomes is supporting the development of personalised or precision medicine, ultimately saving lives.

This Master’s degree follows a curriculum designed by NHS England and is taught in partnership with King’s College London, giving you access to experts with different specialisms in, for example, bioinformatics and cardiovascular genomics. Both institutions are part of the South East Genomic Laboratory Hub, one of the largest providers of genomic testing in the UK and a national centre for specialist testing for cardiology, gastro-hepatology, haematology, neurology, respiratory and skin conditions.

As well as the MSc, the course is structured flexibly to provide options for PgCert and PgDip awards, which can be tailored to your career or interest. Since genomic medicine is becoming part of clinical practice, if you are an existing healthcare professional looking to upskill, you can also study on a modular basis towards your Continuous Personal and Professional Development (CPPD).

Funding update: If you work for the NHS then you may be eligible for funding from NHS England for up to four taught modules for 2023/24 and 2024/25. If you are interested in applying for NHSE funding, please liaise with our Course Admissions Tutor Dr Kate Everett-Korn before applying to the university. Visit the Genomics Education Programme website for more information.

New modules: From 2024/25 the Genomic Medicine MSc will offer two new optional and unique modules on Fetal Genomics and Genomics of Neurological Disorders. Visit the course structure tab for more information.  

Course overview

Of all the life sciences, genomics is one of the most dynamic areas. The past 20 years have seen an explosion in our ability to explore the structure, function and evolution of the human genome, with mapping and editing of gene variants now possible due to technological advances, including next-generation sequencing.

In seeking to identify how alterations to our genomes directly affect disease and health, genomics is also leading a revolution in healthcare by giving a better understanding of how drugs affect people differently and thus allowing for focused, effective, treatment or ‘personalised medicine’.

Under the umbrella term of genomic medicine, there are many different areas that are covered. We look at the transcriptome – the total set of RNA molecules which represents the genes active in a given organism or particular cell type at a given point in time. Changes to the transcriptome can both reflect and cause diseases such as cancer.

We also consider the ‘epigenome’, heritable chemical modifications to DNA and DNA-associated proteins in the cell, which alter gene expression as a result of natural development and tissue differentiation or in response to disease or environmental exposures. In both instances, we seek to identify how these changes directly affect disease and ill health.

You will learn how recent technological advances have transformed how genomic data is generated, analyzed and presented; how bioinformatics is enabling us to handle and make sense of big data and its impact across healthcare. In doing so, you will consider its relevance to a range of clinical scenarios, such as the spread of specific infections across hospitals, the Covid-19 pandemic, and identification of biomarkers of response to targeted therapies.

This master’s degree, awarded by St George’s, University of London, is taught in partnership with King’s College London. You will benefit from the combined teaching and research expertise, and the comprehensive and specialist resources provided by these two institutions, as both specialist health universities, and two of the UK’s top research universities.

Studying genomic medicine can help inform day-to-day medical or clinical practice, giving you a better understanding of what causes illness and the effects of disease, which is of interest to a wide range of health professionals. You can choose to study either single modules, a PgCert, a PgDip or the full MSc, which can lead to a range of careers, including in the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry and bioinformatics, or provide preparation for a PhD.

Course highlights

• Taught jointly by St George’s and King’s; institutions with world-class research, clinical and teaching expertise across the full spectrum of genomic medicine.
• Specialist optional taught modules in cardiovascular genetics and genomics, genomics of neurological disorders, advanced bioinformatics and counselling skills reflect institutional expertise.
• If you work in the NHS, our modules are available with or without assessment fully funded by NHSE (subject to available commissions).
• You will have the opportunity to experience working within an internationally recognised research group when you do your research project.
• Both institutions are NHS preferred providers and co-located with leading teaching hospitals.
• Both have participated in the Genomics England 100,000 Genomes Project to sequence 100,000 whole genomes from around 85,000 NHS patients with rare diseases or cancer, now using expertise to understand critical illness in Covid-19.
• Established in 1752, St George’s, University of London is the UK’s specialist health university, and we are the only UK university to share our campus with a major teaching hospital, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is both on the clinical frontline for a diverse local community and a centre of excellence for specialist conditions.
• You will be surrounded by like-minded individuals which helps to build your multidisciplinary understanding and context.

Want to know more?

Find out more about postgraduate study at St George’s, University of London by registering for our introductory email series.

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“If you have a passion for genomics, this course is for you. It is extremely flexible and suits people of all professions, from doctors to pharmacists to newly graduated students looking to further their education.”

- Nicholas Bianchini

Genomic Medicine MSc student

“I found there to be options for people with all types of interests to discover new methods, techniques, and fields of genomic medicine; and enrich those they already had.”

- Eleanor Tobelem

Genomic Medicine MSc alumna

To be considered for this course, you will need to:

• meet the entry criteria
• write a personal statement
• provide two suitable references

Undergraduate degree or equivalent

You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2) in a relevant bioscience degree with sufficient genetics content. For healthcare graduates, a pass is required. All degrees must be awarded before 1 August on the year of entry.

We may invite you to interview if are unable to make a decision directly from your application.

Alternative professional qualifications, or previous related experience, may be considered and we encourage you to apply.

Intercalating students

Applicants who do not have an undergraduate degree but are current medical students who have successfully completed 360 credits (or equivalent) including at least 120 credits at Level 6 (or equivalent) of their medical degree are also eligible to apply.

International qualifications

We accept equivalent qualifications gained in other countries and use to UKNARIC to assess. Please see our International Student Support pages for more information.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at [email protected]

English Language

This is a Group 1 course.

Full details can be found on our English Language requirements webpages .

Personal statement and references

You will be asked to outline your reasons for applying for the course in a brief personal statement on the application form. You will also need to provide two satisfactory references.

Go to the ‘Apply’ tab for more information.

Join the Frontiers in Human Health summer school

The Frontiers in Human Health summer school offers you the opportunity to explore past, present and future approaches to tackling some of the world’s major health challenges.

The MSc is designed to provide a solid introduction to the key areas of genomics, human genetics and genetic variation, including an understanding of disease genetics and how genomic medicine can illuminate disease mechanisms and biology. You will examine the range of ‘omic’ technologies: their interpretation and application in key areas of healthcare such as cancer, rare inherited diseases and infectious diseases, as well as research.

With the development of bioinformatics now playing such a crucial role, you will gain sufficient knowledge and understanding required to critically interpret existing genomic research and develop the skills to collect, analyse and interpret data using a range of statistical and bioinformatics techniques.

As a key part of the MSc course, you will get the opportunity to develop research skills by conducting a 60 credit laboratory/computer/counselling research project or a 30 credit literature review. Many of our part-time students choose a project which can be incorporated within their work, such as genetic analysis of particular patient samples. Others have studied diverse topics such as neurological genetic disease or patients with tuberculosis. One recent student conducted a project on how genomic education could be incorporated into and benefit midwife training.

MSc Genomic Medicine has been structured to provide options to study for PgCert and PgDip awards, as well as the MSc. At PgDip level, we offer two study routes (Option 1 and 2), which enable you to focus on different diseases. At PgCert level, we offer three different pathways:

• Genomic Medicine (Standard): The majority of PgCert students follow this pathway as it includes the core elements of the MSc programme.
• Genomic Medicine (Medical): If you already have significant knowledge of genomics, this pathway allows you to opt out of the Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics module.
• Genomic Medicine (Bioinformatics): This pathway is ideal for those with an interest in big data and data handling.

Our wide range of specialist modules can also be studied individually as part of Continuous Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). If you work in the NHS our modules are available with or without assessment, fully funded by NHSE as part of your ‘workforce development’ (subject to available commissions). In recent years, a broad range of health professionals have chosen to study with us, including GPs, surgeons, consultants, research nurses, genetic technologists, pharmacists and biomedical scientists.

Watch the Genomic Medicine MSc webinar from our virtual postgraduate event.

Course start date

The course will start with enrolment and induction activities on 9 - 10 September 2024. Topics covered will include the virtual learning platform, library and careers service as well as course specific sessions. There will also be keynote speakers and a social event where students from a variety of postgraduate taught courses can get to know each other.

Genomic Medicine MSc example timetables

• 2023/24 timetable (PDF)
• 2024/25 timetable (PDF)

Modules required

The modules required for each award are detailed below:

MSc (180 credits, 8 - 10 modules plus research project)

Compulsory modules:

• Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis (15 credits)
• Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics (15 credits)
• Omics Techniques and Technologies; Their Application to Genomic Medicine (15 credits)
• Research Project (60 credits or 30 credits)

Plus at least three  from:

• Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease (15 credits)
• Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases (15 credits)
• Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment (15 credits)
• Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare (15 credits)

Plus between one and four from:

• Advanced Bioinformatics (15 credits)
• Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics (15 credits)
• Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics (15 credits)
• Fetal Genomics (15 credits)
• Genomics of Neurological Disorders (15 credits)
• Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics (15 credits)

PgDip (120 credits, 8 modules)

This award can be tailored to suit your career goals and interests.

If you would like to discuss the module options available, please contact the Course Director Dr Kate Everett-Korn for more information. 

• Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis 
• Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics 
• Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment
• Omics Techniques and Technologies; Their Application to Genomic Medicine 
• Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare

Plus 3 from:

• Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease
• Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics
• Fetal Genomics
• Ethical, Legal and Social Perspectives on Genomics or An Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics
• Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Disease
• Genomics of Neurological Disorders
• Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis
• Ethical, Legal and Social Perspectives on Genomics or Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics or An Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics
• Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics
• Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases 
• Omics Techniques and Technologies; Their Application to Genomic Medicine
• Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare or Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment 
• Plus any one other module (not excluding those already listed)

PgCert - Standard Pathway (60 credits, 4 modules)

Plus two from:

• Advanced Bioinformatics
• An Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics or Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in Applied Genomics
• Genomics of Neurogoloical Disorders

Note that students must have completed the Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis module before starting the Advance Bioinformatics module. 

PgCert - Medical Pathway (60 credits, 4 modules)

Compulsory module:

• Omics Techniques and Technologies

Plus  one from:

• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Pathology of Cancer
• Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare.
• An introduction to counselling skills in genomics or  Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in Applied Genomics
• Application of Genomics to Infectious Disease

PgCert - Bioinformatics Pathway (60 credits, 4 modules)

• Genomics of Common and Rare Disease

Module information

The institution module leads have been indicated alongside each module below:

• St George's, University of London - SGUL
• King's College London - KCL

Advanced Bioinformatics* (15 credits) - KCL

This module builds upon and extends the module “Bioinformatics, interpretation and data quality assurance in genome analysis ” and further explores state of the art bioinformatics pipelines for genetic data in a clinical context, suitable for studying genetic variants underlying Mendelian diseases, cancer genetics, and RNA expression data using Galaxy, and also introduces the student to basic Bioinformatic data skills using the command line, R/RStudio and Bioconductor. The student will learn about the landscape of tools for read mapping and variant calling and how they are suitable for different types of genetic data and analysis. Lectures will be combined with hands on computer workshops/tutorials, where students can practice designing their own bioinformatics pipelines in the Galaxy environment. They will work with real gene expression, rare disease and cancer genomics datasets. The course will also provide a primer for working with large genetic datasets using command line tools, scripting bioinformatics pipelines and using R/RStudio and Bioconductor to analyses and explore and visualise NGS and other ‘Omics data.

*Students aiming to do the Advanced Bioinformatics module will have to complete the Bioinformatics module first. No prior knowledge in programming is required for either module. You will learn R-coding in the Advanced Bioinformatics module and, although you might find it challenging at first, your module leads will provide you with plenty of support and guidance.

Students doing the Advanced Bioinformatics module will need to download free VPN software and set up a VPN connection to be able to access our cloud computing facilities in advance. You can find a guide about how to do this on macOS, Linux or Microsoft Windows and the VPN configuration file .

Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease (15 credits) - SGUL

The teaching sessions of this module will cover the basics of pathogen genome biology, methods for whole genome sequencing (WGS) applied to pathogens and bioinformatic analysis of pathogen genomes. Numerous examples will demonstrate the relevance of infectious disease genomics to key topics such as antimicrobial resistance, diagnostics, vaccine design, disease surveillance, host susceptibility to infection, public health epidemiology and clinical management of patients.

The application of WGS and implications of pathogen genomics from a perspective of healthcare pathways and public health for its future impact will be the key focus for your study. The sessions will be interspersed with a series of case studies and research papers for self-directed study, taken from a limited reading list comprising exemplar organisms from the recent literature. The sessions explore and present multiple examples of pathogens and genomics: TB drug therapy; Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli outbreaks; Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA; STI diagnostics and resistance; HIV, influenza and the COVID-19 pandemic; pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccine design and surveillance.

Together the sessions, self-directed learning and associated resources form the defined knowledge base for the module. The literature and other reading materials provide the students with the basis for extended self-study and as a foundation for the module’s summative assessments.

Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis* (15 credits) - KCL

The module will cover the fundamental principles of informatics and the impact of bioinformatics on clinical genomics. Students will be expected to be able to find and use major genomic and genetic data resources; use software packages and analysis tools for big data and undertake literature searches to critically assess, annotate and interpret findings from sequence data and genetic variants. Theoretical sessions will be coupled with practical exercises involving the analysis and annotation of predefined data sets.

This module will equip the student with the essential skills to analyse genomic data, applying professional best practice guidelines. Upon completion of this module students will be able to understand how bioinformatics is used to analyse, interpret and report genomic data in a clinical context. Students will also be equipped to utilise the 100,000 Genomes Project data set if relevant for their research project.

*No prior knowledge in programming is required for this module

Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics (15 credits) - SGUL

This module explores the burden of cardiovascular disease and the underlying contribution of genetics to these diseases. Students will receive refresher sessions focused on cardiac function as well as being introduced to the key diagnostic tools used in cardiology. They will learn about the major arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies which can lead to premature and sudden death. By studying genetic causes of lipid disorders students will understand the impact of rare and common genetic variants on the risk of coronary heart disease. The contribution of "big data" and the development of gene panel tests will be discussed to demonstrate some of the benefits that genomic medicine can offer to this group of diseases. Students will hear about the role and challenges of genetic counselling in inherited cardiac conditions.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics (15 credits) - SGUL

Students will be provided with a platform of ethical understanding from which to consider issues of confidentiality, privacy and disclosure, autonomy, welfare, informed consent and justice. Upon this platform, students will consider the impact of genomic technologies on individual lives and public discourse. The social implications of the availability of genetic testing and screening will be considered, especially in the context of reproductive technologies. Finally, students will be provided with a discussion of legal issues surrounding the use of genetic information as well as the use of genetic data for research, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Fetal Genomics: Decoding the Blueprint of Human Development (15 credits) - KCL

There have been rapid advancements in genomics technologies and their increasing application in prenatal medicine. In today's modern age, where litigation rates in obstetrics and fetal medicine are increasingly high, the need for accurate diagnosis, interpretation, and transparent communication of genomic results has never been more pressing. This climate demands practitioners are adept in employing the latest technologies and conveying complex genetic information clearly and compassionately to patients.

The fetal genomics module aims to bridge this critical gap, providing the necessary training and insights to support precise diagnostics, risk assessments, and patient-centric communication, thereby reducing the potential for legal complications and enhancing trust within the patient-provider relationship. This module ensures that students are proficient with the latest techniques and are attuned to the societal, legal, and ethical aspects of prenatal genetic testing. The module reflects the need for a multidisciplinary approach in genomics medicine, paving the way for more informed decisions and personalised care in maternal and child health.

Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics (15 credits) - SGUL

This module will cover the structure and variations in the human genomics, including fundamental principles of genetics and genomics. Students undertaking this module will review the architecture of the human genome and the functional units embedded in it. Students will also cover aspects of gene regulation and chromatin structure and consider the importance of the epigenome in these processes. In addition, this module will cover DNA sequence variation and structural variation; how this sort of variation is normal but that sometimes it can be associated with disease. Classic chromosomal abnormalities will be described and the mechanisms that lead to them explained. Students will learn about monogenic and multifactorial genetic disorders and how gene mapping and sequencing can be used to identify causal and contributory variants. In essence, this module covers what the genome is, what abnormalities can arise and how they arise, as well as how they can be detected.

Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases (15 credits) - SGUL

This module uses exemplars of both common and rare diseases from across the entire healthcare spectrum to demonstrate the clinical utility of genomic data in the healthcare setting.

The module examples give an insight into how advances in genomic technologies and integration of genomic data into clinical pathways are impacting on the management of patients from the prenatal setting, through paediatrics and into adult medicine and cancer.

The module will explore the clinical presentation and genetic architecture of disease, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of genomic data for a myriad of common and rare inherited conditions using expertise from across SGH/GSTT/SGUL/KCL. We will explore traditional and current approaches used to identify genetic predisposition to common and rare inherited diseases, focusing on the latter, within the context of clinical diagnostics.

We will learn how to select patients with unmet diagnostic needs that will benefit from exome or whole genome sequencing, and some of the complexities involved in the interpretation of genomic data in the clinical context. We will also discuss the Genomics England, genomics medicine services and data infrastructure.

Genomics of Neurological Disorders (15 credits) - SGUL

This module explores the contribution of genomics to neurological disorders. Students will receive refresher sessions focussed on neuroanatomy and the development of the neurological system followed by an introduction to the key diagnostic tools used in neurology. They will learn about the major neurological disorder categories which have a high genetic contribution. The module will explore the value of the multidisciplinary team in phenotyping, interpretation of results, management and family communication.

Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics (15 credits) - SGUL

This module will provide students with an introduction to general communication skills and specific counselling skills used in genomic medicine. Students undertaking this module will be taught how to communicate and provide appropriate support to individuals and their families. Development of counselling skills will be achieved via theoretical and practical sessions through the use of role play within an academic setting. Students will understand the importance of a family history and communication of pathogenic and/or uncertain results.

Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment (15 credits) - KCL

The module will guide the students from a basic introduction in cancer biology, to comparing molecular and pathological information applied in the diagnosis, classification, treatment of cancer. We will look at immuno-oncology, early detection, and predisposition of cancer, and the use of molecular data and diagnostics in clinical trials. In addition, we will introduce basic machine learning methodologies and different molecular technologies of tumour tissue in the context of target identification, and biomarker development to capture their clinical relevance.

Omics Techniques and Technologies; Their Application to Genomic Medicine (15 credits) - KCL

This module explores current genomics techniques used for DNA sequencing (e.g. targeted approaches, whole exome and whole genome sequencing) and RNA sequencing, using highly parallel methodologies, together with current technologies routinely used to investigate genomic variation in the clinical setting. This module will introduce the bioinformatics approaches required for the analysis of genomic data. The module will also cover the use of array-based methodologies and RNA sequencing in estimating levels of protein expression, micro RNAs and long non–coding RNAs. An introduction to metabolomics and proteomics, which are important for the functional interpretation of genomic data and discovery of disease biomarkers will also be included. Students will also learn about the strategies employed to evaluate pathogenicity of variants for clinical reporting.

Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare (15 credits) - KCL

The module will provide an overview of the techniques and analytical strategies used in pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics and explore some of the challenges and limitations in this field. Moreover, the module will use examples of known, validated pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomic tests, relevant to the use of drug treatments.

Research Project (30 credit option)

This is an ideal option for students taking the MSc part-time and working at the same time.

Students will be undertaking original research and writing it up in the style of a journal review. They will need to use language, style and formatting of the scientific literature that they have read when it comes to writing up.

The project can be carried out in any appropriate research university or hospital department or industry environment with joint supervision, i.e., supervisors from both the hosting department and the course.

Research Project (60 credit option)

Students will use both the theoretical knowledge they will acquire throughout the taught part of the course and the analytical skills they will develop in order to tackle a research question by themselves. Undertaking of the research project will involve formulating the question, acquiring and analysing the data and finally presenting and discussing the results. The project can be carried out in the hosting NHS laboratory, research department and industry under joint supervision i.e. tutors from both the hosting department and the programme. Research projects should be presented in the format of a paper for publication (additional figures and tables can be presented as supplementary material).

Teaching will be delivered at both St George’s and King’s College London. Teaching methods combine a mixture of lectures, to provide key theory and concepts, and interactive tutorials and workshops, allowing you to apply your new knowledge and skills.

Unlike traditional degree programmes in which you might expect to attend teaching sessions most days of the week for the duration of each semester, teaching occurs in blocks of five consecutive working days for each module (see module dates). You are expected to attend all teaching sessions on those days and you should expect the timetable to run from 9am to 5pm each day.

Three Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have been designed to support student learning outside of this face-to-face teaching time. One of these, The Genomics Era: the Future of Genetics in Medicine , usually runs in July to August and is expected as pre-course learning for all students, including those doing CPPD and PGCert. You will need to use your time between teaching blocks to embed your knowledge through recommended reading and to prepare assignments.

St George’s adopts a patient-centred approach to its education. The optional ‘ An Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics’ module supports the development of appropriate attitudes and behaviours towards the diagnosis and management of patients whose care will be influenced by genomic investigations. As such, where possible, we will invite representatives from patient groups or someone who has actually been through a genetic process to share their own experience and what it meant to them.

Our expertise

One of the things students tell us they like most about the course is the passion, knowledge and experience of our lecturers. You’ll be taught by clinicians actively involved in the 100,000 Genomes Project and scientific experts in drug discovery, direct-to-consumer genomic testing and the genomics of Covid-19. Previous guest speakers have included the Head of the south-west Thames Pathology Service and the Head of Genome Analysis and Genomics England.

For over two centuries, St George’s has been at the forefront of developing new and innovative solutions to enhance the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease with a global reputation as experts in genomics, population health, infection and immunity, and molecular and clinical sciences. We enjoy a close relationship with the hospital as exemplified by the recent establishment of the Genomics Clinical Academic Group – a cross-institutional group comprised of scientists, clinicians, nurses and bioinformaticians all working together in both research and education.

Recently, clinicians and researchers from across the University and Hospital have been leading urgent public health studies and trials into Covid-19 and testing different treatments as part of the national recovery trial. St George’s is also leading on studies to develop rapid antibody tests for the disease and understand whether pregnant mothers can pass coronavirus on to their babies in the womb.

Assessment methods

Progress throughout the course will be assessed through a variety of methods, including single best answer questions, short answer questions, multidisciplinary group discussion, essays and oral presentations. As this is a modular course, there is no final exam. Instead, each module has two online assessments which must be passed for academic credit (15 credits per taught module).

This course is designed for students and healthcare professionals who wish to acquire training in genomic technologies and their interpretation within a medical context. Genomics is an area of rapid change, with a particular skills shortage in the area of bioinformatics, an area you can specialise in through this programme.

An MSc in Genomic Medicine will provide career opportunities for a range of professions, from laboratory-based researchers to diagnostic and healthcare professionals. Our graduates have gone on to work in clinical diagnostics, clinical trials, scientist training programme, bioinformatics, laboratory research assistant, and have continued on to study postgraduate medicine and PhDs.

Example career routes:

• Clinical diagnostics
• Clinical trials
• Genomic counselling
• Graduate entry medicine
• Research in academia, industry or hospital (e.g. as a research assistant, scientific officer, clinical research associate, etc.)
• NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP)
• Pharmaceutical company
• Teaching/training
• Further postgraduate studies

Careers support for new graduates

Graduates from St George’s have access to support from the careers service for two years after graduation.

“I learned laboratory skills, basic bioinformatics, genetic counselling, and ethical reasoning skills; all of which helped boost my profile in medical genetics and made me more confident in applying to PhD positions and to the STP in genomics by the NHS.”

PhD candidate at University of Aberdeen

“I really enjoyed my time studying at St George's and I could not recommend it enough. The MSc prepared me very well for my role as a neurogenetics clinical nurse specialist. The clinicians, teachers and researchers have been a source of inspiration to pursue genomic medicine.”

- Mark Mencias

Neurogenetics Clinical Nurse Specialist at St George's Hospital

“The course stands out to me because of the curriculum and the structure. It gave me a holistic experience of studying different aspects of biology and disease vertices. The research project component helped me develop skills that were necessary to apply for relevant roles in reputed companies and scientific institutes.”

Scientific data associate at Abcam PLC, Cambridge

Everything you need for success in the health and life sciences profession is here – from opportunities to learn from professionals working on the clinical frontline to cutting-edge laboratory facilities and bio-imaging technology.

We’re the UK’s only university dedicated to medical and health sciences education, training and research. We share our site with a major London teaching hospital. This means you’ll become part of a unique clinical and academic research community, mixing with the many different healthcare professionals you will go on to work alongside throughout your career.

Laboratories

Our teaching laboratories at St George's and King's are fully fitted with equipment for biological, chemistry, biomedical, molecular biology and pharmacy practicals. This includes:

• Microscopes
• Spectrophotometers
• DNA amplifiers
• Organ baths
• Specialist glassware

We’ve installed audio-visual equipment so microscope images can be projected onto large screens. You’ll also be able to use our tissue culture facilities, flow cytometry, pathogen containment facilities.

Image Resource Facility (IRF)

The IRF is designed for Light Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, and sample preparation. Here you can image histology samples, cells and molecules of all varieties, and model organisms such as zebrafish using any of the light microscope, slide scanning, or electron microscope systems.

Pathology museum

Our on-site  Museum of Human Diseases  houses a collection of over 2,000 pathological specimens, including those donated by Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie in 1843. This space is used for small group tutorials exploring the mechanisms of disease.

Anatomy Suite

The  Anatomy Suite  is where present and future healthcare professionals and scientists in the hospital and University learn or expand on their anatomy knowledge directly from the human body.

We give students access to high-quality anatomy resources including:

• Plastinated (preserved) specimens
• Osteological materials
• Anatomical models
• Digital/imaging resources (such as Anatomage tables and Complete Anatomy)

Library and learning technology

Our library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You’ll find silent, quiet and group learning spaces, as well as group discussion rooms.

We have a wide range of books, e-books, academic journals and other resources. You’ll also have access to online resources, such as the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment and our Hunter discovery service.

Need accessibility equipment? The library also loans noise-cancelling headphones, laptop stands, coloured overlays, desktop whiteboards, and more.

IT facilities

We have an extensive range of IT facilities, including:

• 260 workstations in five computer suites, three of which are open 24 hours a day
• 75 self-service laptops available
• Free Wi-Fi covering the whole campus, including our halls of residence accommodation.

You can use these resources to access your course materials, discussion boards and feedback through Canvas.

Looking for a free space? Simply use our handy real-time computer locator.

State-of-the-art facilities

Based in a major teaching hospital, our students are immersed in a professional clinical and research environment from day one. Read more about our state-of-the-art facilities.

Student support

From day one, you’ll become part of a community of staff and students of different ages, ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds. everyone you meet will have one thing in common – a passion for healthcare, science and medicine..

Whether you’re an existing healthcare professional, returning to education after a break or joining us after graduating from an undergraduate degree, we want to help you make the most of your time here. To do this, we offer a full range of academic support and student services.

Careers service

We offer 1:1 career guidance to undergraduate and postgraduate students at every stage of your professional development, from the start of your course through to graduation and beyond. As a student, you’ll also benefit from career development activities that are specifically tailored to your course.

What we offer:

• Career guidance: We offer 30-minute 1:1 careers guidance sessions to support you in your career planning, build your confidence, and help you identify next steps on your career journey.
• CV and application advice: We can review your applications with you, support you in presenting yourself to potential employers, tailor your applications to a particular role and help you stand out from your competition.
• Practice interviews: Work on the content, structure, and delivery of your answers, whether that’s motivation questions, competency questions, role-specific questions or Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
• Interactive workshops: Our career education workshops are tailored and delivered within courses. Topics may include understanding the graduate job market, learning through reflection on career decision-making, making successful applications and making an impact at interviews.
• Careers fairs: These are opportunities to explore career paths in different areas and specialities, meet with employers, and have valuable conversations to inform your career thinking.
• Online support: We offer specific information tailored to each course, plus general careers support and resources relevant to whatever your career choices and direction via our Canvas Virtual Learning Environment.

Cost of Living

We know that this may be a worrying time for our students and their families. Our Cost of Living Hub contains the latest information to our community affected by the rising cost of living. We provide students with various financial support, budgeting advice as well as employability options.

Disability support

If you require reasonable adjustments or disability services, you can find information on our disability information for students pages. For any further information please contact the disability adviser .

The Graduate School

Our Graduate School brings together postgraduate students from different disciplines, allowing you to support and learn from each other while expanding your professional networks.

The Graduate School works closely with our research institutes and provides opportunities for personal and professional development. You’ll also have access to a postgraduate common room where postgraduate students and early career researchers can study and socialise.

Induction programme

Our induction sets you up for your studies and helps you feel part of the University. As well as course-specific activities, we run an online ‘ Get Started ’ module which provides information about:

• Social and enrichment activities
• Student safety
• Wellbeing and learning support
• Study skills
• Our library facilities
• Careers and employability services

International student support

Our International Students Support service is part of the Student Life Centre and provides information on visas, settlement schemes, enrolment and more. To find out more, visit our EU and international support pages.

If you’re an international student, get in touch with the team as soon as you accept your offer via [email protected] .

Mental health support

St George’s has a confidential, free and impartial counselling service available to all students. You can also access services through our Student Life Centre and our online resources. This includes links to NHS resources, apps, podcasts and websites dedicated to mental health and wellbeing.

Personal academic tutor

When you start your course, we’ll allocate you a personal tutor. This is a member of the academic team who you’ll see regularly to monitor your progress and pick up any problems, both academic and personal. Even if they don’t have the answer, they’ll point you in the right direction towards the support you need.

Student Ambassador Scheme

Our Student Ambassadors support student recruitment events, widening participation activities such as Science Stars and schemes such as Unibuddy Reps. Our Student Ambassadors also help with one-off or less regular events and creating student generated content like blogs and videos.

Student Life Centre

Our Student Life Centre team can help you with every aspect of student life including:

• Accommodation
• Exams and assessment
• Academic procedures
• International queries
• Disability and wellbeing
• Confidential counselling service

Your personal tutor can also signpost you to relevant support.

Students’ Union

St George's Students' Union (SU) is an independent organisation run by students for students. The SU runs a wide range of events and is home to the SU Bar and Shop, music room, dance studios and meeting rooms. The team also provides welfare support for all students, with an open-door policy.

Want to join a sports team? Eager to try something new? We encourage you to take part in the wide range of sports, social and cultural activities and events on offer. From fencing to hockey, yoga to hiking, we have over 100 clubs and societies so you can be sure to find something that will interest you.

Our popular ‘Mums and Dads’ buddy scheme is organised by the Students’ Union. Every first year has the choice of being assigned a ‘parent’ from the year above in their respective course. The returning student acts as a go to for advice about courses and university life.

Students with children

Juggling study and parenthood can be difficult, particularly if you’re taking a demanding medical or healthcare degree. Our Student Parents and Carers Empowered (SPACE) society is a group run by studying parents that meets monthly to support each other and discuss how to balance family life with studying. For more information, email the SPACE society .

We’re here to help you develop the academic skills you need to succeed and make the most of our library collections.

• Sessions and tutorials on literature searches, keyword searches and using databases
• Training materials for academic planning, reading and writing to develop key transferable skills
• 1:1 meetings for a tailored approach to your academic support needs

Student support services

We have a full range of services available to support you during your time at St George's.

How to apply

Before beginning your application please check the entry criteria of the course you wish to study to ensure you meet the required standards.

If you work for the NHS and wish to be considered for NHSE funding, please make this clear on your application.

Guidance on submitting an application can be found on our  how to apply webpage .

Access our online application system

Select the relevant application link and create an account:

• MSc Genomic Medicine - Full Time
• MSc Genomic Medicine - Part Time
• PG Diploma Genomic Medicine - Full Time
• PG Diploma Genomic Medicine - Part Time
• PG Certificate Genomic Medicine - Part Time
• To apply for Genomic Medicine modules please see further guidance in Applying for a module section below
• Once you have created your account, you will be able to complete an application form and upload any relevant documents. You can save a partly completed form and return to it later. Please make sure you complete all sections. Please make sure that the information you provide is accurate, including the options you select in menus.
• Add [email protected] to your address book to ensure you do not miss any important emails from us.
• When you have checked that your application is complete and accurate, click ‘submit’.

You can track your application through your online account.

Applying for a module

Genomic Medicine Modules 2024/5 entry

Modules starting September – November 2024

• Fundamentals of Human Genetics & Genomics : 11 - 17 September
• Genomics of Common & Rare Inherited Diseases : 25 September -1 October
• Omics Techniques & Technologies : 24 - 30 October
• Genomics of Neurological Disorders : 11-15 November
• Bioinformatics, Interpretation & Data Quality : 20 - 26 November

Modules starting December 2024 – January 2025

• Application of Genomics in Infectious Diseases : 2 - 6 December 
• Pharmacogenomics & Stratified Healthcare : 15 - 21 January 2025
• Cardiovascular Genetics & Genomics : 29  January - 4 February

Modules starting February – April 2025

• Ethical, Legal & Social Issues in Applied Genomics : 12 - 18 February
• Molecular Pathology of Cancer : 19 - 25 February
• Advanced Bioinformatics : 6 -12 March
• An Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics : 20 - 26 March
• Fetal Genomics : 3 - 9 April
• Research projects onsite presentations will take place on 31 July

If you are applying to study a module please note the following:

If you wish to do more than one module, please use the application link for the module which occurs first.  Please state in your personal statement exactly which modules you wish to do.

Current students: Students currently studying a Genomic Medicine standalone module at St George's should contact [email protected] to enquire into studying further modules. Please do not use the above links.

Please note applications for all modules close one month before the module start date.

Guidance for completing your references

When completing your application, you will be asked to provide contact details of two referees. Please ensure these details are accurate. As soon as you have submitted your application, your referees will be contacted by the university asking them to upload a reference to your online application.

One must be a recent academic reference. The other should be either a second academic reference or a professional/employer reference. They should cover your suitability for the course and your academic ability.

Your referees should know you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. We do not accept references from family, friends, partners, ex-partners or yourself.

We will send reminder emails to your referees but it is your responsibility to ensure that contact details are correct and referees are available to submit a reference. References should be uploaded within two weeks of making your application.

Speak to the course organiser

If you have any questions about the Genomic Medicine course and would like to speak to the course organiser, please submit your questions to us.

“My favourite part of the Genomic Medicine course was interacting with many different healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds such as GPs, nurses, and other allied healthcare workers. This resulted in an enhanced learning experience, which in combination with the number of modules available within the course, gave me a richer understanding of how genomics is being applied across the NHS.”

- Stephanie

Research Team Leader

“Looking ahead, the MSc in Genomic medicine has helped me understand the advancements in omic technologies, provided direction in my research interests, and given a clear roadmap for integration of genomic techniques into my own medical practice.”

Final year MBBS4 student at St George's, University of London

“The module leads and lecturers were so knowledgeable and approachable; the passion for their subjects was obvious. The modules were very well structured with plenty of resources available; pre-session reading, and activities supported the learning and aided the embedding of knowledge and understanding.”

Paediatric Research Sister

In this tab you will find the financial information for this course of study, including details of financial support.

Tuition fees

2024 UK entry (home)

Full-time MSc: £15,250

Part-time MSc (2 years): £8,150 per annum

• Full-time PgDip: £10,250

Part-time PgDip (2 years): £5,500 per annum

Part-time PgCert : £5,800

Genomic Medicine module: £1,450

2024 International (including EU)

Full-time MSc: £25,200

Part-time MSc (2 years): £13,400 per annum

• Full-time PgDip: £18,650

Part-time PgDip (2 years): £10,000 per annum

Part-time PgCert: £10,000

Genomic Medicine module: £2,450

Additional costs

We do not expect students to incur any extra costs over and above those that we have advertised on the course page. To get the most from your studies, you will need your personal computer or laptop (Windows 10 or macOS) and an internet connection in your home. Find out more about technology requirements associated with online learning.

Students doing the Advanced Bioinformatics module will need to download free VPN software and set up a VPN connection to be able to access our cloud computing facilities in advance. You can find a guide about how to do this on macOS, Linux or Microsoft Windows here and the VPN configuration file here .

Personal protective equipment (PPE), if needed, will be provided for you by the University.

Funding your study

If you work for the NHS then you may be eligible for funding from NHS England (NHSE) for up to four taught modules. NHSE funding is limited so please liaise with our Admissions Tutor Dr Kate Everett-Korn as soon as possible. Then, if applicable, we will guide you through the application process and will forward your information to NHSEfor consideration. Visit Genomics England Education for more information.

We have a range of funding opportunities available for students. You may be eligible for the following.

• The St George's postgraduate scholarship (deadline 1 May 2024)
• The GREAT Scholarship (deadline 1 May 2024)
• A Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK Government
• Other financial support for Postgraduate Study
• An alumni discount – if you're a former St George’s student you can qualify for an additional 10% discount from this course if you're self-funded

Postgraduate scholarships

We offer a number of scholarships for outstanding students wishing to study a postgraduate course with us.

Application Deadline

Related courses, interpretation and clinical application of genomic data.

This training includes bespoke education and training, recognising the unique needs of an expert workforce in the genomics era.

Duration: Two years, maximum of four years to complete

Genomic Healthcare

This course is aimed at professionals such as clinicians, nurses, pharmacists and midwives who want a patient-centric study experience in genomic healthcare.

Duration: One year, part-time

Page last updated 26/04/2024 09:52 AM

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• New students website
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Postgraduate Taught

MSc Genomic Medicine (online)

• Postgraduate Taught home
• Healthcare and Medicine
• Genomic Medicine (online) MSc

Masters applications for 2023 entry are now closed.

Applications for September 2024 will open on Monday 25 September. Applications are now open for programmes with a January 2024 start. View our programmes »

PgDip Genomic Medicine (online)

PgCert Genomic Medicine (online)

Genomic Medicine (online) standalone modules

• Taught by world-leading academics in genomics research, including multifactorial traits, rare disorders, pharmacogenomics and epigenetics.
• Developed by Health Education England and is aligned with their vision to prepare the NHS for the legacy of the  100,000 Genomes Project
• You will have the flexibility to combine modules from the traditional MSc with this fully online version
• You will study a rich curriculum examining theory, research, policy and practice in the field of genomic medicine
• NHS employees in England can apply for funding from NHS England (NHSE; formerly Health Education England) to undertake up to a maximum of four modules ( PGCert ) in the first instance.

Apply online

View 2024 Entry

Apply for individual modules 2023/24

Fast Track (current Exeter students)

Accreditation of prior learning (APL)

Get a prospectus

Programme Director:  Dr Jess Tyrrell

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

Dr Anna Murray talks describes the  PGCert online in Genomic Medicine

Top 10 in the UK for our world-leading and internationally excellent Clinical Medicine research

Based on 4* + 3* research in REF 2021

Our Public Health research is 11th in the UK for Research Power

Submitted to UoA2 Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. REF 2021

Learn from world-leading experts in genomics

Limited number of NHSE funded places for NHS professionals

Entry requirements

Normally a min 2.2 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Relevant clinical or professional experience may be taken into consideration as evidence of equivalency.  A personal statement, detailing your reasons for seeking to undertake this subject, will be required.  The University is committed to an equal opportunities policy with respect to gender, age, race, sexual orientation and/or disability when dealing with applications. It is also committed to widening access to higher education to students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience.

Please visit our  international equivalency pages  to enable you to see if your existing academic qualifications meet our   entry requirements. International students are normally subject to visa regulations which prevent part-time study. It is recommended that international students apply for the level of the final award you intend to complete i.e. PGCert, PGDip or Masters, due to the associated cost and requirements for a Tier 4 student Visa.

Accreditation of prior learning for Masters courses in Healthcare and Medicine

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a process whereby students, who have already gained relevant skills and knowledge prior to the start of their course, may be granted a partial credit exemption from their programme instead of unnecessarily repeating work. Find out more about APL

Entry requirements for international students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements .

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2 . Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

Enhance learning. redefine patient care.

• Study Genomics fully online with world leading researchers
• Practice in the clinical professions will be transformed by genomic technologies and information within the next decade.

Our innovative fully online programme can be studied either as a full Masters degree, a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip), a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) or individual modules in Genomic Medicine.  This online programme has been developed from our successful and well-established MSc Genomic Medicine, as part of the ambitious  100,000 Genomes Project . There is also the flexibility to combine modules from the traditional MSc with this fully online version.

These options for online study are designed to equip you with the skills to succeed in a wide variety of contexts. The modules offer a rich curriculum examining theory, research, policy and practice in the field of genomic medicine, and provide a unique student experience, where you will gain an insight into applying genomic medicine for patient benefit.

View diagram of award structure ‌

Module Delivery dates

V‌iew 2022-2023 module delivery dates

View 2023-2024 module delivery dates

Please note: these dates are draft and subject to change. The last contact day and assessment deadline for the programme will be earlier than the actual end date of your registration with the University, to allow a period of time at the end of your active studies for further support and mitigation, if needed.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Genomic Medicine (online) MSc - Modules

Genomic Medicine (online) PGDip - Modules

The PG Diploma comprises 120 credits made up of any modules of your choice.

Genomic Medicine (online) PGCert - Modules

The PG Certificate comprises 60 credits made up of any modules of your choice.

Genomic Medicine (online) - Standalone Modules

Individual modules can also be studied.

 2024/25 entry

Fees are subject to an annual increment each academic year.

• MSc:  £12,700 full-time; £6,350 pa part-time (2 years); £4,250 pa part-time (3 years)
• PGDip:  £3,900pa (2 years)
• PGCert:  £4,250 (1 year)

Standalone module fees: UK: £1,200 per 15-credit module

Credit bearing modules: If you opt to take a non-accredited module and wish to then fully accredit this with the University of Exeter, you will need to pass the assessed elements of the course within 6 months of completion and there is an additional £200 accreditation fee.

International fees 

• MSc:  £29,700 full-time; £14,850 pa part-time (2 years); £9,900 pa part-time (3 years)
• PGDip:  £9,900 pa (2 years)
• PGCert:  £9,900 (1 year)

Standalone module fees: International £2,700 per 15-credit module

Scholarships

For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Selected programmes only. Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.

Find out more about tuition fees and funding »

Funding and Scholarships

Uk government postgraduate loan scheme.

Postgraduate loans of up to £12,167 are now available for Masters degrees.   Find out more about eligibility and how to apply.

There are various funding opportunities available including Global excellence scholarships. For more information visit our   Masters funding page .

Scholarships 

Office for students data science scholarship 2024.

Eligible students from under-represented groups in the data science and AI sectors can apply for one of 16 £10,000 grants funded by the Office for Students (OfS) Data Science Scholarship. The scholarships are part of the OfS nationwide drive to expand access to this dynamic sector for women, students of colour, those with disabilities and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Find out more about this scholarship and   apply here .

Details of scholarships, including our Global Excellence scholarships for international fee-paying students, can be found on our  dedicated funding page .

Funding for NHS professionals

NHS professionals in England can  apply for funding from NHS England (NHSE) to undertake modules, up to a maximum of four (postgraduate certificate) in the first instance. Please note funding is not guaranteed as we are allocated a specific number of funded modules per year.

NHSE funding also does not guarantee a place on this academic programme at the University of Exeter. Interested individuals should apply for either a PGCert or individual standalone modules to the University in the first instance. The university will then confirm if funding is available, notify NHSE of the application, and NHSE will then contact you to obtain your job title, organisation and line manager details. NHSE assess each funding application against two main criteria:

• The individual must be an NHS healthcare professional working in England.
• The individual’s line manager must support the application and provide details of how the qualification aligns to local/regional workforce plans, and how the knowledge gained will be utilised locally/regionally/nationally.

Funding may be available for additional modules following successful completion of a PGCert to obtain PGDip or full MSc. ‌ More information .

Teaching and research

Our purpose is to deliver transformative education that will help tackle health challenges of national and global importance.

How you will learn

Using a mix of learning formats, our modules each run over an eight week period during which you can work at your own pace. You’ll be learning through an exciting mixture of video, animations, quizzes, tasks and webinars. You will be supported by the module lead, a personal tutor, peer discussion forums and you will have full support from allocated module-specific online tutors. The online discussion and tutoring discussions are generally divided into three learning blocks and you will complete summative assessment for each module during the 8 weeks of the module.

Teaching will be delivered by experts from a range of academic and health care professional backgrounds are chosen to ensure a breadth and depth of perspective, giving a good balance between theories and principles, and practical management advice.

Your online learning is delivered through a virtual learning environment, delivering a library of study materials including virtual patients and independent learning tasks, reference materials and links to online tutorials.

What you will gain

Students who complete the programme will gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of genomics knowledge and how it will bring benefit to patients through improved diagnosis and personalised treatment, and how to disseminate knowledge to peers, patients and the public.

Dr Jess Tyrrell

Programme director.

Dr Victoria Moye

Senior lecturer in biomedical sciences.

Dr Michael Weedon

Associate professor.

Dr Tom Laver

Lecturer in diabetes.

Jess is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director for MSc Genomic Medicine. Her main research interest involves using genetics to explore causal relationships to improve our understanding of the complex relationship between metabolic health and mental health.

Contact Dr Jess Tyrrell  to discuss the academic content of the programme. For all other questions about the programme, including admission enquiries, start dates and fees, please  complete the online enquiry form .

Profile page

Vikki is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences. She is the deputy programme lead for the MSc Genomic Medicine and teaches on the Cancer and Pharmacogenomics modules. She is currently a regional Public Engagement Officer for the Royal College of Pathologists helping facilitate public engagement in pathology in the South West. Vikki is the senior academic tutor for the postgraduate taught programmes in CMH, and is committed to excellent student support.

Mike is an Associate Professor working on the genetics of diabetes and related traits. He leads the Bioinformatics and Advanced Bioinformatics. His work involves the study of common complex diseases such as Type 2 diabetes using the genome-wide association study method to identify new common genetic variant associations, as well as whole genome sequencing approaches to identify rare mutations causing familial diabetes. He also teaches on the undergraduate BSc Medical Sciences degree.

Tom is a Lecturer in Diabetes and a bioinformatician specialising in analysis of DNA sequencing data. He teaches on the module ‘Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases’. Tom is a member of the monogenic diabetes research group, and his research focuses on using next-generation sequencing data to study the genetic causes of monogenic diabetes and hyperinsulinism.

Pre-learning

Before the start of your course please use this material as an introduction to some of the basic concepts in genomics. If there are gaps in your knowledge please use the learning resources provided below.

By the end of this pre-learning you should be able to:

• Describe how the genome is structured and organised; using terms such as DNA, nucleotide, gene and chromosome.
• Explain how the information encoded in DNA is decoded resulting in the production of proteins; using terms such as codon, mRNA, transcription, translation and tRNA.
• Explain how a genetic variant can result in an observable trait; using terms such as gene expression, genotype, mutation, phenotype and protein function.
• Use pedigree charts to deduce common modes of Mendelian inheritance; using terms such as allele, autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, carrier, homozygote and X-linked.
• Appreciate that environmental factors affect gene expression. Terms to be understood here include epigenetics, histone and methylation.
• Understand that common diseases result from a complex interplay involving multiple genes and environmental factors. Terms to be understood here include polygenic and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).

Links and resources

All of these topics will be covered in more depth in the various modules, but you should have broad knowledge of the terms involved. To assist you in reaching these targets the following links and resources should be useful. Numbers in brackets refers to the intended learning outcome (numbered 1-6 above) that the resource will help you to understand.

The  Genomics Education Programme , set up by the NHS to educate its staff, provides brief courses in their  Genomics 101 collection  (duration ~30 min each) that will give you an overview of genomics from a clinical perspective. 

To access these courses you will need to register for a free ‘elearning for healthcare’ account. On one of the course pages, select the ‘Sign up for free (NHS and UK universities)' option and register with a personal email account (this will give you access to limited content including the courses listed below).

• Genomics 101: From Genes to Genome . An introduction to DNA, genes, and the structure and function of the genome (1).
• Genomics 101: From Gene to Protein . An introduction to proteins, how they are synthesised, and the influence of genetic variants (2, 3).
• Genomics 101: Inheriting Genomic Information . An explanation of how genetic material is replicated and inherited, and how variants can arise (3).
• Genomics 101: Taking and Drawing a Genetic Family History . An explanation of genetic family histories and how they are recorded (4).
• Not a short course, but you may find that the webpage,  How do I draw a family history,  and the video,  An introduction to genetics pedigrees , help you to interpret pedigree charts, including the use of Roman numerals and numbers to identify individuals within and between generations (4).
• Genomics 101: Dominant, Recessive and Beyond . This course explains how genetic conditions are inherited, and features in a family history that are characteristic of common modes of inheritance (4).
• The  glossary  compiled by HEE may provide a useful resource to refer to throughout your learning.

yourgenome.org  is produced by the Public Engagement team at the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge. This website covers everything from basic biology to the complex ethical issues that arise from genome sequencing. Particular recommendations include:

• From DNA to Protein , an animation showing how the information encoded in DNA results in the production of proteins (2).
• Zoom in on your genome , an animation describing how DNA is packaged (1).
• What is a complex disease? , a definition of complex disease and single nucleotide polymorphisms (6).
• What is inheritance? , a definition   of genotype and phenotype (3).

The  Genetic Science Learning Center  at The University of Utah is an internationally-recognised education program that translates science and health for non-experts. Particular recommendations include:

• The epigenome at a glance , an animation defining the  epigenome  (5).
• Sources of variation , an animation explaining sources of genetic variation and how these can affect protein levels/function (3).

The  DNA Learning Center  is part of the world-renowned Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory which has been set up to educate students and non-experts as we enter an era where genetic information is available and plentiful.  Particular recommendations include:

• DNA Molecule:  How Much DNA Codes for Protein? , an animation illustrating how much of the human genome codes for protein (1).
• Disease and Mutation: Sickle Cell , an animation explaining how a single change in the DNA code can cause human disease (3).

FutureLearn offers many Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) generated in partnership with UK universities. Free to sign up to (for time-limited access for 4-5 weeks) and of particular relevance to this course are the following MOOCS:

• The Genomics Era: The Future of Genetics in Medicine  (St George's, University of London). Particular recommendations include the animations describing patterns of  autosomal dominant ,  autosomal recessive  and  X-linked inheritance  in Week 2 (4).
• Genomic Medicine :  Transforming Patient Care in Diabetes  (University of Exeter). A particular recommendation is Prof Tim Frayling's discussion  What genomics can teach us about polygenic diabetes  (6).
• Inside Cancer: How Genes Influence Cancer Development  (University of Bath). A particular recommendation is the article defining  epigenetics  and its importance to cancer in Week 1, an excerpt of which can be found  here  (5).

The course text book,  New Clinical Genetics  (available  online at the library ). Using a case-based approach this textbook makes understanding genetics an attractive and stimulating experience.  

• Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 11 & 13 will help you in reaching the intended objectives (1-6) for this part of the course.  There is also a good glossary at the back of the book.  Of course there is a lot of detail in these chapters that will be covered during the course, so don't feel you have to read and understand everything! 

Who is this course for?

Students who study this programme are likely to be clinical practitioners, diagnostic service providers, scientists, researchers and those aspiring to specialise within an academic career pathway.

Employer-valued skills this course develops

The course is especially designed for healthcare professionals working within the National Health Service, to improve their capabilities and support career progression. It could be similarly beneficial for those working or aspiring to work in other healthcare systems.

Work-based learning

One of the optional modules in this programme allows you to apply the learning from your masters study to your own work place or a work-related project. Through critical analysis you will evaluate current evidence or practice of your own work environment, identify barriers or facilitators to change and provide recommendations to improve care or practice within your area.

Career paths (graduate destinations)

Students who are not healthcare professionals would acquire knowledge, understanding and skills that should help them gain employment or PhD positions especially in the expanding fields of genomics, bioinformatics, or other medically-related research and development in either academia, pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

Careers support

All University of Exeter students have access to  Career Zone , which gives access to a wealth of business contacts, support and training as well as the opportunity to meet potential employers at our regular Careers Fairs

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Genomic medicine msc.

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Module details

How to Apply

Application preparation.

• Review our Resources for Applicants , our Admissions Timeline , and our FAQs on the program and the admissions process.
• Review the Office of Graduate Admissions FAQs .

Online Application

The online application is scheduled to go live by late September and can be found on the Graduate Admissions website: https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply

Make sure you select "Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling (MS)" Program in the online application.

Stanford will communicate with you primarily via email; it is therefore essential that you have a reliable email account that you check on a regular basis.  Application materials, once submitted as part of your application, become the property of Stanford University. Materials will not be returned, and copies will not be provided for applicants nor released to other institutions. Please keep a copy for your records.

SUGC policy for prerequisites and the GRE

We have found that students who begin their genetic counseling training with a strong foundation in psychology,  biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and statistics are the most prepared to successfully build upon their knowledge base once they arrive. Typically, this foundation comes in the form of traditional coursework in the areas above, and without it the first year of training may introduce a significant number of new topics at advanced levels. However, as of April 2020, we no longer require specific prerequisites. Rather, we encourage prospective students to obtain a depth and breadth of exposure in the areas above, as well as other related topics, so as to demonstrate solid preparation for the field, which will enhance the strength of their application. Therefore, please include details for any relevant courses and other exposures on your CV.

In addition, we no longer review GRE scores. We encourage applicants to demonstrate strong academic proficiency, but we recognize that this may come in the form of course grades (both undergraduate and/or graduate level), as well as other academic experiences.

Letters of Reference

We will only review 3 letters of reference in support of your application. You can enter your recommender’s contact information into the online application before you “submit” your application. Please review the Office of Graduate Admissions' website for more information. See our FAQs for suggestions about your recommendation selections.

CV (Resume)

CV (Resume) - In order for us to most equitably compare our applicants, please attach as part of your online application a resume or CV that specifically includes the following.  Please note, not all are required, but all are considered in the selection of interview candidates. 

• Information about any genetic counseling experiences you have had - For observations and/or internships, please include the length of time. We recognize that it can be difficult to arrange direct shadowing experiences; therefore, we also support and encourage alternative exposure such as interviewing genetic counselors, talking with students, attending conferences, camps, webinars, and open houses, etc.
• Any bench or clinical research experience
• Any publications or abstracts on which you are named as an author, including full citations. (Please do NOT attach such documents)
• Any volunteer or paid counseling experiences (e.g. peer counselor, crisis counselor, sexual assault or domestic violence counseling)
• Any volunteer or paid experiences with patients in a medical setting (e.g. patient advocate, health educator, clinical research recruiter)
• Any volunteer or paid experiences supporting people and families impacted by disability
• Any volunteer or paid experiences supporting marginalized communities
• A list of relevant coursework (e.g. genetics/molecular biology, biochemistry, statistics, psychology), the institutions at which they were taken and your grades in each course.
• Please indicate your plans to complete any remaining courses between the application time and estimated time of matriculation

Personal Statement (Statement of Purpose)

The Statement of Purpose should succinctly describe your reasons for applying to the genetic counseling program, your preparation for this field, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the review committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for genetic counseling. Please limit your personal statement to 1000 words.

Supplemental Essay

One of the most important skills of a genetic counselor is the ability to deal with fast moving topics, learn new things, and evaluate the quality of information available. Therefore, we would like for you to read this article and pick several things in the article which you would like to learn more about to help you understand the article better. Spend no more than 1-2 hours doing some research to try to better understand the issues you selected. Then, briefly describe the issues and explain your research process. Please note that we do not expect you to fully understand the article or issues (that’s what graduate school is for), so your essay does not need to include extensive details about the content that you learn. However, please include enough detail to help us understand your approach to learning, and how you find, make sense of, and evaluate new information.  

Your statement should use 12 point font, 1” margins, double-spacing and be no more than 2 pages. Your references should use APA style formatting and may be included as a third page.

Transcripts

Transcripts - Applicants are required to upload one scanned version of their unofficial transcripts/academic records (including any legends/keys) directly into the online application to their online application from every post-secondary institution you have attended for at least one year as a full-time student. Please also upload any transcripts for relevant coursework taken outside of your undergraduate institution. All records should clearly indicate the name under which you are applying to Stanford. Ensure that your scans are legible since the Admissions Committee will use them in their review process.

Only those who accept offer of admission to Stanford will need to have official transcripts sent to the university. Instructions will be provided to matched students.

TOEFL Exam (if applicable)

Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission. Evidence of adequate English proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions.  International students enrolled at Stanford must be able to read English with ease, understand rapid idiomatic English as used in lectures and group discussions, and express thoughts quickly and clearly in spoken and written English.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. For detailed information, see the TOEFL information in Required Exams .

Please submit your TOEFL examination scores, if applicable, to Stanford University using the score recipient number 4704. Individual department code numbers are not used.

The minimum required TOEFL score is 100 (internet based).  Scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English.  Exceptions are granted for applicants who have earned a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree by a regional accrediting association in the United States, or the equivalent of either degree from a non-U.S. college or university of recognized standing where all instruction is provided in English. Being a U.S. citizen does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL.

Imperial College London Imperial College London

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• Postgraduate taught

Genomic Medicine

Acquire the knowledge and skills to be able to interpret and understand genomic data across a range of settings.

Acquire the knowledge and skills to be able to interpret and understand genomic data across a range of settings

How would you like to study?

Study option:

Course key facts

Qualification, 1 year, 2 years, september 2024, full-time, part-time, full-time: £14,900 part-time: £7,450 per year home, full-time: £43,250 part-time: £21,625 per year overseas, delivered by, national heart and lung institute, hammersmith, royal brompton, south kensington, minimum entry standard, 2:1 in a medical, biomedical or healthcare subject, 8 months, 2 years, £9,934 home, £34,600 overseas, 4 months, 1 year, £4,967 home, £21,625 overseas, course overview.

Build your knowledge to better understand how genomic data impacts patient diagnosis, care and treatment.

You’ll cover all major aspects of genomic science and medicine including the latest advances in the field.

Designed to suit students from a range of science and healthcare backgrounds. You will receive rigorous training in genomics and apply it to clinical practice and medical research. You will be taught through a blended format of learning that incorporates face-to-face and online teaching, live webinars, and self-study across eight taught modules.

Each module runs for four consecutive weeks, one week of which consists of face-to-face on campus teaching in London. Assessments are submitted at the end of each module.

Study all six core modules, two optional courses and complete an extended research project. This project provides you with an opportunity to explore medical genomics using a range of research strategies. Students may conduct wet or dry lab research in any area of genomic medicine.

The course programme collaborates closely with the Institute of Cancer Research and Brunel University London to provide a broader range of training.

Short courses in Genomic Medicine

Modules offered as part of our MSc Genomic Medicine can be taken as standalone short courses.

For full details and to register, see Short courses on the NHLI website .

Study all six core modules and two optional modules.

Designed to suit students from a range of science and healthcare backgrounds, you’ll receive rigorous training in genomics and apply it to clinical practice and medical research.

You’ll be taught through a blended format of learning that incorporates face-to-face and online teaching, live webinars, and self-study across eight taught modules.

Modules offered as part of our MSc Genomic Medicine can be taken as standalone short courses. 

Designed to suit students from a range of science and healthcare backgrounds, you'll receive rigorous training in genomics and apply it to clinical practice and medical research.

You’ll be taught through a blended format of learning that incorporates face-to-face and online teaching, live webinars, and self-study across four taught modules.

Short courses in Genomic Medicine

For full details and to register, see  Short courses on the NHLI website .

Mon 20 May 2024, 15.00 – 16.00 BST

Postgraduate Study | Genomic Medicine | Virtual information session

An opportunity to hear more about our Genomic Medicine postgraduate programmes.

Online only

Testimonials

This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.

Find out more about potential course changes .

Please note:  it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules.

• Genomics Medicine Research Project

You’ll study the following compulsory modules.

Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics

Build the foundational knowledge in genomic science required for subsequent modules, exploring topics including genomic architecture and regulatory systems.

Omics Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine

Examine the omics techniques used to assess genomic and epigenomic variation in clinical problems and critically evaluate which techniques can be used and their limitations.

Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases

Understand the different ways that genetic variation can cause disease, and critically evaluate the relative merits of different methods of genetic analysis.

Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment

Analyse the principles of cancer genomics and assess how genomic analysis impacts these factors and ethical issues. This module is delivered by the Institute of Cancer Research.

Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease

Appreciate how genomics can be used to provide more accurate diagnosis, predict effective drugs, and monitor infectious disease in individuals and populations.

Bioinformatics, Quality Control, Analysis & Interpretation of Sequencing Data

Gain a basic knowledge and understanding of the concepts and methods required to analyse and interpret genome sequencing data. 

You’ll choose one module each from Group 1 and Group 2.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics

Deepen your understanding of the ethical principles that govern the implementation of genomic medicine in clinical practice, and how these inform societal changes.

Genomics and the Patient

Develop the tools required to deliver next-generation sequencing (NGS) results, and demonstrate awareness of the ethical, social and cultural considerations around reporting these results.

Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Medicine

Discover how genomic approaches can be used to understand the mechanisms of differential drug responses and reactions, and to inform patient stratification.

Economic Evaluation in Human Genomics

Review the methods, assumptions, decision models, and interpretation of cost estimate analysis for health care interventions and health outcomes. This module is delivered by Brunel University London.

Genome-Based Therapeutics

Unpick key concepts in developing gene and nucleic acid-based therapies from genomic studies, including efficacy and toxicity.

Professional and Research Skills

Understand different review methods and the data management, ethical and reporting requirements for research study. This is an e-learning module.

Complete a 14 week-full time or one-year part-time research project.

This can be laboratory-based, clinically-based, computer-based or literature-based.  

Your work will be assessed by a written dissertation and an oral presentation.

The project may be supervised by staff at Imperial, the Insitute of Cancer Research, Brunel University London or at your workplace.

Core modules

You’ll study the following core modules.

Examine the genomic techniques that are used to assess genomic variation in clinical problems, and critically evaluate which techniques can be used and their limitations.

Gain a basic knowledge and understanding of the concepts and methods required to analyse and interpret genome sequencing data.

Core module

You’ll study the following core module.

Choose three optional modules from the list provided. 

Bioinformatics, Quality Control, Analysis and Interpretation of Sequencing Data

Understand different review methods and the data management, ethical and reporting requirements for research study. This is an elearning module.

Teaching and assessment

Balance of teaching and learning.

• Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
• Research project
• 67% Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
• 33% Research project

Teaching and learning methods

Assessment methods.

• 100% Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
• 0% Research project

Professor Mike Lovett

Michael holds the Chair of Systems Biology at NHLI. His expertise covers genomics, computational biology, developmental biology, genetics and neuroscience. His major research interests include genome technology development, particularly single cell genomics.

Dr Laura Collopy

Laura is a Senior Teaching Fellow. She leads the modules Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics, Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases and Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics. She's also involved in curriculum development, assessment and student support.

Entry requirements

We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.

• Minimum academic requirement
• English language requirement
• International qualifications

2:1  in a medical, biomedical or healthcare subject.

In exceptional circumstances we consider applicants who fall below this requirement but who can display significant related work experience in a relevant field.

All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to Imperial.

For admission to this course, you must achieve the  higher university requirement  in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the  English language requirements .

We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.

The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.

For guidance see our accepted qualifications  though please note that the standards listed are the  minimum for entry to Imperial , and  not specifically this Department .

If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team .

How to apply

Apply online.

You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.

Choosing your course

This course can be taken in progressional levels of study:

• PG Certificate (PG Cert)
• PG Diploma (PG Dip)

Each level of study has its own entry point; you can apply to any level in the first instance but we recommend you apply for the award with which you wish to exit.

Read more about Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc degrees

Application fee

There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.

If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.

The fee applies per application and not per course.

• £80 for all taught Master's applications, excluding those to the Imperial College Business School.
• £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School.
• £150 for all MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School.

If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.

Read full details about the application fee and waiver

Application process

Find out more about  how to apply for a Master's course , including references and personal statements.

ATAS certificate

An ATAS certificate  is not  required for students applying for this course.

Tuition fees

Overseas fee, top-up fee – £4,966 from the pg dip, £9,934, top-up fee – £4,967 from the pg cert, £4,967.

If you have already completed one of the qualifications and are moving on to the next level of study, e.g. you've already completed the PG Cert and want to study the PG Dip, you will only need to pay the top-up fee for the course you’re applying for.

You may apply to enter this programme  at any level  of study.

If you enter the MSc, without having studied the PG Cert or PG Dip, then you will pay the full fee listed for the MSc.

If you enter at the PG Cert or PG Dip level and return in future academic years to complete a higher award, you will pay the top-up fee advertised in the year of your return, instead of the full fee for your chosen course.

If you continue uninterrupted from one award to the next, you will pay the relevant top-up fee, plus any annual inflationary increases applied to the entry fee. This applies to applicants who originally entered for a PG Dip or MSc. This does not apply to those who have completed a PG Cert or PG Dip and are re-entering for a higher award.

Inflationary increases

You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.

Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.

Find out more about our  tuition fees payment terms , including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.

Which fee you pay

Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out  how we assess your fee status .

HEE Genomics Education Programme scholarship

As a preferred training provider for Health Education England, this course plays an important role in ensuring NHS staff have the knowledge, skills and experience required to stay at the forefront of this essential field. We continually make improvements to the course content to ensure that our education continues to respond to the needs of modern healthcare practice.

NHS and Public Health England employees can now apply for a HEE Genomics Education Programme scholarship to cover the tuition fees for individual modules, or longer programmes such as the PG Cert, PG Dip or the Masters.

To find out more about this funding and how you can apply please visit our Genomic Medicine funding page .

Please note that due to funding restrictions there are limited HEE GEP-funded places available on the October intake. Success in the HEE GEP scholarship application does not guarantee an HEE-funded place at Imperial College London.

Postgraduate Master's Loan

If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a  Postgraduate Master’s Loan  from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.

The government has not yet published the loan amount for students starting courses in Autumn 2024. As a guide, the maximum value of the loan was £12,167 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2023. 

The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.

Top-up fee – £8,650 from the PG Dip

£34,600, top-up fee – £12,975 from the pg cert, £21,625, scholarships, genomic medicine scholarship, value per award.

• £3,000

Who it's for

• Home and Overseas students who an application to start the course in 2024.

The Dean’s Master’s Scholarships

• £10,000
• All students applying to study a Faculty of Medicine Master’s programme beginning in October 2024

The Dr Jean Alero Thomas Scholarships

• Partial or full tuition fee at the Home rate
• All students applying to study a Faculty of Medicine lab-based Master’s programme beginning in October 2024

How will studying at Imperial help my career?

Develop the essential core knowledge and skills for a genomic science and medicine career.

Explore this area of clinical practice and research from a multi-professional perspective.

Part-time students interested in applying genomic medicine to their current careers can also take advantage of this flexible program.

Many students pursue clinical and non-clinical PhDs and graduate medical degrees upon graduation.

With specialised knowledge, you'll be highly sought after in a range of sectors.

Many graduates often find roles in industry or the NHS Scientific Training Programme.

Further links

Contact the department.

• Email:  [email protected]

Course Director:  Professor Mike Lovett Senior Teaching Fellow:  Dr Laura Collopy

Visit the National Heart and Lung Institute website.

Register your interest

Stay up to date on news, events, scholarship opportunities and information related to this course.

Events, tasters and talks

Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.

Find an event

Meet our students

We asked some of our Masters' students  about their individual journeys.

• Meet our Genomic Medicine students
• Learn about our current MSc projects

Terms and conditions

There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.

Read our terms and conditions

You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.

• Seeking Patient Care?
• Graduate Studies
• Master Programs

M.D./M.S. in Genomic Medicine

Application process.

Be part of the future of genomic and personalized medicine.

This four-year concurrent master’s degree in genomic medicine will provide you with the background, knowledge, and understanding to integrate the ever-expanding field of genomics into your practice. No matter which medical specialty you choose, genomic medicine is increasingly becoming an integral part of patient care with the use of predictive clinical sequencing, pharmacogenetics, and whole-genome analysis.

Educational Mission of the M.D./M.S. in Genomic Medicine

The program's educational mission is to graduate clinicians with the ability to integrate genomic knowledge into their clinical practice. In collaboration with the Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, graduates will be trained in human genetics, family history, diagnostic genomic tests, high-throughput sequencing, pharmacogenomics, and the newest genomic concepts and approaches. The M.D./M.S. degree prepares students to be leaders in the adoption and integration of these methods in routine clinical care.

The M.D./M.S. degree program in genomic medicine provides:

• The opportunity to obtain both degrees during a 4 year M.D. degree
• Integrated and innovative training in clinical and human genomics
• Coursework featuring self-directed learning coupled with small group in-person learning sessions for smooth integration into your schedule
• Rotations through molecular and biochemical genetics laboratories and clinical genetics
• Capstone experience, including a case conference, journal club, and a mentored research project.

M.S. in Genomic Medicine Capstone Poster Symposium

Read Article

Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics

John p. hussman institute for human genomics.

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Genomics (MSc)

Genomics (MSc) starting September 2024 for 1 year

About this course

Learn how to harness recent unprecedented advances in genomic technologies to improve patient outcomes on this master's in genomics. You’ll gain experience of exploring and applying data gained through sampling, sequencing and interpreting genomic information in both clinical and academic research.

We look at genomics in the context of medicine. This MSc is suitable for those with an interest in genomics research in academia, healthcare or industry. It's also ideal if you want to incorporate genomics into your professional practice in healthcare roles. Our students come from varied backgrounds such as life sciences, computer sciences and healthcare.

You’ll be able to tailor your learning to meet your professional goals.

Your pathway options are:

• MSc Genomics - choose from a wide range of optional modules to enhance your core genomics learning on this flexible pathway.
• MSc Genomics (Informatics) - you’ll develop specialist knowledge of genomics informatics, the science of problem-solving using data, and choose from topics such as programming and machine learning.
• MSc Genomics (Medicine) - you’ll study the impact of genomics in medicine, with core learning in stratified medicine and how genomics influences patient care.

Genomic medicine and bioinformatics are specialist research areas of the University. You’ll benefit from our close work with colleagues in local NHS departments, such as Wessex Clinical Genetics Service and genomic testing laboratories.

We have world-class research facilities, including the UK’s first dedicated Cancer Immunology Centre , and a leading supercomputer facility, Iridis 5.

During your research project, you’ll work alongside our research groups to contribute to the development of genomics, with many of our students publishing their work.

This course is available to take as an intercalated degree for undergraduate medical students. Intercalation means that you'll take a year out of your undergraduate medicine degree to gain this extra award.

Flexible study

If you prefer, you can apply to study this course as:

• a part-time master's - study the same course content over 2 or more years

You can also take a single module as part of continuing professional development (CPD). Explore modules that are available as CPD

Your modules and fees may vary if you choose a different study option.

We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes .

Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).

Course lead

The leader of this course is  Dr Reuben Pengelly . He has a broad range of research interests including cancer genomics, linkage disequilibrium, and rare disease genomics, as well as educational research. Alongside research, Reuben is heavily involved in education within the Faculty of Medicine, teaching on all BM programmes. 

You can get in touch with our team by emailing [email protected] .

“The high-quality teaching and hands-on workshops gave me so much confidence. It was inspiring to see the wide-reaching applications of genomic medicine from research, to patient care and public health.” Lissie Rolf, 2019 graduate

“There are opportunities to learn essential clinical, medical and bioinformatic genomics-related skills throughout the course, and teaching is delivered by lecturers genuinely interested in your progression, producing the next generation of scientists in a rapidly growing field.” Ollie Young, 2023 graduate

My MSc Genomics experience

Learn more about these subject areas.

Biological sciences

Course locations.

This course is based at University Hospital Southampton and Highfield .

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

Entry requirements

You generally need at least a 2:2 degree in a subject such as: • life sciences • computer science • medicine/nursing/ health sciences

We may be able to accept applications that do not meet the degree requirements. This is usually where you have evidence of relevant professional qualifications or experience.  

This course is also available as an intercalated degree for undergraduate medical students, who have completed at least 3 years of their programme.

You must also demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of genetics.

You must submit all supporting documents, including evidence that you can satisfy our English language requirement, when you submit your application.

Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.

We do not accept Pre-sessional Language programmes as evidence of meeting the English Language requirement for this course.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

IELTS score requirements

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Pre-masters

If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available .

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email:  [email protected] Tel:  +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

Your studies will run for a full year, from September through to the following September for full-time study, or for 2 to 5 years part-time study

Your module choices will vary depending on which pathway you choose, but there are some everyone will need to study across all pathways.

• Principles of Genetics and Genomics

Genomic Technologies and Basic Informatics

Genomics in practice, dissertation.

Some of our pathways also have extra module requirements, including:

• Genomic (Informatics) - you'll study the Genomic Informatics module. 
• Genomic (Medicine) - you'll study the Stratified Medicine module.
• Genomics - there are no additional modules you must study, instead you'll select an extra optional module to make up the required credits.

Each of these modules are also available as optional choices on the other pathways. 

Over the last summer term, you’ll complete a dissertation on an area of genomics of interest to you. This research project can be lab-based, bioinformatic analysis, or a combination of both. As an alternative, you can also undertake a systematic literature review, or a project based on your professional practice. 

For details of modules available to take as CPD, see the Medicine CPD module listing.

The information on this page refers to the full-time course. Your modules and fees may vary if you choose a different study option.

Want more detail?  See all the modules in the course.

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes .

Year 1 modules

You must study the following modules :

Genomic Informatics

This module is only compulsory for the MSc Genomics (Informatics) pathway, and optional for other pathways. This module will allow students to develop skills in analysis of data generated by different omic technologies, particularly giving experience in ...

This module explores the state-of-the-art genomics techniques used for DNA sequencing (e.g. targeted approaches, whole exome and whole genome sequencing) and RNA sequencing, together with current technologies routinely used to investigate genomic variatio...

Genomics Dissertation

The dissertation module provides a context within which research skills can be developed. It provides the opportunity to apply and demonstrate the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the taught component of the MSc programme. The dissertation by res...

This module puts genomics into practice, with a focus on the interpretation of genomic data in a clinical context. The module covers the synthesis of genomic information, and aligned research skills.

Principles of Genetics & Genomics

During the module students will review the architecture of the human genome, including both coding and non-coding elements, and the regulation of gene expression. Students will then explore the nature of genetic variation within the human genome, how it a...

Stratified Medicine

This module is only compulsory for the MSc Genomics (Medicine) pathway, and optional for other pathways. This module will cover the use of omics in stratified medicine. It will explore the different molecular and cellular actions of treatments, the genom...

You must also choose from the following modules :

Bioinformatics and Systems Biology

Large-scale approaches at the molecular, cellular, organismal and ecological level are revolutionizing biology by enabling systems-level questions to be addressed. In many cases, these approaches are driven by technologies that allow the components of bio...

Cancer Biology

This module is designed to provide an overview of the cellular and molecular biology of cancer and will run alongside the Immunology module in semester 1 to provide the foundations for the cancer immunology and immunotherapy module in semester 2. As a mu...

Communicable Disease Control with Genomics

To provide students with knowledge of the core concepts and skills required for communicable disease control.

Counselling skills in genomics for health care professionals

This module gives an introduction to the theory and practice of genomic counselling.

Engaging and involving the public with your science

Solving complex medical research questions and refining clinical care works best when done in collaboration between diverse public (including patients), researchers and health care practitioners. This sort of partnership requires exchange of knowledge, t...

Laboratory Skills

This module will put into practice the theoretical concepts gained from Research Skills module in semester 1 and aims to provide a foundation for practical laboratory skills including; good laboratory practice and an appreciation for laboratory safety and...

Machine Learning Technologies (MSc)

Machine Learning is about extracting useful information from large and complex datasets. The module will cover the practical basis of how learning algorithms are can be applied. You will gain hands-on experience in laboratory-bases sessions. Exclusions...

Translational Medicine

The Translational Medicine module gives an overview of the regulatory, ethical and practical requirements of translating novel devices, processes, engineering or software solutions into a clinical setting. The use of pre-clinical models and the UK regulat...

Learning and assessment

This MSc is delivered in person at our Southampton campuses. You'll be supported by our extensive e-learning resources throughout.

We take an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise from across the University. You’ll be taught by experts in genomics, clinical genetics, computing, maths and biological sciences.

Your exact learning activities will depend on the modules you take. As well as lectures and tutorials led by subject experts you'll learn through:

• laboratory practicals
• interpretation of data
• clinical scenarios

You’ll be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent learning.

Again your assessment will depend on the modules that you take, but assessment methods include:

• scenario-based exercises
• written exams and assignments
• case reports and data analysis
• oral presentations
• project proposals

Your dissertation can be either a research or a professional project. You’ll need to complete a 6,000-word report and present a summary to an audience.

Academic Support

You'll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.

When you write your dissertation you’ll be supported by a primary supervisor on a one-to-one basis.

Genomics is an area of rapid change, with a particular skills shortage in bioinformatics, an area you can specialise in through this MSc.

Our Graduates have gone onto a wide range of careers within the sector, including:

• bioinformatics (in industry, healthcare and academia)
• graduate entry medicine
• NHS Scientist Training Programmes 
• PhD programmes in Southampton and elsewhere

As well as gaining genomics specific knowledge and skills, you’ll gain many transferable skills, including:

• empathy and communication skills
• presentation skills
• academic writing
• an ability to integrate research evidence into all aspects of decision making
• the ability to apply knowledge, analytical and critical thinking skills to make sound judgements
• leadership skills, developing your ability to train others

Our dedicated genomics career workshop will help you decide which direction you'd like to take your career. This will also help you to tailor your CV to stand-out in the genomics job market.

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV/resume and interview skills workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

• our dedicated start-up incubator,  Futureworlds
• a wide variety of  enterprise events  run throughout the year
• our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator,  SETsquared

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for a year's study:

• UK students pay £10,400.
• EU and international students pay £28,900.

Check fees for other versions of this course .

If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.

Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.

Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams. The fee you pay will remain the same each year from when you start studying this course. This includes if you suspend and return.

Find out how to  pay your tuition fees .

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice
• fees, charges and expenses regulations

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible .

• Southampton Genomics Talent Scholarship

A competitive scholarship of £2,000 or £1,000 is available to UK or international students studying the full-time MSc Genomics programme.

Find out more about the Southampton Genomics Talent Scholarship , including eligibility criteria and how to apply.

Southampton Medicine Postgraduate International Scholarship

A scholarship of £3,000 is available to international students studying for a postgraduate master’s in Medicine.

Find out more about the Southampton Medicine Postgraduate International Scholarship , including eligibility and conditions.

Other postgraduate funding options

A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

• Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
• Search for the course you want to apply for.
• Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
• Submit your application.

For further details, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications .

Application deadlines

• International applicants: Monday 29 July 2024, midday UK time
• UK applicants: Friday 30 August 2024, midday UK time

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page .

Single module (CPD) applications

To apply for a single module (CPD), you'll need to fill in a physical application form that you can download from our continuing professional development pages .

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course. 

You’ll need to include information about: 

• your knowledge of the subject area
• why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
• how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to submit two references, one academic reference and one academic or professional reference.

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

You may also be asked to provide:

• a degree transcript
• evidence of professional qualifications

What happens after you apply

You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.

We will aim to send you a decision 6 weeks after you have submitted your application. 

Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our  Equality and Diversity Statement .

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Medicine Personal Statement Examples

Get some inspiration to start writing your Medicine Personal Statement with these successful examples from current Medical School students. We've got Medicine Personal Statements which were successful for universities including Imperial, UCL, King's, Bristol, Edinburgh and more.

Personal Statement Examples

• Read successful Personal Statements for Medicine
• Pay attention to the structure and the content
• Get inspiration to plan your Personal Statement

Personal Statement Example 1

Check out this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, UCL, QMUL and King's.

Personal Statement Example 2

This Personal Statement comes from a student who received Medicine offers from Bristol and Plymouth - and also got an interview at Cambridge.

Personal Statement Example 3

Have a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, Edinburgh, Dundee and Newcastle.

Personal Statement Example 4

Take a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for King's, Newcastle, Bristol and Sheffield.

Personal Statement Example 5

Pick up tips from this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, Birmingham and Manchester.

Personal Statement Example 6

This Personal Statement comes from a student who got into Graduate Entry Medicine at King's - and also had interviews for Undergraduate Medicine at King's, QMUL and Exeter.

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Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine MSc

London, Hampstead (Royal Free Hospital)

This highly regarded MSc in Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine offers you an unparalleled opportunity to specialise in this sought-after area of medical science. You will develop detailed knowledge and practical skills in complex multiomics data, working with UCL's globally renowned experts, and be well prepared for specialist careers in healthcare, industry, or research.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

Applications open

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or a recognised Master’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate subject.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Omics describes a range of analytical techniques (including genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics) that are essential contributors to understanding human disease and developing personalised therapeutic strategies. The complexity of multiomics data requires multidisciplinary knowledge and the capacity to integrate information to answer challenging medical or scientific questions.

This MSc will give you the knowledge and practical training to analyse genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and phenomics data, and the skills to prepare, carry out and present the results of your research to a variety of audiences. You will study in UCL's world-class research and healthcare environment in genetics and omics science, based at the UCL Centre for Genetics and Genomics at UCL Royal Free Hospital.

Part of a vibrant ecosystem of academics, clinicians, and researchers, you will work alongside world-leading scientists, carry out your own significant research, and benefit from our state-of-the-art facilities. The skills you develop will form a solid foundation for building a successful career in academic and industrial research, clinical medical genetics, or bioinformatics.

Who this course is for

This programme for students from a variety of scientific backgrounds, from scientists and statisticians to computer professionals and clinicians. The complex nature of the problems tackled by this area of medical science makes this subject particularly relevant to students who are looking for a challenge and the chance to work in a multidisciplinary environment.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities.

• An unparalleled multidisciplinary environment of world-class academics, clinicians, and researchers within UCL Division of Medicine.
• The chance to carry out significant research projects, working with UCL Genomics Centre (the core facility for genomic technologies for the entire UCL), major hospitals and industry.
• Close links to with UCL's partner hospitals (including The Royal Free London Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital).
• The opportunity to study in UCL's world-class research and healthcare environment. UCL is a major contributor to Genomics England, the organisation set up to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project: the whole genome sequencing of c. 85,000 NHS patients affected by rare disorders or cancer.
• An ideal training environment leading to opportunities for further research or building a career in healthcare or industry.

The foundation of your career

There is an increased demand for skilled professionals who understand omic technologies within the healthcare industry. The skills developed on this programme makes graduates attractive applicants for PhD studentships, research and data analysis positions, industrial research, clinical medical genetics, and bioinformatics.

Employability

The skills you will gain during this programme provide a solid platform for developing a career in academic and industrial research or specialising further. You will be well equipped to move into clinical medical genetics or bioinformatics.

Possible career paths include working in large pharmaceuticals, innovative healthcare start-ups or at the newly developed NHS Genomic Medicine Services. You could also go onto further research by embarking on a PhD.

There are regular networking opportunities, including events where you can hear from expert speakers. We encourage students to broaden their skills and expand their networks by attending and participating at conferences.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a mix of lectures, seminars, computer simulations, laboratory work, site visits and practicals. You will study at our world-class research and healthcare environment in genetics and omics science, based at the UCL Royal Free Hospital.

Assessment is through examination, essays, multiple choice tests, small projects, presentations, and the dissertation.

The full-time (one-year) programme consists of around 16 hours of teaching and six hours of independent learning a week during term time. The part-time (two-year) programme consists of around eight hours of teaching and four hours of independent learning a week during term time.

This programme has eight compulsory taught modules ('Genetics and Epigenetics of Disease', 'Bioinformatics', 'Multiomics and Ethics', 'Genomics', 'Transcriptomics', 'Proteomics', 'Phenomics' and 'Advanced Computational Methods').

All the modules are delivered face to face. The first four listed run in the first term and the second four in the second term.

The concepts and skills acquired in terms one and two will prepare you for your research project in term three. Conducting your own research project will give you access to practical research experiences at UCL. It will be either computer based or laboratory based and last at least three months.

The part-time programme runs over two years. You will study four modules in the first two terms of the first year and the other four in the second year.

Compulsory modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine MSc

This online session will provide you with an overview of our Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine MSc. The programme overviews will be followed by a Q&A session with our programme lead. Speaker: Horia Stanescu

Graduate Open Events: Respiratory Clinical Science MSc (Q&A Session)

This MSc focuses on the study of the scientific and clinical basis of respiratory diseases with all courses and modules directed towards understanding disease and the effects on patients. It will provide you with the tools to develop further careers in the area and create opportunities to interact with researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical experts in respiratory medicine. Please join us to ask your questions about this exciting programme. Speaker - Dr Vitor Teixeira

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no anticipated additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Bursaries are available for several Division of Medicine programmes. Find out if this course is eligible.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Deadline: NOW CLOSED FOR 2024/25 ENTRY Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Division of Medicine PGT Bursary

Deadline: 31 July 2024 Value: £5,000 towards fees (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees .

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

• why you want to study Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine at graduate level
• why you want to study Genetics and Multiomics in Medicine at UCL
• what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Division of Medicine

[email protected]

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Master's Programs
• Genetic Counseling: Frequently Asked Questions

General Program Information

UCI was one of the pioneers in genetic counselor education. Our program began in 1973, at a time when only five other institutions in the nation offered a master's degree in genetic counseling. UC Irvine's first class of three students graduated in 1975. We now have more than 200 graduates. In addition to clinical service positions in academic and private medical centers, program graduates are also pursuing careers in research, education, industry and public health.

Yes. The graduate program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) . Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) , and also may apply for a license in those states that have implemented licensure.

No. Clinical settings include a variety of clinics and inpatient services at the UC Irvine Medical Center and other affiliated sites (including prenatal, pediatric, cancer, metabolic, and adult genetic clinics as well as various specialty clinics), clinical genetics laboratories, and community agencies.

• The program is embedded within an active clinical genetics unit, immersing students in the provision of care from the start.  Students begin clinical rotations in the first quarter of the program.
• Coursework is taught by faculty who are also clinical supervisors, enhancing integration of didactics with clinical experience.
• Rotations are primarily supervised by program faculty, allowing flexibility for students to be involved longitudinally with cases.  Supervisors coordinate with each other to allow students to easily return to a previous rotation setting when a family returns to clinic.
• Opportunities to observe procedures such as CVS, amniocentesis, colonoscopy, and others.
• Participation in educating medical students and residents/fellows about genetics.
• Research opportunities with faculty in departments across the School of Medicine.
• Students train as part of multidisciplinary team including residents and other learners, providing experience in typical employment settings for genetic counselors.
• Our clinical service provides care for a diverse patient population.
• Student-led educational sessions in areas of expertise
• Attend and participate in Medical Ethics rounds, research seminars, and other learning activities.
• Summer rotation opportunities in varied settings
• Industry-based rotation opportunities
• Bilingual students may have opportunities to interact with patients in their primary language

The program is a 2 year (21-month), full-time program that operates on a quarter system.

No. We only accept applications to start in the fall quarter.

The program is in-person and enrolled students need to be in Southern California.  Some instruction and clinical experiences may be conducted in a hybrid or remote format.

We have students from all over the United States and Canada as well as from other countries.

The major components of the curriculum are coursework, clinical rotations, and thesis research.

The coursework includes:

• Medical genetics (inheritance patterns & cytogenetics)
• Genetic screening, teratology, & prenatal development
• Human genetic disorders
• Counseling (3-quarter series)
• Hereditary cancers
• Inborn errors of metabolism
• Molecular genetics
• Quantitative and population genetics
• Ethical issues in human genetics,
• Community resources
• Research Methodology

Some of the characteristics that our program sees in successful graduate students are:

• Skilled in listening
• Engaged in continual learning
• Committed to equitable clinical care for a diverse patient population
• Open to challenges
• Mature and responsible
• Independent and also able to work as part of a team
• Both detail-oriented and able to accommodate the ‘big picture’

Courses/Student Life

No, this is typically not possible.

Program activities are primarily held Monday-Friday, 8am- 5pm. Students are strongly encouraged to have these periods of time open even if not scheduled in classes or clinic since other learning opportunities often become available.

Each year, seven to eight students typically enter the program.

Classes are designed for genetic counseling students and also attended by medical genetics residents. There are often opportunities to attend workshops with students from other GC programs.

Classes are taught by faculty members in the UCI Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine who also practice as clinical geneticists and genetic counselors.

Students must dress in professional attire in accordance with the dress code at the clinical sites where they are rotating.

Clinical Rotations

Most clinic rotations are at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, the nearby CHOC Children's Hospital of Orange County and Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach. Some clinics also take place in Irvine. Additional opportunities exist at various affiliated clinics and laboratory sites throughout Southern California, including Kaiser Permanente, Quest Diagnostics, and others. Summer rotation placements at these and other sites enhance the training experience.

All of the accredited graduate programs in genetic counseling include a research component.  At UCI, graduate students are required to complete a master’s thesis as a degree requirement. 

No, you do not need to have a research topic in mind before applying.  While some other graduate programs at UCI may have this requirement, ours does not, and most students develop their thesis research ideas after they begin the program.

All students enroll in a course in Research Methodology in the first year. This course covers concepts relevant for genetic counseling research including quantitative and qualitative methodologies; study design; data collection, management and analysis; human subjects research and IRB. During the course, students also engage in brainstorming and exploration, to develop a research proposal while receiving guidance from the program faculty which will eventually become their master's thesis project. 

After the Program

Coursework and clinical experiences are designed to develop the practice-based competencies defined by the Accreditation Council of Genetic Counseling (ACGC) (https://www.gceducation.org/) . Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) (https://www.abgc.net/) , and may apply for a license in those states that have implemented licensure.

Many graduates of the program join academic or hospital-based genetics teams with a focus on clinical service, teaching, and research. Others work for commercial genetics laboratories, public health programs including newborn screening, or advocacy organizations, among others.

Preparing to Apply

Your application is your opportunity to present how you have prepared for graduate study in  genetic counseling, and how you have determined that this is the career path that you want to pursue. Preparation for graduate study in genetic counseling includes building a foundation in the biological and behavioral sciences, gaining experience in crisis counseling and helping people work through difficult situations, and finding ways to learn more about the practice of genetic counseling.  Strong applications are those which provide clear preparation in all these areas, demonstrating that the applicant is prepared to go through rigorous coursework and is committed to equitable clinical care to a diverse patient populations. 

There is not a single recommended undergraduate major.  Previous students have come from various majors including biology, genetics, psychology, among others.  Regardless of the undergraduate major, it is important that students take the pre-requisite coursework which is strongly recommended for preparation for the program. 

Completing this recommended coursework prepares students to enter with a strong understanding of important biological processes (meiosis and mitosis, DNA replication, transcription and translation, and the function of human organ systems and basic metabolic pathways) as well as the ways in which human develop and interact with each other, in families and in society.  Having this strong foundation helps students to be prepared for the coursework, clinical rotations and research that they will complete during graduate study.

Each summer and fall, we hold Virtual Open House events for prospective applicants who are interested in learning more about the graduate program.  We also participate in other virtual career fair opportunities.   Please contact [email protected] for more information .

The program is based at the UC Irvine Medical Center campus in the City of Orange, not on the main campus in Irvine.  Because we are part of an active clinical unit, we do not regularly schedule tours of the program offices.  Instead, we have organized Virtual Open House events and other virtual means of communicating with the program, so that we can be equally accessible to all potential applicants regardless of where they are located.  Individuals are welcome to visit UCI main campus ( UCI Campus Tours ), however keep in mind that students spend the majority of their time at the UC Irvine Medical Center campus and at our affiliated clinical sites.

Typically the application for graduate studies at UCI is available online at the end of September or early October. Please check the UCI Graduate Division’s application website to see if the application for the appropriate cycle is available.

The application deadline for the graduate program is typically mid-December. For an updated deadline for each year, please refer to the program website ( https://medschool.uci.edu/education/graduate-studies/masters-degree-programs/genetic-counseling/admissions ).

• Completion of the online application
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement (which may be incorporated into the Statement of Purpose)
• Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
• Curriculum vitae
• Letters of recommendation (three letters are required)
• Payment of the application fee (or an approved application to waive this fee)
• Registration for the GC Admissions Match ( https://natmatch.com/gcadmissions/ ).  Your Match ID must be submitted as part of your application.  Note that the deadline to register for the GC Admissions Match may be earlier than our admissions deadline (please see the Match website for details).

No, you may start a new application without paying the application fee. The application fee/fee-wavier process occurs when you submit the application. This means that you may explore what is required or recommended to submit in an application before paying the application fee or submitting materials for the fee waiver. For questions regarding fee waivers, please see UCI Graduate Division’s Application Fee page .

Institutions may have varying titles for the courses which cover the recommended undergraduate coursework.  When you submit your application, you will be prompted to list the courses from your transcripts which cover each of the topic areas listed.

The application includes a section for you to indicate courses in which you are currently enrolled and courses that you plan to take.  You do not have to complete the course prior to the application deadline, but you should ensure that we know you are enrolled or are planning to enroll in the recommended course.

Yes, courses that were taken in the past will still be considered as meeting the recommendation, even if they were taken some years ago.  However, you may wish to take more current coursework in order to be well-prepared for graduate study.

No, lab components are not required.

No.  The GRE is no longer required for application to the graduate program.

Yes, it is required to submit a CV/resume.   It is recommended that you summarize your academic preparation and experiences that are relevant for your application.

You may submit supplementary materials that you feel will provide additional helpful information to the admissions committee, however this is not required.

You are required to have three letters of recommendation, and you may submit up to five.  When more than the required number are being submitted, the additional letters should be from someone who can provide important perspective on your qualifications and preparation for graduate study in genetic counseling.

The application includes two essays: a Statement of Purpose and a Personal History Statement . There are no additional program-specific essays. The application includes two separate text boxes where applicants submit the two essays.

Applicants may choose to combine their Personal History Statement into the Statement of Purpose if they wish. In this case, applicants should indicate in the Personal History section that they have incorporated the personal history statement into their statement of purpose.

Below are the instructions for the essays provided by the UCI Graduate Division for the 2023 application cycle for all graduate programs.  When you create an account to start a new application, you will see the prompts for the current application cycle. (Note that starting an application does NOT incur an application fee.)

• Academic plans
• Relevant experience
• Future career goals
• Why UCI would be a good intellectual fit for you
• Any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences or opportunities relevant to your academic journey
• Challenges and/or obligations you have had to address in order to achieve your educational goals and how you addressed them
• Prior employment, as a student or as a working professional, that is relevant to your pursuit of a graduate degree
• Discuss any leadership roles or plans, outreach, or community service experiences and goals that have or will benefit others or the community
• How your perspectives, activities, or goals have or may contribute to inclusivity and/or broaden your understanding of experiences of diverse groups of people

No, it is not required. There are many ways to learn about the profession.  

Application Process/Match

Yes, international students may apply. For details and information on how to apply, please visit UCI Graduate Division's International Students page

All interviews are held remotely by Zoom. On the interview day, each applicant meets with our faculty and students. One-on-one interviews with faculty members, meetings with current students, and other program events are spaced throughout the day, beginning at 8am through mid- to late afternoon. Applicants also have an opportunity to attend our weekly clinical case conference.

Yes, applicants who do not match to a graduate program may reapply in a subsequent cycle. There is no limit to the number of times applicants can reapply. Some applicants find it helpful to talk to the program director or other faculty members to discuss their preparation to reapply.  Reapplicants must submit a new complete application.

Financial Assistance

Yes. Please visit the UCI Graduate Division’s Application Fee page for details.

Please see the webpage for tuition and fees on the UCI Registrar website ( https://reg.uci.edu/fees/ ).   

Yes. All students typically receive some amount of fellowship aid. Additional details about possible fellowship funding are shared with program applications at the time of the interviews.  Some students may be eligible to apply for a part-time federal work-study position, and in this case it is required that the student complete a FAFSA.

Exploring Genetic Counseling as a Potential Career Choice

There are various ways in which you can explore the career. Some of the recommendations are the following:

• Attend the NSGC annual conference
• View the Master Counselor Series videos
• Attend virtual career fairs
• Explore the resources available through the Minority Genetics professionals Network (MGPN) ( https://minoritygenetics.org/ )
• Read online resources about genetic counseling or listen to related podcasts
• Join a Genetic Counseling Student Interest Group (SIG).  Many institutions have a GC-SIG.  See below for more information about the GC-SIG at UC Irvine.
• The “Find a Genetic Counselor” page on the NSGC website is a resource to identify genetic counselors who work in your area.
• Aim to talk with genetic counselors who work in a variety of settings.
• Gain experience in taking a professional role (often as a volunteer) in crisis counseling and working one-on-one with people who are facing various challenges.
• Gain experience working with individuals with disabilities and different abilities.

Above are just examples – there are other great ways someone can understand what is expected in genetic counseling as a profession, gain experience to prepare entering the field, and become a strong applicant.

Yes. GC-SIG membership is open to students and graduates from UCI as well as other universities.  The GC-SIG meets on a regular basis during the academic year in a hybrid model, with some attendees coming in person and some by ZOOM. The group invites guest speakers to some meetings, and the members share their experiences and ideas with each other as they explore genetic counseling as a possible career.  Please visit their website for further information about the UCI GC-SIG including details on how to join.

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Master’s in Genomic Medicine

Changing practice and building a cohort of ‘genomics ready’ health professionals.

The Master’s in Genomic Medicine framework is an educational programme designed to provide healthcare professionals with a multidisciplinary perspective on genomics and its applications in healthcare.

It is a flexible framework offering a range of qualifications. Individuals can undertake continued personal and professional development (CPPD) modules, a postgraduate certificate or diploma, or a full Master’s degree.

NHS professionals can apply for course funding. Funding is currently available for standalone CPPD modules up to March 2024, though you may be able to complete further modules to lead to a postgraduate qualification. Please see the ‘Funding rules’ section of your chosen module(s) for information.

The purpose

The Master’s framework is intended to support NHS healthcare professionals in developing their knowledge of genomics and how it can be applied to clinical practice and medical research, so they can:

Liaise with specialist services, colleagues and patients.

Be involved with the teaching and training of colleagues and students.

Take part in policy discussions.

Develop clinical academic research careers.

The history of the Master’s

Initiated in 2014, the Master’s was one of the first major initiatives devised and delivered by the Genomics Education Programme (GEP).

The curriculum was first developed by the GEP in collaboration with NHS England and Genomics England, and was fully reviewed and revised in 2018.

A selection of Russell Group universities were commissioned to deliver the framework, and the first intake of funded students began study in 2015.

To date, the GEP has funded more than 1,500 NHS professionals to participate. Read on for some of our alumnis’ feedback.

Alena , Masters Student

Bradley , Genetic Technologist

Ibrahim , Biomedical Scientist

Dr Asma Hamad,   Paediatric doctor in training

Sharon , Genetic Technologist

The curriculum

The Master’s framework curriculum comprises the following modules – click on each module’s link for further information about the course content.

Some universities have developed additional modules to further enhance and expand the Master’s framework. View our Education page to see all the available courses.

• Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics
• Omics Techniques and Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine
• Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genomic Analysis
• Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease
• Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases
• Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Monitoring
• Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare
• Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics
• Introduction to the Counselling Skills used in Genomic Medicine
• Health Economic Evaluation in Genomics
• Professional and Research Skills

Our university partners

We are proud to work with these world-leading universities to deliver the Master’s in Genomic Medicine framework.

Developing people for health and healthcare

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Biological sciences/genetics personal statement example.

DNA is like a computer programme but far far more advanced than any software ever created” - Bill Gates, the mastermind behind Microsoft himself admits the intricacy of such a molecule. Geneticists working alongside innovative technology have created a huge impact on the modern world.

Starting with four chemicals and digital codes from DNA sequencing now results in one of the most astonishing creations ever, the ability to synthesize life. The development of synthetic bacteria provides future possibilities of an alternative for fossil fuels through bioremediation, a perfect solution for biotechnology companies as well as the energy industry.

I find it compelling that within the field of genetic research such discoveries made by humankind can possibly refine the natural world.

I discovered my enthusiasm for Biology, especially human genetics, during IGCSE. I was intrigued by the idea that a simple alignment of four alphabet letters could construct such complexity as that found in the human body. Reading ‘Genes and Cloning’ by Jess Buxton and Jon Turney and ‘Darwin’s Island’ by Steve Jones captivated my attention of the individuality of different qualities each gene possesses, and how very small mutations in the DNA can be responsible for genetic diseases such as Neurofibromatosis, Huntington’s disease and Duchenne’s multiple sclerosis.

I believe within the near future, more great discoveries are yet to come, as I consider the prospects of cancer treatment involving the use of RNA interference which has become the centre of attention in the scientific world, with extensive research taking place within industry.

During my work experience, I had the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Public Health in Bangkok where I toured the department of Medical Sciences. I was able to observe technicians operating both the scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope where samples of bacteria and moths were being examined.

I particularly enjoyed my visit at the Medical Biotechnology centre where, accompanied by a geneticist, I observed the extraction of DNA from a blood sample for a prenatal DNA test. This would then identify any gene abnormalities that could result in birth defects such as Down syndrome.

Along with laboratory experience, I was permitted to enter observation rooms during patient examinations at a hospital and witness how blood samples were obtained by doctors to be subsequently processed in the Science Laboratories behind the scenes. With these experiences, I believe I have a wider insight into the basic procedures and preparations within the laboratory.

My personal achievements include completing the Duke of Edinburgh Silver award and recently a comprehensive First aid course. These activities have given me the chance to show initiative and perseverance in the face of adversity in difficult circumstances.

I was a member of Amnesty International, which has developed my communication skills during discussions of recent issues concerning human rights within Thailand and I have enjoyed the challenge of promoting such issues to younger students who have less awareness of the work of Amnesty.

My personal hobby has been Art, in which nature has inspired me to create artworks in my additional time such as batik, carving and designing textiles, teaching me patience and giving me means relax.

From the medical industry to energy industry, gene technology has played a major role in the world in which we live.

I am an independent learner who always strives to motivate myself in order to develop my skills further. My goal is to excel within the field of Genetics and make a significant contribution to this field. I am excited about the opportunity to achieve my goal studying at university in the UK.

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Author's Comments

DNA is like a computer programme but far far more advanced than any software ever created” - Bill Gates, the mastermind behind Microsoft himself admits the intricacy of such a molecule. Geneticists working alongside innovative technology have created a huge impact on the modern world. Starting with four chemicals and digital codes from DNA sequencing now results in one of the most astonishing creations ever, the ability to synthesize life. The development of synthetic bacteria provides future possibilities of an alternative for fossil fuels through bioremediation, a perfect solution for biotechnology companies as well as the energy industry. I find it compelling that within the field of genetic research such discoveries made by humankind can possibly refine the natural world...

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Simultaneous assessment of genetic and epigenetic contributions to plasma lipid levels with respect to cardiovascular risk

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Background This study aims to develop a model for simultaneously assessing genetic and epigenetic contributions to plasma lipid levels.

Methods The predictive model was developed using two cardiovascular risk groups, i.e., individuals with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (≥160 mg/dl, N = 296) and coronary artery disease (CAD) ( N = 315), in contrast to reference (max N = 3,801) and non-CAD individuals ( N = 164). For genetic predisposition, rare pathological variants in five target genes related to familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) were screened, while common variants were characterized to calculate a polygenic risk score (PRS). The methylation risk score (MRS) was also calculated for epigenetic profiles based on DNA methylation levels at 13 CpG sites. A relationship between these variables and lipid levels was analyzed in regression and quantile models.

Results A total of 17 rare FH-related gene variants were identified in patients with high LDL-C or CAD, significantly more prevalent than in the general Japanese population (2.8% vs. 0.2%, P <1×10 −15 ). For the rare variants plus PRS, the predictability of individual LDL-C increased (correlation coefficient between predicted and measured values, r = 0.261, P = 1.7×10 −11 ) compared to PRS alone ( r = 0.151, P = 1.2×10 −4 ). PRS and MRS had the most significant impact on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, respectively. The two risk scores had additive effects on these traits.

Conclusions Our results provide proof-of-concept that assessing the relative contribution of genetic predisposition and DNA methylation levels (reflecting past environmental exposures) may help individuals refine their dyslipidemia treatment.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This study was supported by a grant (19A2004) from NCGM and AMED under Grant Number JP22ek0210165 and JSPS KAKENHI Grants (JP20K10514, JP21H03206, JP22H03350).

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The institutional ethics review board at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) approved this study, and participants gave their written informed consent. The procedures followed the ethical standards of the institutional committee on human experimentation at NCGM.

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Data availability

All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.

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