MSc Diabetes

Applicants must hold an appropriate first degree with a minimum of 2:2 honours, or hold appropriate professional qualifications.

Applications are invited from:

• junior doctors
• NHS staff
• international students with appropriate qualifications
• international doctors or healthcare professionals
• those with related undergraduate degrees (e.g. Biomedical Science, Dietetics) or equivalent professional qualifications and background experience.

https://www1.chester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-finance/current-postgraduate-fees

The programme provides specialist training for doctors, or healthcare professionals, in diabetes care.

It also provides an excellent grounding for those looking to undertake MPhil or PhD research. All candidates would be able to register for a PhD on successful completion of the MSc.

Programme Structure:

The programme is modular with six taught modules – each worth 20 credits. The last of these involves a clinical placement. The course culminates in a 60-credit Research Dissertation.

MD7001: Evidence Based Medicine (20 credits)

This module provides training in the essential skills needed as a researcher or practitioner to use the scientific and medical literature. It will equip you with the skills required to:

• search the literature
• critically evaluate research papers
• write a research review, a systematic review and a meta-analysis
• determine the appropriate statistical analyses for a given set of clinical data
• carry out and report statistical analyses.

MD7002: Analysis and Interpretation of Clinical Data (20 credits)

This module will develop your understanding of the theories underpinning modern analytical and molecular procedures of relevance to the clinician, and develop your critical appreciation of the uses and limitations of a range of analytical and molecular techniques relevant to clinical and biomedical science. Sessions will cover:

• the value of laboratory tests
• limitations of measurements
• safety and operational issues – COSHH, Risk Assessment and SOPs
• practical sessions – covering aspects of validation
• interpretation of laboratory analyses.

MD7003: Clinical Medicine (20 credits)

This utilises the changes that occur during ageing to enable you to develop in-depth knowledge of the pathology of selected organ systems, including the importance of diagnosis and management of human disease. Areas covered include:

• concepts – the hallmarks of ageing and inflammageing
• the life and death of a cell
• oxidative stress and disease
• ageing – endocrinology, immunology and gene expression
• factors affecting lifespan.

MD7007: Diabetes (20 credits)

This will provide you with a detailed understanding of glucose metabolism and its regulation and how this is disturbed in diabetes. The different types of diabetes and various complications are discussed. Specific topics include:

• overview of metabolism and metabolic regulation
• overview of the endocrine system and basic biological principles
• glucose regulation in healthy individuals
• overview of diabetes – diagnosis, classifications
• Type 1 diabetes – aetiology and epidemiology, cellular events, physiology, genetics
• Type 2 diabetes – aetiology and epidemiology, cellular events, physiology, metabolic syndrome, genetics
• diabetes insipidus – aetiology and epidemiology, classification
• complications of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

MD7008: Therapeutic Advances in Diabetes (20 credits)

This module reviews current guidelines and their evidence base in the therapeutic management of diabetes, and explores potential new therapies. Specific areas covered include:

• insulin and insulin pump therapy, including equipment
• anti-diabetic drugs
• an understanding of clinical research in relation to therapeutics and diabetes to enable you to translate that understanding into good therapeutic management of diabetes
• a review of landmark trials in diabetes and their implications for drug management in relation to blood pressure control, blood lipid management and anti-thrombotic therapy
• drug treatment of diabetes complications: ketoacidosis;  hypoglycaemia; diabetic nephropathy; diabetic neuropathy; and clinical depression
• exercise and diet
• the importance and value of a multidisciplinary team approach to support diabetes self-management.

MD7020 Type 2 Diabetes and other metabolic complications of obesity (20 credits)
A module that develops a detailed knowledge of the pathophysiology of obesity and how it contributes to metabolic diseases with special emphasis on the management and pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Module content will include:

• Pathophysiology of obesity and development of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and the metabolic syndrome
• Modern management of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia
• Cardiovascular risks associated with morbid obesity
• Gut hormone signalling before and after bariatric surgery

MD7006: Clinical Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (20 credits) – Optional
Develops an understanding of the immunological processes involved in various aspects of clinical immunology and an in-depth understanding of the interactions between pathogens and the human host.

• autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivity, transplantation
• parasitology – malaria, toxoplasmosis
• immune responses to viral infection
• bacteria and immune responses
• biofilms and quorate sensing

MD7101: Current Clinical Practice (20 credits)

In this module, you will develop a proactive approach to understanding the current developments in clinical practice. A series of seminars and tutorials will be held with various healthcare professionals and clinical researchers. You will also join clinical teams for placements in your chosen specialism for training in a variety of protocols.

MD7100: Research Dissertation (60 credits)

The Research Dissertation is an opportunity to investigate systematically and in depth a laboratory-based topic of direct relevance to the programme of study and your personal interests; to draw on and contribute to the development of the growing body of knowledge in the broad clinical/biomedical sciences field; and to present the outcomes of personal research in the form of two publishable scientific articles.