The Centre for Digestive Diseases is one of the largest academic and clinical departments in this field in the UK and includes professors in GI genetics, paediatrics, surgery, neurogastroenterology, clinical gastroenterology, GI pharmacology and GI physiology all of whom contribute to the post graduate teaching. The vast majority of the teaching in the Diploma is provided by clinical academics who are both research and clinically active. The course has been approved by the British Society of Gastroenterology Education Committee.

Aims of the Programme

The Diploma/MSc in Gastroenterology is designed as a curriculum in gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition for new entrants into these fields and as an update and extension for those already in it. The course provides clinicians with theoretical and clinically applied aspects of their discipline with a focus on the relevant basic sciences and research techniques. It is aimed at clinicians wishing to gain strong knowledge of the sciences underpinning the clinical diseases and their management.

Course outline

The course comprises the Post Graduate Diploma (or ‘taught course’) from October until April. To gain the MSc means undertaking research projects that run from April until August.

The Postgraduate Diploma is currently organised into 6 modules which stand alone and for those unable to undertake them all can be applied to individually.

Module 1: The Basis of GI Diseases
Module 2: Liver and pancreatic diseases
Module 3: Adult GI diseases: Luminal diseases
Module 4: Neurogastroenterology: Advanced functional GI diseases
Module 5: Paediatric and adolescent GI, liver and nutritional diseases, including GI infections
Module 6: Introduction to endoscopy

Students attending the MSc based in London have opportunities to observe clinical meetings, audits, clinics or endoscopy sessions in the large clinical department mainly in the latter half of the year. There are also two endoscopy training simulators and so training in endoscopy on these simulators is included for on-site students.

Distance Learning (Barts and the London – UEGF PG Diploma):

Started in 2010 the Post Graduate Diploma as above has been established as a distance learning course with the support of the United European Gastroenterology Federation UEGF. The course utilises a variety of on-line teaching methods but the bulk of teaching is recorded live and made available later on the day of the teaching. Distance Learning students access the teaching through the dedicated University on-line teaching environment (Blackboard) and in addition can download pod- or vod- casts (including via RSS feeds).

See also: Postgraduate Diploma in Gastroenterology (Distance Learning) Flyer [PDF]

Other opportunities:

• For those interested in individual modules courses these are available as stand alone distance learning courses and on successful completion University marks are sent out.
• There are limited opportunities to stay for a maximum of one year after the MSc for a clinical attachment within the DDCAU. Successful completion of the MSc is required. Additional fees apply and places are very limited in numbers.
• For selected high-achieving students there are opportunities to stay in the Centre as clinical research fellows studying for higher degrees (MD(Res) or PhD).

Entry requirements

Minimum requirements for applications to the course are MB BS or basic medical degree recognised by the University of London and an IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent).

Most students are interviewed by a senior member of the course before being accepted.

Further information

Please contact:
Nici Kingston
Course Administrator
Centre for Digestive Diseases
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Queen Mary, University of London
Blizard Building
4 Newark Street
London
E1 2AT
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 7191
Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2192
email: n.j.kingston@qmul.ac.uk
www.icms.qmul.ac.uk/courses