Medical Informatics PhD

Level: Postgraduate research

Subject: Medicine

Year of entry: 2027

Study options

Part-time
  • PhD | 6 years | Start date: multiple dates
Full-time
  • PhD | 3 years | Start date: multiple dates

Key facts

School

School of Population Health Sciences

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
School location

Little France

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About the degree programme

Medical informatics brings together health, medicine, data and technology to improve how we understand disease, deliver care and design health services. On this PhD, you will develop an original research project addressing an important clinical or health challenge, using approaches from informatics, engineering, mathematics or the social sciences.

Your research could explore:

  • artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing
  • analysis of structured and unstructured health and care data
  • computational medicine and simulation
  • telehealth, mobile health and digital biomarkers
  • surgical informatics and technology-enabled care
  • real-world evaluation of health technologies
  • dependable AI, data ethics and digital governance

These approaches can be applied across clinical and population health, from cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic disease to cancer, neurodegenerative disease, mental health, multimorbidity and global health.

At Edinburgh, you will join the Centre for Medical Informatics within the School of Population Health Sciences, a highly interdisciplinary environment that brings together expertise in data science, public health and clinical research. Based in the Usher Building at Edinburgh BioQuarter, alongside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, you will be part of a community designed to support collaboration between researchers, clinicians, health and care providers, and public, private and third-sector partners.

You can also draw on expertise across the University, including the Schools of Informatics and Engineering and other centres within the School of Population Health Sciences. Supported by a supervisory team and tailored research training, you will develop the analytical, research and collaborative skills needed to shape safe, effective and responsible uses of data and technology in health and care.

Study options

Full-time

  • PhD | 3 years | Start date: multiple dates

Part-time

  • PhD | 6 years | Start date: multiple dates

Rankings

The University of Edinburgh was ranked fourth in the UK (first in Scotland) for research power in Clinical Medicine and second in the UK (first in Scotland) for social work and social policy (REF 2021, Times Higher Education).

REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in its higher education institutions. The most recent REF took place in 2021; the next REF is planned for 2029.

Why choose this programme

  • share your passion and expertise for medical informatics research with a diverse and supportive community drawn from around the world
  • gain further training in research skills and methods
  • build a career in research and critical thinking

How to apply

Before applying

Before submitting an online application, you should contact an academic member of staff who may act as first supervisors in order to align your research proposal with one of the Institute's main areas of research.

Potential supervisors to contact

Usher Institute research

List of supervisors

Applying guidance

You can find further information on making a research degree application can be found on the college website.

How to apply for a research degree

Supervisors

Research group leaders within the Centre For Medical Informatics offer projects as first PhD supervisors. In addition, group leaders from the other two centres in the Usher Institute (the Centre for Population Health Sciences and the Centre for Global Health Research) act as either co-supervisors, or, depending on the specific topic and primary methodology of the PhD, as first supervisors.

Second (or third) supervisors from University research centres outside Usher and other associated institutes (for example, the Institute of Genetics and Cancer and Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research) may also be available.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

and, if applicable:

  • your research topic
  • details of any published work

You will also need to provide some or all of the following supporting information and documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit two references with your application.

Interview

To be accepted in the programme a formal interview will take place (in-person or online) with the supervisory team, the relevant postgraduate advisor for the centre and an independent panel member.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

We aim to inform you of the outcome of the interview within two weeks. If successful, you will receive either a conditional or unconditional offer, depending on your circumstances.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

If you need to apply for a student visa, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Funding

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

There are various potential sources of funding to support postgraduate research degree study.

View details: Usher Institute postgraduate funding and scholarships

If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for study from one of the UK’s governments.

You should check that your chosen programme is eligible for the funding you want to apply for.

View details: UK government loans

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time
Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Costs

Additional programme costs

In addition to tuition fees, your programme may be subject to additional programme costs. These would contribute to the costs of conducting your research project, and may include aspects such as:

  • research consumables and model systems
  • data access/linkage
  • facility access charges 
  • fieldwork costs
  • computing resources
  • essential travel and subsistence

You should discuss with your supervisor how these costs would be paid and ascertain if these costs are covered by your funding scheme/scholarship or if there are any additional costs you need to cover.

These costs could be up to £5,000 per year (pro-rata).

Accommodation and living costs

You will need to pay for your accommodation and living costs (such as rent, food and utility bills) for the duration of your programme.

For 2026-2027, we estimate that it will cost an average of £18,504 each year (£1,542 each month) to live in Edinburgh as a postgraduate.

The exact amount you spend will depend on different factors, especially the accommodation you choose.

Living costs: estimates explained 

These entry requirements are for the 2027-28 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2028-29 academic year will be published in early Oct 2027.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree and a UK masters degree, or their international equivalents. We will also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, and significant work experience in an area relevant to your research project.

International equivalent qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test (restrictions apply)
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English (restrictions apply)
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) before 21 January 2026: total 92 with 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) from 21 January 2026: total 4.5 with at least 4.5 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component. We do not accept Oxford ELLT Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

Research profile

Advances in data capture platforms in both medicine and life sciences supported by modern computing and informatics have greatly energised the overlapping fields of Medical Informatics and Data Intensive Biomedicine.

The Centre For Medical Informatics at the Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics was inaugurated at Edinburgh on 1 April 2015 (Harvard Medical School also established a department of Biomedical Informatics in 2015).

Scotland is in a leading position to exploit health data and is uniquely placed in having high-quality linkable datasets optimised for research purposes. These data are also key to the development of commercially exploitable know-how and intellectual property.

The combination of informatics and biomedicine is fundamental for advances towards 4P medicine (personalised, predictive, preventive and participatory).

Current research opportunities in this area include:

  • developing new perspectives on medicine and fundamental biology through application of quantitative approaches and data-intensive analyses to biomedical and other health related data
  • real-time generation, analysis and interpretation of health data to foster the creation of learning health systems, which aim to enhance the quality, safety and efficiency of care
  • the development of new challenges for informatics systems (software, hardware and socio-technical) in healthcare and medicine
  • developing and evaluating new technologies to promote health and wellbeing
  • to study and inform policy deliberations on strategies and approaches to digitising health systems and services
  • safe and secure management and storage of digitised data in ways that enables secondary uses of these data
  • social, ethical and legal issues of data intensive research and digitised health care

Our research community

We have a thriving and vibrant PhD community with well-developed management and administrative structures.

You are part of a truly interdisciplinary community, in a school and that has strong partnerships with other academic institutions across the UK, NHS, and public and private sectors.

The School of Population Health Sciences strives to foster an inclusive, fair and respectful culture in which all students and staff can flourish and achieve their potential and is supported in achieving this by the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

There are regular whole-Institute school events, seminars and workshops that bring together researchers from across our centres and beyond, providing further opportunities for networking and development of collaborations.

Programme structure

A PhD is a doctoral level research degree which provides a significant contribution of original knowledge to your field. The programme is usually studied full-time for three years or part-time for six years.  

The University of Edinburgh PhD programme can vary depending on the research but in general is structured as follows: 

  • The first stage involves training, literature reviews, and project planning with supervision.
  • The second stage focuses on data collection and/ or analysis using appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods.
  • The third stage includes analysis, thesis writing, and final submission.

In the School of Population Health Sciences, we deliver a structured training programme with opportunities for training and development throughout the whole 3-year period.  

An MScR (Masters by Research ) in the  School of Population Health Sciences consists entirely of research project work and ends with a final research project or dissertation. The programme is usually studied full-time for one year or part-time for two years.

Taught courses

You may wish to participate in University of Edinburgh taught courses and many students join one or more courses within the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme. It is also possible to audit or enrol in courses offered in the other schools in the university. 

Support

You will be integrated within the existing student-led approach in the School of Population Health Sciences, where structures are already in place to ensure a high-quality student experience. 

University quality assurance monitoring and reporting processes will be adhered to. All supervisors will satisfy university requirements in terms of training and mentoring. 

We will clearly communicate expectations of students through multiple channels (for example, at interview, during induction, in the Postgraduate Research Student and Supervisor Handbook, by supervisors, at annual review meetings and on relevant web pages). You will have at least two supervisors who will also give pastoral care and career advice in addition to student services provision. 

Throughout the programme, you will attend a series of in-person training workshops as part of a structured training programme which will provide you with an opportunity to meet your peers and find out about other research projects within the school. You will also have the opportunity to attend appropriate courses identified in consultation with the supervisors. 

Facilities

In 2024 the school moved into the Usher Building, an impressive new building with world-class facilities located in the Edinburgh BioQuarter, our developing health  innovation district.   Its proximity to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh enables close partnerships and collaboration between researchers, clinicians, health and care providers and public, private and third-sector partners. Designed for interaction and innovation, the building includes a contemporary café and hosts events and activities open to all. 

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

Academic contact

Sarah Golightly

Postgraduate Administrator

  • School of Population Health Sciences

Contact details

Address

Usher Building
5-7 Little France Road, Edinburgh BioQuarter - Gate 3
Little France
Edinburgh
EH16 4UX

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