Family Medicine (Online Learning) MFM

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time
  • MFM | 3 years | Start date: September 2026
Part-time intermittent study
  • MFM | 6 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Edinburgh Medical School

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
Accreditation

Not available

Apply now

15 October: Postgraduate Online Learning Essentials

Find out what it’s like to study online at Edinburgh, with insights into learning, community and the support available to online postgraduate students.

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Open Days on Demand

Dive into an extensive selection of programme-specific session recordings hosted by our Academic and Professional Services staff.


About the degree programme

Transform yourself and your practice with our Master of Family Medicine programme, designed to empower you with the skills to lead and innovate in primary health care globally.

The discipline of family medicine is gaining prominence globally as a vehicle for promoting effective primary health care and universal health coverage, offering many opportunities for students and graduates.

This part-time, online programme offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers essential skills as a family doctor, from applying evidence-based practice and patient-centred care to leadership and quality improvement.

The programme aims to empower and equip learners to promote the development of compassionate, values-based and academic family medicine. The learning is enhanced by our vibrant and international community of practice, enabling the sharing of experiences from different contexts and providing peer support. The programme is led by expert and experienced faculty and supported by an administrative team including designated student support. 

Working together, our team is committed to providing the best opportunities for our students and ultimately advancing family medicine and primary health care locally and around the world.

Study options

This part-time, fully online programme is spread over three years, and you can exit the programme after:

  • Year 1 with a Postgraduate Certificate
  • Year 2 with a Postgraduate Diploma
  • Year 3 with a Master of Family Medicine

Programme benefits

  • Develop the capacity to improve the quality of family medicine practice, lead primary health care teams towards achieving universal health coverage and advocate for changes in policy, enhancing your role as a pivotal change-maker in global health.
  • Learn from leading practitioners and researchers at the forefront of family medicine, providing you with the latest knowledge and practices to excel in diverse healthcare environments.
  • Benefit from the flexibility of an online learning format that allows you to study from anywhere in the world, fitting your studies around your professional and personal commitments.

As a person who has done both vocational and online training, I have experienced the tremendous advantages of both forms of training. Residency programs offer more opportunities to have more hands-on experiences with patients, which helps to accelerate your clinical capability as a clinician. The MFM course, on the other hand, greatly helped shape my growth as a clinician and academician through skills such as reflective learning, academic writing, and networking opportunities. I therefore believe that family medicine residents will greatly benefit from expanding their understanding of the specialty, personal growth, and professional excellence by enrolling in MFM.

Ian Kibet 2nd Year MFM student

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
Part-time intermittent study

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

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Funding opportunities

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

Online Learning Scholarships

The University offers several scholarships specifically for online, part-time postgraduate programmes. These are very competitive. We publish data on the success rate for scholarship applications to help you understand the level of demand.

Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding candidates, and will be applied toward tuition fees.

Learn more about Online Learning Scholarships

Scholarship application success rates

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are funded by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (CSC), dependent from the UK government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

They are aimed at candidates from low and middle-income countries who would like to undertake part-time, distance learning study on eligible postgraduate programmes offered at Universities in the UK.

Each scholarship will cover full tuition fees and will be tenable for up to five years of part-time study.

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

The Carl and Gillean Kjeldsberg Online Scholarships in Family Medicine

These scholarships are awarded to outstanding African health workers who are living and working in any African country and who have a passion to strengthen family medicine and primary health care within their country and region.

Edinburgh Global Online Learning Scholarships for refugees and displaced students

The University will offer 20 scholarships for eligible refugees and displaced students studying towards a part-time distance learning programme offered by the University.

Edinburgh Global Online Learning Scholarships for refugees and displaced students

The Glenmore Postgraduate Scholarship

Four scholarships are available for eligible postgraduate programmes offered by the University.  The scholarships will cover full tuition fees for the duration of the programme of study.

Glenmore Postgraduate Scholarship

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

If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Masters option.

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

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

An accredited medical degree (MBChB) or its international equivalent) is required.

We may also consider applicants who are in a profession allied to medicine or have relevant work experience in a clinical context. Please contact the programme team to check before you apply.

International 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
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • 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): total 92 with at least 20 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.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • 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)
  • Trinity ISE
  • 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

What you will study

The Master of Family Medicine is structured to provide a deep and comprehensive understanding of family medicine, delivered over three years of part-time, online study. Each year builds on the knowledge and skills developed previously, with the aim of developing compassionate and person-centred practitioners who can understand and apply the principles of family medicine.

Year 1: Core foundations

  • Foundations of Family Medicine: Introduction to the key concepts and historical development of the specialty.
  • Professionalism in Family Practice: Learn about the principles of ethics and professionalism and how to apply these to your own practice.
  • Applying Evidence-Based Practice in Family Medicine: Enhance your ability to apply scientific evidence to clinical practice.

Year 2: Specialised practice

At the start of Year 2, you will choose between the following option courses, which provide a focus on research or quality improvement:

  • Family Medicine Research Methods (20 credits): Learn about research methods in preparation for a dissertation in the final year.
  • Methodologies to Improve Family Medicine Practice (20 credits): Learn about quality improvement for clinical practice in preparation for a quality improvement project in the final year.

All students will then complete the following compulsory course:

  • Applying the Family Medicine Approach Throughout Every Stage of Life (40 credits): Apply the principles taught in Year 1 of the programme across the lifecycle of the patient, family and community. 

The course incorporates teaching on:

  • health promotion and disease prevention
  • maternal and child health
  • infectious diseases
  • non-communicable diseases
  • mental health
  • care of the elderly
  • palliative care

You will have the opportunity to focus on areas of personal interest or relevance to your practice.

Year 3: Research and application

Details of the final year are still to be confirmed.

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Part-time
Part-time intermittent study

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Each online learning course runs for 10 or 20 weeks. There are reading weeks every five weeks when there is no formal teaching. 

There will be online activities such as discussion forums and group work that will augment the teaching. There is also a live and interactive lecture once each week, usually around midday UK time, so that you have direct contact with your tutors. Each of these tutorials is recorded for those who cannot attend.

Assessment

Assessments will be included as part of each of the taught courses of the Masters programme. There are normally two assessments per course. 

A range of assessments will be employed, including essay writing, case studies and group work. You will prepare for the final assessment through formative work during the course.

There are no written or practical examinations within the programme.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Our academic staff

Our team is comprised of academic and administrative staff from the University of Edinburgh and our international partners. Visiting tutors, who are often prominent family doctors in the field, are also invited to contribute.

Read more about our team

How online learning works

This degree programme is taught entirely online. There is no need to come to the city or University campus. 

All learning and teaching takes place within our virtual learning environment (VLE). Through the VLE, you can: 

  • access all your learning materials and study resources, including e-books and library resources
  • interact with your tutors and classmates 

An online degree from the University of Edinburgh is academically equivalent to an on-campus postgraduate degree and involves the same level of work overall. The qualification you get is of equal value. Your degree certificate will not mention that you studied the programme online.

Watch our video to see how online learning works.

Time commitment

This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world.  

The programme is part-time, requiring approximately 10-15 hours of study per week. This allows you to manage your studies alongside your professional and personal responsibilities effectively.

Equipment and software needs

To study this online programme, you will need access to:   

  • a computer or laptop  
  • the internet  
  • the latest version of a web browser  

As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. 

IT support is available if you have technical difficulties.  

IT and computing help

Opportunities to attend in person

Our programme is 100% online. Although you will not need to visit Edinburgh in person at any time during your study, we do very much welcome you to visit us if you find yourself in the area.

Graduation

All students are offered the opportunity to graduate in person in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the completion of their studies.

Support for online students

Student life 

Even though you are not on campus in Edinburgh, there are lots of ways in which you can take part in student life and enjoy being part of our community. 

Online Students website 

Student representation 

Effective student representation is a vital part of our teaching and learning to enhance the student experience. 

Programme student representatives will be nominated and will communicate regularly with the teaching programme about any student concerns. A staff student liaison committee (SSLC) will be held each semester to discuss student feedback. 

The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss issues and good practice, but also to review feedback and work with students to monitor and improve the programme delivery and teaching content, as required. The student representatives will set the agenda and chair the SSLC meetings. 

More information about students getting involved

Postgraduate e-Journal Club

Our e-journal club (eJC), led by staff and students, focuses on Evidence-Based Practice and critical appraisal of research. It involves postgraduate learners from various programmes, enhancing skills and critiquing studies across disciplines like public health, clinical trials, and data science.

Aimed primarily at healthcare professionals, it supports Evidence-Based Practice and knowledge sharing. This platform fosters collaboration, peer review, and builds critical lifelong learning skills.

This club is available to all programme students.

Career opportunities

Graduates of the programme inform us that they stand out from their peers, particularly in demonstrating skills such as self-reflective practice and competency in areas such as quality improvement. This assists with career progression as a clinician.

Many graduates go on to take leadership positions within health systems or organisations. Some develop further skills in medical education, and some go on to develop their academic portfolio through a PhD.

Professional links

The programme team have professional links with the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK) and the World Association of Family Doctors (WONCA).

There are also considerable opportunities through our network of world-leading researchers and educationalists within the University of Edinburgh.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

Mihiri, from Sri Lanka, talks about studying the Master of Family Medicine online.

Our student, Wongani Mzumara, talks about their experience of studying the Master of Family Medicine online.

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 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 21 August 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

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: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting 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 one reference with your application.

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

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

General enquiries

Programme Administrator

Edinburgh Medical School
Usher Building
5-7 Little France Road
Little France
Edinburgh
EH16 4UX

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)131 651 7990

Academic contact

Dr Robin Ramsay

Programme Director

  • College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
  • University of Edinburgh

Contact details

Address

Usher Building
5-7 Little France Road
Little France
Edinburgh
EH16 4UX

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