Research Methods Training

The Musculoskeletal Research Unit is committed to the education of medical students, clinicians and other healthcare professionals in research, evidence-based medicine and research methods. There are several options available depending on your stage of training and research interests. We encourage you to click on the links below for further information regarding the different methods of training on offer.

If you are interested in any of the options, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the respective team.

Intercalated BSc in Clinical Sciences

The BSc in Clinical Sciences (formerly known as Health Sciences) is an intercalated degree providing medical, veterinary and dental undergraduate students with the opportunity to study the underlying scientific basis of disease and how this can transform clinical practice.

Prospective PhD/MD students

In the Musculoskeletal Research Unit, we have provided support and supervision to research students' conducting MDs and PhDs. We do not have in-house funding for research degrees but are able to support prospective students in their applications to external funders. We provide expertise in musculoskeletal epidemiology, systematic review, medical statistics, qualitative research, and bone biology.

If you are interested in undertaking a period of full time research, please contact Andy Judge with an idea of your interests and potential funding sources.

Potential funding sources:

RCS(Eng) one-year fellowships

Joint RCS(Eng)/NJR research fellowship

Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK) 

GW4-CAT 

Examples of recent MD and PhD projects include:

Mike Whitehouse: Fixation of the cemented acetabular component (PhD) 2011
Maryam Nowghani: Novel strategies for securing human osteoblast maturation on biomaterials (PhD) 2011
Luke Brunton: An assessment of measures of function in hip and knee replacement (MD) 2013
Gevdeep Bhabra: DNA damage caused by indirect exposure to cobalt and chrome ions (MD) 2014
Angus MacLean: The systemic chromosomal effects of exposure to orthopaedic metals (MD) 2014
Richard Baker: Failure of the femoral component of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty (MD) 2014
Nick Howells: An investigation of persistent unexplained pain following knee replacement surgery (MD) 2014
Julia Blackburn: LPA functionalisation of titanium (MD) 2014
Sarah Lancaster: Novel routes towards securing human osteoblast maturation for potential orthopaedic applications (MD) 2015
Simon Hawkins: Nanoparticle-induced neurotoxicity across placental barriers (PhD) 2015
James Berstock: Surgical approaches to hip and knee arthroplasty (MD) 2016
Henry Burnand: A prospective cohort study of trauma outcomes in a resource-limited rural South African setting using mobile phone text messaging. (MD) 2017
Brett Rocos: What is the route to high quality, joined up care and governance for pre-hospital aeromedical trauma services? (MD) 2017
Damian Clark: The effect of restoration of joint congruity in surgery for patellofemoral instability on function and gait. (MD) 2018
Payam Tarassoli: Robotic assisted fracture surgery. (MD) 2019
Andy Judge: Extended benchmarking in total hip replacement (MD) (Joint RCS(Eng) / NJR research fellowship) 2019

MSc in Orthopaedic Surgery

The University of Bristol MSc in orthopaedic surgery is a two-year part time MSc designed specifically for Higher Specialist Trainees in the UK to work alongside clinical training. The MSc is comprised of three units:

• research methods
• clinical modules
• research project/thesis

The taught course in research methods teaches skills in study design, ethics, methodology and statistics with an aim of training surgeons in the knowledge required to underpin a career practicing evidence-based medicine. The self-directed clinical unit allows students to take the skills learnt in the research methods course and apply them to their own training rotations to answer student designed independent learning objectives relevant to clinical practice in the UK. The research project runs alongside the other two units and allows students to apply their newly acquired skills in a research project, supervised by a member of the MRU team with an aim towards publication in an orthopaedic journal.

The MSc is a stand-alone qualification in research methods and evidence based medicine directly applied to trauma and orthopaedics and is an ideal springboard to an MD or PhD.

For further information, visit the prospectus page, or contact Andy Judge.

INSPIRE

INSPIRE is a programme funded by the Wellcome trust and the Academy of Medical Science, designed to support medical students in developing research skills for future practice. If you are interested in applying for a summer internship, please contact Andy Judge with details of your areas of interest and an up-to-date CV.