MSc in Research at Leicester University

I am currently intercalating between fourth and fifth year of medical school, completing a Master’s degree in research. Until the end of third year, intercalating wasn’t really on the cards for me. It was only later that I began to appreciate just how valuable an intercalated year could be. I have always had an interest in genetics (it was very much my “backup plan” if I hadn’t made it into medical school!), so when I learned that the course allowed me to select a substantial lab-based research project, I was almost immediately sold.

One of the strengths of the course at Leicester is the balance between taught content and research project work. The year begins with four modules alongside assignments, and from February onwards the focus shifts to full-time project work. This structure allows a great deal of flexibility, giving you the freedom to tailor your timetable while really immersing yourself in your research.

Taught Content

This course gives you a solid grounding in how health research actually works, from start to finish. It covers how to find and make sense of research evidence, turn an idea into a clear research question, and choose the right methods to answer it. You learn both quantitative and qualitative approaches, including using statistics software to analyse data, understanding clinical trials and real-world evidence, and carrying out interviews, focus groups and basic ethnographic work with proper analysis. There’s a big focus on critically appraising research, ethics, governance, and managing research projects safely and responsibly. The course also looks at patient and public involvement, equality and inclusion in research, funding and working with industry, and how research is communicated to the public and the media. Overall, it’s about building practical, real-world research skills you can apply in clinical, academic or policy settings.

The Research Project

This is the main focus of the MSc and runs alongside the taught modules before becoming full time later in the course. You’re matched with a project that fits your interests and work closely with an established research team, gaining hands-on experience in real clinical or laboratory research. Early on, you balance project time with taught sessions, which helps you apply research methods as you learn them. As the course progresses, you focus fully on your project, with support to develop posters, presentations and scientific writing skills. Many students also have opportunities to present or publish their work beyond the university.

Course Information

I have genuinely loved intercalating so far, although it has certainly been a learning curve. Adjusting to coursework and written assignments instead of exams has been challenging, and not something I’m sure I’ll ever fully enjoy, but it has helped me develop a skillset I would not have gained otherwise. I have also had more time to pursue other commitments, such as society roles and volunteering, which has been incredibly fulfilling and has boosted my confidence in leadership and teamwork.

My research project was completed in the Markaki Lab, under the supervision of Dr Yolanda Markaki, whose guidance and support were invaluable throughout.M

Being in the lab looks very different to clinical placements!

For anyone who is unsure about whether to intercalate, I would strongly encourage you to look into it further and speak to course supervisors to see if it’s right for you. With competition ratios rising and research playing an increasingly important role in portfolio building, having a solid understanding of research is more important than ever. While all medical students will undertake some form of research during medical school, whether built into the curriculum or pursued independently, I found it difficult to balance meaningful research with clinical placements. As a result, I wasn’t always able to fully understand or engage with what I was doing. Intercalating gave me the protected time and structure to do exactly that.

Of course, there are downsides. Intercalating means an extra year of tuition fees, starting work a year later, and being a year behind your original cohort. None of my friends chose to intercalate with me, and that made the decision particularly difficult. However, by intercalating after fourth year, I’ll only have one year left when I return, and realistically, closer to six months given that finals are in March, which made the decision feel more manageable.

Overall, intercalating has been a hugely rewarding experience, and everyone I have spoken to who has done it says the same. It is definitely not a “year off,” especially at Master’s level, as the workload is still demanding, but it is incredibly worthwhile.

If you’d like to know more about the course or about intercalating at Leicester, feel free to get in touch and drop me an email! knd6@student.le.ac.uk