Critical Care MSc, PgDip, PgCert (Online Learning) The University of Edinburgh

This innovative online programme is offered in partnership between the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and The University of Edinburgh. You will study core clinical subjects in year one and two of the programme, covering, but not limited to:

• recognition of critical illness
• initial treatment and stabilisation
• advanced organ system support
• coordination of care within the intensive care unit
• human factors

This will provide you with a comprehensive, practical, and evidence-based knowledge. This knowledge can easily be applied in clinical practice.

You will be able to customise your learning by choosing two elective courses at the end of year two.
Integrated into the programme is a graduated exposure to academic research practice. You will become equipped with the skills to access and appraise the biomedical literature. This will fuel your curiosity, and allow you to actively take part in clinical discussions both on and beyond the programme.

You will develop as an independent and critical thinker. You will be able to appraise primary and secondary research (research synthesis), and incorporate its findings into personal practice, guidelines and work improvement.

For those choosing the MSc dissertation option, this learning will culminate in a supervised research, quality improvement, audit, or guideline development project.

This programme in Critical Care is suitable for:

• professionals who encounter critically ill adults in their daily practice, including nurses, doctors in training, senior doctors from all specialties, and allied health professionals
• those working full time in professional roles and who need a flexible approach to study

Key information

• This programme is three years of online, part-time study
• You have the option of graduating after one, two, or three years with a postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, or MSc respectively

Online learning

This programme is 100% online, allowing you to study at times that suit you. You can study for 15-20 hours per week, enabling you to balance study with work and family commitments.

Our online learning technology is fully interactive, award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from your own home or working environment.

Our online students not only have access to the University’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in medicine (MBChB or equivalent), nursing, dietetics, physiotherapy, or any other allied health care profession involved in the management of critically ill patients.

In addition applicants must demonstrate experience of working with critically ill patients for a period of more than 3 months. This information should be contained in your referee's letter.

We may also consider your application if you have experience of working with critically ill patients or a closely related area for at least 3 years. In such cases, you may be admitted to certificate level only in the first instance.

What to expect at the University of Edinburgh

As a student within the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, you will join more than 7,000 students studying a range of postgraduate programmes. Following the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, our vet school and our medical school were both among the UK top five, ranked by research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions REF 2021).

Your postgraduate experience here will be supported and enhanced by the wealth of resources and opportunities we offer. We are committed to delivering high-quality, innovative teaching. The latest report from the Quality Assurance Agency awarded us the highest rating possible for the quality of the student learning experience.

The University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 15th in the World in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

The Critical Care programme aims to provide you with a comprehensive, practical, and evidence-based knowledge that you can easily apply in your clinical practice.

You will:

• demonstrate comprehensive knowledge covering the main areas of critical care medicine
• apply clinical reasoning and integrate knowledge with practice in a wide, and often unpredictable, variety of clinical contexts
• demonstrate criticality, creativity and problem-solving in the areas of academic and clinical critical care
• summarise and communicate complex information using a variety of methods and with a range of audiences
• demonstrate substantial autonomy and take responsibility for your own work

Why study a Master’s in Critical Care

The programme will enhance your understanding and clinical knowledge in Critical Care, and improve your academic capabilities, providing opportunities to develop your career.

As a graduate of the programme, whether you are a nurse, doctor, paramedic or allied health professional your professional and career development will be enhanced in the following areas:

• advanced clinical practice
• clinical leadership
• research
• training and education

By combining academic excellence with the University of Edinburgh’s world-class reputation, graduates from our programme are well placed to continue and advance their clinical careers within the NHS or other health services, pursue advanced academic study, or work in the industry. Equally, graduates can expect to be academically confident and may choose to pursue academic careers in related fields.

How the University of Edinburgh can support you

We are committed to helping you to develop skills and attributes that will enhance your ability to compete in the job market, to progress your career, and to achieve your full potential within the global community. In addition to the provision of dedicated support through our award-winning Careers Service, we broker strategic partnerships between academics, industry specialists and other institutions, to enhance your personal and professional development and provide relevant career insights.

Our graduates are ranked 24th in the world by employers, making the University an excellent choice for a postgraduate education with prospects (QS World University Rankings 2023).

Programme structure

You will experience detailed coverage of the essentials of the clinical management of critically unwell adults through the compulsory elements of the programme.

At the same time, you will develop expertise in accessing, interpreting, and integrating the findings of clinical research into clinical care.

You will study core clinical subjects including, but not limited to:

• recognition and resuscitation of the critically unwell adult
• daily management of the critical care patient
• advanced organ support
• trauma
• toxicology
• burns
• neurological critical care
• sepsis

You will have the opportunity to customise your experience by selecting elective modules based on “Edinburgh Strengths”. These include Maternal Critical Care and Cardiac Critical Care in year two.

The MSc in Critical Care is a part-time, online programme taught over 3 years.

You can exit the programme after year 1 with a postgraduate certificate, year 2 with a postgraduate diploma or year 3 with a Master in Science.

Critical care clinicians and academics in NHS Lothian and the University of Edinburgh will primarily deliver the teaching to you. However, international experts from other institutions will also deliver learning on the programme.

Year 1 - Postgraduate Certificate

Students will take six core courses.

Year 1 core courses include:

• Fundamentals of Critical Care
• Unlocking the Literature: Clinical Trials
• Core Clinical Practice in Critical Care
• Trauma, Toxicology and Temperature
• Sepsis and Infection
• Human Factors in Critical Care

Year 2 - Postgraduate Diploma

You will take three core courses and two elective courses.

Year 2 core courses include:

• Advanced Critical Care
• Neurological Critical Care
• Unlocking the Literature: Evidence to Practice

Year 2 elective courses include Maternal Critical Care and Cardiac Critical Care (additional courses are currently in development).

Year 3 - MSc

In order to attain the MSc, you will complete a Master's dissertation.

This will take the form of a report of a project undertaken primarily by yourself. This must constitute a substantial body of work, conducted in the third year.

For a few students, it may be feasible for this to be a report of a piece of original clinical research. Other project types will also be acceptable including:

• systematic reviews
• development of a substantial clinical guideline
• quality improvement project