Clinical Anatomy MSc
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
25 Jul 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
08 Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 37,300 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international/EU | for scotland and rest of UK: GBP 15,200
Introduction
Clinical Anatomy is a core component of undergraduate medical degree programs and programs allied to medicine such as radiography and physiotherapy.
However, the relative amount of anatomy taught in these programs is considerably less than in years gone by, and there are limited opportunities across the UK (and further afield) for medical and dental students to gain an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy beyond their core programs.
We have established this programme not only to directly address this deficiency but also to offer an opportunity for graduate entry intercalating medical/dental students to significantly enhance their clinically relevant anatomical knowledge and research skills.
Why Edinburgh
The unique elements of this program are:
Hands-on cadaveric dissection
You will gain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of human anatomy by dissection. This strand will involve the dissection of a body in groups of three to five students over two semesters.
A major component of this course involves self-directed learning. When there are no scheduled lectures or tutorials, students are required to spend their time in the lab, fully engaged in the process of dissecting and learning anatomy from their assigned dissected body.
Additionally, there will be regular "surgeries" where teaching staff will be present to offer guidance and support during the dissections.
Bespoke modules covering anatomical aspects of radiology, histology, and surgery
The knowledge gained will enable you to:
- understand and apply basic anatomical principles underpinning surgery, radiology, and histology
- locate and identify key anatomical structures, including major clinical phenotypes, on medical images
- identify and interpret light microscopic histological images of core human tissues
A clinically-orientated research project
This will provide you with an opportunity to gain a more in-depth working knowledge of a particular aspect of clinically relevant anatomy.
Complementing these three strands will be a lecture-based Medical Law and Ethics course.
You will learn:
- The health and safety of embalming procedures and handling bodies
- The legal and historical aspects of anatomy in Scotland and the UK
- An introduction to the ethics of using bodies in medical education
You will also explore clinical techniques used to image the body.
The research project allows you to gain a more in-depth knowledge of a particular aspect of anatomy and to present your findings by writing a dissertation.
Ideal Students
The programme is tailored specifically for intercalating medical or dental students.
Program Outcome
Aims
There are three main aims of the MSc Clinical Anatomy program, providing you with:
- The opportunity to gain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of clinically related human anatomy by dissection
- A comprehensive understanding of the anatomical basis of clinical subjects, including surgery, radiology, and histology
- Experience in undertaking a cutting-edge anatomically/clinically-related research project
The program’s principal educational and clinical aims are specifically to give you thorough knowledge in all aspects of anatomy, including:
- Gross anatomy
- Embryology
- Neuroanatomy
- Anatomical imaging
You will also gain knowledge in clinical-related subjects including radiology, histology, and surgery, to the level of being competent to teach these elements to medical students and students in professions allied to medicine.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the programme you should be able to demonstrate:
- Extensive and detailed working knowledge and understanding of clinically relevant human anatomy, to a level that allows you to teach anatomy to both undergraduate and postgraduate students
- To relate normal processes of embryology and development to anatomy observed by dissection
- An appreciation of the health and safety aspects of handling bodies for dissection
- A thorough understanding of the use of bodies and the law
- An understanding of the ethics of using bodies for medical education
- A critical knowledge of the anatomical basis of radiology, histology and surgery
- An ability to work independently on an anatomically- or clinically-based research project
Career Opportunities
We anticipate that you will return to your medical/dental studies on completion of the programme, and utilise your new knowledge and skills to accelerate your clinical career and widen your career options.
Curriculum
This program is a one-year, full-time MSc.
Should you face delays due to valid reasons, such as visa issues, and therefore be unable to commence the MSc Human Anatomy program on time, a one-week delay may be permitted with the Programme Director's consent.
The program consists of 120 taught credits, with a 60-credit dissertation component.
The credit rating for each of the courses is set at SCQF Level 11.
Video recording of the lectures about this program is prohibited.
Semester 1
- Basic Human Anatomy, Imaging and Embryology 1 (40 credits)
- Surgery, Radiology, and Histology 1 (10 credits)
- Anatomy Law and Ethics (10 credits)
Semester 2
- Basic Human Anatomy, Imaging and Embryology 2 (40 credits)
- Surgery, Radiology, and Histology 2 (10 credits)
- Neuroanatomy (10 credits)
Semester 3
- Dissertation (60 credits)
Compulsory courses
- Basic Human Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology 1
- Anatomy Law and Ethics
- Surgery, Radiology, and Histology 1
- Basic Human Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology 2
- Neuroanatomy
- Surgery, Radiology, and Histology 2
- MSc Clinical Anatomy dissertation
Admissions
Scholarships and 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