Research Masters for Dutch medical students

And would you like to combine your clinical work with research in future? Then consider one of the part-time Research Master's programmes in Health Sciences, (known until 1 September 2010 as Clinical Epidemiology) or in Clinical Research!

Health Sciences
For an international career in clinical medicine, drug research, public health or health policy development.

The Master of Science programme in Health Sciences combines theoretical and methodological training with practical research training. Students are provided with a solid theoretical, methodological and statistical basis for designing and implementing a research project and are taught how to best publish their results. Students specialize in one of following disciplines: Epidemiology, Clinical Epidemiology, Genetic Epidemiology or Public Health.

Clinical Research
Providing the most accurate diagnosis and offering the most effective treatment to patients.

The Master of Science programme in Clinical Research is a combined effort of the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences, the Cardiovascular Research School COEUR, and the Research School Molecular Medicine. The programme combines theoretical and methodological training with practical research training.

These programmes are open to medical students who aspire a dual career as clinician and researcher. As potential academic specialists and future professors of medicine or health sciences, they are provided with a solid theoretical, methodological and statistical basis for designing and implementing a research project and are taught how to best publish their results.

The programmes are NVAO* accredited, count for 120 ECTS and run parallel with the medical curriculum. Successful completion leads to a Master of Science degree of the Erasmus University Rotterdam.

From 2010 medical students are allowed to start with a Research Master’s programme only after completion of their Bachelor in Medicine.


Premaster curriculum
The Research Master’s Health Sciences and Clinical Research offer a premaster programme together with the Research Master’s Infection & Immunity that can be attended during the Bachelor’s phase of the medical curriculum. In the second year of the medical curriculum an elective theme and in the third year the minor “Ever thought of doing Research” is organized. All medicine students can apply for these courses.

Further, after the second year elective period of the medical curriculum, students can apply for the premaster programme of the Research Master’s Clinical Research or Health Sciences. Students who are admitted to the premaster programme of the Research Master’s Clinical Research or Health Sciences, will attend three weeks of courses in the Erasmus Summer Programme of the Netherlands Intitute for Health Sciences. Successful completion of these courses leads to exemptions during the Research Master’s Clinical Research or Health Sciences.

At the end of the third year of the medical curriculum an evaluation will take place with the students in the premaster programme of the Research Master’s Clinical Research and Health Sciences, and the decision about admission to the Research Master’s programme will be taken. At that time other medical students may apply for these Master’s as well.

Programme outlines Clinical Research and Health Sciences

Application procedure for medical students from the Erasmus MC

Career perspectives

* The NVAO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie) is the Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organisation. For more information, go to www.nvao.net.

Download the Study Guide 2009 - 2010: Research Master programmes in Clinical Epidemiology/Health Sciences and Clinical Research for medical students as a PDF.