A multidisciplinary department 

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences is the largest, top-ranked centre for academic primary care in the UK and leads world-class research and training to rethink the way healthcare is delivered in general practice and other primary care settings, both across the UK and globally.

Our graduate community reflects the multidisciplinary nature of our department, with students coming from a range of backgrounds including but not limited to statistics, nursing, midwifery, general practice, obstetrics, medical anthropology, behavioural science, nutrition, epidemiology, social science, psychology and physiotherapy.

Our department offers the DPhil in Primary Health Care and DPhil in Translational Health Sciences, both full-time or part-time.

Our faculty also supervise the part-time DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care, which is offered through the Department of Continuing Education with the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.

For 2021 entry, we are also pleased to be offering projects through the MRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DPhil Interdisciplinary Medical Research, full-time or part-time) and the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre (DPhil in Cancer Science, full-time).

at the forefront of Primary care research

We have methodological strengths in qualitative and applied research, randomised trials, analysis of big data and evidence synthesis. Our research covers ten broad themes: big data; digital health and innovation; cardiovascular and metabolic disease; health policy and health systems; health behaviours; infections and acute care; EBM and medical statistics; patient experience; trials. In particular, we are expanding our capability for applied digital health research with a focus on health data, digital tools and the social aspects of connected health.  

Our main focus on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of common illness. We bring together academics from many different backgrounds to work together to produce benefits for the NHS, for populations and for patients. 

developing the researchers of the future

We are a thriving, friendly department located in the centre of Oxford, able to offer our community of graduate students dedicated facilities in close proximity to their supervisors, support staff, colleges and libraries. We are situated next door to Green Templeton, a postgraduate college with excellent facilities.

Many of our supervisors are NIHR Senior Investigators, giving students the opportunity to learn from some of the most prominent well-connected researchers in the health sciences.

Students benefit from access to skills training in the Medical Sciences Division in addition to a training programme organised by the department. Department training and one-to-one support includes workshops from our own researchers on statistics, qualitative research, trials, writing grants, communications and systematic reviews. Find out more about the training we offer. 

Our students talk about studying in our department and what they hope to get out of an Oxford DPhil (filmed January 2020):