carousel banner image

MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice

€9,050

Enhance your skills and expertise in advanced clinical practice. This programme supports personal and professional development, expands knowledge on contemporary health topics, and fosters a professional network through peer learning and observation.

A group of seven medical professionals sitting in a circle and conferring.
MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice

€9,050

Enhance your skills and expertise in advanced clinical practice. This programme supports personal and professional development, expands knowledge on contemporary health topics, and fosters a professional network through peer learning and observation.

Award

Masters

Duration

2 years

Mode of delivery

Hybrid - Part-time

Credits

90 ECTS

Next start date

September 2025

About

The aim of the RCSI Department of Surgical Affairs Advanced Clinical Practice programme is to provide doctors of various specialties a systematic understanding of the professional skills and techniques needed to provide leadership, management, teaching and research in clinical practice. On the programme, you will gain a suite of essential skills and competencies in clinical practice in order to take on more advanced roles within your specialty, sector or setting.

Through extensive research of different non-surgical specialties, this programme is based on a number of critical modules that will help you better meet the demands of modern day clinical practice. Modules have also been selected based on you having a positive impact on patient care in their practice. The programme is NUI-accredited.

Uniquely in Year 2, you will construct a comprehensive research strategy and produce a thesis inclusive of an original piece of research relating to an area of current advanced clinical practice. The Research Methods, Protocol Development, and Design and Analysis modules in Year 1 will equip you with the tools to prepare, manage and design this substantial research project. Academic staff will also be available to support you in relation to your research dissertation.

RCSI Surgery logo
Updated icon

Develop critical understanding and competencies

People talking icon

Enhance your leadership abilities and knowledge in clinical education

Healthcare icon

Explore how to make evidence-based ethical clinical decisions

Hospital icon

Learn about healthcare management, lean QI, and medical technology

Collaboration icon

Prepare for the professional challenges that arise within practice

Publications icon

Conduct a significant research project in Year 2

Suitable for

The MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice is open to all non-consultant health doctors in Ireland within non-surgical specialities such as radiology, anaesthesiology, general practice, emergency medicine, pathology, public health, occupational health, and all general medical specialties.

What you will learn

Module 1 Research Methods: Protocol Design, Research and Analysis 
Module 2 Healthcare Ethics, Law and Clinical Research
Module 3 Research Dissertation
Module 4 Clinicians as Educators
Module 5 Leading and Managing your Organisation
Module 6 Medical Devices, Technology and Innovation
Module 7 Professionalism and Advanced Communication
Module 8 Primary Care (Orthopaedics) I
Module 9 Primary Care (Orthopaedics) II
Module 10 Lean QI and Healthcare
Module 11 Global Surgery

Modules for the 2025 intake are subject to change.

What our students say

Introduction to MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice

Watch the video:

Get an introduction to the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice with Programme Director Dr Marie Morris and find out more about the aims and principles underpinning this programme.

Why study an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice?

Watch the video:

Find out more from Dr Marie Morris about why the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice could be right for you.

Register your interest

For more information about this course, please complete the following form, and a member of the team will be in touch with you. 

Data statement: By submitting this form you agree to being contacted by RCSI or our official recruitment partner/s. If you would like to learn more about how we treat personal data please see our Privacy Policy.


Course information

This programme will provide you with the skills and knowledge to:

  • Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the best evidence underpinning professional skills and techniques needed to provide leadership, management, teaching and research in clinical practice.
  • Integrate knowledge from a number of sources to manage complexity and formulate evidence-based ethical clinical decisions.
  • Lead-out on quality improvement and lean initiatives within your department.
  • Illustrate development of a professional identity as a clinical educator.
  • Illustrate an ability to self-evaluate and reflect in order to develop continuously by identifying gaps in competence and take responsibility for continuing academic and professional growth.
  • Construct a comprehensive research strategy and produce a thesis inclusive of an original piece of research relating to an area of current advanced clinical practice.
  • Think independently, explore and critically analyse innovations in your own area of practice.
  • Distinguish between leadership styles, lead by example by demonstrating exemplary skills in ethical clinical practice, research and teaching.
  • Act professionally and communicate effectively with peers, colleagues, patients, carers and society.

The programme has a diverse range of modules tailored to support your career development. We have three core modules and a choice from eight optional modules. An MSc award requires completion of 90 ECTS.

You must complete three mandatory modules totaling to 55 ECTS and then select four optional modules from a range of eight, totaling 35 ECTS. These consist of three 10-ECTS modules and one 5-ECT Module.

Core modules – 55 ECTS

Core module name Description

Research Methods: Protocol Design, Research and Analysis

15 ECTS

This module will equip you with the tools to prepare, manage, and design a substantial research project.

 

Healthcare Ethics, Law and Clinical Research

10 ECTS

This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to gain a deeper and more systematic understanding of ethical and legal issues both in principle and in practical aspects of healthcare and clinical research.

 

Research Dissertation

30 ECTS

In order to successfully achieve the qualification of a MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice, you must complete a substantial research dissertation in a specialty of your choice.

The dissertation must be original scholastic work, though not necessarily lab- based, suitable for peer-reviewed publication in a journal of high impact. You will consult with supervisors at regular intervals throughout the research process and will have at least six months to complete the dissertation.

 




Optional modules – syou must select four optional modules from a range of eight, totaling 35 ECTS. These consist of three 10-ECTS modules and one 5-ECTS module.

Optional Module Description

Clinicians as Educators

10 ECTS

This module aims to support and promote the development of your role as a teacher and assessor in clinical practice.

Leading and Managing your Organisation

10 ECTS

The aims of this module is to provide you with an understanding of the nature of service and the factors that contribute to excellence in leading service in healthcare through lectures, guest speakers, seminars, readings and assignments.

Medical Devices, Technology and Innovation

10 ECTS

The aim of this module is to provide scholars with hands-on experience in the industry of medical invention, from identifying un-met needs to developing clinical and market strategies.

The module will also seek to build the participants awareness of the various roles of clinical professionals (surgeons) in the design and development of medical devices.

Professionalism and Advanced Communication

10 ECTS

This module aims to support the development of the core skills below through exploring the concept of professionalism and the principles and practice of advanced communication.

Lean QI and Healthcare

5 ECTS

This module aims to develop an understanding of the evolution and guiding principles of lean healthcare and the link between 'lean', your patients and patient value.

Global Surgery

5 ECTS

The aim of this module is to introduce surgeons in training to the global healthcare context and specific issues relevant to the surgical profession.

You are expected to gain awareness of surgical needs unique to developing countries and in humanitarian crises.

Primary Care (Orthopaedics) I

10 ECTS

This module aims to enhance a student's capacity to assess and manage musculoskeletal conditions that commonly present to GPs and in primary care, to conduct a clinical assessment and to perform therapeutic procedures (e.g. joint injections) with use of diagnostic imaging where appropriate and available.

Primary Care (Orthopaedics) II

10 ECTS

This module follows on from the Primary Care (Orthopaedics) I module.

Modules for the 2025 intake are subject to change. 

The MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice programme is accredited by the University of the National University of Ireland (NUI).

Admissions

To be considered eligible for the programme, you must be:

  • MB BAO BCh holder (or equivalent Level 8 undergraduate medical degree recognised by the World Health Organization).

Documents to submit with application for both programmes:

1. Full CV to include the following:

  • Employment information: job title/level/location
  • Academic history: have you taken MRCS Part A or B? If yes, please provide institution name, result and date taken
  • Research? Have you published research? Yes/no; please provide reference

2. Copy of passport
3. Copy of educational transcripts
4. Proof of sponsorship (where applicable)
5. Evidence of English language qualification (where applicable)
A 300 word response to the question: “How do you perceive this programme will enhance your career?”. Please note that all responses will be screened for AI-generated content. 

You must have one of the following:

1. IELTS >6.5 (or equivalent) achieved in all sections (reading, writing, and oral) or equivalent must be submitted. Read more about minimum English-language requirements here.

2. Exempt if you completed undergraduate or postgraduate studies full-time in the medium of the English language (three or more years, cumulatively).

Total fees: €9,050 (EU and Non-EU fee)

  • Year 1: €5,430
  • Year 2: €3,620

NCHDs working in the HSE full-time may be able to combine Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme (CPD-SS) funding and Training Supports Scheme (TSS) funding to cover up to €5,500 over two years of the part-time MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice programme (€2,740 per year).

Prospective candidates can check if you are eligible for this funding by emailing cpdss@rcsi.com.

Payment structure

Year 1

  • First payment (on acceptance of offer): €1,500 + €45 NUI 
  • Second payment (August): €2,500
  • Third payment (January): €1,430

Year 2

  • First payment (July): €3,000
  • Second payment (January): €620

Please note

  • The fee includes all resources, access to our award-winning online learning portal and access to extensive RCSI-only databases.
  • There is a non-refundable online application fee of €100.
  • The fee includes an annual NUI fee of €45.
  • The fee is payable via the above schedule, where relevant.
  • If you have outstanding fees you will not be entitled to receive your grades or be eligible to progress and or graduate (VLE and Library privileges will be withdrawn in these cases).
  • RCSI accepts no obligation to refund any fee, or part thereof, in respect of a student who chooses to withdraw from a programme.
  • If you choose to withdraw from a programme you are liable for full fees owed for the seat on that programme.
  • All NUI parchments are issued in Latin; you will be required to pay an additional fee of €50 to NUI if you wish to have a parchment published in English. Further information can be found here.
  • Fees are subject to review annually.
  • If you are being sponsored or funded by your employer you should upload a funding confirmation letter in the document upload section on the application portal. A template is available below to download at your convenience.

Please note: Fees are subject to change.

View our Postgraduate fees policy

Student Fees Office Sponsorship Form PDF | 401.2 KB

How to apply

Applications opening soon – September 2025 intake

Applications for our part-time MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice programme will open soon for the September 2025 intake.

Please register your interest for the 2025 intake using the form above.

If you have any questions in relation to deadlines or availability, please email surgerymarketing@rcsi.ie.