Tropical Medicine & International Health (MSc)

This course develops the careers of doctors whose interest is the practice of medicine in tropical and low- and middle-income countries. The course offers a wide choice of modules and provides training in clinical tropical medicine at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (DTM&H):

All students going on the MSc will take the Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene. Students with a prior DTM&H, or holding 60 Masters level credits from the East African Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene may apply for exemption from Term 1 via accreditation of prior learning.

Careers

Graduates from this course have taken a wide variety of career paths including further research in epidemiology, parasite immunology; field research programmes or international organisations concerned with health care delivery in conflict settings or humanitarian crises; or returned to academic or medical positions in low- and middle-income countries.

Awards

The Frederick Murgatroyd Award is awarded each year for the best student of the year. Donated by Mrs Murgatroyd in memory of her husband, who held the Wellcome Chair of Clinical Tropical Medicine in 1950 and 1951.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/files/tmih_progspec.pdf)

Visit the website https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/tropical-medicine-international-health

Objectives

By the end of this course students should be able to:

- understand and describe the causation, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, management, and control of the major parasitic, bacterial, and viral diseases of developing countries

- demonstrate knowledge and skills in diagnostic parasitology and other simple laboratory methods

- understand and apply basic epidemiological principles, including selecting appropriate study designs

- apply and interpret basic statistical tests for the analysis of quantitative data

- critically evaluate published literature in order to make appropriate clinical decisions

- communicate relevant medical knowledge to patients, health care professionals, colleagues and other groups

- understand the basic sciences underlying clinical and public health practice

Structure

Term 1:

All students follow the course for the DTM&H. Term 1 consists entirely of the DTM&H lectures, seminars, laboratory practical and clinical sessions, and is examined through the DTM&H examination and resulting in the award of the Diploma and 60 Master's level credits at the end of Term 1.

Terms 2 and 3:

Students take a total of five study modules, one from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). Recognising that students have diverse backgrounds and experience, the course director considers requests to take any module within the School's portfolio, provided that this is appropriate for the student.

*Recommended modules

- Slot 1:

Clinical Infectious Diseases 1: Bacterial & Viral Diseases & Community Health in Developing Countries*

Clinical Virology*

Epidemiology & Control of Malaria*

Advanced Immunology 1

Childhood Eye Disease and Ocular Infection

Designing Disease Control Programmes in Developing Countries

Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco

Economic Evaluation

Generalised Liner Models

Health Care Evaluation

Health Promotion Approaches and Methods

Maternal & Child Nutrition

Molecular Biology & Recombinant DNA Techniques

Research Design & Analysis

Sociological Approaches to Health

Study Design: Writing a Proposal

- Slot 2:

Clinical Infectious Diseases 2: Parasitic Diseases & Clinical Medicine*

Conflict and Health*

Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies*

Advanced Diagnostic Parasitology

Advanced Immunology 2

Clinical Bacteriology 1

Family Planning Programmes

Health Systems; History & Health

Molecular Virology; Non Communicable Eye Disease

Population, Poverty and Environment

Qualitative Methodologies

Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

- Slot 3:

Clinical Infectious Diseases 3: Bacterial & Viral Diseases & Community Health in Developing Countries*

Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections*

Advanced Training in Molecular Biology

Applied Communicable Disease Control

Clinical Immunology

Current Issues in Safe Motherhood & Perinatal Health

Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases

Implementing Eye Care: Skills and Resources

Medical Anthropology and Public Health

Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases

Nutrition in Emergencies

Organisational Management

Social Epidemiology

Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health

Tropical Environmental Health

Vector Sampling, Identification & Incrimination

- Slot 4:

Clinical Infectious Diseases 4: Parasitic Diseases & Clinical Medicine*

Epidemiology & Control of Communicable Diseases*

Ethics, Public Health & Human Rights*

Global Disability and Health*

Immunology of Parasitic Infection: Principles*

Analytical Models for Decision Making

Clinical Bacteriology 2

Design & Evaluation of Mental Health Programmes

Environmental Epidemiology

Evaluation of Public Health Interventions

Genetic Epidemiology

Globalisation & Health

Molecular Biology Research Progress & Applications

Nutrition Related Chronic Diseases

Population Dynamics & Projections

Reviewing the Literature

Sexual Health

Survival Analysis and Bayesian Statistics

Vector Biology & Vector Parasite Interactions

- Slot 5:

AIDS*

Antimicrobial Chemotherapy*

Mycology*

Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

Analysing Survey & Population Data

Applying Public Health Principles in Developing Countries

Environmental Health Policy

Integrated Vector Management

Integrating Module: Health Promotion

Molecular Cell Biology & Infection

Nutrition Programme Planning

Pathogen Genomics

Principles and Practice of Public Health

Further details for the course modules - https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/courses/masters-degrees/module-specifications

Project Report:

During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project in a subject of their choice, for submission by early September. Projects may involve writing up and analysing work carried out before coming to the School, a literature review, or a research study proposal. Some students gather data overseas or in the UK for analysis within the project. Such projects require early planning.

Students undertaking projects overseas will require additional funding of up to £1,500 to cover costs involved. The majority of students who undertake projects abroad receive financial support for flights from the School's trust funds set up for this purpose.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/mstmih.html#sixth

Visit the Tropical Medicine & International Health (MSc) page on the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine website for more details!