My Path Through the MB-PhD Programme (Cancer Sciences)

Written by David Withey, 5th year medical student (BONUS Manchester rep)

Hi everyone, my name is David, and in this blog I’ll be taking you through my journey on the MB-PhD programme run by the University of Manchester in collaboration with Cancer Research UK.

In a nutshell, the MB-PhD is an extended intercalation programme - typically carried out between a student’s third and fourth year of medical school - which gives medical students the opportunity to complete a fully funded PhD alongside their medical degree. Over a period of typically three years (occasionally four), a student will undertake an independent research project under the guidance of an academic supervisory team, write and defend their thesis, and then return to the MBChB course to resume their medical training.

Why did I apply?

Oncology has been a specialty I’ve felt drawn to since the start of medical school. Several of my relatives were affected by cancer while I was growing up, and those experiences shaped my understanding of the impact that modern cancer care can have on patients. I saw how oncologists support patients, not just at diagnosis, but throughout every stage of treatment, recovery and sometimes end-of-life care. As I progressed through medical school and gained more clinical exposure, my initial interest became a genuine sense of purpose. I saw the meaningful relationships oncologists build with their patients, the intellectual challenge of the specialty and the rapid pace of scientific progress in the field. I knew I wanted to be part of that progress while still practicing clinically, which led me to explore the clinician-scientist pathway. However, despite enjoying the MBChB course, I often felt limited by the amount of exposure to oncology in the standard curriculum. Although clinical placements and formal teaching gave me a solid foundation, most of my deeper understanding – especially the underlying biology – came from my own self-directed study and actively seeking out extra opportunities. As the course intensified, caring out time of this became increasingly difficult.  

By my third year, it was clear that intercalation was the right next step. Having a dedicated period to focus on oncology would allow me to deepen my knowledge and begin building an academic portfolio. Initially I explored the traditional intercalation routes, including a bachelor’s or master’s degree, however, while researching these options, I discovered the MB-PhD programme that the University of Manchester had recently launched in collaboration with Cancer Research UK. The more I learned about the programme, the more I recognised its unique advantages:

-       Being able to lead my own fully funded research project while being supported by a network of experts in the field.

-       Having the opportunity to greatly upskill in experimental design, data analysis and scientific writing early on in my career

-       The ability publish my work, present it at conferences and (most importantly) directly contribute to advancing scientific knowledge.

Above all, however, I was genuinely excited about the specific project I hoped to undertake ‘Investigation of the Microenvironment of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases’. It was a hand on wet-lab project, involving experiments with cells, tissues and molecular techniques –exactly the  kind of research I wanted to do. Brain metastases had always been a particular interest of mine, and the relative lack of research in this area made the project even more compelling. I was also very keen to work with the project’s supervisor. We immediately got along during initial meetings and when I visited the laboratory, I was struck by how welcoming, enthusiastic and supportive everyone seemed to be – I immediately knew this was an environment where I could grow as a scientist.

For all of these reasons, I applied to the MB-PhD programme, and several years on, I’m incredibly grateful that I did.

Cell culture setup - a key part of my daily routine in the lab!

My Experience

During the project, I was responsible for planning and designing experiments to test the hypotheses that were underpinning my research. Over these three years, I carried out a wide range of experiments - from assays measuring protein expression, to treating cancer cells with compounds of interest and observing their response, to designing new experimental models and techniques for future researchers to use.

A major part of my role involved collecting and analysing data: using statistical tools to determine whether my findings were statistically significant, identifying trends in my data and troubleshooting whenever experiments didn’t work as expected. I was also required to maintain detailed laboratory notebooks, recording recoding every method, result and observation.

Alongside the practical work, I had the opportunity to present my research at regional, national and international conferences, both through posters and oral presentations. Regular meetings with my supervisor and the lab team helped me interpret results, refine experiments and plan next steps in my research. These experiences gave me a real appreciation of how much teamwork is needed across all areas of research.  

All of these different responsibilities meant that no two days were the same, which was one of the most enjoyable things about my intercalation. Some days I would be in the lab all day running experiments and collecting data; others were spent analysing the data I’d gathered or preparing presentations; and towards the end, much of my time was devoted to writing my thesis.

Finally, one of the most rewarding parts of the MB-PhD was the community I became a part of. I met so many incredible people – fellow PhD students just starting their careers, established academics leading the field and clinician scientists working in the exact careers I aspirate to. I was also fortunate enough to present my work internationally, travelling to conferences in Italy, Switzerland and cities across the UK. These experiences, along with the people I met are among my happiest memories from the programme.

Lab Christmas dinner. Basically everyone who taught me research, guided me and kept me sane for 3 years!

What I learned

The intercalation has genuinely been one of the biggest learning experiences of my time in university. Academically it has given me a fantastic insight into how research works. Leading my own project has greatly improved my ability to formulate hypotheses, design experiments and analyse the results. The diverse nature of the techniques I used has made it so that I now feel comfortable navigating  many different areas of laboratory work. I also gained a better understanding of data analysis from choosing the right statistical tests to presenting my findings clearly through well-designed figures and graphs. During this period, my scientific writing skills were also greatly upskilled – in research you need to communicate your work across many different formats – including poster presentations, oral presentations and longer written pieces. Over time I became far more confident in presenting my work across all different platforms.

I also learnt a lot about myself during the PhD and gained skills beyond academia. One of the key things I learnt was organisation. When I started my PhD, I quickly realised how different it was from my university experience thus far. This time I was responsible for making my own timetable, booking equipment, planning how (and when) I’d carry out my experiments and balancing all this with data analysis and writing. This all taught me how to manage my time more effectively and to always think several steps ahead. Perhaps the greatest lesson of all that I learnt though was resilience. During a PhD, things often go wrong: experiments fail, hypotheses get proven incorrect, presentations don’t land how you expect - however, I quickly learnt that these are part of the learning experience. Through these experiences, I learnt that not only am I capable of handling setbacks, but that I could trust my own judgement and abilities to solve problems. Seeing a multi-year project through from start  to finish and all the highs and lows it entailed, has given me a level of confidence in my abilities that I will carry throughout my career.

Sightseeing in Switzerland after one of my favourite conferences!

Advice for Future Applicants

For anyone applying to the MB-PhD programme, I would offer the following advice:

1.    Choose the right project and the right supervisor – selected a project that genuinely excites you, but also make sure you’d feel comfortable working closely with the supervisory team. While their academic record matters, your day-to-day experience will depend far more on good communication, compatible working styles and feeling supported. At the end of the day, you’ll be working with them for several years, so that relationship truly matters.

2.    Apply for the project – not the qualification – while there are certainly advantages of carrying out the MB-PhD, it won’t be your only opportunity to pursue a doctorate in your career. Choose a project that truly motivates you and one you would be happy committing at least three years to.

3.    Be prepared for independence - while support will always be available to you, as you can more experience as a post-graduate student, you will gradually be expected to work more independently. Being ready for this transition will make the process far more rewarding.

4.    Be clear about your motivations and goals – while no one expects you to have your career mapped out by the time you apply, you certainly should be able to articulate why you want to undertake the PhD and how you think it will benefit you in the future. Knowing this will also help you stay ground during the challenging phases of the project.  

5.    Read around your project and try to get some research experience – familiarise yourself with papers related to the project and, if you can, try to get some laboratory or research experience. These will strengthen your application, give you a head start when you begin and help you determine whether academia is truly something you want to pursue.

6.    Brush up on your interview skills -  interviews are a key component of any PhD application. Make sure you can clearly communicate your reasons for applying, your own strengths and experiences as well as your interests both inside and outside of medicine. Being confident in your answers, being articulate in expressing your own thoughts and being authentic all go a long way.

My pre-viva presentation

-- David Withey