MB PhD programmes allow students to develop their basic science skills from BSc to PhD level, whilst completing their undergraduate clinical medical education. They provide integrated clinical academic training programmes for medical students who are aiming at an academic career.

Currently, formally established MB PhD programmes are quite unusual in the UK, although they are modelled on MDPhD programmes which have been widespread in the USA for a long time. Integrated MB PhD programmes are run by Cambridge (started 1990, 131 students enrolled to date) and University College London (started 1994, 62 students enrolled to date) with a much smaller programme at the University of Leicester (with 3 or 4 students enrolled currently).

A significant proportion of students transfer into these programmes from other UK medical schools. For example, approximately 25% of students in the Cambridge programme join from other medical schools.

The research subjects undertaken for the PhD are very diverse, although the majority are in basic sciences, with neurosciences, immunology, molecular genetics and cell biology the most frequent. Many topics involve experimental work with whole animals or humans and there have been some in non-laboratory-based subjects, such as social sciences, primary care, public health and psychology.