Programme

The PhD programme in General Medical and Services Sciences at the University of Bologna trains early-career researchers with biological, technological and methodological expertise, including epidemiology and statistics, enabling them to independently conduct interdisciplinary research in universities, the National Health Service, public and private research organisations, and national or international institutions.
The programme integrates multiple specialised fields and methodological approaches and is tailored to each doctoral candidate’s background and research context. Main research themes include:
1. Ultrasonology in human medicine.
2. Public health and occupational medicine.
3. Maternal, child and developmental age medicine.
4. Pathophysiology of sexual development.
5. Oncohepatology.
6. Medical statistics.
7. Oncological genetics.
8. Clinical pharmacology.
9. Biomedical and legal sciences.
The curriculum combines medical, biological and health sciences and is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to health, well-being and equity.
Training includes clinical and translational research methods, study protocol design (statistical analysis plans and sample size calculation), systematic reviews and meta-analyses, molecular biology, pharmacology, toxicology and personalised medicine, as well as the use of national and international healthcare databases, in line with the European Health Data Space.
Doctoral candidates participate in national and international conferences, may undertake research periods at external institutions, and develop transversal skills such as academic English, data analysis, scientific writing and grant applications.
Each year, candidates present the progress of their project. Final assessment considers research autonomy, methodological rigour, critical analysis and scientific output.

Career opportunities for PhD graduates are diverse and depend on their educational background (medical and health sciences, biological sciences, medical statistics/epidemiology) and, when applicable, on specialist clinical training.
In academia, the PhD is a key qualification for research and teaching positions and for participation in competitive national and international projects. For medical graduates, it is also valued in public recruitment procedures and career progression.
Graduates may pursue research and development roles in scientific hospitals (IRCCS), academic centres, public and private research organisations, and in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and biomedical sectors, as well as in evidence-based healthcare planning.
The programme also prepares candidates for positions within healthcare services requiring advanced skills in clinical research, epidemiology, data analysis, evaluation of effectiveness and appropriateness, clinical governance, and health policy planning.
Additional opportunities include national healthcare institutions and regulatory agencies (e.g., the Italian National Institute of Health, the Italian Medicines Agency, the Italian National Agency for Regional Health Services), foundations and health services research centres, as well as research support and project management roles.ethods, pharmacoepidemiology, laboratory-based biomedical sciences, and regulatory and ethical procedures, including interactions with ethics committees.

The PhD programme provides advanced scientific knowledge and project management skills that enable doctoral candidates to design, conduct and manage independent research in medical and health services sciences.
Training promotes ethical responsibility, critical appraisal of scientific evidence, and strong competencies in statistics, data analysis and research organisation.
Candidates are expected to produce original research and disseminate their findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.
The programme also develops transversal skills such as interdisciplinary collaboration, international networking, evidence-based approaches, and basic project management and reporting.
Depending on the research project, training may include advanced statistical and epidemiological methods, pharmacoepidemiology, laboratory-based biomedical sciences, and regulatory and ethical procedures, including interactions with ethics committees.