27 April 2026—BMJ Group and the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) have partnered to deliver postgraduate-level healthcare data science courses. The courses support clinicians to analyse health data and strengthen evidence based decision making.
The collaboration will see selected University of Cambridge courses hosted on BMJ Learning, BMJ Group’s online learning platform for health professionals. The programme is designed for busy clinicians, developing practical skills in healthcare data handling with a focus on safe and ethical use. Delivered online, it provides flexible, part-time study for a global audience and sits between short continuing professional development courses and a full master’s degree, combining academic depth with real-world application in a rapidly evolving field.
The first two courses that will be available through BMJ Learning are:
- Harnessing data for healthcare advancement introduces the core principles of healthcare data science and how health data can be used to improve patient care, healthcare delivery, and population health. Participants learn how to collect, manage, analyse, and interpret healthcare data to support data-driven decision making in clinical and health system settings.
- Mastering critical analysis in evidence based healthcare (Coming this May 2026) develops the skills needed to critically evaluate healthcare research and apply evidence in clinical and policy decision making. Participants learn how to interpret clinical studies, assess the strength of evidence, and translate research findings into practical healthcare improvements.
Both courses form part of a broader healthcare data science learning pathway developed by the University of Cambridge, combining statistics, computer science, epidemiology, and health sciences to support the effective use of health data in clinical practice and healthcare systems.
The courses are developed and delivered by the medical and life sciences team led by Dr Emma English at the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education, which provides academic oversight, subject expertise, and course design. BMJ Learning hosts the courses on its platform, providing access to its global healthcare audience and supporting learner experience, engagement, and reporting.
Dr Kieran Walsh, BMJ Group clinical director, said: “In today’s world, health professionals need the skills to understand, interpret, and apply health data in decision-making. This needs to happen at both clinical and system levels.
This collaboration brings together Cambridge’s academic expertise in data science education with BMJ Learning’s global healthcare audience, enabling clinicians worldwide to access state-of-the-art training in evidence-based healthcare data science.”
Dr Fatemeh Torabi, course director at the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education, said: “Healthcare systems generate vast quantities of data. At scale, these countless individual data points create valuable opportunities to improve decision making and ultimately enhance patients’ lives. Equipping healthcare professionals with the skills to collect, analyse and interpret this data responsibly is essential for improving patient care and health system performance.
Through this collaboration with BMJ Learning, we can extend the reach of Cambridge’s healthcare data science education to clinicians and health professionals globally.”
The partnership will initially run for 12 months, with the potential to expand the course portfolio available through BMJ Learning.
About BMJ Learning
BMJ Learning is BMJ Group’s online learning platform for healthcare professionals, delivering evidence-based education to a global audience of over one million users. Part of BMJ Group – the publisher of The BMJ and a global healthcare knowledge provider – BMJ Learning offers online courses designed to support clinical excellence and professional development. https://learning.bmj.com/
About the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education
Professional and Continuing Education is a department of the University of Cambridge delivering part-time courses for adults of all ages, backgrounds and education levels. It’s the largest single department at the University by student enrolment. Professional and Continuing Education’s portfolio spans from short weekend courses to two-year Master’s programmes and professional development pathways. Many are open to all, with no prior qualifications required, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment where diverse perspectives thrive. https://www.pace.cam.ac.uk/
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