The School of Clinical Medicine is headed by the Regius Professor of Physic and comprises 12 academic departments and three research departments. Alongside the departments, the School maintains a number of cross-departmental institutes to bring together researchers with cognate interests – the Cambridge Institute of Medical Research, the Institute of Metabolic Sciences and the Institute of Public Health.

Medical education in the Clinical School builds on the scientific basis to medicine developed in the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos in the first three years of the Cambridge medical studies programme.  The clinical teaching programme allows students to develop excellence in the clinical, communication, attitudinal, professional and practical skills required for good medical practice The School offers a wide range of taught and research based post graduate training and also plays a key role with regard to clinical academic training pathways, and the Clinical Academic Training Office (CATO) administers core programmes such as the Academic Foundation Year Programme and Clinical Academic Fellowships. In addition, CATO oversees a number of graduate programmes with strong international links, that cross Departmental and School boundaries.

There are two main committees which govern the School’s activities The Council of School is the most senior decision making body and is responsible for financial planning in the School.  Its formal membership is set out in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances. The Faculty Board is responsible for the education and research of the School and its formal membership can be found here. Further governance is provided by three bodies which are shared with the School of Biological Sciences:

1. the Medical Education Committee which oversees  matters relating to the education of medical students, including admissions policies, curriculum, student statistics, and examination results,
2. the Graduate Committee  which is responsible for the organisation and administration of the Graduate School of Life Sciences
3. the Graduate School of Life Sciences, which looks after the educational and career needs of graduate students and early career researchers (postdocs) in the Faculties of Biology, Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and affiliated Partner Institutions.  Activities include funding, skills development and training, and policy initiatives.

In addition, the School shares a Degree Committee with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine which is responsible for approval of students as Graduate Students and the supervision of their work, the award of degrees, diplomas, and certificates in respect of graduate study or contributions to learning, and other cognate matters. Implementation of the work of the committees is carried out by the Office of the School of Clinical Medicine.