The lectural year is composed of nuclear and optional courses that include seminars, general or scientific problem focused sessions, laboratory work or short term training for skill development. The format is tailored by the Scientific Committee in order to meet each student particular objectives.

It is hoped that the interdisciplinary nature of the lectural year and the relationship between medicine, oncology, biology and genetics will provide the environment and ideas to the generation of the PhD Project. This one may be developed in any institution offering high quality standards and considered appropriate by the student, the supervisor and the Scientific Committee.

The programme is organized by the Faculdade de Medicina do Porto (FMUP) in cooperation with the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) and the Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), the Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular/Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica (IBMC/INEB), the Centro Hospitalar S. João and the Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto. 

The PhD Programme in Molecular Medicine and Oncology aims to prepare «medical scientists» to the present and the future. For this fulfilment, the Programme will seek conditions for the learning of the new (personalized) Medicine through the integration of medical knowledge and the language and tools of molecular biology, applied to the diagnostic, therapeutical and prognostic exercises.

In this way, the Programme is purposed to generate appropriate conditions for a successful project in clinical or translational research employing molecular methods, that will support a PhD essay, necessary to obtain the Degree.