Care Fertility has been shortlisted for the EFS Best Education Project Award 2026 for the MSc in Clinical Embryology — a postgraduate programme developed in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and directed by Dr Sue Montgomery.
The fertility sector faces a well-documented shortage of trained embryologists. Laboratory expertise is central to treatment safety and outcome quality, yet there was no dedicated UK postgraduate programme that integrated advanced reproductive science, laboratory simulation, clinical governance, and patient-centred professionalism into a single pathway.
The MSc in Clinical Embryology, launched in 2022, was designed to fill that gap — and it is the first programme of its kind in the UK.
The programme was built by practising IVF laboratory professionals working alongside university academics. This means the curriculum reflects real regulatory frameworks, current technologies, and the governance standards required in modern fertility laboratories — not a theoretical approximation of them.
Simulation-based teaching is a central feature, allowing students to develop technical competence before clinical exposure. This reduces reliance on learning within active treatment cycles, protecting both patient safety and trainee confidence.
The programme has achieved 'Highly Commended' status in academic review. Every graduate to date has secured employment within a fertility laboratory. It is attracting both UK and international candidates, signalling growing recognition of its quality and relevance.
Although patients rarely meet the embryologist handling their gametes and embryos, laboratory practice is central to treatment outcomes. The MSc prepares graduates with expertise in quality management systems, laboratory traceability, risk assessment, ethical practice, and professional accountability — skills that directly underpin safer, more consistent care.
Care Fertility's collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University offers a replicable model for academic-industry partnership in fertility education. For partners in workforce development, higher education, and clinical training, the programme demonstrates what is possible when clinical expertise and academic rigour are genuinely integrated.
This is Blog 3 of 6 in our series celebrating Care Fertility's EFS Fertility Care Award 2026 nominations. Read the full series on the Care Fertility Partnerships Blog, or get in touch if any of these programmes or nominations are relevant to your work — whether as a partner, commissioner, educator, or journalist.