In medical theses, the literature review usually spans 15–40 pages, or about 20–30% of the thesis, unless your program sets a specific limit.
Planning page count calms a lot of stress. In medicine and the health sciences, most programs expect the review of prior work to be a full chapter that frames your question, maps methods, and shows what’s missing. The exact size depends on your degree level, the scope of your topic, and local rules in your graduate handbook. Below you’ll find practical ranges that match common university guidance, plus a simple way to size your chapter from your total word limit.
Typical Page Count For The Medical Thesis Review Of Literature
Think in bands, not a single number. For most biomedical theses, the review falls inside the ranges below. These reflect common expectations across medical schools and research degree offices. Always confirm with your supervisor and the rules that govern your degree.
| Degree Type | Usual Word Range | Usual Page Range* |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s In Medical/Health Sciences | 3,000–6,000 | 10–20 |
| Doctor of Medicine (MD/DM Thesis) | 5,000–10,000 | 15–30 |
| PhD In Biomedical/Clinical Sciences | 6,000–12,000 | 20–40 |
*Pages assume double-spaced text, 12-pt font, ~250–300 words per page.
Why The Range Varies In Medical Research
Degree Rules And Total Thesis Limit
Some graduate schools set clear caps on the whole thesis, and that sets the tone for each chapter. A medical sciences doctorate at many universities sits around 80,000 words total, while master’s projects sit far lower. When your program sets those ceilings, the review chapter usually lands near one quarter of the whole, unless your field needs a tighter scope. See a concrete example of total limits in medical sciences at Newcastle University, which lists 80,000 words for doctoral theses in that faculty; your review should scale from that total (word limits for theses).
Where The Review Sits In The Thesis
In many medical theses, the review stands alone as Chapter 2. In some programs it’s merged with the introduction. Boston University’s guidelines for lab-based theses even sketch page bands for early chapters: introductions of roughly 10–25 pages are common, which pairs well with a literature-heavy opening chapter in lab sciences (general thesis information).
Scope Of Your Topic
A broad, cross-disciplinary question (say, a genetic risk pathway linked with population health data) needs more synthesis to build a clean story. A narrow, single-technique question (say, a new assay in a defined cell line) can argue the case with a shorter chapter. Size grows with the number of sub-topics you must connect: epidemiology, mechanism, diagnostics, interventions, outcomes.
Article-Style Theses And Papers-By-Publication
Some doctoral programs in medicine allow a thesis built around a series of papers. You still need a framing chapter that reviews prior work and stitches the manuscripts together. The review may be shorter in that model, since each paper adds context of its own, but the thesis still needs a coherent synthesis (papers-format guidance).
How To Size Your Chapter From Your Total Word Budget
Here’s a quick, practical method:
- Start with your program’s total word cap or the range used in past theses in your lab.
- Allocate 20–30% of that to your review chapter if you’re writing a traditional thesis.
- Convert words to pages with your usual settings (double-spaced, 12-pt font, standard margins).
That 20–30% band matches common advice in research degrees and keeps room for methods, results, and discussion. If your thesis uses an article model, aim closer to 15–20% for the review chapter and let the manuscripts carry some background.
What Examiners Expect In Medical Fields
Examiners look for four things from a medical thesis review:
- Coverage: core trials, landmark cohort studies, major systematic reviews, and seminal mechanistic papers.
- Appraisal: limits and biases in study design, sample size, endpoints, and inference.
- Synthesis: a thread that joins basic science, translational work, and clinical outcomes.
- Rationale: a clear gap that sets up your methods and outcomes.
Many medical schools also state that an MD thesis must include a review of the relevant background literature as a condition of the degree. That’s not just custom; it’s written into regulations at places like the University of Leicester (MD thesis regulation).
A Simple Page Planner You Can Copy
Pick your total target and use the table to set a first draft bandwidth. Adjust after feedback from your supervisor and committee.
| Total Thesis Words | 20% Review (Pages) | 30% Review (Pages) |
|---|---|---|
| 30,000 (taught master’s) | 20–24 | 30–36 |
| 40,000 (research master’s) | 27–32 | 40–48 |
| 60,000 (some clinical doctorates) | 40–48 | 60–72 |
| 80,000 (biomedical PhD typical) | 53–64 | 80–96 |
Pages estimated at ~250–300 words per page. If you write tighter paragraphs or include many in-text tables, adjust down.
Breakdown Of A Strong Medical Review Chapter
Opening Map (1–3 Pages)
State the clinical or biological problem in two or three short paragraphs. Name the population, the disease stage, the primary mechanism or pathway, and the clinical endpoint that matters. Lay out the order of the rest of the chapter so a reader can scan it at a glance.
Concepts And Definitions (2–4 Pages)
Pin down terms early: diagnostic criteria, staging systems, assay names, coding schemes, and outcome scales. Define acronyms once in full. Readers in adjacent subfields will thank you.
Method Families You’ll Rely On (3–6 Pages)
Summarize the key study designs in your area: randomized trials, cohort studies, meta-analyses, animal models, or in-vitro assays. Explain why each method helps or fails for your question. Tie limitations to how you designed your study. If you plan to submit parts of your work to journals, keep the IMRAD arc in mind; medical research articles lean on that structure (IMRAD guidance).
What’s Known, Study By Study (8–15 Pages)
Group landmark papers by theme, not by year. In clinical topics, you’ll often move from physiology and biomarkers to diagnostic tools and treatment effects. In lab-based topics, you’ll move from molecular pathways to models and translational steps. Keep each subsection tight: claim, evidence, caveat, link to your next section.
Gaps And Rationale (2–4 Pages)
Now pull the thread. State the unresolved points, the measurement gaps, or the conflicting results that block progress. End with the aim and the way your study fills that gap. Keep this section specific; examiners want a direct bridge to your methods.
How To Keep Your Page Count Under Control
Set A Source Budget
Pick a sensible number of core sources for each theme. In clinical topics, that might be a few definitive trials, a major registry study, and one or two high-quality reviews. In preclinical work, that might be key mechanism papers and strong replication studies. Add supporting citations only when they add a new angle.
Write Short Paragraphs And Use Topic Sentences
Medical reviews read best in short blocks of two to four sentences. Start each paragraph with the claim, not a citation. Close with the take-home point that sets up the next block.
Fold Figures And Tables Wisely
Flowcharts, summary tables, and small schematics can save pages. Place them where they lift comprehension. Keep figure legends crisp and informative so readers don’t hunt through paragraphs for context.
Trim Overlap With Your Methods Chapter
Put technical detail where it belongs. If assay conditions or model construction need depth, place that in Methods. In the review, keep the focus on why those approaches address the problem.
Signs You May Need More (Or Less) Pages
You Likely Need More Pages If:
- Your topic spans both basic science and clinical outcomes and the bridge isn’t clear yet.
- You’re citing many trial sub-analyses without a unifying point.
- Key definitions are still buried in the middle of the chapter.
You Likely Need Fewer Pages If:
- Several sections repeat the same claim with different citations.
- Historical narrative crowds out current evidence.
- Methods detail belongs in the next chapter.
Frequently Missed Formatting Points That Waste Pages
Reference Style And Line Spacing
Adopt the citation style required by your school from the start and use reference-manager templates to keep line spacing and indenting neat. Extra whitespace and inconsistent reference blocks inflate page count and break the reading rhythm.
Abbreviations And Nomenclature
Field-standard abbreviations save space, but only after a first definition. Keep a short list at the end of the chapter if you use many. Stick to accepted gene and protein symbols and the clinical names used in major trials.
Appendices For Long Lists
Lengthy search strategies, full data extraction tables, or extended risk-of-bias checklists sit better in an appendix. The chapter should show the logic and the highlights, not every row.
Putting It All Together
For most medical theses, aim for a review chapter of 15–40 pages. Scale up toward the high end when you cross multiple subfields or when your degree allows a large total word count. Scale down when your thesis is built around published papers, or when your question is sharply focused. Confirm local rules, scan a few recent theses from your department, and set a page band before you write. That plan saves time, keeps examiners oriented, and leaves enough room for your results.