Católica Medical School, following the model of recent Portuguese medical schools, will have, by its opening date, health research units, particularly the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS).

This is also a challenge for Universidade Católica Portuguesa, taking advantage of the scientific knowledge generated by CIIS and creating not only new lines and groups of research but also a new institute dedicated to research. The Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Health (CIIS), which is active across three regional centres (Lisbon, Porto and Viseu), was rated by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) as Very Good.

Also in the area of health and also recognised by the FCT, UCP has the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF), which has the status of Associate Laboratory since 2004, present in the Porto regional centre and classified by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) as excellent.

Católica Medical School will have a strong science-based learning component. This is possible owing to the strategic decision to develop the medical research platform at CIIS and its expansion to the Sintra campus.

Católica Medical School is supported by the TRAINING4RESILIENCE project, funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU), STEAM Youth Impulse and Adult Impulse, as part of the Recovery and Resilience Programme (PRR).