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A Medic Mind tutor explains all you need to know about the structure of Medical Education in the United Kingdom.
Medical education in the United Kingdom is one of the most prestigious and challenging areas in the whole of science. The tradition of teaching medicine is rooted in British Medieval History, and the quality of education is considered to be one of the highest in the world. Furthermore, three medical schools in the UK are in the top ten rankings of the best medical schools in the world.
Admission to the medical field is a difficult process that will require significant time and money costs. Indeed, the medic mind should be extremely rigorous, swift and decisive, and the medic theoretical knowledge requirement is immense. We at Medicmind.co.uk are committed to provide the best services possible to ease the process of enrolling into a medical school in the UK. The Medic Mind tutoring services are second to none, and we also offer Medic Mind UCAT assistance to guide you through this cumbersome process.
This article from Medic Mind will hereby explain everything you need to know about Medical Education in the UK.
How does medical education in the UK work?
The course structure and duration
Unlike the United States, where medical school can only be entered after successfully completing a bachelor’s degree in a related Natural Science field, in the UK, medical school is considered to be the first stage of higher education. Education in the British Medical school lasts for five to six years.
Each university has its own proprietary medical school structure. For example, in Oxford, Cambridge, London Universities and Edinburgh, the first two to three years of study are based on a theoretical course, and the last three years are a clinical course. The last year has its goal to prepare the student for residency and is the first year of practical training.
At the end of medical school, students take final exams, which include all the material studied.
Awarded titles
After graduation, the student is awarded the degree of “Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery”, with the Latin abbreviation of the degrees varying from university to university – adherence to tradition, as you know, is one of the hallmarks of British culture. So, for example, in all universities in London it will be MB BS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), and for example, in Cardiff – MB BCh(Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae).
Interestingly enough, after completing a theoretical course at the medical school in Oxford and Cambridge, the graduate is additionally awarded the title of Bachelor of Arts (BA), and the student can change his specialty if he wishes. This flexibility allows the pursuit of other careers while still employing medical knowledge, which can be very useful – like writing or journalism.
Postgraduate Medical Programs in the UK
This format of medical education is a novelty for Foggy Albion, and today such programs are available only at 14 universities in England and Wales. The training process takes 4 years and most of all resembles the training process in US medical schools. For admission, you must have a bachelor of science degree with an emphasis in chemistry and biology.
Upon completion of such a program, the degree of “Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery” is also awarded, which makes it possible to begin practical medical training.
However, due to the fact that medical education under this program is considered new in the UK, a large proportion of local students prefer to enter the traditional programs of medical schools. Still, this is an interesting option which should be kept in mind.
Requirements for studying medical education in the UK
Indeed, the requirements to enter a medical school are pretty strict. To enter a medical school at a university in the UK, a student must complete one of the preparatory programs:
A-level qualification
One year of the A-level preparatory program is obligatory to enter a medical school – and a minimum of three “A” grades must be obtained.
An “A” grade in Chemistry is required for all medical schools. In addition, it is mandatory to obtain two more A grades: in either biology, physics or mathematics. Admissions committees do not consider grades they deem irrelevant – grades obtained in subjects such as general knowledge, critical thinking, and global perspectives and research.
IB-level
A two-year IB with Chemistry as the main subject and Biology, Physics or Mathematics as the second subject can also be used to enroll in the medical school.
How to enroll into a medical school
Application for admission to medical school is made through a single system called the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). For this reason, the deadline for all universities is the same – October 15th. In one year, an applicant can send their documents to no more than 4 medical schools in the UK.
The admission process necessarily includes an interview and passing a comprehensive exam. To date, there is no common exam for medical schools in the United Kingdom, so different universities consider different exams. BMAT and UKCAT are the most common tests in the country, and GAMSAT is only accepted for admission to postgraduate medical programs.To improve your chances of admission you can try the GAMSAT Courses.
Please note that in addition to the deadline for accepting applications, each exam has its own registration deadlines: for UKCAT – it is mid-September, and for BMAT – mid-August or early October.
The selection committee calls the most successful applicants for an interview, which lasts from 15 to 30 minutes. During the interview, the general level of knowledge of the applicant is checked, his ability to quickly navigate in a non-standard situation, the ability to correctly construct an answer, and even the level of empathy.
Medical Preparatory Programs in the UK
In preparatory programs, you can acquire the necessary knowledge to pass the entrance exams and improve the level of English proficiency. Some preparatory programs are integrated into the medical school curriculum, while others – like a Medic Mind course – are independent, one-year training programs. The cost of such programs for international students is the same as the cost of university education per year.
Programs are often organized directly at universities and are divided into two types.
Preliminary year
Preliminary Year is designed for those who have already passed the A-level exams, as well as exams in medicine, but have not reached the required level in chemistry and biology. This year is sometimes considered the “zero” year of medical school.
Opening year
Opening Year is an even simpler option with reduced entry requirements. Low A-level scores and low medical exam results are allowed, the bet is that you will improve throughout the studying period.
Medical practice and internship in the UK
The process of medical education in the UK differs significantly from other countries in that it includes many stages of practical training. All of them are mandatory in accordance with the requirements of the UK National Health Service.
The first stage is a two-year “physician training program” after graduation from the medical school. Admission to this stage occurs automatically at the school. This is the stage during which the future doctor can more accurately determine the medical specialization and get acquainted with medical practice in various areas. At this stage, the medical student receives the title of “continuing medical education” (foundation doctor).
Internship
Internship is the second stage of practical training. It is a mandatory practical training in the chosen medical specialization. Doctors in the UK are divided into two types: general practitioners, who are similar to general practitioners, and consultant doctors, specialized specialists in clinics. Training programs for these specialists differ both in content and duration.
Thus, after graduating from medical school, a general practitioner is trained for 5 years, and the training of a consultant doctor takes 7–9 years. At the end of the program, the student must receive a “certificate of completion of training”, which gives access to an independent medical practice. The General Medical Council deals with issues of admission to medical work.
Medical degree in the UK
After obtaining the qualification of a doctor, an opportunity opens up for building a scientific career in the field of medicine. There are several ways to defend a dissertation in medicine.
Classic PhD
Obtaining the degree of doctor of medicine (M.D.) or PhD takes place at universities. The duration of full-time MD/PhD programs is 3 to 4 years and is similar to postgraduate studies in other education systems. At Cambridge, St. Andrews and Oxford, the M.D. equivalent to the degree of “Doctor of Science”.
Clinical research
Medical scientific work is possible without obtaining a doctoral degree. For example, there are five-year training programs for clinical laboratory researchers. Your clinical work should finish and materialize into the scientific work, nonetheless.
Complementary practice
Complementary practice is an optional stage of study that is required to access fellowship research programs and paves the way for state-sponsored research.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
