University of Birmingham

5-Year Degree in Medicine
UCAS Course Code: A100

Places this year
(2009 entry):

372

Places for international students (2009 entry):

 
40

Competition Last Year
(2008 entry):

Total places: 372
International Places: 40

Applicants: 2507
Applications per place: 6.7

Number of offers made: 816
Applicants per offer made: 3.1

Chances of an offer: 33%

Typical offers:

AAA - Predicted A level grades must be AAA

Chemistry:

Chemistry required at full A2 level

Biology:

Biology is required at AS level (grade A)

Other subjects:

Most other subjects are accepted as a third A2, provided you have at least 2 sciences at A2 (Chemistry, Biology, Maths or Physics)

General studies:

Not acceptable

Entrance Exam:

None

Resit policy:

Second-time applicants are only considered in exceptional circumstances. Only those who have achieved less than our standard offer by a small margin the first time round may be considered if there are persuasive mitigating circumstances.

GCSE requirements:

Normally a minimum of 8 GCSEs (normally at least 5 A* grades). English Language Grade B minimum, (650 for TOEFL or 7.0 for each component of IELTS), Physics and Mathematics (at Grade B minimum) if not offered at A or AS Level. Integrated Science (Double Certificate) Grade A is acceptable as an alternative to Physics.

Scottish Highers:

AAAAA in Sottish Highers, plus three Advanced Highers including chemistry and biology (AAA predictions, AAB achieved).

International Baccalaureate:

Chemistry is compulsory at higher level and if Physics is not being offered at higher or standard level it must be held at GCSE/O level at grade A.

Higher Level: Chemistry and Biology or Physics, and one other approved subject. Grade 6s are normally required.

Subsidiary Level: The subjects must include English, Biology and also Maths if not offered at the higher level. A minimum of 36 points must be attained with at least 18 at Higher Level.

Irish Leaving certificate:

Acceptable at grades AAAAAA including chemistry, biology, maths and English.

Home students:

?3145

International students:

Not known

Key Contact:

Professor C.J. Lote

Address:

Medical School
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT

Telephone:

+44 (0)121 414 6888

Email:

C.J.Lote@bham.ac.uk

Website:

Course website

Written by:

Majd Protty - 1st year medical student

Contact details:

If you have any questions about this course, you can ask Majd (MBS) via our private messaging system.

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Send a private message to: MBS

Date written:

10 April 2009

About the city & university:

Being the UK's second city, Birmingham has a lot to offer. The bullring is one of the biggest shopping centres in the whole of Europe. Broad Street & China town promise unforgettable nights out, especially with venues such as Oceana and Gatecrasher. The Mailbox, and Brindley place both contain great restaurants and bars. As a student, you will not be bored. Many of our students decide to spend parts of the breaks in Birmingham instead of going back to their towns, as there's so much more to do.

Teaching styles:

The course is Module/System-based, with the exception of 2 days per month in the first 2 years where you get to do some PBL, but it is mainly meant to be a link between the different modules and as such reinforces the Modules and doesn't replace them.

In the first two years, there are 6 biological sciences and 2 "medicine in society" sciences modules. Teaching is delivered via Lectures (about 25 hours per module), Small-group teaching, and self-directed learning (only 4 hours per module).
In the last 3 years, teaching is delivered in blocks at hospital, with some teaching delivered at the Med School in the third year for the Epimethods module (Epidemiology..etc..)

Anatomy teaching:

Anatomy is taught mainly in module-based lectures and small groups. Birmingham anatomy has come a long way over the past 5 years. Since 2008, we started getting additional regional anatomy lectures which help link all the different sessions together and reinforce the knowledge.

3D anatomy is delivered via Prosection (1-2 hours per biological sciences module). This is seen beneficial as it saves teaching time by having different specimens dissected by experts, instead of the inexperienced student. Dissection is offered to the top 50 students in year 2 as a Special Study Module.

Clinical contact:

At Birmingham, one of the attractive points is having clinical contact from the first 2 weeks you start the course. Placements at GP practices start from the first year, and last until end of 3rd year (1 day every two weeks).
Clinical skills learnt there range from clinical examination of the abdomen, thorax, knee..etc.. to taking blood and administering flu jabs on real patients.

Placements are scattered across the West Midlands, but the medical school ensures that over the course of the 5 years, everyone would've travelled roughly the same distance.

A typical week:

We do modules in parallel. So a typical week in Semester 1 of Year 1 will be:
Monday: Molecules to Man module (Biochem, Embryology and Genetics)
Tuesday: Cell Communication, Endocrinology, and Pharmacology Module
Wednesday: Medicine in Society
Thursday: GP placement/Integrated Problems module (PBL) - on alternating weeks.
Friday: Neurones and Synapses module

Mon, Tues, and Fri: Typical hours are 9-5 (lectures and small groups), with about 3 hours breaks in the day.
Wed: 9-1pm (2 lectures + 1-2 Small groups)
Thurs: 9-5 (on GP placement days), 10-4 (on Integrated Problems module days)

In Semester 2, you start a new set of modules, while continuing in the same structure.

Intercalating:

Intercalation is not compulsory. You can intercalate in Biological Sciences or Medicine in Society after 2nd,3rd, and even 4th year. But you need to have scored over 65% in that discipline in previous year. You get a BMedSci for intercalation. You can also intercalate PhD, but you have to find the position and funding, and do it after you finish the BMedSci.

Electives:

Electives are done after 4th year. You have 8 weeks for it.

Course intensity:

Short answer - Yes you have time for a Saturday job or a few evenings a week.
Long answer - If you do take a job, you must make sure that you can do work as well. Taking a job will probably mean that you can't be at the top of the year, but you should aim for safe passes - which is doable, but not for everyone. Exams tend to be held throughout the course: Halfway through a module, at the end of the module, and at the end of the year.

Best and worst:

Best:
Only medical school in region (So all trusts at our disposal).
Modules are organised well, and improve every year based on student feedback.
Clinical skills from first year.

Worst: A minority of people may have to travel a bit further away for placements.

Additional information:

Check the MedSoc (Medical Society - a society for Medical Students, led by students for students) website, it contains all this information and more details, such as what modules are taught, how everything is delivered in details, and how exams are run. http://medsoc.bham.ac.uk