Kings College London Medical School
Complete University Guide ranking for medicine: rank 21 (2016)
QS World ranking for medicine: rank 21 (2016)
Times Higher Education for medicine: rank 8 (2016)
About:
King’s College London was founded in 1829 as a university college.
The Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, created in 2014, encompasses both a School of Bioscience Education and a School of Medical Education (GKT). Together they deliver undergraduate health professions programmes (Medicine, Nutrition & Dietetics, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy) and a suite of related BSc programmes in Biomedical Sciences, through 18 Academic Divisions.
Medical School Facilities:
- 4 central London campuses
- Chantler Simulation & Interactive Learning Centre (Guy’s Campus)
- Two dissecting rooms (based at the Guy’s Campus)
- Virtual Learning for students: provides online resources and support
- Gordon Museum of Pathology: largest medical museum in the UK containing over 8,000 pathology specimens.
A100 Medicine MBBS
Overview:
The curriculum of this course provides early patient experience and has 3 stages: foundation of Biomedical Science, From Science to Clinical practice, Integrated Clinical practice. This, to achieve the value of “doctors in partnership with patients, to manage risk across a range of different care settings”.
Course structure:
- Year 1: Stage 1 – Foundations of Medicine
- Year 2: Stage 2 – Principles of Clinical Practice
- Year 4 and 5: Stage 3 – Integrated Clinical Practice
Course content:
- Year 1
- Year 1: Foundations of biomedical sciences and skills to begin to integrate with clinical practice:
- Foundations of Biomedical Science: principles of anatomy and physiology of body systems, metabolism, communication within and between cells, molecular and cell biology, immunology and pharmacology.
- Biomedical Science: deeper knowledge by practical work in anatomy (functional anatomy, biochemistry and physiology of systems).
- Population Science and Quality Improvement: Introduces students to the structure of the Health Service in the UK and the role of organizations such as the GMC, BMA, medical Royal Colleges, NICE and MRC.
- Genes, Behaviour and Environment: emphasis on learning about the complex interplay of genes, behaviours and the environment, and the opportunities to work with patient and the public to modify risk.
- Introduction to Clinical Skills and Communication: basic skills of communication and clinical practice using simulated clinical environments and clinical skills. Students have to demonstrate that they can be trusted to work with patients in a supervised environment.
- Doctor and Society: This covers the ethical and legal principles underpinning medical practice. It also includes preparatory workshops on student health, wellbeing and resilience.
- Student Selected Components: areas of study for which students are able to select the subject and which give additional opportunities to explore areas of interest: modern languages, medical humanities and the Associateship of King’s College
- Year 2
- Year 2: Greater emphasis on clinical practice and uses the experience to integrate biomedical sciences, population sciences and generic clinical skills:
- Longitudinal placements: Students learn with a panel of patients or other service users in general practice, mental health or other care settings. The placements are designed to help students develop clinical, shared decision-making and patient advocacy capabilities.
- Clinical Practice: Students are allocated to short clinical placements (typically 4 week blocks) organized around common patient care pathways. These opportunities to both develop generic clinical skills but also the ability to provide care for patients with common acute and long-term conditions.
- Diagnostics, Pathology and Therapeutics: Students learn to identify appropriate investigations and develop the capabilities to develop safe, effective and economic management plans. The course also covers the imaging sciences, microbiology, immunology, genetics, bio-engineering, pathology and pharmacology.
- Biomedical Sciences: deeper knowledge of biomedical sciences by practical work in anatomy and physiology relevant to their clinical placements.
- Genes, Behaviour and Environment: relates genetics, behavioural sciences, microbiology, immunology, pathology, environmental sciences, population sciences to their clinical placements.
- Population Science and Quality Improvement: students are expected to critically reflect on the factors that enhance patient experience, reduce the risk of error and improve outcomes.
- Doctor and Society: Helps students grow in self-awareness, develop their reflective practice skills, apply ethical and legal principles in medical practice.
- Year 3
- Year 3: offers the same core components of year 2, plus:
- Doctor as teacher: covering educational theory and practice to support students in developing their confidence and competence as educators.
- Tasters: provides opportunities to explore possible career options
- Projects: provides opportunities to develop teaching skills, quality improvement skills and a knowledge of global health
- Year 4
- Year 4: starts stage 3 of the programme
- Clinical blocks: include placements in mental health, child health, women’s health, general practice, outpatients, elective care, emergency medicine and acute and critical care.
- Diagnostics, Pathology and Therapeutics: Students are expected to develop focussed plans to confirm a diagnosis, contribute to the development of management plans that take account of co-morbidities.
- Doctor and Society: Help students model professional attributes as they take increasing responsibility for patient care and their own learning
- Population Science and Quality Improvement: focus on the improvement of patient care in a range of different settings and include a live quality improvement project.
- Global Health: covers the global determinants of health and disease and variations in healthcare delivery and medical practice. It will assist students with the preparation for their elective.
- Year 5
- Year 5: the integrated clinical practice continued, and also offers:
- Electives: opportunity to undertake an eight-week elective in the UK or abroad which will include a project.
- Tasters: These are in a clinical setting and offer students the opportunity to explore possible career options.
- Preparation for practice: This programme focuses on the generic roles and responsibilities of a F1 doctor to help facilitate a smooth transitional to work.
Hospital Placements
The Medical School, in conjunction with certain partner NHS hospitals, provides you with the opportunity during years 2 - 5 to complete a variety of clinical attachments in local hospitals, including:
- The Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI)
- Furness General Hospital (FGH)
- Royal Blackburn Hospital
- Westmorland General Hospital
- Blackpool Victoria Hospital
- Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Cumbria Partnership Trust.
Community Placements:
Lancaster University place a strong emphasis on the importance of clinical placements in the community in a range of organisations. Each year, you will be placed in community settings in North Lancashire and South Cumbria. These include;
- GP placements where you’ll see patients under the supervision of practice staff
- Primary Care Assessment Services which are often co-located within hospitals
- Specialised clinics such as community dermatology and sexual health.
All candidates are considered on an individual basis.
UCAS admissions procedure
- You are permitted a maximum of four choices on the UCAS application form for medicine. You may add one of the following alternative non-health programmes to your UCAS application: Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, Pharmacology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology, Neuroscience, Human Sciences and Biomedical Science.
- The closing date for applications is 15 October
Application Process:
- Check that you meet the minimum entry requirements
- Ensure that you have taken the UCKAT
- Make an online application via UCAS by of the 15 October in the year prior to the expected entry to the medical school.
UKCAT:
All applicants are required to sit the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) prior to applying to this programme. Please refer to the UKCAT website for details on registration and test dates.
Grade Requirements:
- Required Subjects
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- A Level Chemistry and Biology.
- GCSE grade B in both English and Mathematics required
- A Levels
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- A*AA - A Levels
- If you are taking linear A levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all science subjects.
- Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King’s as one of your A-levels.
- International Baccalaureate
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International Baccalaureate
Pass the IB Diploma with a total of at least 35 points, with three Higher Level subjects at 766 including Chemistry and Biology. Note the total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE. GCSE Grade B in both English and Mathematics also required (if no GCSE, passes are required at SL in English and Maths if not offered at HL).
- Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
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Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
AAA at Higher in one sitting and AA at Advanced Higher, including grade A in Advanced Higher Chemistry and Biology (we do not count the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject). If only one of Chemistry or Biology is offered at Advanced Higher, the other must be offered at Higher level at grade A. English and Mathematics required at N5/Standard Credit grade 1 or 2/ Intermediate 2, with grade B if not offered at Higher.
- Other
- Access to HE Diploma: QAA Access to Medicine/Dentistry HE Diploma taken at a UK Further Education College full time over one year may be considered. Of the 45 Level 3 credits, 39 credits must be from units at Distinction with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit.
Additionally: All applicants must take the UKCAT. Please see further details below.
Cambridge Pre-U: Three Pre-U Principal subjects at D2 D3 D3 including Chemistry and Biology. Grade B in both English and Mathematics also required. Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels) considered.
Additionally: All applicants must take the UKCAT. Please see further details below.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF from 2010): Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
BTEC Level 3 Diploma (QCF from 2010): Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma (QCF from 2010): Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Candidate Selection
All candidates follow the same application pathway:
UKCAT: there is no threshold UKCAT score, for guidelines consider:
- 2015 entry 630
- 2014 entry 735
- 2013 entry 695
- 2012 entry 685
There are around 1,200-1,400 places for interview
To be consider for interview, selectors consider:
- GCSE (or equivalent performance) – most important
- The reference and the score in the UKCAT – most important
- Predicted or achieved A-level grades (or equivalent).
No offers are made without an interview
Extra information for candidates:
The Interview Process
- Interviews are held between January and March and you must be available for interview in order to be considered for admission.
- Interviews for international applicants are held in late January or early February.
It is expected that candidates adopt the dress code required of clinical medical students at King’s.
The Interview:
- Are in the format of multiple mini interviews
- There are several “mini” interviews or stations
- At each station, candidates are asked to respond to questions relating to a scenario and then move onto the next station in a timed circuit.
- Station to assess values and personality based attributes: kindness, compassion and empathy, respect for the individual, privacy and dignity, advocacy, decision-making, team working and integrity.
- Station to assess information handling and evaluation skills
- Station to assess knowledge on topical medical issues.
- Station to assess the candidates’ ability to deal with an ethical dilemma.
- A standardised interviewer assessment score sheet accompanies each station.
- The interview considered:
- Communication skills
- Interest in the subject and profession
- Exploring general social and ethical issues normally health related
- How the interviewee will contribute to the College as a whole.
Tuition Fees:
UK students
2017 entry:
£9, 250 per year
Please note that the UK tuition fee may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
EU Students
2017 entry:
£9, 250 per year
Current regulations allow students to pay UK tuition fees on the basis of their EU citizenship or residency. Until these eligibility criteria are changed, the EU tuition fee will remain the same as the UK tuition fee.
International
2017 entry:
From £33,000
All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.
Contact Details
- Key Contact: King’s College London Switchboard
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Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7836 5454
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email: [email protected]
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Address:
King’s College London
Strand
London
WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom