St Andrew’s University Medical School

Complete University Guide ranking for medicine: rank 20 (2018)

Guardian University ranking for medicine: rank 17 (2018)

QS World ranking for medicine: ranked between 301-400 (2017)

OVERVIEW

About:

Since 2010 the School of Medicine at Str Andrews has been housed in a new £45m School of Medicine and the Sciences and is one of the first UK Medical Schools whose research facilities are fully integrated with the other sciences and key University disciplines including Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology. This facility offers a new dimension to medical research and the training of new doctors.

Medical School Facilities:

  • Dissecting room
  • Anatomy Resource Centre
  • Clinical Skills Suite
  • Medical Resource Centre
  • Science Lab
  • Teaching rooms: 300-seat lecture theatre, x2 Seminar Rooms, x13 tutorial rooms

Student Satisfaction:

St Andews’ School of Medicine has been rated very highly in the UK student satisfaction ratings, coming in top place for 2 of the last 3 years. This is judged on course quality, staff and teaching facilities.

COURSE DETAILS

BSc (Hons) Medicine

Overview:

Students entering Medicine at St Andrews have the unique opportunity to graduate after three years at St Andrews with a BSc Honours degree in Medicine before moving on to a Partner Medical School to complete their training as a doctor and graduate with an MB ChB/MBBS.

The course is designed to prepare students for progression to the NHS two year Foundation Programme in the United Kingdom. The medical course has a long established reputation as providing an excellent scientific basis for clinical training and includes the opportunity to observe human structure directly by dissection of the entire body. Clinical training begins the day students enter the School of Medicine at St Andrews. Clinical knowledge, skills and professional behaviours, including all aspects of patient safety, are key components of our curriculum.

Course content:

Year 1 - Foundations of Medicine 1 and 2

Year 1: Foundations of Medicine 1 and 2

  • 1st Semester: broad overview of:
    • Structure, functions and behavior of cells, tissues, and systems
  • 2nd Semester: uses the musculoskeletal system to provide the integrated theme which mirrors the framework of the modules taught in subsequent years
    • Introductory overviews of the clinical sciences including:
      • Pathology, microbiology, health psychology
    • Public health medicine and key aspects of medical ethics and law.
  • Develop professional thinking, effective communication and problem solving skills:
    • Case-based clinical scenarios and interviews with patients
    • Basic clinical skills, including: basic life support, measuring and recording vital signs, clinical communication and patient safety.
Year 2 & 3 - Honours programme
Years 2 and 3: Honours programme
  • The normal and abnormal structure and function of each of the body systems:
    • Year 2: cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal and reproductive
    • Year 3: nervous system, endocrine
  • Scientific basis of important disease mechanisms and therapeutic treatment in each of the body systems.
  • Deeper understanding of clinical communication, medical ethics, professionalism, public health, health psychology and the practice of medicine
  • Consolidate clinical skills and patient examination techniques and take the first steps in the diagnosis and management of patients.
  • 2nd semester of year 3 is emphasized on independent learning and includes the student-selected research dissertation and applied medical science:
    • 10-12 week period: students choose a laboratory research, data handling, medical education or critical review project in order to pursue an area of their own interest.
  • Ward skills and practice of clinical and communication skills are developed in 10 sessions arranged in Fife teaching hospitals
  • During the summer vacation between 2nd and 3rd year, students may elect to consolidate their learning by spending a residential week in a primary or secondary clinical care placements.
Degree:

BSc Honours

Course Duration:

3 years

Entry Requirements:

A Levels: AAA

UCAS Code:

A100

Places available:

170

Partner Universities

Graduates of the BSc Hons Medicine can progress on to one of our partner medical schools to complete their training as a doctor:

University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry
Students from St Andrews can join Year 3 of Aberdeen MBChB and take advantage of a bridging course to help students integrate as well as the remote and rural option in Year 4 which offers placements in the Highlands and Islands in locations such as Fort William, Stornoway, Wick, Orkney and Shetland.
University of Dundee School of Medicine
The University of Dundee Medical School and Ninewells Teaching Hospital are fully integrated, offering an up-to-date and well-equipped clinical training facility very close to St Andrews. Join the MB ChB course in Year 3 to continue your studies in a small group teaching environment in a city close to St Andrews.
The University of Edinburgh School of Medicine and Veterinary Science
St Andrews’ students can join Year 4 of the MBChB programme in Edinburgh.
University of Glasgow School of Medicine
As a Direct Entrant into Year 3 of the MBChB programme you will be joining one of the largest Undergraduate School in the United Kingdom that has a unique brand that reflects the exposure of medical undergraduates to research leaders and teachers in clinical and basic sciences.
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London
An exciting new Partnership with Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry allows up to 20 students to progress to Barts and the London to complete the final 3 years of their MBBS degree after graduating from St Andrews with a BSc (Honours) Medicine degree. This new Partnership is the result of previous informal links with Barts. This formal Partnership will operate in the same way as those with the Medical Schools at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application process:

  • Meet the entry requirements
  • Ensure that you have sat the UKCAT:
  • Check campus code details:
    • A100: Campus Codes required (Scotland ‘S’, England ‘R’, or No Preference ‘N’)
  • Personal statement
  • References
  • Fill out the application form
  • Submit by the due deadline
  • Repeat applications: Applicants who are unsuccessful in obtaining a place at St Andrews can submit a new application the following year if they meet the entry requirements.

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
  • The closing date for applications is 15 October

REQUIREMENTS

UKCAT
  • All applicants applying to study the Medicine programme at St Andrews are required to take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) in order to be eligible for admission.
  • UKCAT score can vary each year, for guidelines consider: 2015: 2700
Grade Requirements

Academic qualifications: Evidence of excellent attainment in general and advanced secondary education:

GCSE

GCSE

  • To be considered for interview applicants must have a strong academic record. We would expect A Level applicants to offer a minimum of 5 A grades (or 5 grades of 7) at GCSE to be taken at one sitting and to be predicted to achieve AAA in the appropriate subjects at A level.
A Levels

A Levels

  • AAA (Advanced levels) including Chemistry and one other of Biology, Mathematics or Physics.
  • If Biology, Mathematics and English are not offered at Advanced (A2) or AS Level, each must normally have been passed at GCSE grade B or better. Dual award Science is not acceptable in lieu of GCSE Biology.
  • Human Biology may replace Biology.
  • General Studies, Critical Thinking and Global Perspectives & Research are not considered.
  • Advanced Levels must be studied over a two year period and completed in Year 13.
  • Only one of Mathematics or Further Mathematics will be considered for the 3 subjects required at Advanced Level.
  • Four Advanced Levels or a fourth subject at AS are not required.
International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate

  • Minimum: 38 points to include:
    Higher level: 3 passes at Grade 6,6,6 and Standard Level: 3 passes at Grade 6,6,6.
    Chemistry and one of either Biology, Mathematics or Physics must be offered at Higher Level.
    Biology, Mathematics and English must be offered at Standard Level if not offered at Higher Level.
  • Biology, Mathematics and English at GCSE grade B or better might be considered in lieu of Standard Level.
  • Standard Level Mathematics Studies is not acceptable.
  • English Language requirements: see above.
Other
Other Qualifications:

Scottish Highers - AAAAB (Highers in S5) including Chemistry (A grade) and one other of Biology, Mathematics or Physics.

BBB (Highers/Advanced Highers in S6)

  • The Higher qualifications should normally be obtained at the same sitting in S5. Exceptions may be made for candidates who attend schools which are unable to present pupils for five Highers at one sitting.
  • Applicants who obtain a B grade in Chemistry in S5 may be considered if they are sitting Advanced Higher Chemistry in S6.
  • If Biology, Mathematics and English have not been passed at Higher grade, each must normally have been passed at Intermediate 2 (grade A or B) or National 5 (grade A or B).
  • Human Biology may replace Biology.
  • A Higher in Intensive English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is not acceptable as one of 5 Highers required at one sitting.
  • Students unable to take missing sciences in S5 may take the missing subject(s) in S6. Two science subjects must be sat in the same year – either S5 or S6.
  • Offers made will be conditional and based on S6 programmes of study.
  • Advanced Highers or a mix of Highers and Advanced Highers are acceptable.

Cambridge Pre-U:

  • D3 in three subjects including Chemistry and one other of Biology, Mathematics or Physics.
  • A mix of Advanced (A2) levels at A grade (see GCE – Advanced Levels section) and Pre-U subjects (at D3 level) will be considered.
  • If Biology, Mathematics and English are not offered at Pre-U, Advanced (A2) or AS Level, each must normally have been passed at GCSE grade B or better. Dual award Science is not acceptable in lieu of GCSE Biology.
  • Human Biology may replace Biology.
  • General Studies, Critical Thinking and Global Perspectives & Research are not considered.
  • Pre-U and/or Advanced Levels must be studied over a two year period and completed in Year 13.
  • Only one of Mathematics or Further Mathematics will be considered for the 3 subjects required at Pre-U/Advanced Level.
  • Four Pre-U/Advanced Levels or a fourth subject at AS are not required.

CANDIDATE SELECTION

Candidate Selection

  • There are around 400 places for interview
  • To be consider for interview applicants must have:
    • Strong academic record
    • Positive and relevant reference
    • Medically related work experience
  • Applicants will be ranked on the basis of their UKCAT global score.
  • Those ranked in the top 400 or so will be given an interview.
  • Decisions to make offers will be based on the interview score and the global UKCAT score.

Extra information for candidates:

Decisions:
  • The majority of decisions are not made until mid-March when it is much clearer where applicant scores fit within the overall ranking.
  • The information on UCAS track will include some feedback as to why an applicant was unsuccessful in their application.
  • Applicants can request additional feedback in writing or by email. At the end of Marc the Medical Admissions Office will respond to feedback requests.
  • Requests for feedback must be received by the end of May. Enquiries should be submitted to: email: myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admissions contacts:
  • Email: sturecruit@st-andrews.ac.uk

INTERVIEW

The Interview Process

Interviews take place in December and then in the following January, February and March.

Location: you will be invited to interview in St Andrews, if you are oversees you can be interviewed by telephone or SKYPE.

Identification: bring one photographic ID that shows the full name and date of birth, it should match the information provided on your application.

The Interview:

  • Are in the format of multiple mini interviews
  • For the 2015/16 admissions cycle there will be 6 ‘mini’ interviews or stations.
  • They intend to use the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) as an element of the interview process; with the score being incorporated into the interview score.
  • You will be expected to demonstrate that you have an understanding of medicine as a career and that you appreciate the realities of working in a caring profession.
  • Communication and interpersonal skills will be assessed at each station and at least one station will involve role-play
  • You will also be assessed on your ability to discuss ethical issues.
  • Touring the Medical School: it is hoped that candidates will have the opportunity to tour the medical facilities with one of our medical students. Tours will run after every interview and usually take about 20/30 minutes.

FEES

Tuition Fees:
UK students

2017 - 2018 entry:

£9,250

EU Students

2017-2018 entry:

£9,250

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

2017-2018 entry:

£32,400 per year

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Details

  • Key Contact: Faculty Office

  • Telephone: +44 (0)114 222 8750

  • Address:

    Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health
    University of Sheffield
    Barber House
    387 Glossop Road
    Sheffield S10 2HQ

  • E-mail: facultyofmedicine@sheffield.ac.uk

  • Website: www.sheffield.ac.uk

Visit site

[res_map address=”ne2 4hh” description=”Newcastle Medical School” directionstext=”” icon=”red” iconsize=”” style=”2″ scalecontrol=”no” typecontrol=”no” streetcontrol=”no” locateme=”no” zoom=”13″ zoomcontrol=”no” draggable=”yes” scrollwheel=”no” searchbox=”no” clustering=”no” logging=”no” poi=”yes” fullscreen=”no” popup=”no” tabfix=”yes” width=”100%” height=”400px” maptype=”terrain” refresh=”yes” center=”” key=”AIzaSyBr0XelurtqHoECgAV9662WqSngdeNkgRQ”]