Birmingham Medical School
Complete University Guide ranking for medicine: rank 33 (2018)
Guardian University ranking for medicine: rank 30 (2018)
QS World ranking for medicine: ranked in the top 200 (2017)
About:
The College of Medical and Dental Sciences work in collaboration with NHS partners, including Birmingham Health Partners (BHP), a collaborative platform between the University, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Medical School Facilities:
- Barnes Library
- Wolfson Centre for Medical Education
- Lecture theatre
- Computer Cluster
- Medical Science Laboratory
Student Satisfaction:
In 2017, the results of the National Student Survey (NSS) showed that 95% of students were satisfied with the quality of the course.
Student Life:
The Guild has over 200 Societies, community volunteering groups and associations for you to join; they cover every topic and activity that you can think of - there really is something for everyone.
The Medical School has societies specifically for students based here - MedSoc, an overarching society open to all Medicine, Nursing and Biomedical Science students, and PharmSoc, which is open to Pharmacy students. Both are student-run societies that offer a wide range of activities to get involved in from sports, amateur dramatics and music to charities, volunteering and academic support.
A100 Medicine and Surgery MBChB
Overview:
Learning opportunities will take a variety of forms: lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory work, practicals, bedside demonstrations, clinical experience and a small component of problem based learning (PBL). And adapting methods to the subject matter, for example, role-play and video feedback on patient–doctor communication.
You’ll be studying in the country’s largest healthcare region, offering a variety of clinical placements. One of these is the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, located next door to the Medical School, which opened in 2010 and has state-of-the-art healthcare facilities. This means you will have plenty of opportunities to gain experience in the diversity of medical disciplines, learning how to manage a wide range of patients from different backgrounds and cultures.
The programme is divided into the following modules:
- Years 1 and 2: structure and function of the human body
- Year 3: based in a partner Teaching Hospital Trusts to further develop basic clinical skills
- Years 4 and 5: clinical attachments in medical, surgical and other specialties
Course content:
- Year 1 & 2 - Structure and function of the human body
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- Learn how each system is controlled and is able to respond to the demands of everyday life
- How they are affected by disease and medical treatments.
- Anatomy is learned in small-group sessions, including substantial experience of prosection.
- Learn about the psychology and sociology of health and illness
- Health of whole populations
- Individual patients are assessed.
- Introduction to key issues in biomedical ethics, for example genetic engineering.
- In each year, you will spend ten days in the community with GPs and patients
- Year 3 - Basic Clinical Skills
- Based in a partner Teaching Hospital Trusts to further develop your basic clinical skills:
- Taking a good clinical history
- Examining patients
- Studying the communication skills
- Learn about common diseases and how to diagnose and manage them
- Theoretical work on:
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Public health
- Year 4 & 5 - Clinical attachments
- Clinical attachments in medical, surgical and other specialities such as:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Bone and Joint Disease
- Oncology
- Ear, Nose and Throat
- Peri-Operative Care.
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- General Practice
IBSc
- Offers a one-year intercalated BSc degree
- Provide the opportunity for engaging in novel research work in either basic or applied medical research.
- These are taken after second, third or fourth year of study.
- Programmes available involve either laboratory- or community-based research.
Teaching Locations:
- Medical School Building at the University of Birmingham
- Teaching hospitals such as: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, located next door to the Medical School.
Application process:
- Meet entry requirements
- Ensure that you have sat the UKCAT - for guidelines 2015 applications the lowest score was 2,310
- Submit the UCAS application:
- Course code: A100
- Attend the interview (if applicable)
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
UKCAT
- All applicants must take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) in order to be eligible for admission.
- As a guideline, for 2015 applications the lowest score was 2,310.
Academic Requirements
Evidence of excellent attainment in general and advanced secondary education:
- GCSE
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GCSE
GCSE – minimum of grade A/B in Science, English and Mathematics
- A Levels
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A Levels
- A*AA
- Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology) required
- Scottish Highers
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- Highers: Five subjects at grade A including, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English.
- Advanced Highers: Three subjects including Chemistry and Biology must be offered (grade requirements: AAB)
Non-academic Requirements
Gaining in a place in medical school requires more than strong academic ability. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate that they possess a range of skills and attributes that are required to study medicine. For more information on these skills and attributes, the Medical Schools Council’s Selecting for Excellence report has produced a Statement on the core values and attributes need to study medicine.
In order for you to demonstrate this and set yourself apart from all other applicants, you need to submit an excellent personal statement. If you are invited to interview, your Personal Statement will be assessed during the interview.
It is recommended that you structure your Personal Statement to cover the following three areas:
- Commitment to Medicine
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Commitment to Medicine
When considering a career in medicine, you should:
- Research to confirm your ideas
- Discuss your options with career advisors
- Get a feel for life as a doctor
A good personal statement will demonstrate:
- Attempts to experience the work of a doctor (the day to day involvement)
- Attempts to research the training involved for a career in medicine (both at university and after qualifying)
- Understanding of the level of commitment required (the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of being a doctor)
This can be achieved by:
- Job shadowing (observing GPs and/or Hospital doctors at work)
- Talking with doctors (and medical students) about their lives, careers, future plans etc.
- Reading literature regarding recent medical breakthroughs, newspaper articles etc.
- Choose your schools for positive reasons, having found out as much about different schools’ curricula, facilities, clinical attachments, location etc. as possible. You may be asked to justify your choice at interview. Your research should include use of university websites, prospectuses and leaflets; discussions with medical students and doctors
- Contact Medical Admissions departments, as criteria for admission may vary between schools, as might individual admissions processes
- Visit the medical school to ensure you are making a suitable choice. The appeal of chosen institutions may well be confirmed or dismissed by the student who has spent some time exploring the Medical School site and facilities, and questioning staff and undergraduate students
- Attend Medical School Open Days, which may tell you a lot about the ethos of that particular school
- Core Qualities of Doctors
- Some examples of core qualities that a good doctor might have include:
- Good communication skills
- Evidence of concern for the welfare of others
- Demonstration of being trustworthy and honest
A good Personal Statement will demonstrate:
- What you think a doctors ‘core qualities’ are and how you display these
This can be achieved by:
- Gain an appreciation of the concerns of patients for example the disabled and the elderly.
- Undertaking (paid/unpaid) work of a caring nature
- Undertaking work which benefits school colleagues
- Be involved in caring/charity groups at school
- Personal experience of using “people skills” in social/work situations
- Develop your sense of social awareness and demonstrate you can shoulder responsibilities:
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- Continue to be involved with school life: clubs, mentoring, buddy and anti-bullying campaigns etc.
- Undertake paid part-time work with the public
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- Recommended Reading - For further information regarding core qualities of doctors, you might find it useful to read the GMC’s Good Medical Practice (2013)
- Teamwork
- Teamwork
Show you are an all-rounder: doctors’ lives are busy and challenging and time management is very important:
- Work hard at school
- Enjoy your free time to the full
Demonstrate you are able to work in teams, and are able to assume different roles within the team:
- Undertake leisure, sporting, creative activities
- Activities at school
- Activities outside school
- Attitude to colleagues
- Ability to participate fully in school life and help others to do so
- School honours and prizes.
Candidate Selection
Meet the academic standards required and also show evidence in personal statement that you will be able to acquire the values of the NHS:
- Working together for patients
- Respect and dignity
- Compassion
- Commitment to quality of care
- Resilience
An application will receive an overall score, which is the sum of weighted scores for each of the academic and UKCAT components. The weightings will be: academic – 70%; UKCAT – 30%. Applicants will be ranked according to this score.
After interview, offers are made based on interview performance:
- The scores from each interview station are used to calculate an overall interview score, which is used to rank all applicants.
- If interview score is within 5% of the cut-off score, we will review your Band score for the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) component of the UKCAT. You will receive an offer if you achieve a Band score above 4 (minimum) as well as an interview score above the cut-off.
- We will set a minimum performance standard for each station. An applicant who does not reach this standard for one station and who achieves a SJT Band score of 4 may not receive an offer irrespective of the overall interview score.
- If you achieve an overall interview score 5% or more above the cut-off and no station score below the minimum, we will not consider your UKCAT SJT Banding.
Extra information for candidates:
The Interview Process
- Approximately 1,000 candidates are invited to attend for an interview
- Interviews take place between November and March
- Are organised in a multiple mini-interview format.
- There are six separate, short interviews, lasting 6 minutes each.
- There will be an additional interview station at which you will be asked to undertake some basic calculations but no interviewer will be present while you complete this task.
- Interview stations are designed to assess aspects such as:
- Motivation for medicine
- Communication
- Self-insight
- Ethical reasoning
- Data interpretation
- Ability to evaluate information
- Identify relevant aspects
- Candidates who are interviewed are offered a conducted tour of the Medical School by current medical students
Tuition Fees:
UK students
2017 - 2018 entry:
£9,250 per year
EU Students
2017-2018 entry:
£9,250 per year
International
2017-2018 entry:
- £20,250 (International students – pre-clinical - years 1 and 2)
- £35,640 (International students – clinical - years 3, 4 and 5)
Contact Details
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Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 3344
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Address:
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT
United Kingdom -
Website: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/
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