Glasgow

Glasgow is one of the world’s top 100 universities. Established in 1451, the University of Glasgow is a member of the Russell Group and is known for its teaching and research.

The university’s main campus is situated in the heart of Glasgow and provides students with a great social and academic life.

The University of Glasgow also has a global outlook with many international links to medical schools abroad.

About The Course

Glasgow Medical School is one of the largest in the UK and it allows students to attain an MBChB degree over the course of 5 years. As a leading Scottish university, Glasgow Medical School provides the opportunity for students to experience placement in the west of Scotland in hospitals such as Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The medical course supports its students in a stimulating and clinical environment throughout the West of Scotland. Glasgow also has state-of-the-art clinical skills teaching laboratories as well as a wide range of hospitals for students to be placed at in their time at university.

Glasgow’s Medicine programme has a curriculum that is taught through various teaching styles that range from small-group teaching, lectures and problem-based learning, vocational and clinical studies. The spiral curriculum means content is continuously reviewed with increasingly clinical focus and is split into four phases.

Structure Of The Course

Year 1

Phase 1 will occupy half of Year 1 and here students will begin to learn about the basics of biomedical sciences and medical knowledge that will be foundational to building their clinical knowledge. They will gain further insight into the clinical aspect through clinical skill sessions in both A&E settings and in a General Practice setting.

Year 2

Phase 2 will occupy the second half of Year 1 and all of Year 2. In phase 2, students will learn different modules such as Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry. This will be related and linked to the systems of the body.

Students will also be given the opportunity to choose a student-selected component to enhance their learning. This will be undertaken in Years 2, 3 and 4 and projects will cover topics not only in the core curriculum but outside medicine as well.

Year 3

Phase 3 occupies the first half of Year 3, and here students will delve into the pathophysiology of different illnesses. Small-group teaching will focus on clinical cases that cover clinical biochemistry, clinical pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, and haematology. Students will also partake in clinical procedural skills teaching in hospitals.

Year 4

The final phase occupies the second half of year 3, the whole of year 4 and the first half of year 5. Phase 4 will be situated in hospitals and GP settings where students will be assigned to their clinical attachments and rotate through different specialities of medicine and surgery.

Year 5

The second half of the final year will be preparation for practice. This involves shadowing foundation training doctors and will equip students with the knowledge and skills to begin their job as a competent doctor.

Academic Requirements

GCSEs: English at Grade B or 6. GCSE Biology at Grade B or 6 (if not studied at A-Level).

A-levels: AAA Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.

Scottish Higher: AAAAA by the end of S5 Must include Chemistry and 2 from Biology, Mathematics or Physics. National 5 English at Grade B. Offers are only conditional on S6 performance.

Scottish Advanced Higher: BB

International Baccalaureate: 38 points, 666 HL HL subjects Chemistry and Biology and SL Physics or Mathematics and English at 6

IELTs (International applicants only): 7.0 with no sub-test under 7.0. The score must be achieved within 2 years of the application date.

Bachelor's Degree (Graduates only): Minimum of 2:1 in a relevant scientific degree.

Mitigating Circumstances

Resits policy: Glasgow Medical School does not normally accept resits or additional time to sit exams and academic qualifications. Resits may be considered in extenuating circumstances.

Extenuating circumstances: Glasgow Medical School takes into consideration mitigating circumstances. Applicants who feel that their education or exam results have been disrupted by extenuating circumstances should email the admissions administrator with supporting documentation. Mitigating circumstances and documentation can be emailed to the admission teams – [email protected]

Deferred entry: Deferred Entry may be offered to applicants provided that the requirements and conditions are met. This will be decided based on each individual case.

Transfers: It is not possible to transfer from another degree straight onto the MBChB programme at Glasgow. Applicants who have begun a degree may apply through UCAS with the appropriate requirements to be considered for entry into Year 1 of the programme.

Further Entry Requirements

Work experience: Work experience is not essential for applying to Glasgow Medical School however, it is expected as work experience and volunteering may provide students insight into a realistic career in Medicine.

Personal statement: Personal Statement will be considered in the formal screening process.

Admissions Process

Glasgow Medical School ranks their students based on academic achievements and those who score below the national average UCAT total score are unlikely to be considered for an interview.

Admissions Tests:

UCAT ✅
They consider the UCAT with all other aspects of the application. The national average varies each year depending on the cohort but tends to be in the range of 2400-2500. Those who meet all requirements will be ranked by their UCAT score and allocations for interview offers will be sent starting with those who scored highest.

Interview Type: Traditional

Interview Topics: Interview Topics:

Ethics
Glasgow Curriculum
Achievements and Personal Skills
Passion for pursuing medicine
Reflectiveness
Personal Statement
Work Experience
Personal Qualities

Admissions Statistics

Total number of applicants:	2200
Total number of places:	296
Total number of entrants:	294
Acceptance rate:	13.36%

Fees

Home students:	£1820 pa
Rest of UK:	£9250 pa
International students:	£56519 pa

Teaching Methods

Teaching style: The teaching style in Phase 1 and 2 at Glasgow is centred around labs, foundational anatomy teaching taught through dissections, lectures, clinical skills, problem-based learning and vocational learning. In Phase 3, case-based learning is incorporated alongside a greater emphasis on clinic placements and teaching.

Intercalation mode: Glasgow Medical School also offers students a 1-year intercalated BSc degree. This is optional and may be taken between Years 3 and 4.

Graduate Prospects

Graduates from the University of Glasgow will receive an MBChB degree which is a primary medical qualification (PMQ). This will allow students to apply with a provisional registration to the GMC. All students will be accredited and allowed to apply for foundation training. This will give students the opportunity to specialise in various aspects of medicine and surgery.

Graduates upon completion of the MBChB degree can earn up to £36,000 around 15 months after graduation. This can increase up to £51,000 around 3 years after completion of the degree.

FAQs

How will my application be assessed?

Glasgow Medical School looks at each application holistically (including Personal Statement, Academic Achievements and References). Candidates will be ranked according to their achievements and the highest-scoring applicants will be sent an interview offer usually in December.

Is work experience essential?

Obtaining work experience is not compulsory for your application, however, it can enhance your insight into the medical setting and allow for a broader perspective when applying to Glasgow Medical School.

Can I apply through UCAS clearing?

Due to the competition and limited places, clearing is not normally available for the medicine MBChB programme. However, if places do become available, applicants who missed their offer narrowly may be contacted.