Choosing a UK Medical School

How to choose the right medical school

Deciding which UK medical school to apply to can be a difficult decision for an international student. Factors such as course type, ranking, reputation, location, and cost all need to be considered.

Choosing a medical school: Course type

- Traditional

For the first two years, traditional courses are taught through lectures, seminars, and tutorials before students move into practical and clinical work for the following three years. For pre-clinical study, teaching covers areas such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology, and each block is taught as a separate course. The clinical stage will see students work at hospitals as student doctors.

- Integrated

An integrated medical degree typically refers to a course that combines undergraduate and graduate medical education into a single course. This means that students enter the course directly and complete both their undergraduate degree and medical training within the same program, typically over five to six years. The General Medical Council recommends this type of course.

- Problem Based

Problem-based learning courses are unique, and fewer UK medical schools offer them. Small groups of no more than ten students are presented with a problem and a virtual patient as the case study. A facilitator will then guide the group and have to present their hypothesis at a later date.

Choosing a medical school: Competitive entry

Medicine is one of the most competitive courses in the world for securing a place, and according to UCAS, there were over 25,000 applicants for 2023 entry, with only 7,600 places available. Looking into each programme and medical school is of huge importance when selecting the right place to study, and some schools are less competitive than others.

Faultless academic records are required, while experience is highly regarded by the applications board. If your grades fall short of the medicine entry requirements, many medical schools provide foundation programmes if they believe you have the ability to succeed.

List of Medical Schools in the UK

• University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Anglia Ruskin University School of Medicine
• Aston University Medical School
• Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
• University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences
• Brighton and Sussex Medical School
• Brunel Medical School
• University of Bristol Medical School
• University of Buckingham Medical School
• University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine
• Cardiff University School of Medicine
• University of Dundee School of Medicine
• Edge Hill University Medical School
• University of Edinburgh Medical School
• University of Exeter Medical School
• University of Glasgow School of Medicine
• Hull York Medical School
• Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine
• Keele University School of Medicine
• Kent and Medway Medical School
• King's College London GKT School of Medical Education
• Lancaster University Medical School
• University of Leeds School of Medicine
• University of Leicester Medical School
• University of Liverpool School of Medicine
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• University of Manchester Medical School
• Newcastle University School of Medical Education
• Norwich Medical School
• University of Nottingham School of Medicine
• University of Nottingham - Lincoln Medical School
• University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
• Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
• Queen's University Belfast School of Medicine
• University of Sheffield Medical School
• University of Southampton School of Medicine
• University of St Andrews School of Medicine
• University of Surrey School of Medicine
• St George's, University of London
• University of Sunderland School of Medicine
• Swansea University Medical School
• University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine
• UCL Medical School
• University of Warwick Medical School
• Ulster University School of Medicine
• University of Chester Medical School

Study Medicine in the UK

If you need help choosing the right UK medical school, arrange your free consultation at SI-UK online or in-person today.