Keele Medical School – graduate entry

Factfile at a glance

Entry requirements

A 2.1 Honours degree in an appropriate science.  Biological sciences or health profession degrees are preferred.  Applicants should also have 3 A level subjects including Chemistry or Biology although less emphasis is placed on the grades achieved at A level because of the GAMSAT requirement. 

The application process

Applications are screened by the Admission team to verify academic performance and to ensure the first degree is in a suitable subject. They are then passed on to the Admissions Tutors who will score each application based on the content of the personal statement and reference. They are specifically looking for evidence of the following areas (in both the personal statement AND the reference) which are each scored, with some given greater weighting than others:

• Reasons for choosing medicine
• Work experience in a caring role – not necessarily in a clinical setting but in a long-term and hands-on role which has required more than simply observation
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of the healthcare system in the UK
• Personal interests and hobbies
• Teamworking skills
• Communication skills
• Determination and conscientiousness
• Intellectual achievements and potential

Keele pay particular importance to the presentation and style of personal statements submitted, and state that they will mark down applications for careless errors of grammar and spelling.

All applicants must have taken and achieved a threshold score in the GAMSAT exam within the last 2 years.

Once all applications have been assessed and scored, the scores for each applicant are placed in rank order and the highest ranking applicants are invited for interview. Interviews take place in December, February and March and the date which applicants are called for interview does not correspond to their rank position.

The interview lasts 20 minutes and the panel consists of 1 academic, 1 clinician and 1 lay person. Only one of the panellists will have seen the candidate’s personal statement. The interviewers assess the following areas:

• Ability to communicate
• Motivation for medicine
• Personal interests and hobbies
• Work experience in a caring role
• Understanding of medical issues, hot topics and medical ethics

No offers are made without interview.

Why Keele?

The University of Keele has one of the largest and most attractive campuses in the UK and is located in beautiful surroundings. The University is renowned for its world-class education and research and particularly for its teaching. Although large in physical size, Keele is one of the smallest Universities in terms of student numbers. Many students and staff live on campus, making for a good atmosphere and the sense of community helps new students feel at home very quickly.

Keele medical school is one of the most modern in the country. The medical school building was opened in 2003 and is a modern, purpose built facility. The new MBChB course started in 2007 and is a new curriculum. Prior to 2007, students at Keele medical school studied a Manchester University validated course and graduated with a Manchester degree.

Course overview

The entry point for graduate students is Year 2 of the 5-year MBChB course, although the workload is initially heavier than for the standard entry Year 2 students, with additional course content and self-directed learning based on each individual's prior knowledge and learning needs.

Year 1 (pre-clinical)

Graduate students will start the year (which corresponds to Year 2 of the 5-year MBChB course) two weeks early and will undertake any coursework necessary to bridge the gap in experience between them and undergraduate entry students, such as communication skills, clinical skills and professionalism, etc.

Topics covered in Year 1 (Phase 2a):
Students will study a module entitled ‘Integrated Clinical Pathology 1’, where the focus shifts to how the process of disease disrupts the normal body function and includes:

• Inputs and outputs (8 weeks)
• Movement (4 weeks)
• Life support and defence (8 weeks)
• Sensation (4 weeks)

The SSC is year 2 runs throughout the year and takes the form of 8 half days on placement in a non-clinical setting, either in a voluntary or work shadow role within a local voluntary or statutory organisation in the health or social care field. Students must prepare and deliver a poster presentation about the organisation in which they spent time, and write a 1,500 word reflective report based on their placement experiences.

There are exams at the end of each Semester, which comprise a 3-hour written paper (Single Best Answers, MCQs and short Answer Questions) and an OSCE.

Years 2 to 4 (clinical)

Topics covered in Year 2 (Phase 2b):
Students will study a module entitled ‘Integrated Clinical Pathology 2’ in blocks of 4 weeks which includes:

• General surgery
• General medicine
• paediatrics
• geriatrics
• mental health
• Musculoskeletal

The SSC is in 2 blocks of 4 weeks where students can choose from 3 types of SSC:

1. Case reporting – using a self-selected clinical placement resulting in writing a case report.
2. Study in humanities – a humanities based module resulting in a written piece of 2,000-5,000 words
3. Research basics – developing research ideas into a project resulting in writing up results and arguing the case for funding of this project.

Topics covered in Year 3 (Phase 3):
Students will study a module entitled ‘Integrated Clinical Practice’ in blocks of 8 weeks which includes:

• Further surgery
• Further medicine
• Child health
• Women’s health
• Mental health

The SSC is a 4-week block of clinical career exploration where students spend time with doctors of different grades and in different specialties. They must submit a reflective account on how this time has informed their career choice.

Topics covered in Year 4 (Phase 4):
Students will prepare for professional practice in their final year, by undertaking the following units:

• Medicine in the community (16 weeks)
• Acute and critical care (2-4 weeks)
• Training ward (2 weeks)
• Aged care (4 weeks)
• Preparation for professional practice (2 weeks)

Students will take their Elective in the final year.

There are written exams at the end of Year 3 and the written finals (Single Best Answer, EMQs, Short Answer Questions) at the end of Year 4, which also include an OSCE component. Clinical finals take the form of a long OSCE which is taken in the February of the Final year.

Anatomy

Keele is one of the few medical schools in the UK where anatomy is still taught by cadaveric dissection, with about 2 hours of dissection each week following by resource room activities.

Teaching

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a major component of the curriculum at Keele. Students work in small groups of 10 to study a clinical scenario which is the focus of learning for a week, with two or three tutorials. From Year 3, PBL develops into Case-based learning where scenarios are replaced by discussions of patients encountered by students during their clinical placements.

PBL is supported by plenary lectures, seminars, lab practicals and clinical placements. The emphasis is on student-led and self-directed learning.

Students will develop their clinical skills in a clinical skills laboratory, which offers training through simulated exercises, such as examining other students and performing practical procedures on manikins. Communication skills are taught through role-play.

Throughout the programme students will have placements with community services (such as schools, chemists/pharmacies, residential homes, gyms and drop-in centres) and general practices with over 20% of teaching in Years 2, 3 and 4 taking place in general practice. This time is currently allocated as follows:
Year 1 – 24 hours working with community services
Year 2 – 4 weeks in general practice
Year 3 – 5 placements of 1 week in general practice
Year 4 – 15 weeks in a general practice

Electives

Students take an 8-week elective in Year 4 in any subject of interest which is related to medicine. There is no restriction on the location and the majority of students choose to experience a healthcare environment in an overseas setting.

The pros & cons of studying medicine at Keele

The information on this page is correct as of August 2010