Graduate applicants must have achieved, or be expected to achieve, at least a 2.1 Honours degree, or Masters degree in any discipline, or be a practising health care professional (such as a RGN, RMN or physiotherapist) with a post-registration qualification. All applicants will be expected to provide evidence of a sustained period of study within the last three years such as A level study or Open University. Graduate applicants are also expected to have a considerable amount of experience of contact with people within the NHS or equivalent body in either a paid or voluntary capacity.
Newcastle medical school considers other factors as well as academic achievements, in particular personal qualities such as motivation, enthusiasm, dedication, industry and empathy. Newcastle is also known to prefer candidates who are able to reflect on what they have done, what they have learnt from it and how they can improve from it, including reflection of commitment to care for others and a demonstrable insight into a career in medicine. They expect to see evidence of these qualities and an ability to reflect in the personal statement. Work experience within a caring environment is essential as well as good communication skills and involvement in extra-curricular activities as they are keen to take well-rounded invididuals with a range of experiences beyond academic life.
Applicants will be selected for interview based on their application, including personal statement and UKCAT score.
The 30-minute interview is conducted by two selectors who are drawn from a pool containing university academic and administrative staff, clinicians and lay persons. The focus of the interview will be on the personal statement and being able to provide examples to illustrate personal qualities and achievements. Candidates can also expect to be asked to answer an ethical scenario. Generally, interviews for Newcastle medical school as considered to be fairly friendly and relaxed.
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Studying at Newcastle is popular because it's a very centrally located University, right in the centre of Newcastle. Newcastle itself is culturally diverse and students benefit from an affordable cost of living and wide variety of things to do and activities, clubs and societies to get involved in.
Newcastle medical school offers a broad-based curriculum which provides an all-round general medical education for all types of doctor. Students will experience patient contact in general practice and hospital settings from the very start of their course.
Medicine has been taught at Newcastle since 1834 and so the medical school is well established. Working closely with Durham University and the Northern Region NHS with a large and diverse patient population, Newcastle medical school affords students excellent clinical training opportunities through its network of acute hospitals, general practices and public health units.
Graduate students can elect to study the first year at either Newcastle University or the Queen’s Campus Stockton at Durham University. Then from Year 2 onwards, students from both campuses are integrated for their clinical training.
The University of Newcastle medical school graduate course is 4 years duration and consists of the following:
The two years which comprise phase 1 in the standard 5 year undergraduate programme are condensed into one extended year for graduate students. Students work is small study groups and follow a case-led approach looking at clinical scenarios and learning through PBL. In phase 1 the course deals with normal and abnormal structure, function and behaviour. Students will come into contact with patients from the very beginning of the course through three channels:
Topics covered in Years 1: Medicine in the community; clinical sciences; investigative medicine; nutrition; metabolism & endocrinology; cardiovascular, respiratory & renal medicine; thought, senses & movement; life cycle and personal & professional development (ethical reasoning, methods of enquiry, clinical reasoning and looking after yourself)
Graduate students now study alongside students on the standard 5 year programme and following the same curriculum for the remaining 3 years. Students will be allocated to, and based in, one of the four clinical base units within the region: Northumbria, Tyne, Wear and Tees. Each contains acute hospitals, general practices and other community-based services such as public health in which students will gain experience.
Topics covered in Year 2: Students undertake an initial introduction to clinical practice for 15 weeks in Year 2d, in which they learn to take a history and perform an examination. This is followed by three 8-week junior rotations which focus on the following specialities: reproductive & child health; chronic illness; disability and rehabilitation; mental health; public health and infectious diseases. Students will also spend half a day a week in general practice.
Topics covered in Year 3: This begins with a 12-week module in clinical sciences and investigative medicine, focusing on the theory which underpins clinical practice, the investigation and diagnosis of human disease, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. This is followed by three SSC period of 6 weeks where students may select three topics from a range of over 1,000 hospital-based clinical or non-clinical components one of which must include an audit or research topic. At least 2 of the chosen SSCs must be clinical selections.
Topics covered in Year 4: The final year comprises senior rotations in primary care, mental health, women’s and children’s health, community care and hospital-based practice which include surgical rotations and preparation for life on the wards.
Anatomy is a key feature of the curriculum in Year 1 using cadaveric prosections, where dissections have been pre-prepared. The facilities in the modern anatomy and clinical skills centre. Students can watch dissections via instructional video screens. The dissection room may be booked at any time and specimens can be prepared to assist in revision.
Progress through the course is assessed in a number of different ways, with equal emphasis on in-course assessment and end of year exams. During Year 2 there are OSCE exams and written papers. In Year 3 there are two written papers and students are expected to give an oral presentation and to prepare a poster, with assessment based on presentation and critical appraisal skills. Finals occur in the Summer of Year 4 and consist of two written papers, an OSCE and a multiple long case examination. The failure rate is low.
Students take an 8 week elective at the end of Year 3. Many students take the opportunity to go abroad and popular destinations are Africa, India, the Antipodes or the Americas.
The information on this page is correct as of August 2010
