University of Southampton – graduate entry

5 Year Undergraduate Entry 6 Year Undergraduate Entry
(with Foundation Year)
4 Year Graduate Entry

Factfile at a glance

How to apply: Applications for admission to Southampton medical school for the graduate entry course should be submitted through UCAS (code A101)
Duration: 4 years
Entry requirements: 2.1 Honours degree
Entrance exam: UKCAT
Places available for 2011: 40
Male/female ratio: 40:60
Interview: School leavers and graduate entrants are not normally interviewed. Some 6 year course applicants, international and mature non-graduate applicants will be interviewed between December and March
Degree awarded: BM and integrated BmedSci
Contact: For full details go to our Medical School Contact Details page
Open days: 3 July 2010

Entry requirements

A 2.1 Honours degree in any discipline and a minimum of grade E at A level Chemistry.


The application process

All applications are randomly allocated to a pair of assessors for consideration. They will assess each application against academic and non-academic criteria and will pay particular attention to the personal statement and reference for evidence that each applicant can demonstrate:

  • They are self motivated and have initiative – contributions in sporting activities, scholastic achievments, voluntary work or outside interests.
  • They are literate and articulate – for example a well written and presented personal statement, prizes in debating and references which give particular mention to high quality of written work and effective communication skills.
  • They are able to interact with others.
  • They have learnt from experiences of interacting with people in health or social care settings through either life experiences with friends and family or through work experience in paid or voluntary work or shadowing and must demonstrate reflection on these experiences. 

Applicants are required to take the UKCAT.  A cut-off score for applications will be applied which is set in November when all UKCAT scores are made available.  Applicants whose UKCAT results fall in the bottom quartile (25%) of the overall national UKCAT results will not have their application considered any further.  For 2010 entry the UKCAT cut-off score was 2,370.

School leaver and graduate applicants are not normally interviewed unless further information is required to consider their application.  There will normally be an interview panel of 2 members of staff who will have copies of the UCAS application prior to the interview. Interviewers will assess and score non-academic criteria on a scale of 1-5 and to ensure fairness, similar questions within an agreed framework are used for each applicant.

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Why Southampton?

Southampton is the largest city on the South Coast with a population of over 300,000 and is said to be one of the greenest cities in the UK. The University itself is set is lovely surroundings within close proximity of the New Forest and historic cities of Winchester and Salisbury.

Southampton medical school has a reputation for pioneering research and excellence in teaching with a well structured course affording students early clinical exposure.


Course overview

The Southampton medical school graduate entry course is 4 years in duration and consists of the following:

Years 1 & 2 (pre-clinical)

The first two years are made up of 4 University semesters.

Topics covered:

Year 1, Semester 1 (14 weeks) Year 1, Semester 2 (16 weeks)
Foundations clinical topics Cardiovascular & locomotor system
Respiratory system clinical topics Clinical topics
   
 Year 2, Semester 1 (15 weeks) Year 2, Semester 2 (18 weeks)
Ethics & law Reproductive, renal, gastrointestinal system
Neurological & endocrine system Clinical topics
Clinical topics Clinical attachments
Clinical attachments  

During Semester 3 students undertake an SSC for a week, where they select a topic to study in greater depth.

Students will study with a range of health and social care professional during their interprofessional learning (IPL) unit which is a period of time which is set aside to work together with other health care students on a project to help develop inter-professional collaboration skills.

Exams take place at the end of each Semester. These consist of Short Note, Extended Short Notes, One Best Answer and EMQ papers. Anatomy and histology are assessed by a spot exam. There are also practicals, presentations, coursework and assignments throughout the year. Students must pass all these exams in order to progress through to the next year.

Years 3 & 4 (clinical)

Topics covered in Year 3:

Graduate students will come together with students from Year 3 of the 5-year programme and start with an introductory week to orientate themselves in a clinical setting.  This year is organised around a series of clinical attachments which are undertaken in healthcare settings in Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth in the following areas:

  • Medical block (12 weeks) – medicine & elderly care, palliative medicine
  • Surgical block (12 weeks) – surgery & O&G
  • Community block (12 weeks) – paediatrics, psychiatry, primary care

Students will also attend the Scientific Basis of Medicine course which runs throughout the year and is based around case-based scenarios.

The SSC during Year 3 comprises of two 10-week half day units where students can choose from a number of options, all of which are assessed.

Exams consist of written case-based assignments and clinical assessments at the end of the year. Students also undertake the BM Intermediate Examination in the summer of the 3rd Year. This is an assessment covering everything from the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Years and students must pass this to progress to Year 4.

Topics covered in Year 4:

Graduate students will come together with students from the final year of their 5-year programme and undertake clinical attachments in hospitals and general practices in Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire and the year starts with a 6-week medicine in practice course where 2 weeks are spend in the community and 4 in hospital, followed by attachments in:

  • Medicine
  • Surgery
  • O&G
  • Paediatrics

A further course of IPL is undertaken with students working with those from other healthcare programmes at Southampton and Portsmouth.

The BM Final exam is held in June and consists of clinical exams and written papers covering all clinical subjects studied in the 3rd, 4th and 5th years.

Anatomy

Anatomy is taught by studying prosections in the dissecting room, also through lectures and small group tutorials from the anatomy lecturers. 


Teaching

Teaching at Southampton is made up mainly of lectures, tutorials, practical sessions and weekly or fortnightly half days in either a GP or hospital setting in the first two years. After that, most teaching takes place in a clinical setting.


Electives

Students take an 8 week elective at the start of Year 4. Students can choose a placement and often travel abroad. There is no limitation on location. Students must produce a report on their experience.


The pros & cons of studying medicine at Southampton

Good points Not so good points
Southampton enjoys a great location close to the sea, the New Forest and not too far to London Some hospital placements can be quite a long way to travel
Early patient contact No cadaveric dissection

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The information on this page is correct as of August 2010