Requirements to study medicine in UK

To apply to medical university in UK, student must have appropriate high school or bachelor results and good command of English.  Some UK medical schools offer Medicine Foundation Courses, prior to an undergraduate medical degree and aiming to better preparation of applicants for undergraduate medical education.

Undergraduate medicine study:

• English language: You need an IELTS of 7.0.
• A-level: at least AAA: Chemistry, Biology and Physics or Maths.
• International Baccalaureate: at least 38.

Graduate medicine study

• Students who have an impressive first degree can apply for a graduate/accelerated four-year graduate Medicine course even if they have no science background and have been out of education for some time.

• In many cases students read Biochemistry or Biomedical Sciences at undergraduate level and go on to postgraduate Medicine, and that is a recognised – and well-respected – career path for strong students who narrowly missed getting onto undergraduate Medicine. Others – whether science or humanities graduates, spend some years working in a non-medical field post-university before applying for graduate Medicine study, with success in their career and impressive volunteer experience in healthcare.

Graduate entry medicine uk

Graduate entry medicine (GEM) in UK is more competitive than other routes into medicine. It is a 4 year medical course, designed for students with an impressive first degree (even if they have no science background), who realize later in life that they wish to become doctors and those who missed the grades for undergraduate entry. The graduate program leads to the same qualification as the standard medical course (degree in Medicine)but often learn in a different way.

In many cases students applying for graduate entry medicine read Biochemistry or Biomedical Sciences at undergraduate level and go on to postgraduate Medicine, and that is a recognised – and well-respected – career path for strong students who narrowly missed getting onto undergraduate Medicine. Others – whether science or humanities graduates - spend some years working in a non-medical field post-university before applying for graduate entry Medicine, but only having succeeded in their career and having an impressive healthcare volunteering experience.

British medical students in Europe

British medical students abroad in Europe: most UK medical students who go abroad to study medicine have first tried to get in to a medical school in UK.  Accredited medical universities in European Economic Area deliver medical degree fully recognized in UK (by General Medical Council - GMC).
Most attractive countries to British medical students in Europe  are Romania, Bulgaria,  Poland, Check Republic, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, etc. 

UK medical students who wish to study medicine are fall more than the UK university capacity (available seats). Even some of UK students with the best exam results ever achieved may not get a medical university seat and many people miss out for reasons that are not a reflection on their ability or passion for the profession.  
Even if UK students who miss out medical university admission are often encouraged to reapply in the UK; this just adds to the pressure for places year on year and while it may be an advisable strategy as it gives you time to gain additional experience, it is not the only one.

Therefore, most UK medical students chose to study medicine abroad, especially in east European country, members of European Union Area.  In those countries, UK students are attracted by more flexible admission requirements, reasonable tuition fees, medical study English programs, cheap ling costs, Medical degree recognized in all Europe, etc.  

British students who have started medicine in UK or somewhere else can make transfer and finish their study in East European countries. Graduate UK students can apply for fast track medical degree program,

British medical students dreaming becoming Doctors have more possibilities than ever. Even those with not so good high school grade can pass by premedical school program offered by some medical universities and smoothly get into medical university study program in Europe.  Note that the other possibility is choosing the university organizing admission by entry test.

British students who go to study medicine in abroad (Europe) have in general good grades.  Only available places in British medical universities are limited and even if a student with three A* fails to shine in the personal statement or interview cannot get in.  At the end of the day, studying abroad and especially in Europe, gives them a chance of becoming Doctors. 

Medical specialisation and training in UK

Medical specialisation and training in UK require General Medical Council (GMC) medical licence. The basic requirement is to have at least first medical diploma valid in UK.
The GMC Medical Licence is necessary for all doctors in the UK regardless of whether they are working in the National Health Service (NHS) or independent sector, on a full or part time, permanent or locum basis, either they are British or International Medical Graduates (IMGs).
It also applies to all levels of registration, whether provisional, full or on the specialist or general practitioner (GP).

Registration to General Medical Council in UK

There are four routes to GMC registration:

• Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test (PLAB);
• Sponsorship through a recognised body such as the RCP;
• Acceptable Postgraduate qualification;
• Certification of eligibility for specialist registration (CESR);

Specialization and training in UK

Medical Specialization and Training in UK starts after getting 5 or 6 year diploma of Medicine at medical school and then undertake a two year foundation training program (Foundation Program), which exposes prospective specialists to a range of specialties and placements designed to meet the requirements of the UK nationally approved Foundation curriculum.

The length of medical specialization training (including General Practice –GP- training) in UK varies depending on the speciality. As example, in generally, GP training takes 3 years to complete, although more generally, specialty training will last at least 5 years.

For Medical specialisation in UK, training consists of 2 years core training and 3 or more years advanced training, leading to Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in the chosen specialty and to the eligibility to enter the General Medical Council’s (GMC) specialist or GP register.

Specialization and training in UK are undertaken in National Health Service (NHS) employment and so the trainer specialist is paid during the training period.

UK medical schools

UK medical schools are one of the best medical universities in the world. All undergraduate UK medical schools are members of the Medical Schools Council in United Kingdom. There are 33 undergraduate medical universities in the UK and all of them offer full-time courses. 

Entry requirements into medical university in UK vary within different institutions. Most information about medical admission requirements in UK can be found on the UCAS website or university website individually.

Medical universities in UK: they are 33 medical schools in UK (October 2013). They offer medical courses of four (Fast track Medical degree) or 6 year programs.

• Aberdeen (University of), School of Medicine: Medicine (5 years)
• Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary's, University of London:Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Birmingham (University of), School of Medicine: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Brighton and Sussex Medical School: Medicine (5 years)
• Bristol (University of), Faculty of Medicine:Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years); Medicine, Pre-medical entry (6 years); Medicine, Standard entry (5 years)
• Cambridge (University of), School of Clinical Medicine: Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine (4 years); Medicine (6 years)
• Cardiff University, School of Medicine:Medicine, first year entry (5 years);Medicine, Foundation course (6 years)
• Exeter (University of) Medical School: Medicine (5 years)
• Dundee (University of), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Pre-medical year (6 years)
• Durham (University of), School of Medicine and Health: Medicine, Phase I Stockton Campus (2 years), Phase II University of Newcastle (3 years)
• Edinburgh (The University of), College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine: Medicine (5 years)
• Glasgow (University of), Faculty of Medicine: Medicine (5 years)
• Hull York Medical School: Medicine (5 years)
• Imperial College School of Medicine, London: Medicine (6 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Keele University, School of Medicine: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years); Medicine with Health Foundation Year (6 years)
• King's College London School of Medicine (at Guy's, King's College and St Thomas' Hospital): Medicine (5 years); Medicine Graduate/Professional Entry Program (4 years); Extended Medical Degree Program (6 years)
• Lancaster University, Faculty of Health and Medicine: Medicine (5 years)
• Leeds (University of), School of Medicine: Medicine (5 years)
• Leicester (University of), Leicester Medical School: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Liverpool (University of), Faculty of Health and Life Sciences: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, based at Lancaster University (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Manchester (University of), Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, including foundation year (6 years)
• Newcastle University Medical School: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia: Medicine (5 years)
• Nottingham (The University of), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)
• Oxford (University of), Medical Sciences Division: Medicine (6 years); Medicine, Fast-track, Graduate entry only (4 years)
• Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry: Medicine (5 years)
• Queen's University Belfast, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Medicine (5 years)
• Sheffield (The University of), School of Medicine: Medicine, Foundation year (6 years); Medicine, Phase One (5 years)
• Southampton (University of), School of Medicine; Medicine (5 years); Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years); Medicine - Widening access (6 years) including Foundation year
• Andrews (University of), Faculty of Medical Sciences: Medicine, BSc Honours (3 years)
• St George's, University of London: Medicine (5 years), Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years);Foundation for Medicine (1 year)
• Swansea University, School of Medicine: Medicine (4 years)
• University College London, University College Medical School: Medicine (6 years)
• University of Warwick (University of), Warwick Medical School: Medicine, Graduate entry (4 years)

Despite 33 British medical schools, more than 80% of UK students cannot get a seat in UK medical universities. Determined to become Doctor UK students who cannot get a seat in UK universities chose to go to study medicine abroad in order to achieve their dream.

With the huge competition for admission to medical study in UK, Medical Schools have an abundance of applications all with hard science subjects, and some with even four subjects i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics. Therefore, some Medical courses would expect an A* grades.