From conceiving the vaccine in 1798 to performing the world’s first foetal ultrasound to developing the world’s first fully articulated prosthetic hand in 2013, the UK has been driven to make discoveries and inspire the next generation. It’s why more than 22,000 medical students travel to the UK from overseas to get knowledge and expertise they can use wherever they want to go.
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Medical schools in the UK offer students the opportunity to practise in real-world healthcare settings, making them ready to take on any challenge after graduation. The medical qualifications obtained from the UK open doors to numerous opportunities worldwide, thanks to the language skills, research insights, and high-level practical training that the students acquire. With over 60 specialisms available for international medical students, modular course structures enable students to tailor their learning experience to their interests and focus.
Furthermore, students gain real-world experience, access the latest technology and insights, and develop communication skills that they will rely on throughout their careers.
To study medicine in the UK, students need to crack the respective medical entrance exams set for access to the medicine courses. For undergraduate medical courses, students need to successfully appear for the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT), and the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) for postgraduate courses.
In the UK, it will take 5 years to complete undergraduate courses, 2 years for postgraduate courses, and 4 years for PhD programmes.
The cost of studying medicine in the UK is more when compared to the other courses for a few reasons, such as course duration (5-6 years) and access to specialised equipment, extensive training, and other resources.
The typical cost for undergraduate medicine courses ranges between £25,000 to £45,000 per academic year and around £39,500 per year for postgraduate programmes.
| University | Course | International Fees |
|---|---|---|
|
University of Cambridge |
£63,990 |
|
|
University of Aberdeen |
£50,100 |
|
|
University of Edinburgh |
£35,000 |
|
|
Imperial College London |
£46,650 |
|
|
University of St Andrews |
£35,920 |
Undergraduate medicine courses cover a broad range of medical knowledge and skills, including anatomy, pharmacology, pathology, and clinical skills. Admissions to undergraduate medicine courses are highly competitive and typically require high grades in science subjects.
Postgraduate medicine courses in the UK include Master of Science (MSc) degrees, postgraduate diplomas, and postgraduate certificates. They can be completed part-time or full-time and cover areas such as oncology, cardiology, and neurology.
PhD programs in medicine allow students to conduct in-depth research in a specific area of medicine. These programs typically last for three to four years and require a significant amount of independent research.
Medicine is a highly respected and lucrative career in the UK, with a wide range of career paths available to graduates. These include general practice, surgery, psychiatry, radiology, paediatrics, obstetrics, and gynaecology, among others.
The average salary for medical professionals can vary greatly depending on their specialty, level of experience, and location. According to data released by National Careers Service and the NHS, here is how much medicine practitioners earn according to their specialisations:
According to the Guardian University Guide 2023 medicine subject rankings, the following five universities have the highest percentage of graduates who find graduate-level jobs, or are in further study at professional or higher education level within 15 months of graduation.
With the number of positions medical graduates can move into numbering over 60, there is no shortage of opportunity depending on what area you wish to specialise in. Areas of expertise generally fall into the following categories:
Undergraduate: If you decide you want to study medicine, you will need to enrol at a medical school, which is often part of a university, but will have strong links to local hospitals and medical practices. To initially study at the undergraduate level, students will need AAA grades, with either Chemistry or Biology a requirement.
For international students wishing to study Medicine at undergraduate level, an IELTS score of no less than 6.5 across all four categories - reading, writing, speaking and listening – with an overall 7.0 score generally required at most universities.
Foundation: Once undergraduate study of two-years has been completed, medical students will then move on to Foundation training, lasting another two-years. This brings together medical school graduates, other postgraduates and various health care providers. Once completed, you will move into your specialist training path.
Speciality Training: Once you have completed four years of study, now the serious work begins! The entry process once you have decided on which area you wish to specialise in is extremely competitive, so plenty of hard work is needed to ensure you can secure a place in the area you wish to focus on. Training here can last for anything up to seven years, and upon completion, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion Training (CCT).
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is part of the selection process of some UK medical and dental schools. It is an online test designed to test cognitive abilities, attitudes, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. There are four reasoning tests and a situational judgement test.
- Verbal Reasoning. Assesses ability to think logically about written information and arrive at a reasoned conclusion: 21 minutes, with 11 passages to read and 44 questions.
- Quantitative reasoning. Assesses ability to solve numerical problems: 24 minutes, 9 tables, charts, graphs etc. as information and 36 questions.
- Abstract reasoning. Assesses the ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking: 13 minutes and 55 questions.
- Decision Analysis. Assesses ability to deal with various forms of information to infer relationships, make informed judgements, and decide on an appropriate response: 32 minutes, 1 scenario full of information and 28 questions (basic calculator provided)
- Situational Judgement. Measures your responses in situations and your grasp of medical ethics: 27 minutes and 67 questions on 20 scenarios.
The test is taken at your local test centre, with each subtest in a multiple-choice format. Past papers are not available but there are specimen questions on the UKCAT website. The UKCAT must be taken by applicants at the following universities:
To learn more about the best Medicine courses in the UK, find details on the top ten ranking Medical Schools in the Guardian University Guide 2023 below:
If you are interested in studying Medicine in the UK, arrange your free consultation at one of our offices near you today.
The UK is home to some of the top medical schools in the world. As an international student, you can study MBBS in the UK for your bachelor’s degree. For postgraduate students, there is a range of specialisations available that students can choose according to their interests.
Yes, there are over seven scholarships available to study MBBS in the UK for Indian students. Popular scholarships include Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine scholarship and King’s College London Global Health & Social Medicine scholarship.
To study at one of the top medical colleges in the UK, physics, chemistry, and biology are the prerequisite subjects to meet the entry requirements.
A few medical colleges in the UK ask for maths, though it is not compulsory if the student has studied physics. Either maths or physics is required apart from the compulsory chemistry and biology to study medicine in the UK.
To study mbbs in the UK, students need to be at least 18 years old whilst applying for the course.
You should start your preparation early, before completing your 10th standard examination, to become a student at one of the best medical schools in the UK. For preparation, you should earn relevant experience as a volunteer or intern to easily secure admission at a leading medical school in the UK.
No, if you haven’t studied biology, you cannot qualify to study at any medical colleges in the UK.
UK medical schools need students to either study physics or maths to qualify for studying in the UK.
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