Last Updated: September 03, 2022
Study Medicine in the UK
Out of all the educational programs that the UK offers to international students, Medicine is one of the most highly valued fields of study due to the career options these programs offer and their importance internationally. Out of the top ten best medical universities in the world, four are from the UK. Since the degree is highly valued across the globe, medical programs here receive thousands of applications every year making it difficult to procure admission for the programs.
The universities here offer programs that are world-class and they also offer different specializations for candidates to choose from depending on their field of interest. Candidates will also be able to practice with the best in the field and use state-of-the-art equipment even in their educational years. The UK is also one of the few study destinations where candidates can confidently pursue their research dreams in the medical field.
Accreditation Requirements for Medical Programs
Candidates who are seeking to apply for medical programs in the UK will have to be mindful of whether the institution of their choice has been accredited or not. Accreditation confirms the quality of the program and the credibility the degree will offer upon completion. This is also important for the future prospects of candidates since employers will easily be able to identify whether the candidate has been taught with an internationally recognized standard that suits their environment.
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GMC or the General Medical Council is the body that decides which institution can award candidates with primary medical qualifications. This body does not regulate institutions individually but has set standards that all institutions are required to adhere to. 33 institutions in all have been accredited by the GMC. The only universities that are valid despite not being accredited by the GMC are the University of Wales, the University of Leicester, and the University of Warwick. These institutions have been removed from the GMC list but they provide degrees of their own that are considered to be of value.
Benefits of Studying Medicine in the UK
The UK is one of the most sought-after study destinations for medical programs mainly because the country is a cultural and educational hub in most areas related to medicine. Being a cultural melting pot, candidates from anywhere across the world will be able to feel at home here and they will be able to pursue their dreams irrespective of which field of study they wish to specialize in. The country has medical schools that are accredited by the GMC which is also an organization that guides the educational standards the institutions ought to have. A few other benefits of studying medicine in the UK include-
- Candidates will be able to study under the best professionals in the field and they will also be able to use state-of-the-art equipment in their educational years.
- The degrees offered here are of international acclaim and hence candidates will be able to stand out anywhere else they wish to practice.
- Unlike countries like the US, candidates are not required to complete a bachelor’s degree to pursue medical education. They will be able to apply for undergraduate programs at the age of 18 or above in the UK.
- Out of the 10 best medical schools in the world, 4 are located in the UK.
- Candidates here will be able to work alongside their education and gain enough work experience in the field before completing their education.
Eligibility Requirements for Medical Programs
Candidates who wish to apply for medical programs in the UK will have to meet set requirements that vary from institution to institution. In most cases, the grade requirements for most of the required examinations will also be set by the institution themselves. The requirements also change according to the level of degree one is applying for. Candidates will be able to enroll in medical programs at an undergraduate level in the UK which is unlike countries like the US where one is required to have a bachelor’s degree for applying.
The general application requirements for a degree in medicine are as follows-
- Candidate must be above 18 years of age
- 3 As at A-level subjects like Chemistry and Biology
- 7.0 or above in IELTS
- Educational Transcripts
- Statement of Purpose
- BMAT/The BioMedical Admissions Test
- UCAT/The University Clinical Aptitude Test
Apart from these requirements, candidates will have to attend an interview and take additional tests depending on the criteria provided by the institution of their choice.
Duration for Medical Programs
Candidates who apply for medical programs will be able to apply at an undergraduate or graduate level each of which has different durations. The general duration for an undergraduate medical degree is around 6 years which will include the years one spends at a university studying primary healthcare and the years one spends in clinical placements and community settings.
Graduates will have to further invest 2 more years doing a foundation program before they can apply for specializations in any particular field. While taking a specialization or even taking up the general practice, candidates will have to spend around 4 years or more depending on the specialization of their choice.
Cost of Studying Medical Programs
The cost of taking a medical degree in the UK is dependent on the institution one has opted for. The fee will vary for both the UK and overseas candidates depending on where they are applying from. The fee will also be dependent on the year of education they are currently pursuing since the first two years will generally have a lower tuition rate than the next 3 to 4 years. The fee can range anywhere between £23,000 to £60,000 per year in general. At the same time, some institutions can charge as low as £10,000 for undergraduate degrees. The fee for home students will be set by the government and hence at an undergraduate level, it is around £9,250 per year.
Programs Offered in Medicine
A few of the specializations that candidates can opt for while pursuing higher education in the medical field are as follows-
- General Medicine
- Pathology
- Surgery
- Anesthetics
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
Recommended Universities to Study Medicine
| Institution | Location | International Fee per year |
| University of Oxford | Oxfordshire | £37,000 |
| University of Cambridge | Cambridge | £10,000 |
| Imperial College London | London | £45,000 |
| University College London | London | £28,500 |
| Queen Mary University of London | London | £44,300 |
| King’s College London | London | £43,000 |
| University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £50,000 |
| University of Glasgow | Glasgow | £53,500 |
| University of Manchester | Manchester | £29,000 |
| University of Bristol | Bristol | £37,000 |
University of Oxford
This university has been ranked the best for programs in clinical, and pre-clinical degrees, and also for health sciences. They offer a 6-year BMBCh degree and an accelerated 4-year graduate-entry accelerated BMBCh degree in this field. Candidates will be able to opt out with a BA after 3 years if they wish to do so. The degree has an intake of only 159 candidates. The 6-year degree is inclusive of a 3-year pre-clinical stage after which candidates will be able to enter the 3-year clinical stage.
The fee here for EU candidates is around £9,250 per year and that for non-EU candidates is around £37,000 per year.
University of Cambridge
The School of Clinical Medicine at this university offers medical education at an undergraduate and postgraduate level along with clinical academic training. The programs here are rooted in primary, community-based, and hospital care. The department of medicine here has 4 sections Perioperative, Acute, Critical Care & Emergency medicine, Cardio-Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Disease, and Specialty Medicine, Research & Training.
The tuition fee here for international students is around £60,000 per year and that for home students starts from £9,250 per year.
Imperial College London
The School of Medicine in this institution has been ranked as the 3rd best in the world and has a total intake of 345 every year. They offer an MBBS/BSc Medicine program which has a 6-year and 3-year duration respectively. They also offer an Intercalated Ph.D. option for medical students which can have a duration of 8 to 9 years in all. The specializations that candidates can choose when they move onto the 4th year of MBBS include biomedical engineering, neuroscience & mental health, anesthesia & critical care, global health, endocrinology, etc.
The estimated fee for EU candidates here for undergraduate programs is around £9,250 per year and that for non-EU candidates is around £45,500 per year.
University College London
The UCL Medical School offers programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels with their MBBS program being the most popular of all. This is one of the largest programs in the country with an intake of 334 students every year. The degree is inclusive of an integrated BSc which implies that candidates will receive a BSc and an MBBS at the end of their education. Some candidates will also be able to choose an MBPhD in their 4th or 5th year of study.
The fee for UK candidates here is around £9,250 per year and that for international candidates is around £28,500 per year. Candidates who are from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland outside of the UK will have to pay the overseas rate.
Queen Mary University of London
The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at this institution offers different degrees in the field of medicine. They have a 5-year MBBS program and a 4-year medicine-graduate entry program. Candidates will be able to take an intercalated BSc degree after their 2nd or 3rd year and they will be able to take an intercalated MSc after their 3rd or 4th year if they so wish to.
The home fee here is around £9,250 per year and that for overseas candidates is around £44,300 per year.
King’s College London
This institution offers 4 different MBBS programs which are Medicine MBBS, Extended Medical Degree Program MBBS, Medicine Graduate/Professional Entry Program MBBS, and Medicine Maxfax Entry Program MBBS. The programs are taught in a blend of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and self-study. Candidates will be able to take intercalated degrees if they are willing to invest an additional year in the program.
The fee for the program is around £9,250 for home students and around £43,000 per year for overseas students.
University of Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Medical School offers an MBChB degree, MBChB for healthcare professionals, and BSc in Medical Sciences degree at an undergraduate level. They also provide postgraduate degrees in the subject. Candidates will be dealing with subjects like anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology as part of their MBBS programs. They will be able to take an intercalated BSc degree, as well if they are interested in doing so. The specialty areas offered during the clinical years of study here include general & acute medicine, child life & health, psychiatry, gynecology, etc.
The fee for home students is around £9,250 per year and that for overseas students is around £50,000 per year.
University of Glasgow
The School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing at this institution offers medical degrees at an undergraduate level. They have an MBChB program which is a 5-year degree split into 4 phases. The first phase is of 6 months where candidates are introduced to the basics of biomedical sciences. The 2nd phase deals with subjects like anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, etc. which will take 1.5 years in all. The 3rd phase deals with pathophysiology and has a duration of another 6 months. Phase 4 deals with general practice and is for 1.5 years in all.
The fee for the program is around £9,250 per year for home students and around £53,500 per year.
University of Manchester
This university is known for its MSChB program which has a duration of 5 years in all. The institution has over 2,200 undergraduate medical students and is the largest medical school in the country. The course will include lectures, practical classes including anatomy dissection classes, and clinical practice. Candidates will be getting extensive clinical experience as part of the program since they will be working in both hospital and community settings.
The fee for studying here is around £9,250 for home students and around £29,000 per year for international students including EU students.
University of Bristol
Candidates will be able to take an MBChB degree at an undergraduate level and continue pursuing their higher education in the field from this institution. The undergraduate program has a duration of 5 years and candidates will be able to receive clinical exposure in hospitals, community settings, and primary care settings as part of the program.
The fee for the program is £9,250 for home students and around £37,000 per year for overseas students
Career options in the UK
Candidates who have completed their medical degree in the UK will be able to use the degree to work internationally or within the UK since the degree is valuable everywhere around the globe. Most students here try to gain work experience during their educational years so that their CVs will stand out once they start applying for full-time jobs. A few of the direct career options one will have include-
- Surgeon
- Psychiatrist
- General Practice Doctor
- Hospital Doctor
- Ophthalmologist
- Professor
