Medicine

At Cambridge, we offer two medicine courses – the Standard Course and the Graduate Course. Throughout, our aim is to educate students to become compassionate, thoughtful, skilled members – and leaders – of the medical profession.

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Overview

Hard work, very rewarding

Success in medicine requires application and hard work, both while studying and when in practice. However, Medicine brings great personal rewards, offering a breadth and variety of career opportunities and excellent job satisfaction. No day in the life of a doctor is the same! The application of knowledge and research evidence to patient care provides a unique opportunity to combine scientific expertise with the human interactions that lie at the heart of the profession.

Our medicine courses are intellectually stimulating and professionally challenging. As a medical student, you'll experience a rigorous, evidence-based medical education within the research-rich environment of the University. Students have opportunities to pursue research and project work throughout the course.

Courses available

If you don’t already have a degree, you can apply for the Standard Course in Medicine (A100). The first three years involve lectures, practical classes and supervisions. You can find details on the Faculty of Biology website. The emphasis during clinical studies (Years 4, 5 and 6) in Cambridge is on learning in clinical settings. Read more about the clinical course on the School of Clinical Medicine website.

If you’re a graduate wanting to study Medicine, you have several options:

you can apply as an affiliated student (taking the pre-clinical component of the Standard Course in Medicine (A100) in two years instead of the usual three) to one of Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund's or Wolfson Colleges
you can apply to the accelerated Graduate Course in Medicine (A101) to Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish College, St Edmund's College or Wolfson College. This course is only available to Home fee status students.
you can apply for both the Standard Course in Medicine (A100) and the Graduate Course in Medicine (A101). However, if you choose to do so you must apply to the same College for both courses (ie Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund's or Wolfson)

Course costs

Years 1 to 3

Purchase and maintenance of essential equipment (please see the Faculty website for a detailed breakdown) – Estimated cost £60
Preparing for Patients:
- Travel costs: Maximum travel costs for Year 1 and Year 3 up to £25.
- Accommodation costs: In Year 2, Preparing for Patients generally lasts for one week out of term time. Accommodation costs can be found on individual College websites
Prospective applicants should be aware that lecture material is provided on an online platform and they should therefore have a suitable device, for example a laptop – Cost will depend on the type of device you choose to purchase. This will also be required for the clinical years.
Other costs depend on the subject taken in Year 3.

Years 4 to 6 (clinical studies)

Textbooks: Advice is given about suitable clinical textbooks at the start of Year 4 and discounted bundles are available from the University bookshop – Estimated cost £150 to £200
Stethoscope – Estimated cost £60 to £100
Theatre clogs – £10 contribution to the cost
Travel to and from regional placements (per year) – one return journey and accommodation covered by Clinical School (estimated cost dependent on frequency of travel).
All clinical courses include a seven-week elective in Year 5 – students choosing a local elective may incur few additional costs, but students choosing to travel abroad (as most prefer to do) will typically incur costs of around £3,000 (College and national grants may be available).
It is highly recommended that students have a suitable smartphone or tablet device for use during clinical placements.
Prospective applicants should be aware that lecture material is provided on an online platform and they should therefore have a suitable device, for example a laptop – Cost will depend on the type of device you choose to purchase.

Details about additional course costs during Years 1, 2 and 3 can be found on the Faculty of Biology’s website, and information about additional course costs during the clinical studies (Years 4, 5 and 6) are available on the Clinical School’s website.

If you're an international student, you should also refer to the information about fees and costs for international students.

The MB/PhD Programme

Designed for Standard Course (A100) medical students who are interested in a career in academic medicine, the MB/PhD Programme intercalates three years of research between years 4 and 5. See the MB/PhD website for more details.

UK Foundation Programmes and Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA)

Graduates are entitled to hold provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a licence to practise, subject to demonstrating to the GMC that they are fit to practise (please note this may be subject to change). To apply for full registration as a doctor, you must satisfactorily complete the first year of a Foundation Programme post and continue to meet fitness to practise requirements. For more information, visit the UK Foundation Programme website.

A national MLA, to be taken by students in the final year of Medical School, will be introduced in 2024/25. Further information can be found at www.gmc-uk.org/education.

NHS Bursaries

NHS Bursaries are currently available for eligible Medicine students from Year 5 of the Standard Course (A100), or from Year 2 of the Graduate Course (A101). See the NHS Student Bursaries website for further information.

Careers

We enable students to develop the excellent communication, clinical, interpersonal and professional skills required for good medical practice. Our focus on combining training in the core medical sciences with a broad-based clinical curriculum, encompassing primary, community-based and hospital care, prepares our students for a range of careers across general practice, medicine, psychiatry and other specialities.

Course outline

Course Outline – Standard Course (A100)

At Cambridge, you study the medical sciences first, before learning to apply that knowledge to medical practice as a clinical student.

The first three years (pre-clinical studies) involve lectures, practical classes (including dissections) and supervisions, with typically 20-25 timetabled teaching hours each week. The emphasis during the clinical studies (Years 4, 5 and 6) is on learning in clinical settings: at the bedside, in outpatient clinics and in GP surgeries, which is supported by seminars, tutorials and discussion groups.

Assessment, both formative and summative, plays a significant role throughout. Your ongoing progress is reviewed weekly and termly by your College supervisors. Formal assessment, which determines your ability to proceed with the course, includes written and practical examinations, coursework submission and clinical assessments.

Successful completion of the first three years leads to a BA degree and on successful completion of the clinical studies in Cambridge you are awarded two degrees, the Bachelor of Medicine and the Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BChir).

Years 1, 2 and 3 (pre-clinical studies)

Years 1 and 2

In Years 1 and 2, you study the medically-relevant core scientific knowledge and skills needed as a medical professional.

Surrounded by some of the world's best academic biomedical scientists, we provide you with the scientific basis that will allow you to develop your medical career to the full, whether your aim is to deliver outstanding patient care or whether you wish to contribute to clinical academic medicine, combining research and teaching with clinical duties to push forward the boundaries of health care.

The main areas of learning are covered by courses in:

Functional Architecture of the Body – involves examining and dissecting the human body, and includes living anatomy, and the use of modern imaging techniques
Homeostasis – covers the physiological systems that underpin the body's regulation of its internal environment and its responses to external threats. You also have related practical classes in experimental physiology and histology (the microscopic structure of tissues)
Molecules in Medical Science – examines the chemical and molecular basis of how cells and organisms work
Biology of Disease – deals with the nature and mechanisms of disease processes
Mechanisms of Drug Action – provides an understanding of the basic mechanisms of drug action at the levels of both drug-receptor interactions and the effects on body systems
Neurobiology and Human Behaviour – covering the structure and function of the sense organs and central nervous system, the effects of drugs on brain function, and various psychological aspects
Human Reproduction – looking at the biology of the human reproductive system, its social context, and its influence on demographic trends

The clinical strand of Years 1 and 2 involves:

Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice – covers epidemiology and how it is applied in medicine
Social and Ethical Context of Health and Illness – an introduction to the broader cultural aspects of healthcare and the medical profession in Britain, working with patients and colleagues, both in hospital and in the community
Preparing for Patients –involves meeting patients in general practice (Year 1), in a hospital setting (Year 2), and through visiting community-based health-related agencies (Years 2 and 3)

Read more about Years 1 and 2 on the Faculty of Biology website.

Year 3

You specialise in one of a wide range of other subjects offered by the University (sometimes known elsewhere as intercalation) to qualify for the BA degree. Options include:

Part II Biological and Biomedical Sciences in Natural Sciences
a single Part II Natural Sciences subject
a non-core science subject, such as Anthropology, Management Studies, History of Medicine or Philosophy

Preparing for Patients continues in your third year, regardless of the subject you choose to study. During this year, you visit community-based health-related agencies.

Students taking the affiliated course skip the third year, because they already hold another degree.

Years 4, 5 and 6 (clinical studies)

As a student, your time on clinical placements will be shared between Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and other regional hospitals and GP practices throughout the East of England.

Throughout your clinical studies, you build on your biomedical science education; developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to practise clinical medicine. Following an introductory course, each of the three years has its own focus – core clinical practice (Year 4), specialist clinical practice (Year 5) and applied clinical practice (Year 6) – and is built around several major themes, including:

communication skills, patient investigation and practical procedures
therapeutics and patient management
core clinical science, pathology and diagnostic reasoning
evaluation and research
professionalism and patient safety
improving health

During clinical studies, you have weekly small-group clinical supervisions with junior doctors to develop and monitor your clinical skills.

For further information about the clinical course and about studying Medicine at the University of Cambridge, see the School of Clinical Medicine website.

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements

This page shows the standard entry requirements for this course. A PDF detailing any variations between Colleges (some may ask for an A* in a particular subject for example) will be published here in April 2023.

Typical offers require

A Level: A*A*A
IB: 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Other qualifications: See Entrance requirements and International qualifications.

You may enter up to four medical courses in your UCAS application. Your remaining choice can be used for an alternative course without prejudice to your commitment to medicine.

See Entrance requirements and Choosing your post-16 subjects for additional guidance and conditions of entry and Key Criteria for Medical Admissions.

Subject requirements

Please note, 'Science/mathematics subjects’ refers to Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Further Mathematics. It does not include Psychology.

A Levels

A Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
Most applicants for Medicine at Cambridge have at least three science/mathematics A Levels and some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects.

International Baccalaureate

Higher Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
Competitive applications typically have Higher Levels in two science subjects and Maths. Some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects.
If taking Maths at Higher Level we recommend Analysis and Approaches for the most competitive application, however Applications and Interpretations will also be considered.

Other examination systems

We expect applicants taking other recognised examinations to demonstrate a level of understanding in science and mathematics roughly equivalent to those applying with A Levels. Refer to the Entry requirements page for details of other qualifications and consult any College Admissions Tutor for further advice.

Please note that only 22 places are available each year for overseas fee status students.

Graduate entry

Graduates may apply for the Standard Course (A100) as an affiliated student to Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s or Wolfson Colleges with:

a good Honours degree (2.1 or above) in any discipline
passes at A Level (or equivalent), as above

Affiliated students complete the course in five years, moving from the end of Year 2 to clinical studies.

Home fee status graduates from any academic discipline with a good Honours degree (2.1 or above) and A Level Chemistry (normally passed within seven years of entry) may apply to the accelerated Graduate Course in Medicine (A101) at Lucy Cavendish, Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s or Wolfson Colleges.

Graduates from any academic discipline may apply to the accelerated Graduate Course in Medicine (A101) at Lucy Cavendish, Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s or Wolfson Colleges. Competitive applicants will have at least A*A*A (if you graduated with a 2.1 or have yet to complete your first degree) or ABB (if you have graduated with a 1st class degree). A Level Chemistry, or equivalent, will normally have been achieved within seven years of entry. Results in equivalent qualifications, or from universities that use different grading structures, will be considered. This course is only available to Home fee status students.

Overall, graduate medical students with an undergraduate degree in an arts or humanities subject perform equally well on the course as those with biomedical sciences degrees.

Work experience

To develop understanding of what a career in Medicine involves and your suitability for your intended profession, you’re strongly advised (though not required) to undertake some relevant work experience, either paid or voluntary, in a health or social care organisation.

We are not prescriptive about how this is obtained, recognising the widely differing opportunities available.

Admission assessment

All Standard Course (A100) applicants (including applicants to mature Colleges) are required to take the Biomedical Admission Test (BMAT) at an authorised assessment centre (usually your school or college), for which you will need to be registered in advance. Please see the BMAT website for details, including registration deadlines and costs, and check admission assessments for further details.

Applicants are not typically asked to submit examples of written work. Some may be asked by their College to do some reading in advance of their interview, but if this is required the College will provide full details in the letter inviting the student to interview.

Selection requirements

You must be a keen scientist with a sound scientific understanding. As selection for medical school implies selection for the medical profession, admissions decisions are informed by national guidance on what makes a good doctor, for example, the Medical Schools Council's Consensus Statement on the Role of the Doctor and Guiding Principles for the Admission of Medical Students.

Applications from students who have failed at or been excluded from another medical school will not normally be considered for entry to Medicine at Cambridge.

Professional expectations

The GMC has certain expectations regarding the attitudes, behaviour and performance of medical students. Trainee doctors at Cambridge must satisfy the GMC's fitness to practise requirements, both when applying and throughout the course. These requirements are in place to ensure the safety of patients.

Your age

National restrictions mean that students under the age of 18 aren't permitted to undertake any clinical elements of the Medicine course, which start in the second term of first year at the latest. Therefore, medical students are required to be 18 years of age by the beginning of November of Year 1 to be eligible to apply for Medicine.

Disclosure and Barring Service check

All offers of a place on a Medicine course are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or equivalent overseas check.

Applicants that have lived in the UK for the whole of the last 5 years will need to complete a DBS check which will be arranged through the University.

Applicants that have lived outside of the UK for 6 months or more in the last 5 years will still need to complete a satisfactory enhanced DBS check but will also have to provide relevant overseas checks to cover these periods of time and complete a self-declaration form.

Applicants who have not lived in the UK at all in the last 5 years will have to provide relevant overseas checks to cover these periods of time and complete a self-declaration form.

Overseas checks need to be obtained by the applicant, the University will not apply for overseas checks on the Students’ behalf.

Further guidance on overseas checks can be found on the Government website.

Applicants will be responsible for paying the costs of DBS and/or criminal record checks.

Minor misdemeanours will not necessarily prevent you from entering the medical profession but you should declare these in your UCAS application and you will be sent the relevant forms to complete if you are offered a place.

More details can be found on the University's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) webpage and on the Faculty of Biology website.

Your health

Doctors, even as students and trainees, have a responsibility to be honest and open about their own health and all successful applicants are required to complete a confidential occupational health assessment. A questionnaire will be included with your offer letter and, once completed, should be returned directly to the Occhealth@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Your answers to the health questionnaire help to ensure that your medical training will not place your own or others' health at risk and determine, in terms of fitness to fulfil the requirements of the General Medical Council (GMC), your suitability to work as a doctor. Further information from the General Medical Council (GMC) can be found on the GMC website.

The assessment is also to identify any long-term health conditions or disabilities that you may have, which require specific support. Where necessary, you will be contacted by Occupational Health for further information in order for support to be appropriately considered and implemented.

Vaccinations for medical school

The University requires all prospective medical students be immunised against certain infectious diseases in order to comply with national guidelines. You will be sent details of the vaccination programme with your offer.

Blood-borne infections

In accordance with Department of Health guidelines and NHS requirements, you will be offered blood tests to check that you are not infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV infection before you can be cleared to participate in certain surgical procedures, known as exposure prone procedures (EPPs). Additional information can be found on the government website.

In the event that any test shows infection, following discussion with OH, you will be able to continue with the course but your practice may be restricted for EPPs unless the infection can be eradicated or satisfactorily suppressed. It will not prevent you from qualifying or practising as a doctor, except for a restriction on EPPs.

Disability, neurodiversity and long-term health conditions

A disability, specific learning difficulty (SpLD) or long-term health condition needn't prevent you from becoming a doctor if you can satisfy the professional fitness to practise requirements.

In these circumstances, please contact a College Admissions Tutor as early as possible to discuss your needs and the course requirements. Such disclosures are considered independently of academic qualifications and the interview process.

The University's Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) can provide general advice and guidance to prospective and current disabled students including those with a SpLD or long-term health condition.

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries.

Typical Medicine entrants (A Level and IB)

For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (77% of entrants). All of these successful applicants took Chemistry, 98% took Mathematics and 97% took Biology. For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.

This information is intended to give you a sense of the academic standard of our typical A Level entrants. We welcome applicants from a range of qualification backgrounds.

Resources

Find out more about Medicine at Cambridge

Work experience during the coronavirus pandemic - MSCSA guidance on gaining relevant experience to study medicine in the time of Covid-19

School of Clinical Medicine - The website for the School of Clinical Medicine.

Faculty of Biology - Explore Biology in more detail on the faculty website.

Preparatory reading and basic science concepts - A run-down of the basic concepts you will be expected to be familiar with during your first year, and guidance on preparatory reading.

Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience - Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience website.

Medical Students Handbook - A general introduction to the Cambridge course.

Costs of Studying Medicine at Cambridge - Information on the additional costs associated with the study of Medicine.

Preparing for BMAT - BMAT cannot be 'crammed' for; however, basic familiarity with a test's question and answer style will help you prepare.

Rules and legal compliance - All offers to study Medicine or Veterinary Medicine are dependent on an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly the Criminal Records Bureau) for UK applicants.

General Medical Council - Information from the General Medical Council.

NHS Student Bursaries - Bursary information from the NHS.

Disclosure and Barring Service check - Information about the Disclosure and Barring Service check.

General Medical Council Undergraduate standards and guidance - Information about Undergraduate standards and guidance from the GMC.

Medical Schools' Council - Information from the Medical Schools' Council, the representative body for UK medical schools.

Postgraduate foundation training and beyond - Information from the Medical Schools Council on postgraduate foundation training

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