Medicine and Surgery Degree

Our challenging curriculum combines thorough training in the medical sciences with a strong emphasis on communication and practical skills. You’ll continually build and reinforce core professional skills, throughout the programme.

Clinical experience at Leeds is second to none. You’ll have early patient contact and then build your experience. The diversity of the region and our strong partnerships with the major Leeds teaching hospitals, local acute and regional general hospitals and general practice mean we offer a wide range of placements.

We’re a recognised leader in patient and carer involvement. Our Patient Carer Community contributes to teaching, learning and assessment, giving our students invaluable insight into the experience of people with a medical condition or disability, and their carers. We are also top 10 in the UK for our research power.

We use technology to support learning anywhere. We’re national leaders in mobile learning and staff and students have created several successful apps.

More reasons to study Medicine at Leeds

• You'll be taught by leading professionals, whose teaching is underpinned by world-leading research

• Strong partnerships with the major Leeds teaching hospitals, local acute and regional general hospitals and general practices mean we offer a diverse range of placements

• Technology is embedded in the MBChB course and we continue to invest and innovate

• Our students are well supported through personal tutors, course tutors, support staff and peer mentoring

• You'll have access to various facilities including The medical Teaching Centre, Clinical Practice Centre, libraries and study space

GMC registration

Successful completion of the MBChB (and meeting Fitness to Practise criteria) allows you to register provisionally with the General Medical Council (GMC), the regulatory body for doctors in the UK.

Gateway Year to Medicine

In order to open up access to medical education to students from a wider range of backgrouds, we’ve developed a new Gateway Year to Medicine course. This year is designed to enable students to develop the relevant skills and provide the scientific background required to advance to the MBChB course. You can find details about entry requirements and the application process on our course page.

Year 1
Introducing the fundamentals for clinical practice

You’ll start year one with a four-week induction period, to get to know your tutors and fellow students and the course requirements. There’ll be an introduction to study and the challenges of medicine, as well as social activities. The first year introduces you to the core professional themes, which run throughout the course, and the biomedical scientific principles which underpin clinical practice. These form the foundation of your undergraduate teaching which later years will build on.

The IDEALS (Innovation, Development, Enterprise, Leadership, Safety) theme addresses the challenges and requirements of modern practice, whilst Campus to Clinic develops your clinical decision-making and patient safety skills.

You’ll study biomedical sciences and integrate anatomy dissection with radiology, physiology, clinical assessment and pharmacology. You’ll learn about the psychological and societal aspects of behaviour and human development, their role in health and illness and treatment of medical problems.

Your communication skills, with both patients and fellow professionals, will be developed through teaching and through clinical placements with multi-disciplinary teams. You’ll increase your understanding of research methods central to delivering evidence-based medical care.

Year 2
Building on the fundamentals

You’ll enhance your understanding of clinical conditions, whilst developing insight into clinical laboratory science and the role of ethics and law in healthcare provision.

You’ll learn about the anatomy of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Further exposure to clinical practice will help develop your consultation, diagnostic and practical skills. You’ll appreciate the different types of investigations carried out in diagnosing common conditions and diseases across populations, and the ways in which illness impacts on individuals and society.

Your understanding of human experience and behaviour in health and illness will also continue to grow through academic teaching sessions, patient visits and exposure to the Patient Voice Group.

You’ll be trained in the skills needed to carry out research effectively, how to investigate epidemiological data and to consider evidence in relation to the overall health of a population. You’ll also participate in a two-week project on enterprise, allowing you to study an area outside mainstream medicine and develop your critical reflection, as well as specific enterprise and entrepreneurial skills.

Year 3
Increasing clinical exposure with junior clinical placements

In your third year, you’ll continue to develop and consolidate the programme’s core elements and to learn about evidence-based medicine. You’ll integrate your clinical skills and knowledge through five five-week clinical placements, which provide a thorough grounding in general medicine and exposure to a diverse range of conditions and patients.

The SAFER-MEDIC theme links our core curriculum with GMC-identified outcomes and standards of undergraduate medical education.

Year 4
Gaining in clinical experience with speciality placements

In year four, you’ll develop a greater understanding of the genetic, social and environmental factors that determine disease, appreciate the principles of treatment and response to treatment.

You’ll learn about anaesthetic and perioperative care, acute and critical care, women and children’s health, recurrent and chronic illnesses, mental and physical disabilities, rehabilitation, relieving pain and distress, and palliative care. You’ll be expected to be able to synthesise more complex clinical information for diagnosis and management. This will involve practice in clinical reasoning, generating differential diagnoses, making a diagnosis, and deciding appropriate management plans for all common and important conditions.

You’ll further enhance your leadership, team-working, conflict management and negotiating skills and learn about the NHS business and organisational environment, legislation, strategic analysis and how to manage change effectively. You’ll undertake five clinical placements of six weeks each, in specialist areas of medicine.

Year 5
The transition from medical student to doctor

As a final year MBChB student, you’ll be expected to call on knowledge from previous years that are of relevance to practice as a F1 doctor.

You’ll participate in three eight-week placements with a strong focus on making the transition from student to qualified practitioner. These longer placements help to build strong relationships with clinical teams. One placement involves the integration of teaching between primary and secondary care environments. All placements are in key clinical areas, with variations in clinical specialty to allow you to tailor this final year to suit your individual learning needs.

Additional course information

Finally, as well as the wide-ranging curriculum, there’s also chance to tailor your studies through:

• Intercalation – taking an extra degree in one year, usually after year 2, 3 or 4 of the MBChB. It’s a chance to broaden your knowledge and enhance your career opportunities. Nearly half our year 3 undergraduate medical students choose to intercalate each year.

• 6-week elective – between years 4 and 5, this can allow you to gain wider clinical experience or carry out a particular project in the UK or abroad. This elective is about gaining wider clinical experience or carrying out a specific project. Past students have worked in health centres, charities, universities and hospitals in Australia, Samoa, Vanuatu, China, Italy, Nepal and Tanzania. MBChB students can study languages as part of the “Students without Borders” programme, so they are fluent enough to work as junior doctors in French- or Spanish-speaking countries after graduation. We also offer help and advice about North American licensing systems and examinations to assist students who want to train in the USA and Canada.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Medicine and Surgery MBChB in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Broadening your academic horizons

At Leeds we want you to benefit from the depth and breadth of the University's expertise, to prepare you for success in an ever-changing and challenging world. On this course you broaden your learning through core and/or optional modules. Find out more on the Broadening webpages.

Learning and teaching

Our approach to teaching and learning is founded on best educational practice and innovative delivery.

Outstanding learning resources in our Health Sciences Library and Clinical Practice Centre support your learning. Early exposure to clinical settings allows you to start developing your consultation and practical skills, and your own style as a doctor. We’re also one of few medical schools to offer “wet anatomy” dissection, helping you relate your theoretical learning to “real life”.

You’ll be taught by leading professionals, whose teaching is underpinned by world-leading research. We’ll encourage you to develop independent learning and research skills too. The Research, Evaluation and Special Studies strand, which runs throughout the programme, incorporates student-selected components, elective experience and an 18-month final project to encourage a critical approach to evidence-based medicine.

You’ll experience self-directed and group learning, and whether you’re recording your development in your e-portfolio, testing your decision-making in the virtual health community resource or using mobile devices in clinical practice, you’ll find technology embedded in the programme.

Case-based learning supports you in integrating your growing knowledge with the real patients you meet.

Inter-professional learning ensures you develop good leadership and team-working skills with other professional groups.

We take support of our students seriously. Regular contact with your personal tutor guides your academic progress and personal development, to enable you to achieve your full potential. Course tutors and support staff are all on hand to help. You’re supported by your fellow-medical students through our MUMS scheme, where you are paired with first-year “siblings” and second-year “parents”, who mentor you and are there to help.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We have an international reputation for high quality assessment. We’re one of just four medical schools worldwide to hold the ASPIRE-to-Excellence award, assessed and awarded by leaders in medical education from around the world on behalf of the Association for Medical Education in Europe.

Assessment throughout the programme builds your knowledge and skills. It follows two broad approaches:

Informal/less traditional evaluation (Assessment for Learning) helps students understand how they are assessed and how this connects with their own continuous learning and development. It includes testing student learning “in course”, through written and practical exams, coursework and clinical assessments and delivering effective feedback, which may result in specific individual support and in students reflecting on their performance and working towards better outcomes.

More formal evaluation (Assessment for Progression) provides a standard against which decisions are made about whether you progress through the course. Students are tested in Clinical Anatomy, Clinical Skills and Practice, Knowledge Application, Critical Analysis, Writing and Project Skills, and Attitudes and Professionalism. Assessments involve written examinations, projects, case reports and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). The MBChB with Honours is awarded to outstanding students.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA including Chemistry or Biology. If Chemistry is not offered then Biology must be offered with either Physics or Maths at A level.

We welcome general studies and critical thinking as a fourth A2, but they do not typically form part of our offer. Certain combinations are not acceptable, typically:

• chemistry with biology and human biology
• chemistry with mathematics and further mathematics

Those taking a fourth A2 subject will not be at an advantage to those taking three. We do not rate A* as being higher than A, so we will not accept A*A*B instead of AAA.

These are the minimum entry requirements for Leeds. Please be aware that admission is highly competitive and the majority of applicants will have qualifications well above this standard.

GCSE: 6 A*- B or 9 - 5 including Chemistry and Biology (or Dual Science/Double Science), English Language and Mathematics.

Other course specific tests:

BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT)

All applicants must sit the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) in the year they are applying. Only one result will be considered and this will be your first sitting of BMAT during the year you are applying. We do not accept other aptitude tests instead, eg the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT).

The BMAT is a 2-hour paper-based test administered by the Admissions Testing Service in schools, colleges and accredited testing centres world-wide.

We strongly recommend you prepare for the test. There are many materials to help you, including on the BMAT website. Find out more about BMAT on the Admissions Service website, including advice, practice tests and past papers.

Health and criminal record screening

Before starting the course all successful applicants will also need to pass health and criminal record screening.

The University has a policy statement on students with criminal records. Find out more about the current Criminal Records policy and Guidance for Applicants with Criminal Convictions. For the vast majority of students who are resident in the UK the record will be checked via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

For international students: The DBS check can only include background checks on your time in the UK. If you have been resident in the UK for less than 3 years, then a criminal record check from your home country is required in addition to the UK DBS check. This may be referred to as a "Certificate of Good Conduct" (CoGC), but the name varies.

Any offer of a place to study medicine is conditional upon a satisfactory confidential occupational health assessment, which will include a health questionnaire, and if necessary further telephone consultation and/or an appointment with an occupational health clinician. Screening for serious communicable disease, (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and a review of immunisation needs will also be arranged before beginning medical studies.

Alternative qualifications and routes

• Cambridge Pre-U

  Distinction (D3) in three principal subjects, one of which must be chemistry

• International Baccalaureate

  35 points overall, including 6 in 3 subjects at higher level, one of which must be chemistry. Two subjects from biology, maths and physics must also be offered at higher or standard level if not offered at GCSE. English must be offered with a mark of at least 5 at standard level if not offered at GCSE.

• Irish Highers (Leaving Certificate)

  6 subjects at H1, including Chemistry and Biology, and Maths

• Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers

  AAAAB at higher level, including biology, and AB at Advanced Higher, including A in chemistry

• Other Qualifications

  Foundation courses and access courses

  University of Leeds Interdisciplinary Science Foundation programme

  The full-time, one-year Interdisciplinary Science Foundation programme enables you to prepare for degree-level study and gain the necessary academic competences for entry to the degree programme. Students who successfully complete the year can apply through UCAS to our MBChB. Admission is not guaranteed and applicants are selected on academic and non-academic criteria. Successful completion of the year, with an overall score of at least 70% and a minimum score of 70% in Chemistry 1 and 2, is required.

  Other access courses

  We will also consider applicants with an overall mark of 70% and with at least 70% in chemistry (distinctions) from the access courses at College of West Anglia, King's Lynn and Sussex Downs Adult College.

  Bradford Collaborative Programme

  We admit up to 20 students to the first year of the MBChB from the University of Bradford’s Foundation in Clinical Sciences course.

  We admit up to 20 students to the beginning of year two of the MBChB from the University of Bradford’s Clinical Sciences BSc.

  A successful transfer applicant would have been academically successful on the course, scored well in BMAT, have a strong personal statement and referee statement, and perform well at interview. The process we use to assess applicants is very similar to our normal assessment process.

  (Please note: 2019/2020 will be the last year this is offered as a separate route to our Medicine and Surgery MBChB)

  Graduate/mature applicants

  Science or medically related bachelor degree: 2:1 (hons) or higher. If chemistry is not offered at grade B or above at A2 there must be equivalent chemistry in the degree.

  Non-science related bachelor degree: relevant A-levels (see above) or an approved Access to Medicine course (see below). Applicants who don’t have chemistry grade B at A2, must provide evidence that they have studied chemistry to this level. Read the current Acceptable Qualifications policy in MBChB downloads on the School of Medicine website.

  A partly completed degree course is not acceptable in place of any of the above.

  A-levels resits or taken over three or more years

  Applications from applicants resitting exams are only likely to be successful in exceptional circumstances. Well-supported documentary evidence of any extenuating circumstances is required.

  Transfers

  Transfer requests from other medical schools will only be considered in the following circumstances:

  • evidence of exceptional extenuating circumstances:
  • excellent academic record at current institution
  • support for transfer from current institution

  If these areas are met course compatibility and availability of places on the MBChB would be explored.

  We do not consider requests for transfers from students studying other degree courses, apart from the entry route through the Clinical Sciences BSc at University of Bradford (see above). Students who have transferred to the University of Bradford BSc in Clinical Sciences from another medical course will not be considered.

  Dental graduates

  Entry to the third year of the course may be possible for dentists who have:

  • gained a registered qualification with the General Dental Council
  • obtained Part 1 of the MJDF or MFDS
  • been in an approved hospital post for at least one year

  Places are not available every year, so please check with the School of Medicine Undergraduate Admissions team before applying. Applications for this route via UCAS and applicants are required to take BMAT at the first sitting after submission of application.

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the School’s Undergraduate Admissions Team.

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.

Subject specific information for applicants can be found in the MBChB admissions policy.

English language requirements

IELTS 7.5 overall, with no less than 7.5 in Spoken English. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

How to apply

Apply to this course through UCAS. The institution code for the University of Leeds is L23. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

The application closing date for medicine is earlier than for many other courses – all full-time undergraduate applications must be made through the UCAS website by 15 October of the year preceding entry. The School of Medicine does not normally accept applications after the initial UCAS closing date and nor does it typically participate in the UCAS Extra scheme or in clearing.

Applying for the MBChB course is very competitive. You need to make sure your application does you justice. Read advice on personal statement and reference, non-academic achievements and personal qualities in the MBChB selection process.

We welcome applications from applicants who are intending to undertake a gap year. Please use the personal statement section of the UCAS application form to explain your reasons for taking a gap year. You may normally apply for deferred entry for one academic year only.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK/EU students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Selection process

A successful application passes through several stages before we make an offer:

1. We assesses your application form against academic criteria, considering your past and predicted grades, and your BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) score. We take into account any issues regarding mitigating circumstances raised in your personal statements and headteacher's reference. Read more about BMAT on the Admissions Service website.

2. Each of the top-ranked 1,000 applications is independently assessed by two senior members of staff according to non-academic criteria, which are reviewed annually by the Admissions Committee. Read more about these attributes in the School of Medicine Undergraduate Admissions Policy. Read the Medical Schools Council Statement on the core value and attributes needed to study medicine (on the Medical Schools Council website).

3. The top-ranked applicants are invited for interview. We expect to invite about 1,000 candidates to interview. Interviews are through multiple mini interviews, where we further assess applicants’ non-academic qualities. There are currently eight interview stations, which applicants progress around. Each station currently lasts 7 minutes, with 1 minute to move between stations and read the next task. The format of stations varies. At the end of each station the examiners award marks, according to a pre-determined standardised scale. After the completion of all stations we calculate a ranked score.

4. Offers are made on the basis of merit and the ability of each applicant to meet the academic and non-academic criteria for admission. The decision to make an offer after interview depends entirely on your performance at interview, not on your predicted or achieved academic performance, or other scores.

Admissions policy

MBChB Admissions Policy 2020

Fees

UK/EU: See fees section below

International: £34,500 (per year)

Undergraduate tuition fees for 2020 entry 
For UK and non-UK EU full-time students starting in 2020, the fee for 2020/21 will be £9,250. 

The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation, and as permitted by law. Fees for UK and non-UK EU undergraduate students are decided by Government and may vary if policy changes.

The UK government has confirmed that non-UK EU students starting in the 2020/21 academic year will have home fee status and be eligible for UK government student loans for the duration of their course. The UK government has not confirmed the situation for future years, so keep checking our website for updates.

UK undergraduate tuition fees for 2021 entry 
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2021/22 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. In other years, the government has confirmed fee levels in summer. When the fee is confirmed, we will publish an update on this website.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

Additional cost information

<p>For the medical course you will need to purchase books and equipment, such as white coats, stethoscopes and pass cards. You may also have to meet some travel costs whilst on placement.</p>

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs

Financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Leeds Alumni Annual Fund

The Leeds Alumni Annual Fund aims to ensure that every suitably qualified student has the chance to come to Leeds to study Medicine, or to take advantage of the valuable opportunity to complete an intercalated year.

School of Medicine scholarship

EXSEL at Leeds (Excellence in Scholarship, Enterprise and Leadership) is a unique scholarship scheme which nurtures undergraduate medical students with research ambitions to become academic clinicians.

Students selected to be scholars are given a bursary to conduct research during vacations. They then meet monthly with the two EXSEL directors to review their development. Under the supervision of their academic mentor, the students develop valuable skills for their future clinical posts. In return, they act as ambassadors for the Medical School at Leeds.

After year 5 you'll begin foundation training before becoming fully registered with the General Medical Council.

The Leeds MBChB enables our graduates to embark on a variety of careers, including hospital consultancy, General Practice (GP), medical and scientific research, leadership in the NHS and international health development.

The School of Medicine is a major international centre for education and cutting-edge research. We offer higher degrees by research and taught postgraduate programmes, with a rich variety of student experience, from basic discovery science through to applied healthcare research across our seven institutes. Find out more about our postgraduate study opportunities.

Careers support

Our MBChB students enjoy specialist careers support from a dedicated Careers Coordinator. We’ll help build up your career management and employability skills – ever-more important in a competitive jobs market.

Throughout the course you’ll have opportunities for self-reflection, to think about the different career routes and the skills you’ll need to develop to get into your chosen jobs. Thinking early about career routes helps our students make sound career decisions and increase their motivation and job satisfaction.

Our Careers Coordinator also gives training to personal tutors and develops careers guidance resources for delivery throughout the curriculum.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

Study abroad

We are developing new links and strengthening existing ones with providers in Europe to ensure our students can spend time understanding other cultures and healthcare systems.

In year 5 you can choose to spend your six-week elective abroad. This elective is about gaining wider clinical experience or carrying out a specific project. Past students have worked in health centres, charities, universities and hospitals on all continents, ranging from world-leading research institutes to isolated units delivering healthcare in developing countries.

MBChB students can study languages as part of the “Students without Borders” programme, so they are fluent enough to work as junior doctors in French- or Spanish-speaking countries after graduation.

Many of our graduates consider working in the USA and Canada. We support students through the process of applying for the North American licensing systems and examinations.

Find out more on the Study Abroad website.

Clinical placements

Clinical placements are central to your training and run throughout the programme. Our strong partnerships with the major Leeds teaching hospitals, local acute and regional general hospitals and general practices mean we can offer our students a diverse range of placements.

You’ll be working in real clinical environments from your first year and this experience will increase throughout your course.