Doctors
Entry requirements
If you decide you want to be a doctor you will have to start out at a medical school. Each of these schools is part of a university, but will also have close links with hospitals and GP practices for medical learning, clinical teaching and scientific research.
Some medical schools offer accelerated graduate-entry courses. With this type of course, medical schools can give credit to part of a student’s prior learning. Some universities provide fast-track, graduate-entry medical degree courses, lasting four years. Some require applicants to hold a science-based degree, while others consider graduates in any subject.
Good A level grades or the equivalent are needed for most student places. However, medical schools will consider people with other attributes and skills that support their application. Evidence of scientific ability and the capacity for study are important. Some colleges run an ‘access to medicine’ course, which aims to bring students up to speed on relevant scientific knowledge before they begin a medical course.
After university, you will have what is normally referred to as a ‘first MB degree’.
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is used in the selection process by a consortium of UK university medical and dental schools. The test has been designed to help universities to make more informed choices from among the many highly qualified applicants who apply for medical degree programmes.
It ensures that the candidates selected have the most appropriate mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. The test does not contain any curriculum or science content; nor can it be revised for. It focuses on exploring the cognitive powers of candidates and other attributes considered to be valuable for healthcare professionals.
