Medicine MBChB

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Study an innovative, highly-integrated medical curriculum in partnership with Keele University School of Medicine. Gain the knowledge, skills and professionalism that you will require as a new doctor embarking on further training. Graduate ready to maximise your career progression and improve lives.

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Overview

The MBChB honours degree is designed to ensure you meet the necessary standards in terms of knowledge, skills and professionalism that all new doctors should have as they embark on further training. You will study alongside pharmacists, nurses, paramedics, biomedical, sport and physiological scientists offering opportunities for inter-disciplinary working.

You will be taught mainly in small class sizes and learning groups but will also experience a range of other learning methods including lectures, seminars and self-directed learning. You’ll develop your intellectual, personal and professional skills through independent thinking, creative problem solving, and constructive communication. You’ll also gain a deep understanding of the social, environmental and global implications of your studies as well as how to make a positive contribution in a complex and rapidly changing world.

Our programme is modern and forward thinking, using Problem Based Learning in a spiral curriculum that builds complexity year-on-year. Our culture is supportive and inclusive with a large network of academic and clinical tutors and mentors. If you have the skills, passion and ambition and want to be part of a welcoming community, Sunderland is the place to be.

As a new School of Medicine, our MBChB course is subject to successful progress through the General Medical Council’s (GMC) rigorous quality assurance programme.

Why us?

The University has over 100 years of expertise in teaching science
We have an excellent track record of attracting and supporting students from the least advantaged socio-economic groups
We are partnered with 3 hospital trusts, 2 mental health trusts, community services and 63 GP practices and have five dedicated Directors of Undergraduate Study
Our Medicine course is in the top 20 in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2024)

We are working in partnership with Keele University School of Medicine to implement our new medical curriculum with a significant general practice focus. Keele have been delivering the MBChB honours degree for over 15 years and were ranked 6th in The Guardian University Guide 2024 for Medicine

Course structure

Studying medicine relies on methods that are clinically realistic. You will be taught via scheduled learning and teaching activities, anatomy teaching based in the Anatomy Lab, problem-based/case-based learning, extensive clinical placements in hospital and community settings and guided independent study.

Our course is designed to help you maximise your career progression and leadership potential through opportunities to study a range of complementary subjects drawn from the University, including the humanities. We make learning enjoyable through small class sizes, small group learning, early clinical experience and helping you to develop into a highly competent and self-aware professional.

You will be assessed by in-year written work, written information management skills assessments, written knowledge examinations, reflective assignments and practical examinations.

You’ll have regular feedback and one-on-one tutor sessions, which will help you improve your performance and address any difficulties you might be having.

The curriculum has three phases delivered at the University and in primary and secondary care settings. Years 1 and 2 are based predominantly at City Campus. Clinical placements in Years 3 - 5 are based in well-established local teaching hospitals and GP practices.

Intercalation is available as an option after Year 2 as a BSc degree or Year 4 as an MSc degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake a course at the University of Sunderland, or at another University, subject to approval by the School of Medicine.

Phase 1: Years 1 and 2:

Overview with early clinical exposure. You will learn the fundamentals of biomedical, behavioural and social science with a focus on sciences, research, study and communication skills, basic clinical skills and professionalism.

Phase 2: Years 3 and 4:

You get a second run through of many aspects of biomedical, behavioural and social science with an increased emphasis on complexity and pathology, combined with learning fundamental clinical skills and knowledge. Immersion in clinical placements building on the foundations of clinical knowledge and skills developed in the preceding years.

Phase 3: Preparation for Professional Practice: Year 5:

Very extensive student assistantships to prepare you for practice as a Foundation Year 1 doctor.

Year 1: Level 4

The Doctor as a Scholar and a Scientist (120 credits)

You will learn through integrated units such as Health and Disease, Immunology and Infection, Emergencies, Life Course, Scholarship, Brain and Mind, Pregnancy and Lifestyle, with longitudinal GP and hospital placements.

Year 2: Level 5

The Doctor as a Scholar and a Scientist (120 credits)

A second run through of many aspects of biomedical, behavioural and social science with an increased emphasis on complexity and pathology. You will learn through integrated units such as Mechanism of Disease, Inputs and Outputs, Movement and Trauma, Circulation, Scholarship, Breath of Life, Integrated systems, longitudinal GP and hospital placements and a 3rd sector community placement.

Year 3: Level 6

The Doctor as a Practitioner (120 credits)

Learning through integrated units such as Medicine, Surgery, Elderly Care, Mental Health, Paediatrics, General Practice and a Student-Selected Component.

Year 4: Level 6

The Doctor as a Practitioner (120 credits)

Learning through integrated units such as Medicine, Surgery, Womens Health, Mental Health, Paediatrics, Neurology/musculoskeletal and then a General Practice and a Student-Selected Component.

Year 5: Level 6

The Doctor as a Professional (120 credits)

Learning through integrated units such as Medicine, Surgery, Elderly Care, Mental Health, Paediatrics, General Practice and a Student-Selected Component.

Facilities

Our Sciences Complex offers one of the best student experiences for those studying the sciences, including industry-standard research and teaching laboratories and testing equipment in pharmacy, pharmaceutical, biomedical, environmental and sports sciences. The non-clinical components of the course are based here.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

For a full list of the subjects we accept, please see our entry requirements. Please note, we are unable to accept international applicants. We are also unable to accept applicants who do not hold the A Levels and GCSEs required below. Equivalent qualifications will not be accepted.

A Level

A Levels in three subjects at grades AAA are required, including Biology or Chemistry plus another designated science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics) and a third academic subject. Any science A Level (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) completed in England from 2017 must include a pass in the practical endorsement; without this, the qualification will be judged to have been failed, regardless of the headline grade. Please note, some subjects are not accepted. Only one subject from a combination of Maths or Further Maths or Statistics will be considered within the three A Levels. A Level grades must be achieved in one sitting.

The primary admissions criteria which is being considered (eg A Levels) must have been completed within the past five years.

GCSE

Graduate route

If you already hold a degree, please see our standard entry graduate route.

Access to Higher Education

Please note, we do not accept Access to Higher Education/Access to Medicine courses.

UCAT

All applicants must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) during the year in which they apply. Scores must be within top 8 deciles of the cohort and situational judgement test (SJT) must be within bands 1-3. See our Help and Advice articles on the UCAT.

Casper online assessment test

We are piloting Casper as part of a comprehensive national admissions pilot with NHS England. Please note, this test will not be used in selection this year and is optional, but we would prefer all applicants to participate allowing us to improve our selection methods in the future. Available test dates are:

Thursday 9 November 2023, 7pm GMT
Sunday 19 November 2023, 3pm GMT

Please see our Help and Advice on the Casper online assessment test.

Numeracy test

The numeracy test is now part of the interview selection process and consists of a 40-minute online test that contains approximately 20 questions with some having multiple sections. Please see our Help and Advice article for further information about the numeracy test and an example test.

Interviews

Shortlisting for interview is based on academic requirements, our interview selection tool, and UCAT score. Our interviews take the form of multiple mini-interviews (MMIs) and a mathematics test. Please see our Help and Advice articles on the interview process.

Fitness to practise

This course is a registered professional programme and the ability to practise safely and effectively is essential. All students will be subjected to Fitness to Practise procedures which include DBS clearance checks, Health Declaration, and Declaration of Good Conduct.

Under 18

We require all applicants to be 18 years old by 31 December in the year they intend to start the course due to our early clinical placements.

Contextual offer

We have a contextual offer for applicants that fulfil both our local (North East and Cumbria) and Widening Participation POLAR 4 quintiles 1 and 2 (home address) criteria. You can check your postcode on the Office for Students website. Applicants must still meet the normal entry requirements, including the required UCAT score.

If you are unsure about your local status please email medicineapplications@sunderland.ac.uk.

Medicine Summer School

The University of Sunderland runs a two-day Medicine Summer School for Year 12 students, offering you the opportunity to experience university life as a medical student. Over the two days, you'll gain the skills and confidence you need to apply for our Medicine MBChB (Hons) course. For students who meet two or more of the Office for Students (OfS) criteria, attending and completing the Medicine Summer School will guarantee you a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), subject to meeting the GCSE, A Level, and UCAT requirements. Learn more about the Medicine Summer School.

Work experience guidance during the time of Covid-19

We recommend that prospective students read the Medical Schools Council new work experience guidance in the time of Covid-19.

Students studying a health or social care course, that has a placement within the NHS or any other Care Quality Commission establishment, are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Find out more in our Help and Advice article.

Fees and finance

Fees for September 2024 are £9,250.

Please note, this course is only open to UK/Home applicants. We are unable to accept international applicants.

If you are not sure whether you qualify as a UK or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

More about MBChB Medicine at Sunderland

Discover more articles

Career ready

This course will enable you to develop your intellectual, personal and professional capabilities. These attributes include independent thinking, synthesizing information, creative problem solving, communicating clearly, and appreciating the social, environmental and global implications of your studies and activities. Our course and clinical learning environment are designed to help you to become a well-rounded graduate who aspires to make a positive and valued contribution in a complex and rapidly changing world, whichever spheres of life you engage in after your studies are completed.

Career options

Medicine is a very diverse profession with an expanding range of career options. You will be taught in some of the best performing hospital Trusts in England. We will ensure that you graduate with a strong grounding in the general and social sciences alongside a high level of patient contact in both hospital and general practice settings. You will gain insight into the health needs of our population, the needs of our patients and their experiences of the NHS. We train excellent and innovative clinicians, well prepared for future practice and the globalisation of health care.

Postgraduate foundation training and beyond

At the end of the undergraduate programme you’ll receive your degree. The General Medical Council (GMC) approves your university’s degree as a primary medical qualification (PMQ). This is important because, provided there are no concerns about your fitness to practise, a PMQ entitles you to provisional registration with the GMC for a licence to practise medicine in the UK.

The GMC is introducing a Medical Licensing Assessment – the MLA. The MLA will create a demonstration that anyone obtaining registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK has met a common threshold for safe practice.

UK medical students graduating in the academic year 2024-25 will need to pass the MLA which will test the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to practise safely in the UK. This will be part of your medical school degree and you must pass that before you can join the medical register. The MLA will give patients and employers greater confidence in doctors new to working in the UK, wherever they were educated or trained. Read more about the MLA.

Meet the students

The community feel and positive atmosphere makes studying here an enjoyable experience

Laura Giles
My experience of studying medicine at the University of Sunderland has been amazing

Muneera Ali
I believe that Sunderland has a warm and friendly community

Sam Dobson
Interprofessional learning has prepared me for patient interactions in an MDT setting

Sophie Young

Related courses

BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing Practice

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing.

Page last updated: 19 September 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

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