Medicine (graduate-entry / accelerated)
Course overview
UCAS code: A101
Entrance requirements: See Admissions Requirements tab
Course duration: 4 years (BM BCh)
Other course requirements
Admissions tests: UCAT
Written Work: None
Admissions statistics*
Interviewed: 30%
Successful: 12%
Intake: 32
*3-year average 2021-23
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
About the course
This page is about the graduate-entry/accelerated medicine course (A101).
This course is an intensive four year medical course and has been designed for graduates who are trained in applied or experimental sciences.
Visit the A100 page to find out about our standard-entry medical degree.
The four-year graduate-entry/ accelerated course (UCAS code A101 BMBCh4) is open to graduates who already have a degree in an experimental science subject.
The course has a strong emphasis on academic medicine within a clinical context. We aim to produce doctors who are broadly educated in science and clinical practice, and whose clinical practice is informed by their scientific approach to medicine.
Many of the graduates from this course will choose careers in academic medicine: that is, in posts that combine medical research with clinical practice. Not all of our graduates will pursue research interests in later life, but we hope that all will bring a scientific approach to their thinking and to their practice at the bedside.
We recognise that graduates will wish to work on their own and explore areas that particularly interest them. The course aims to develop the skills that graduates have acquired in their first degree: there will be a relatively small amount of didactic lecturing, and plenty of time for private study and discussion of topics additional to core material. Exploration and appraisal of clinical and scientific literature, and its application to clinical practice, will feature strongly in both teaching and assessment.
This may be the right course for you, if you are:
- academically strong
- interested in the scientific basis of medical practice
- and have the self-discipline to plan your studies in such a way as to be able to cover a large and intensive syllabus by yourself.
If you fit this description, you will gain a great deal from Oxford's very strong academic and clinical teaching.
The first two years cover both basic medical science and clinical skills. The first year concentrates on science taught within a clinical context but with a gentle introduction to clinical practice, while the second year concentrates on clinical teaching with a smaller science component.
Graduates are encouraged to work at their own pace, and to pursue in depth those areas of medicine that particularly interest them. The final two years are shared with the six-year course. Students are fully integrated into the clinical course at this stage, and take the same final exams as candidates on the six-year course.
Unistats information
Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.
Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for Medicine (graduate entry).
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.
Medicine (graduate entry)
Structure of the graduate-entry/accelerated course (A101)
The first year
The first year of the course builds on your science background to cover most of the basic science that is needed for medicine, as well as essential clinical skills such as taking a clinical history and performing a basic physical examination. Students will spend one full day each week on clinical placement.
The aims of this year are for you to cover the core of medical science and clinical skills in which all medical students must be competent, to understand the application of science to clinical practice, and to gain experience in applying science and clinical skills to the process of diagnostic problem-solving.
The second year
The second year builds on the basic science and clinical skills of the first year and leads to periods of more intensive clinical practice. By the end of this year, you should be able to recognise common disease patterns in medicine and surgery and be capable of reaching a diagnosis of the commoner illnesses. You should also be able to plan first-line clinical investigations.
A clinical pathology ('Laboratory Medicine') block is interspersed with the clinical attachments. The science teaching continues throughout the year, oriented more directly towards clinical practice. You will be expected to review clinical trials and clinical research reports, and to appraise the application of such reports to clinical practice.
The third year
For the final two years you will be fully integrated into the main stream of the standard clinical course.
The third year consists of a series of attachments to clinical specialties such as orthopaedics, paediatrics and psychiatry. The aim of this year is to provide an overview of the major specialties within medicine, to allow you to recognise common complaints and to develop an understanding of when it is appropriate to refer a patient for specialist treatment. You can read more about this year of study on the clinical course pages of the Medical Sciences Division website.
The fourth year
The final year of the course is designed to prepare you for life after qualification, with teaching specifically aimed at practical matters of diagnosis and management. During the year there are also opportunities for special study, with blocks set aside for you to pursue areas of particular academic interest (normally this takes place within Oxford). There is also an elective period, which most students choose to take overseas.
The final examination is in February of the final year, allowing several months before the formal end of the course for you to concentrate on preparing for practice in your Foundation Years.
You can read more about this year of study on the clinical course pages of the Medical Sciences Division website.
Academic requirements
First degree
The course is open only to graduates with a degree class of 2.1 or above (or a GPA above 3.5) in applied and experimental science, including bioscience, chemistry, experimental physics and engineering.
Check the list of courses that are typically acceptable. If your degree is not listed, or if you are unsure whether it is acceptable, please follow the steps outlined on the Medical Sciences Division website.
A Levels (or equivalent)
In addition to your degree, you must also have passes at A-level of at least AAB with an A or A* in Chemistry (if A-levels taken within last 5 years). One of these must be chemistry (unless you have a chemistry degree).
Applicants must also have one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics at A-level. Applicants with a degree in a subject other than bioscience must have a qualification in biology at GCSE or equivalent level.
Visit the Medical Sciences Division website for more information on selection criteria.
If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.
Applying
The application process for the graduate-entry/ accelerated medicine course (A101) is slightly different to those for the standard course. Please read this page carefully to ensure you take all the steps you need to make an application.
Visit the Medical Sciences Division website for more information about any of the application stages.
No student is admitted without interview. Successful candidates must meet our requirements for health and fitness to practise.
Applications for the accelerated, graduate-entry medicine course must be made both through UCAS (online) and direct to the University (on a supplementary form). This means applicants have two forms to complete.
Please note that we cannot consider applications that are incomplete. You must complete both a UCAS application and an Oxford application form by the deadline in order to apply.
UCAS form
- Your UCAS form should be completed online, and must list Oxford as one of your choices: the course code for the fast-track medical course is A101 (the course title is BMBCh4).
- You must complete your UCAS application by 6pm, 15 October 2024 for the course beginning in September 2025.
- If you wish to express a preference for a particular college, you should do so on your UCAS form.
Colleges
The following colleges accept applications for Graduate-entry Medicine.
College | Campus Code |
|---|---|
| Green-Templeton* | 5 |
| Harris-Manchester** | 6 |
| Magdalen | D |
| Pembroke | I |
| St. Anne's | K |
| St Catherine's | L |
| St Hugh's | R |
| St Peter's | T |
| Somerville | U |
| Worcester | Z |
*Green Templeton is a graduate-only college, which admits graduate-entry medical students and clinical medical students.
**Harris Manchester has no preclinical students, but does take clinical students on the six-year course, it is a mature student only college, applicants must be at least 21 years of age when they start their course.
University application form
Application forms for the University are available online, together with notes explaining how to complete your application. As part of completing this form you will have to provide:
- the names and positions of two referees, at least one of whom should be familiar with your most recent academic performance. These referees should not be the same as the referee on your UCAS application
All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages. The application form must be completed by 6pm on 15 October.
Please be aware that your referees will need to provide their references by 6pm on 22 October, in order to complete your application. We cannot consider applications that arrive after this date.
Admissions test
Test: | University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) |
|---|---|
Test date: | 8 July – 26 September 2024 (Applicants must create their own UCAT account and book a test date within this window. Please see our dedicated pages on UCAT for more information) |
Registration deadline: | 19 September 2024 (12 noon BST) |
All candidates must also take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) as part of their application.
Separate registration for this test is required and it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they are registered.
We strongly recommend making arrangements in plenty of time before the deadline. Please visit our UCAT webpage for further information.
Written work
You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.
What are tutors looking for?
Visit the Medical Sciences Division website for more information about the selection criteria used.
Please note that competition to study Medicine at Oxford is particularly strong. There are approximately 30 places for accelerated/ graduate-entry medicine and only 19% of applicants are shortlisted for interview each year.
Application conditions
Oxford conforms to the UK Department of Health’s requirements regarding immunisation status and the GMC’s conditions on Fitness to Practise, and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Students may be refused entry to, or be removed from, the University’s Register of Medical Students on grounds that may be either academic or non-academic (for instance health or conduct). Applicants should be aware that some practical studies involving living animal tissue are an obligatory component of the course.
Fitness to Practise advice and support: General Medical Council and University of Oxford Occupational Health Service.
Please note that students must have reached their 18th birthday on or before the first day of full term in the first year of this course.
Careers
A vast array of speciality training pathways is available after obtaining a medical qualification, ranging from General Practice or emergency medicine through obstetrics or ophthalmology to paediatrics or psychiatry.
Of course, you need not remain confined to the clinic, ward or the operating theatre: the lecture theatre or the laboratory could also beckon. Some of our graduates end up leading the education of the next generation of doctors or directing biomedical research.
You don’t need to know right now what you want to do when you qualify: the Medical School organises careers sessions for final-year clinical students and helps students learn about and apply for foundation house officer posts.
BM BCh graduates are entitled to provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a licence to practise, subject to demonstrating to the GMC that their fitness to practise is not impaired.
Hannah is a graduate of the course who is currently in postgraduate training. Prior to studying on the programme, she had studied Veterinary Sciences. She says:
‘It was a privilege to study on the graduate-entry medicine (GEM) course at Oxford. A combination of the course’s small cohort with diverse backgrounds and the collegiate system enables extremely high quality and interactive learning on a very well organised course. I really appreciated that the pre-clinical section is ‘tailor-made’ for the GEM students (not always the case on GEM courses) and includes clinical exposure and dedicated research.
Beyond the core, students are encouraged to work on personal interests with course directors, lecturers or wider university faculty, who readily advocate for you to explore avenues beyond the minimum expectations – whether it is research, education or something else including non-clinical. For example, I am extremely grateful for the support I received from the course leads to begin integration of Education for Sustainable Healthcare into the curriculum and encouragement for my work internationally in this space.
There is no doubt GEM at Oxford is intense and wouldn’t necessarily suit everyone but from my point of view I can’t imagine a GEM course that would have inspired me to achieve as much as I did, alongside loving the course and making friends for life. The course leads are still mentoring me in my next career steps.’
We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.
Fees for the graduate-entry/ accelerated course (A101)
These annual fees are for full-time students who begin this undergraduate course here in 2025.
Year 1 students:
Fee status | Pre-clinical course fees |
|---|---|
| Home | £9,250 |
| Overseas | £46,600 |
Pre-clinical fees are charged in year 1 of the graduate-entry/ accelerated course (A101), although there are clinical elements of study throughout the course.
Fees for the later years have not yet been confirmed but please note that these may be different from the pre-clinical fees. Clinical fees are charged in years 2 to 4 of the graduate-entry/ accelerated course (A101). As a guide, these are the annual fees for students who will complete the pre-clinical stage of their course and progress to the clinical years in 2025.
Year 2, 3 and 4 students:
Fee status | Clinical annual course fees |
|---|---|
| Home | £9,250 |
| Overseas | £61,560 |
Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.
For more information please refer to our course fees page. Fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.
Living costs
Living costs at Oxford might be less than you’d expect, as our world-class resources and college provision can help keep costs down.
Living costs for the academic year starting in 2024 are estimated to be between £1,345 and £1,955 for each month you are in Oxford. Please refer to the ‘Additional Fees and charges’ section below for information about the extended terms which apply for each year of the course in order to estimate your living costs.
For further details please visit our living costs webpage.
Financial support
Home | Visit our Funding for UK medical students page for comprehensive funding information. |
Islands | Islands students are entitled to different support to that of students from the rest of the UK. Please refer the links below for information on the support to you available from your funding agency: |
Overseas | Please refer to the 'Other Scholarships' section of our Oxford Bursaries and Scholarships page. |
Additional Fees and Charges Information for Medicine
Graduate Entry Medicine (A101)
The Graduate-entry Medicine course has extended terms. This means that you will need to budget for slightly higher living costs in all years, but especially in Years 2-4, as you will be required to be in Oxford for longer than the standard term.
Visit the likely range of living costs for an additional month in Oxford.
- Year 1 – 30 weeks
- Year 2 – 40 weeks
- Year 3 – 48 weeks
- Year 4 – 48 weeks, including 10 weeks elective study
View Funding for UK/EU Medical Students for more information about fees and funding for this course.
Elective study
Each final year student has a period of 10 weeks for elective study within the overall 48 weeks of the course. (This is year 4 for A101 students.)
Your elective study may be conducted in Oxford, elsewhere in the UK, or anywhere in the world provided the content of the placement is appropriate experience for medicine. Approval must be granted by the Director of Clinical Studies.
A student who stays in Oxford for their elective would be expected to incur no additional costs apart from their living costs. Many students opt to travel outside the UK in which case the additional cost is on average around £3,000, but may be lower or higher depending on location (very occasionally a student has spent up to £9,000.)
Students who have not completed the core training in clinical medicine may be required to follow a prescribed course of study in Oxford for all or part of their 10 week elective instead of arranging a placement.
There are opportunities to apply for additional financial support which varies depending on the destination proposed. This support is usually around £300 to £500 towards travel costs.
Contextual information
Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.
The Oxford tutorial
College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.
During tutorials (normally lasting an hour), college subject tutors will give you and one or two tutorial partners feedback on prepared work and cover a topic in depth. The other student(s) in your tutorials will be doing the same course as you. Such regular and rigorous academic discussion develops and facilitates learning in a way that isn’t possible through lectures alone. Tutorials also allow for close progress monitoring so tutors can quickly provide additional support if necessary.
Read more about tutorials and an Oxford education
College life
Our colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world.
- At Oxford, everyone is a member of a college as well as their subject department(s) and the University. Students therefore have both the benefits of belonging to a large, renowned institution and to a small and friendly academic community. Each college or hall is made up of academic and support staff, and students. Colleges provide a safe, supportive environment leaving you free to focus on your studies, enjoy time with friends and make the most of the huge variety of opportunities.
- Each college has a unique character, but generally their facilities are similar. Each one, large or small, will have the following essential facilities:
- Porters’ lodge (a staffed entrance and reception)
- Dining hall
- Lending library (often open 24/7 in term time)
- Student accommodation
- Tutors’ teaching rooms
- Chapel and/or music rooms
- Laundry
- Green spaces
- Common room (known as the JCR).
- All first-year students are offered college accommodation either on the main site of their college or in a nearby college annexe. This means that your neighbours will also be ‘freshers’ and new to life at Oxford. This accommodation is guaranteed, so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to live after accepting a place here, all of this is organised for you before you arrive.
- All colleges offer at least one further year of accommodation and some offer it for the entire duration of your degree. You may choose to take up the option to live in your college for the whole of your time at Oxford, or you might decide to arrange your own accommodation after your first year – perhaps because you want to live with friends from other colleges.
- While college academic tutors primarily support your academic development, you can also ask their advice on other things. Lots of other college staff including welfare officers help students settle in and are available to offer guidance on practical or health matters. Current students also actively support students in earlier years, sometimes as part of a college ‘family’ or as peer supporters trained by the University’s Counselling Service.
Read the Medical Schools Council's advice on gaining relevant experience in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic
FIND OUT MORE
- Look at the programme specification
- View the course structure
- Visit the Medical Sciences Division website
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Register to find out more about our upcoming Open Days.
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