Barts and The London Medical School Guide

Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry is a faculty of Queen Mary University of London. The faculty is situated in Whitechapel – in the heart of London! The medical school is one of the oldest in the UK – dating back to 1785.It’s location and facilities attract thousands of students from all over the world to study medicine and dentistry. It is made up of 6 specialist institutes and over 30 research centres. This includes the Barts Cancer Institute (BCI) which is one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the UK. East London has a diverse population. This means students will see a wide range of patients and conditions at renowned teaching hospitals. For example, St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

The medical school offers 2 courses:

• the 5 year MBBS programme for undergraduates
• the fast-track 4 year MMBS programme for graduate entry.

Read this guide to find out more about what Barts has to offer and how to get in!

Barts and The London Medical School Entry Requirements

Academic

GCSE	Six GCSEs* at grades 777666 (AAABBB) – Biology, Chemistry, English Language/English Literature and Mathematics.
A level	A*AA Biology or Chemistry + a second science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Maths)
BTEC	BTEC qualifications are not accepted.
IB	38 points + three Higher Level subjects at 666 including Chemistry/Biology + one further science subject (Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Maths).
Irish	H1 H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 at Higher Level (H1 in Biology and Chemistry)
Scottish Highers	Three Highers at grades AAA (Biology and Chemistry) Two Advanced Highers at grades AA including Chemistry and/or Biology
European Baccalaureate	85% overall including Chemistry and Biology
Degree	2:1 in any subject with supporting science qualifications

Admissions Test (UCAT)

Barts and the London School of Medicine requires all applicants to sit the UCAT. Applicants must score above the fourth decile and between SJT Band 1-3 to be considered. There is a UCAT cut off score used. For the 2023 cycle, the UCAT cut off was 2720. A weighted score will be made up of the applicant’s UCAT score, UCAS tariff*, and predicted/achieved grades. This score will then be compared against all other applicants to determine invitations for interview.

*UCAS tariff scores are calculated based on your predicted/achieved A level grades. Applicants must have a UCAS tariff score of 152 or above (A*AA).

Work Experience

Barts and The London School of Medicine wants applicants to have a realistic insight into a medical career. Therefore, it is vital for applicants to have some experience of working with people. For example, this can be in healthcare settings, shops or volunteering. The medical school understands that there are limited opportunities to work in a hospital or shadow a GP. So, volunteering in care homes and charities is recommended.

It is the skills that you gain from these experiences that is most important as it will be useful in your personal statement and at interview.

Personal Statement

Barts does not use the personal statement during the selection process. However, they do suggest that the following qualities and skills can be included:

• Motivation to study medicine and genuine interest in the medical profession
• Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses
• The ability to reflect on your own work
• Personal organisation
• Academic ability
• Problem solving
• Dealing with uncertainty
• Manage risk and deal effectively with problems
• Ability to take responsibility for your own actions
• Conscientiousness
• Insight into your own health
• Effective communication, including reading, writing, listening and speaking
• Teamwork
• Ability to treat people with respect
• Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations
• Empathy and the ability to care for others
• Honesty

The interviewers do have access to your UCAS applications. So, points from your personal statement may be discussed during the interview.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants must attend an online interview in January or February. Offers are then released in March.

Interview panels are made up of two members. These can be a senior academic or clinical staff and a medical student. The interview will assess the following:

• Motivation and reality of a career in medicine
• Initiative, resilience and maturity
• Team work
• Organisation and problem solving abilities
• Contribution to university life
• Communication skills

Graduate Entry at Barts and The London Medical School

Graduate Entry at Barts is the fast track 4 year route and is extremely competitive. There are 33 places for graduates. Applicants must be predicted or have achieved 2:1 or above in any degree. Degrees are divided into these categories:

Bioscience with enough Biology + Chemistry		No further A levels/AS levels needed
Science with no Biology + Chemistry		Minimum grade C in A/AS level Biology or Chemistry (depending on what is missing from the degree)
Non-Science Degrees		Minimum grade B in A/AS level Biology or Chemistry + another science at grade B. Accepted sciences include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Psychology.

How many places are there for home and international students at Barts and The London Medical School?

At Barts, there are 308 places for Home students and 24 places for Overseas students on the A100 programme.

Barts and The London Medical School Ranking

According to QS World University Rankings 2023, Medicine at Barts was ranked 55th in the World.

According to the Guardian University Guide 2024, Barts and The London Medical School was ranked 3rd in London.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 ranked Barts 16th in the UK.

It’s important to keep in mind that university rankings are subjective and can be based on different criteria. These rankings must only be one of your deciding factors. It is important to have a holistic approach when making your decisions and consider which universities you would thrive in the most.

Barts and The London Medical School Fees

For 2024 entry, Home students will pay £9,250 per year. International students will pay £48,700 per year.

Barts and The London Acceptance Rate

Here are the statistics for 2023 entry:

	Applications	Interviews	Offers	Acceptance Rate
Home	2017	1070	613	30.4%
International	603	137	33	5.5%
Graduate Entry	1036	131	48	4.6%

Barts and The London Medicine Course Structure

The medicine programme at Barts Medical School is split into 3 phases.

Phase 1	Year 1 + Year 2	Healthy Body + Diseased Body
Phase 2	Year 3 + Year 4	Clinical Basis
Phase 3	Year 5	Preparation for Practice

Barts and The London Medical School Teaching Style

At Barts, the course uses an integrated and systems based approach.

In Phase 1, there will be a mix of lectures and problem-based learning (PBL). Clinical experiences will begin from your very first term at Barts. Students also undertake three Student-Selected Components (SSCs) each year to explore wider interests. There is less emphasis on traditional lectures and more on PBL. This is when a clinical scenario is tackled in groups of 8-10 students and one facilitator.

During Phase 2, students are introduced to clinical medicine and different specialities. They also have some teaching weeks.

Phase 3 consists of a first-hand experience of what it will be like working as an FY1 doctor. Students will shadow FY1 doctors in clinical and community placements. There is also an opportunity for an elective in final area. Students can choose to study in the UK or abroad to enhance their personal development.

Barts and The London Medical School Hospitals

There are a number of hospitals that you can be placed at for clinical placements when studying at Barts. These are all included in the list below.

• The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel
• St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London
• Whipps Cross University Hospital, Leytonstone, London
• Newham University Hospital, Newham, London
• Homerton University Hospital, Homerton, London
• Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex
• Southend University Hospital, Southend, Essex
• Colchester Hospital, Colchester, Essex
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, Essex
• Queen’s Hospital, Romford, London
• King George Hospital, Romford, London

Barts and The London Medical School Interview Format

Barts uses a panel style interview lasting approximately 20 minutes. There are 2 sections in this interview:

1. Article – If invited to interview, you will be sent an article related to recent medical news. You will be asked to have a good understanding of the article. The article’s content and it’s wider impacts will be discussed at interview.
2. About You – The interviewers will want to know about your work experiences, realistic insight into medicine, wider reading and why you chose Barts.

Each question will be scored out of 5 and your mean score for each section will also be calculated out of 5. To be successful, you want to aim for at least 3-points out of 5 in each question.

Barts and The London Medical School Interview Questions

We’ve prepared some example questions below to help you prepare for your Barts panel interview.

1. Summarise the Article – The panellists expect you to know your article inside out and be able to give a brief overview of the topic. This can be a chronological timeline of events, opinions of those involved and its ethical impacts. As long as you know your article and have completed some background research on the topic, the article section should be doable.
2. Why Medicine? – The panellists want to witness your genuine interest in medicine, what sparked it and how you have gained the realistic insight. A chronological order of events on how your knowledge of a medical career developed is recommended.
3. Why Barts? – It is vital to know the medical school you are applying to. Check the university website and blogs of current/former students to find out more. Always ensure to relate your answer back to how the course is suitable for you.
4. What can you contribute to Barts? – The panellists want to see what you can give back to the university. This is your opportunity to display how you will get involved at university. This can be sports, music, cultural or charity events. Look through the wide variety of societies at Barts to mention at your interview.

Life as a Medical Student at Barts and The London Medical School

At Barts, in your first year, you will be taught by a mix of lectures, PBL, clinical skills and SSCs. Exams are held throughout the year and you must pass these to sit the final exam. Anatomy practicals and GP placements are also included fortnightly. Timetables will vary from week to week and do allow ample time for your personal life.

Social Life and Societies At Barts and The London Medical School

The medical school is situated in the heart of London. This means easy access to transport, restaurants, clubs and other activities. Queen Mary University of London does have a wide range of societies open to all students. However, Barts Medical School has its own set of societies for healthcare students. This can be academic, sports, arts or cultural. The societies host many events throughout the year. Therefore, life at Barts is a lot more than just the medicine course to help you develop as well-rounded individual!

Intercalated Degree at Barts and The London Medical School

Intercalation at Barts enables students to study medical sciences in depth. A research project is also included in your degree to build on your academic side of medicine. There are a variety of options from BSc courses to MSc courses as well. Here are some examples:

BSc – Biomedical Engineering, Experimental Pathology, Global Medical Humanities, Global Public Health, Medical Education, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Prehospital Medicine and Sports and Exercise Medicine

MSc – Cancer and Oncology/Molecular Biology/Pathology/Therapeutics

Students can intercalate after completing 2nd, 3rd or 4th year.

FAQs

How Much of the Barts and The London Medicine Course is Clinical vs Pre-Clinical?

The first two years at Barts study the healthy and diseased body so can be considered as pre-clinical. However, these years do consist of some early clinical experience. You will meet your first patient in your first term!

Is Barts and The London Medical School a Good Medical School?

Barts and The London School of Medicine is a leading medical school and ranks highly in terms of its course and facilities. It is ideal for all medical students however, it depends on what your priorities are when selecting a medical school. It is best to visit the university on their Open Days to gain a realistic insight of the place and speak to the friendly staff!

Support with Getting Into Barts and The London Medical School

UCAT Tutoring

As Barts and The London Medical School has competitive entry requirements, it’s a good idea to get a UCAT tutor to help you exceed the UCAT cut off. When looking for a good tutor, it’s wise to consider someone who has recently achieved an excellent UCAT score themselves and who has experience with tutoring. Your tutor should be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses to focus your lesson time on improving the areas you need improvement in.

Medicine Interview Tutoring

A large part of the admissions process is the interview, which you’ll need to thoroughly prepare for if you’re serious about getting into Barts. We recommend booking in with a medicine interview tutor at Barts to get the most realistic preparation for the interview. An interview tutor can help you to gain interview confidence, competence, and the knowledge-base you need to stand out from the crowd.