Edge Hill Medical School Guide

Overview of the Edge Hill University Medical School

The Edge Hill University Medical School is one of the newest medical schools in the UK, formed in 2019. As well as this, it is also the smallest medical school in the UK, offering only 20 places for new students each year.

Edge Hill University, located in Ormskirk, Lancashire, offers modern, state-of-the-art learning facilities. These include a simulation suite and clinical skills labs. All clinical placements take place in areas around the North West of England.

Edge Hill University Medical School offers 2 medical courses. The first is a five-year undergraduate course. Additionally, it offers a six-year Medicine with Foundation Year course. Edge Hill does not offer any graduate entry medicine courses. Below you will find details of the degree, academic and entrance exam requirements, interview process, and more.

Academic Entry Requirements for Medicine at Edge Hill

A Levels	AAA. Must take Chemistry and Biology. If an applicant achieves an A* in Biology or Chemistry, the third A-Level subject can be at grade B.
Scottish Highers	AAAAB. Must take Biology and Chemistry.
IB	36 points. Must achieve a grade 6 in Higher Level Biology, Chemistry, and one more subject. Grade 5 minimum in all Standard Level subjects.
Irish Leaving Certificate	Three higher level subjects at Grade H1. Must take Biology and Chemistry. Three subjects at grade H2. Must include English Language and Mathematics.
Bachelor’s Degree (graduates only)	D3D3D3 including Biology and Chemistry.
GCSEs	5 GCSEs at Grade B/6. Must include Chemistry, Biology, English Language, and Maths

UCAT Score Needed for Edge Hill Medical School

All applicants must take the UCAT Medical Admissions Test before their application. They must achieve scores in the relevant admissions cycle before the intended year of entry.

If applicants meet the minimum academic criteria, they are ranked on their UCAT scores. A UCAT threshold will be set in accordance with the number of interviews to be held that year. In 2021, the UCAT cut-off score was 2620, but this varies each year.

Additionally, Edge Hill considers the Situational Judgement Test. A band 4 score in the Situational Judgement Test will be rejected without an interview. Edge Hill invites applicants who meet the UCAT threshold to interview.

For candidates who meet specific widening participation criteria, the UCAT threshold is extended. Also, it applies to applicants who completed the Edge Hill Widening Access to Medicine Programme.

Life as a Student at Edge Hill

Edge Hill Medical School is in the North West of England, close to Liverpool and Manchester. The university is in a beautiful location and is campus-based. Everything is accessible and easy to reach.

Pros of studying Medicine at Edge Hill University:

• Newly-developed medical school with modern resources, equipment, and facilities.
• Blended teaching style of medical science, clinical practice, and professional development.
• Opportunities to take part in medical electives, research projects, and global health initiatives.

Cons of studying Medicine at Edge Hill University:

• Lack of established reputation due to the medical school being newly developed.
• No strong alumni network so less opportunity for connections and mentorship.

Home Students and International Student Places for Medicine at Edge Hill

EU/EEA and Swiss students with settled/pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible to apply for this course. Irish nationals are also eligible. As of 2023, other international students are not eligible to apply.

For 2022 entry, 311 applications were received and Edge Hill offered a total of 107 places. These places were all offered to home students, as Edge Hill does not currently accept international applicants into their medical school.

The Edge Hill University Medical School Fees

For UK full-time undergraduate students tuition fees are £9,250 a year.

EU/EEA and Swiss students with settled/pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate. There are no international fees as international applicants are not currently accepted onto the course.

Edge Hill Medical School Course Structure

Year 1	Life sciences Structure and function of the human body Public health Social science
Year 2	Increased understanding of illness and well-being. More clinical exposure in general practice and in hospitals. Students undertake a community-related project.
Year 3	Students gain insight into care for specific patient groups in hospital/community settings. Enhancing clinical and professional skills through clinical placement.
Year 4	Greater emphasis within a range of specialties. Develop an understanding of the relationship between primary and secondary care.
Year 5	Students become prepared for practice Student assistantships Specialist placement Focus on acute medicine.

Edge Hill Medical School Interview Process

The Edge Hill University Medical School uses an MMI interview style – for the last two years, these have been via Microsoft Teams. The interviews involve eight stations which each last for seven minutes.

Interview Topics for Edge Hill:

• Motivation to study medicine
• Verbal communication skills
• Integrity and probity
• Teamwork and leadership
• Awareness of current health challenges
• Ethical awareness
• Awareness of self and others
• Decision making
• Data interpretation

Individual scores for each MMI station are combined into a score. These scores are then ranked and offers are made to the top-scoring students.

Some example questions for Edge Hill are listed below, with a brief answer guide underneath:

1. What is your motivation for studying medicine at Edge Hill?
   This question has two core components: your reasons for studying medicine, and your reasons for choosing Edge Hill. For the motivation to study medicine, think about what sets the career of being a doctor apart from other careers and what steps you’ve taken to learn more about this. It is also important in this question to consider what you like specifically about Edge Hill – the university website is the best resource to learn more about life at Edge Hill.
2. What are three problems that the NHS is facing right now?
   Reading around the UK healthcare system and any challenges that it may be facing is a crucial part of interview prep. Some examples of challenges that the NHS faces are: Junior Doctor industrial action, Consultant industrial action, changes to the UKFPO job allocation, funding, postcode/area inequalities, job retention, and the prolonged effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Without using any gestures, please describe how to tie a pair of shoelaces.
   This question tests your verbal communication skills – it is surprisingly difficult to explain how to tie shoelaces without using any gestures! Clear, simple instructions are key to effectively communicating an abstract/complex task. Regularly checking that the interviewer has understood your previous instructions and is happy so far will be very helpful.
4. Discuss a time when you demonstrated good teamwork skills. What was effective about your teamwork?
   This question is testing your self-reflection as much as your teamwork skills. It is important to effectively communicate not only how you demonstrated the skill, but also why these skills helped you achieve your goal. Reflection is key here – what would you do differently? Why will these skills help you in a medical career?