Published on September 11, 2023
Reading Time: 4 min
University of Sheffield Medical School Guide
Overview of University of Sheffield Medical School
Sheffield Medical School is a very popular destination for aspiring doctors. Sheffield has a great reputation due to the friendly and kind-hearted people that live there. It has the #1 rated Students’ Union in the UK therefore there is lots to get involved with outside of medicine. The origins of the University trace back to the founding of the Medical School in 1828. It is also one of the original red brick Universities and is only 15 minutes away from the Peak District.
Academic Entry Requirements for Sheffield Medical School
| A Level | AAA (Chemistry and Biology and a second science) |
| Scottish Highers | AAAAB |
| Scottish Advanced Highers | AAAAB Chemistry or Biology and another science subject |
| IB | 6s in Higher Level Subjects (including Chemistry or Biology and another science subject) and no less than 4 in each of the Standard level subjects 36 points N.B. The University of Sheffield offers a lower contextual offer of AAB |
UCAT Score Needed for Sheffield
Sheffield requires that all applicants sit the UCAT. This is used to rank applicants in order to determine who is invited for an interview. For 2021 entry the minimum UCAT score needed to be invited to interview was 2780 for home students and 2710 for international applicants.
Places for Home and International Students
Sheffield Medical School has 273 places for home students and 18 places for international students. There are also 15 places available for home students from widening participation backgrounds to enter the graduate-entry programme. However, there are no places for international students for Graduate Entry Medicine at Sheffield.
Sheffield Medicine Acceptance Rate
In 2023, there were 2200 applications for 306 places. As a result, medicine at Sheffield is considered competitive, with an acceptance rate of 13.9% in 2023.
Teaching Style at Sheffield Medical School
Sheffield has a systems-based course with pre-clinical teaching covering the body systems through lectures, practicals, classes, and tutorials. The second phase of the course includes both lectures and clinical experience. Phase 3 of the course is clinically based and lasts just under two years. It includes both study and clinical experience covering both primary and secondary care. The final year involves preparing for clinical practice after graduation. This includes a series of lectures that aids with consolidating knowledge and then two longitudinal integrated placements in different hospitals and clinical areas.
Life as a Medical Student at Sheffield
In the first year, a typical day would include a mix of lectures/practicals and anatomy lab from 9-5. There is also clinical exposure relatively early on with GP visits every other week and day shifts in the hospital every term. Clinical exposure starts early with GP placements and clinical skills being a feature of the first year.
University of Sheffield Medicine Fees
Home students will pay £9,250 per year. International students at Sheffield Medical School will pay £43,150 per year for 2024 entry.
University of Sheffield Medical School Ranking
The Complete University Guide ranks Sheffield as the 15th placed Medical School in the UK. The Guardian ranks Sheffield as the 31st placed Medical School in the UK.
It’s important to keep in mind that university rankings are subjective and can be based on different criteria. Rankings can be a factor when deciding which medical schools you apply to, but make sure to have a holistic approach when making your decisions and consider which universities you would thrive in the most.
Sheffield Medical School Interview
Sheffield uses an MMI style of interview. This includes 8 stations with 8 minutes being spent at each station
The topics of these stations often relate to:
- Knowledge of Sheffield
- Medicine in a wider context
- Good Medical practice
- Attitudes and values
- The candidate as a person
- Communication skills
- Ethics
- Information processing
The score of applicants in their UCAT SJT is used as a score for a ninth station in the interview. The overall score of the interview is used to rank applicants to decide who gets an offer.
Some example questions for Sheffield are listed below, with a brief answer guide underneath:
- Why do you want to come to Sheffield to study medicine?
It’s crucial to have an idea as to why a particular university is suitable for you. Some key things to consider here are the course structure, teaching style, campus/social life, and access to hospitals or specialities of interest. Reading around the university website and reviews/posts by current and former students will help give you an idea of what it’s like to study at a particular university. - What are three of the essential qualities of a doctor, and how have you demonstrated one of these?
Reading the ‘Outcomes for Graduates’ and ‘Good Medical Practice’ documents from the General Medical Council (GMC) will give you a good idea of the qualities medical schools (and hospitals) will look for. Examples of key qualities for doctors include:
Compassion, Empathy, Communication, Leadership, Teamwork, amongst many more!
When describing how you have demonstrated a skill, make sure to reflect on exactly what you did and how you know you were successful. Showing a strong ability to reflect on your experiences and take key lessons away from them is an important part of any medical school interview. - What are your thoughts on the ongoing industrial action by Junior Doctors?
An awareness of current issues in medicine is very important to have in the build up to an interview. Reading news articles about ongoing issues such as the Junior Doctor strikes will help answer this question. Structure is very important in getting your points across – make sure to present the ‘for’ and ‘against’ sections of the argument, before coming to your own conclusion. Remember – they are not necessarily testing you on your conclusion, but your awareness of the subject and your logcial reasoning. - Is it ever okay to discuss a patient case that you’ve seen in hospital with your colleagues?
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of medical ethics. During your time at university, you will spend a lot of time on the ward and will want to discuss your experiences with your supervising doctors and colleagues. It is important to respect the patients’ right to confidentiality when doing so, by making sure that you are not discussing any information which could be used to identify the patient and ensuring that any private conversations are not overheard.
