University of Southampton Medical School Guide

Overview of the University of Southampton Medical School

Southampton is unique in being a coastal University which brings many benefits that other Universities won’t have. For this reason, it has a lot of maritime heritage. It is also well known for sports, historical sites, and green spaces. The University is a member of the Russell Group, composed of 7 campuses and is the largest University in the South-East of England.

Academic Requirements

Subject	Grade	Other
A Level	AAA	Assessed on a case-by-case basis, but generally, S5 minimum requirements include Chemistry and Biology
Scottish Higher	AAAAB	Assessed on a case by case basis, but generally, S5 minimum requirements include Chemistry and Biology
Scottish Advanced Highers	AB (plus an additional subject at Advanced Higher or Higher at A or B)	Needs to include Chemistry and Biology.
IB	36 points	6 in Biology and one additional Science. Acceptable science subjects are Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography.

Graduate Entry

Southampton offers Graduate Entry Medicine as a four-year course. Only Home Students are eligible for this whilst international Students must apply for the 5-year Medicine program. Those applying for this course must also take the UCAT exam.

Applicants must achieve a 2.1 in their prior degree. This degree can be in any subject with there being no preference in the subject taken. There are no A Level requirements. Applicants must have 4 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including English language, Mathematics and either Biology or Chemistry, combined science, or science and additional science.

N.B There is also a Widening Participation course that is 6 years in length which includes a Foundation year. This year functions to cultivate scientific and professional practice.

UCAT or BMAT for the University of Southampton Medical School?

All applicants must take the UCAT.

The lowest UCAT score for a graduate home applicant in 2020 was 2930.

The lowest UCAT score for an undergraduate home applicant in 2020 was 2680.

Life as a Medical Student at the University of Southampton

You will spend a lot of time in a hospital environment even during pre-clinical years as the medical school works closely with the hospital. The rest of the University is on a separate campus north of the city center. Around the campus, there is a lot to do for students and you can travel into the city centre for even more.

Pros	Cons
Early clinical exposure	A large emphasis is placed on the UCAT exam
Pastoral Support	There is quite a lot of traveling involved traveling between different sites
Research opportunities
Free bus pass for those living in University accommodation

University of Southampton Medical School Ranking

Southampton ranks as the 28th medical school in the UK according to The Guardian. The Complete University Guide ranks it 30th.

It’s important to keep in mind that university rankings are subjective and based on differing criteria. Rankings may be a factor in 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.

Fees

Home students – £9,250

International Students – £26,352 for preclinical years and £51,648 for clinical years 

Course Structure

The course is predominantly lecture-based and has an integrated approach.

In your first two years, the teaching is all pre-clinical. Most of the time is spent in lectures learning the foundations of the sciences that underlie medical practice. This includes subjects such as anatomy (taught through prosection), physiology, and pathology. This is done using a systems-based approach. A typical day during pre-clinical years may involve half a day to a whole day full of lectures and/or practicals.

In the second year, there is a Healthcare Support Worker placement that is unique to Southampton University. This gives you a feel of what it is like to work in the hospital and be exposed to the different professionals who will be working within a hospital. After this, you can actually work as a health care support worker allowing you to earn a bit of money on the side if you wish.

At the start of Year 3, all students conduct a research project. There is a wide range of subjects to choose from and completion of this grants you a BMedSci qualification. If you desire to pursue research even further then you can do an integrated master’s (MMedSci) which is tailored for medical students.

The rest of Year 3 is spent doing clinical placements. The rest of your time is spent doing clinical placements and rotating through different specialties.

Interview Process

This is called the selection day at Southampton University. This involves both an interview and a group task.

During this day the criteria that the University will be assessing are:

• Self-motivation and resilience
• Reflection of life experiences
• Effective communication
• Successful interactions with peers
• Understanding of the values of the NHS constitution