Medicine

At St George’s, we strive to ensure our admissions process is fair and transparent. In order to make sure every applicant is treated equally, we use a process based on objective measures. For example, while we take the time to read your personal statement, it is not formally assessed, or used to determine whether you will be invited for a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).

The steps below outline our general admissions process and the way by which we determine which applicants will receive an offer to study Medicine MBBS / Graduate Entry Medicine at St George’s.

1. Each applicant that meets our academic entry criteria (see below) is ranked by their UCAT score for Medicine MBBS or by their GAMSAT score for Graduate Entry Medicine.
2. We have a set number of interview places available each year:
• we interview 800 – 1,000 applicants for our five-year Medicine programme;
• we interview 300 – 400 applicants for our four-year Graduate Entry Medicine programme.
3. Our UCAT/GAMSAT cut-off scores are determined by the number of available interviews. Interview places will be allocated to applicants who have the highest UCAT/GAMSAT scores until all of our available interview places are filled.
4. If, as a result of the number of MMIs we plan to offer, the cut-off score falls at a point where a group of applicants have achieved the same UCAT/GAMSAT score, we may increase or reduce the number of MMIs we conduct to accommodate all applicants who have received that score. This means that all eligible applicants with the same UCAT/GAMSAT score are considered equally.
5. You will then be invited to attend an MMI which is a values-based recruitment process and reinforces objectivity.
6. Once all of our interviews are conducted, we rank MMI scores and the highest performing applicants are made an offer to study Medicine at St George’s.

Additional information

UCAT results are used to select students invited to interview and may be used to rank a post-interview waiting list.

UCAT scores do not need to be included on your UCAS application as we will be informed of your scores directly by Pearsons and UCAS. Please ensure that the name you use to register for UCAT is the same as that used on your UCAS form so results can be matched. We will also be informed of applicants who are exempt from the test or subject to special arrangements.

For reference purposes, we have provided the 2021 UCAT cut off scores, as well as the overall scores we have required in previous years, on our Admissions Statistics page.

• Registration opens: 4 May 2020
• Testing begins: 1 July 2020
• Registration and online booking closes: 22 September 2020 at midday
• Final booking deadline: 5 October 2020 at midday
• Last testing date: 6 October 2020
• UCAS application deadline: 15 October 2020

Test preparation

UCAT has developed practice tests and a toolkit to support your test preparation.

View the information on the UCAT Candidate Preparation Toolkit page.

Details of the exam and how to register to sit the test can be found on the UCAT website

We understand the challenges for our prospective applicants for medicine and allied health courses trying to gain work experience at this time, particularly in clinical settings.    

In response to the government’s social distancing guidelines, which have a significant impact on all areas of life, we have chosen to relax our work experience requirements for prospective applicants for our courses which would normally require these.    

Despite the relaxed requirements, we still require our applicants to have an understanding of the realities of working as a healthcare professional and to show they have the necessary skills and attributes for their chosen career. Online resources can give you valuable insight into working in the healthcare sector and outline the wide range of careers and courses available. You can find a number of suggested resources for each of our courses here. 

If you studied but did not complete Medicine at an alternative university and are re-applying on the basis of A Levels, please provide formal evidence as to why you withdrew when you apply, or before 1^st November in the year of application. Please email the team at: admissions@sgul.ac.uk . Applicants will be reviewed on a case by case basis. We are not able to consider applicants who were suspended from  previous study due to fitness to practice issues or failure in assessments/examinations.

Applicants who are currently enrolled on a degree, but are not in their final year, cannot be considered for this course. In order to be considered, these applicants can apply as a graduate, or withdraw from their degree, and apply with their previous qualifications. 

Typical year one clinical sciences learning week

Selecting the option to study an intercalated BSc allows you to advance your coverage of a variety of topics and undertake in-depth research, resulting in the award of a Bachelor of Science degree (with Honours). You are supervised by academic and research staff in individual research laboratories. Entry is competitive and selection is based on academic results.

A number of opportunities are also available for students who wish to intercalate at an alternative institution.

A wide range of BSc modules is available, below are some examples:

• Diagnostic Microbiology

• Clinically Applied Musculoskeletal Anatomy

• Science of Reproduction

• Cloning, Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine

• Behavioural Medicine

• Therapeutics: protein to patient.

The course is structured across five years. The first two years (clinical science years) provide a thorough understanding of clinical science and first-hand clinical experience through a range of placements, giving you an insight into the patient journey and the role of multidisciplinary teams.

At the start of year three (T year) you will begin your transition from clinical science to clinical practice. You will undertake three five-week clinical attachments (medicine, general practice and surgery) interspersed with problem-based learning and lectures to consolidate and maximise the learning from your clinical experience.

In your fourth year (P year) you will rotate between 10-week clinical attachments in four specialities:

• surgery and surgical specialities

• medicine and medical specialties

• paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology

• neurology and psychiatry.

In your final year (F year) you will deepen your understanding of different areas of clinical practice through a series of assistantships where you shadow junior doctors and understand the role for which you are preparing. In this year you can also arrange to undertake elective study anywhere in the world.

We utilise a variety of teaching styles to encourage learning including:

• lectures

• expert tutorials

• clinical and communication skills sessions

• demonstrator-led anatomy teaching using whole-body prosections in the Dissecting Room

• directed self-learning

• student-selected special study

• independent study.

Case-based learning

Each week begins and ends with a tutorial based on a clinical scenario. By applying the taught theory to a clinical context, both your critical skills and learning techniques develop.

Problem-based learning

Given a clinical problem, you use self-directed research to make a diagnosis and suggest an appropriate course of action. Problem-based learning encourages learning in context, self-motivation and deep, rather than surface understanding.

Teaching takes place on our shared site in Tooting. It is supplemented by general practice attachments in London and hospital attachments throughout south London and south-east England, including:

• St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London

• Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, Carshalton, London

• Kingston Hospital NHS Trust, Kingston, Surrey

• Croydon Health Sciences NHS Trust, Croydon, London

• South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust.

The emphasis is on regular formative and summative assessments with detailed feedback throughout.

Assessment methods include:

• short answer questions

• single best answer

• clinical cases – for example, mini-CEX (Clinical Evaluation Exercise), Direct observations of Practical Procedures (DOPS), Case Based Discussion (CBD).

You will also be assessed with Objective Structured Practical Examinations in the Dissecting Room, and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) where you perform a set of structured tasks, which can include practical procedures, interviewing skills and examination of patients.

You will be assessed in three domains:

• doctor as practitioner: through objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE)

• doctor as scientist: through year-end knowledge tests

• doctor as professional: through longitudinal professional assessment, attendance and case analysis project.

Find out how this course is structured and assessed on the DiscoverUni website.

The GMC is in the process of implementing a national Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) that all UK medical graduates will need to pass in order to be granted registration with a licence to practise. Currently, indicative timelines suggest this will be applicable to students graduating in 2023 and beyond.

The format and details of the assessment are yet to be decided while the GMC is in consultation with all UK medical schools. However, it is not envisaged that the type or amount of assessment is likely to be significantly different from the existing assessments students undertake in their final year of Medicine. 

You can read more information on the GMC website.

• International applicants must provide a full syllabus/transcript of the subjects they have completed up to year 12 (or equivalent).

• Students from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland will need a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK.

Read our visa and immigration advice.

After making an application, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).

Multiple Mini Interview (held December to March)

An MMI combines traditional-style questions with task-based activities. The interview consists of eight activities each lasting five minutes (40 minutes in total).

This interview format provides a high level of interaction between you and the interviewer. It gives you a chance to demonstrate more than just a taught knowledge of your chosen field of science.

MMIs are a better predictor of academic performance and professional behaviour than traditional panel interviews. This format also allows us to assess more candidates in a shorter period of time, which means you will get the results of sooner.

Visit Taste of Medicine (Scrubbing Up section) for more advice on preparing for interviews.

Learn more about how to ace your MMI.

We define extenuating circumstances as unforeseen and outside of an applicant’s control. The circumstances must demonstrate that there has been a substantial, serious impact on your academic studies and results.

For example, such circumstances would include: health and personal problems, disability or difficulties with schooling. Whilst St George’s is keen to widen participation for particular groups, we are required to ensure that you as an applicant can cope with the rigours of, and are suited to, the programme you apply for.

Please note that we cannot consider extenuating circumstances in regards to UCAT scores.

Who can complete the form?

You will need to ask a representative or teacher at your school, college or university to complete the Extenuating Circumstances Form for Applicants (please note that this form is only for use by applicants and not current St George's students).

If your school or college is unaware of your circumstances, the form can be completed by another official such as a GP or social worker. Forms completed by family members unfortunately cannot be considered.

How and when the form needs to be submitted

The form needs to be completed and submitted by a representative or teacher at your school or college or university within 15 working days of you submitting your application form (UCAS or direct applications)

Please send the form to admissions@sgul.ac.uk

For medicine MBBS5 (A100) and medicine MBBS graduate entry (A101) - the form must be received no later than the 1^st November in the year of application.

For all other healthcare courses - the form should be received no later than 1 March (in the year of entry).

What else you need to include

It should include any information that is relevant to the application and the circumstances. Formal supporting documentation (e.g. from a GP) can also be attached. This will ensure that the Admissions Tutors are able to accurately assess the circumstances in context with the academic record.

Notes for schools/colleges/universities

When considering endorsing an applicant’s circumstances, please note the following points.

1. Appropriate circumstances would be serious, acute or chronic illness since the age of 14 or recently diagnosed illness (for example, depression) that has led to significant educational disruption.

2. Significant caring responsibilities or a recent bereavement or serious illness of an immediate family member.

3. Serious disruption of educational provision at their school/college/university.

Prospective students with disabilities which may impact on their learning or ability to progress in the course are normally invited to discuss their disability prior to accepting a place on the course, to ensure that we are able to make any reasonable adjustments to facilitate their progression through the course.

Students considered to be most at risk from Covid-19 should work at home wherever possible in line with government advice. Students who are going on placement will be required to complete an individual risk assessment and others may choose to do so. In addition, students from vulnerable groups, including care leavers, students estranged from their families and students with disabilities, are prioritised for help from the University’s Hardship Funds and for accommodation in Horton Halls. Priority for loans of laptops from the University will be given to those eligible to receive a hardship grant; those registered as disabled, care leavers or with caring responsibilities; and international students who may have difficulty sourcing an appropriate device on arrival in the UK.

We recognise the impact that the current circumstances may have on mental health and have expanded our counselling provision, offering remote appointments to any student. In addition, every student will be allocated a personal tutor to offer individual pastoral and academic support from the start of their studies. (Further information about health and wellbeing advice during Covid-19 is available here).

Priority consideration has been given to support for students with disabilities when accessing teaching and learning online, through the provision of automatic live captioning and British Sign Language within our primary technologies of Panopto, MS Teams and Big Blue Button. These can benefit a range of students, especially those who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as students with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), memory processing issues, and for whom English is an additional language.

Human-level captioning is also available where a need has been established through the Disability Advisory team. Human-level captioning requests are processed by the Learning Technology Services (LTS) section and can be requested by email to lts@sgul.ac.uk.  

We have screened all students entering clinical placement years (Years 3, 4 and 5) for susceptibility to serious Covid disease. We are liaising with Occupational Health to review the educational experience of those who are vulnerable to ensure that, where possible, they are able to continue with their course safely. This is aided by the increased remote provision we have developed. However, for some students learning in clinical environments may not be safe, and they may need to take a break in studies.

Students considered to be most at risk from Covid-19 should work at home wherever possible in line with government advice. Students who are going on placement will be required to complete an individual risk assessment and others may choose to do so. In addition, students from vulnerable groups, including care leavers, students estranged from their families and students with disabilities, are prioritised for help from the University’s Hardship Funds and for accommodation in Horton Halls. Priority for loans of laptops from the University will be given to those eligible to receive a hardship grant; those registered as disabled, care leavers or with caring responsibilities; and international students who may have difficulty sourcing an appropriate device on arrival in the UK.

We recognise the impact that the current circumstances may have on mental health and have expanded our counselling provision, offering remote appointments to any student. In addition, every student will be allocated a personal tutor to offer individual pastoral and academic support from the start of their studies. (Further information about health and wellbeing advice during Covid-19 is available here).

Priority consideration has been given to support for students with disabilities when accessing teaching and learning online, through the provision of automatic live captioning and British Sign Language within our primary technologies of Panopto, MS Teams and Big Blue Button. These can benefit a range of students, especially those who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as students with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), memory processing issues, and for whom English is an additional language.

Human-level captioning is also available where a need has been established through the Disability Advisory team. Human-level captioning requests are processed by the Learning Technology Services (LTS) section and can be requested by email to lts@sgul.ac.uk.  

Students with pre-existing illnesses or disabilities, or who are shielding

If you suffer, or have suffered, from a serious illness (physical or psychological) or have a disability, or have been required to shield due to Covid-19, please let us know. St George’s is committed to supporting our students and will explore all reasonable adjustments to support you to thrive on your course.

Please contact our Disability Advisor as soon as possible with details to help us establish whether your health history or disability is likely to affect your ability to study or practise. This will also give us sufficient time to carry out a detailed assessment, obtain reports and organise additional expert assessments if required.

Attendance at site

Most of our courses include elements of teaching for which you will be required to attend the University site. Attendance at these sessions will be essential to enable you to engage with the course and undertake assessments.

Placements

You will be required to undertake a personal risk assessment before you can attend any placement that is part of your course (or undertake certain other activities, such as those which include the practice of clinical skills or require the use of PPE). Where a health concern arises, every effort will be made to identify alternative placement arrangements, but your health and safety will be the first priority, and alternative arrangements may not be possible. This may have implications for the continuation of your study. If you are clinically vulnerable or have been shielding, we strongly encourage you to contact the Disability Advisor now to undertake an assessment.

Students with pre-existing illnesses or disabilities, or who are shielding

If you're a student with a pre-existing illness or disability, or who is shielding, your course team will contact you to ask if you would like to complete a personal risk assessment before you return to the site. If you suffer from a serious illness which may increase your level of risk, or have been required to shield due to Covid-19, we recommend that you complete a personal risk assessment. St George’s is committed to supporting our students and will explore all reasonable adjustments to support you to thrive on your course. 

Attendance at site

For the majority of our courses, we will delivering an element of face to face, hands-on teaching on campus in line with social distancing guidelines which you are required to attend. If you will be unable to attend teaching on-site due to a health reason, you must let us know by the start of the academic year so we can consider alternative arrangements to ensure you progress through the course. Mitigating Circumstances can still be submitted for unforeseen illnesses; however, being unable to attend the site due to shielding or being at heightened risk from a pre-existing illness or disability will not be accepted as grounds for Mitigating Circumstances. Please discuss this with your course team and complete a personal risk assessment so that all reasonable adjustment can be made.

Placements 

You will be required to undertake a personal risk assessment before you can attend any placement (or undertake certain other activities, such as those including the practice of clinical skills or requiring the use of PPE) that is part of your course. Where a health concern arises, every effort will be made to identify alternative placements arrangements, but your health and safety will be the first priority, and where alternative arrangements are not possible, there may be implications for your studies. If you are clinically vulnerable or have been shielding, we strongly encourage you to contact your course team now to undertake a personal risk assessment.

At this stage, we expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress through the programme and graduate without delay.

We have developed an alternative assessment strategy to enable students to complete assessments remotely without coming on to campus. These cover all the essential elements for Year 1, and many of those for Year 2 should that still be necessary.

In subsequent years of the course, the programme does include essential practical elements (clinical examination skills, procedures and communication skills) that require some learning and assessment on campus, as well as on clinical placements in a range of NHS settings. We have identified the elements or learning and assessment essential to progression and graduation that have to be delivered on-site, and aim to deliver these as planned in 2020/21 with appropriate social distancing and personal protective measures. We are also planning for at least some assessments to be undertaken remotely (by video) in the event that changing government advice precludes on-site assessments. 

Clinical placement providers are continuing to offer placements as they have in previous years, but with reduced capacity in some areas, and with substantial changes to how services are delivered. Their capacity to offer placements may change if, in the event of a further outbreak of Covid-19, delivering care to affected patients becomes the overriding priority.

If that happens, it is expected that students will remain on their placements and continue to benefit from the experience of apprentice-style learning in a clinical environment, although opportunities in some specialist areas may be reduced. We will limit the impact on students where possible. We will rotate students through the sites that are continuing to accept students and, where necessary and possible, we will use remote and simulation facilities to offer a comparable clinical experience. For continuing students, it may be possible to delay placements until the following academic year to protect their safety. However, there is a possibility that graduation for some final year students may be delayed until such time as they are able to complete all placements.

At this stage, we expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress from one year of the programme to the next and to graduate without delay.

We have developed an alternative assessment strategy to enable students to complete written assessments remotely and without coming on to campus, should that still be necessary.

The programme does include practical elements (clinical examination skills, procedures and communication skills) that require delivery on campus, as well as experience in clinical placements in a range of NHS settings. We have identified the elements or learning and assessment essential to progression and graduation that have to be delivered on-site, and aim to deliver these as planned in 2020/21 with appropriate social distancing and personal protective measures. We are also planning for at least some assessments to be undertaken remotely (e.g. by video) in the event that changing government advice precludes on-site assessments.

Clinical placement providers are continuing to offer placements as they have in the previous years, but with reduced capacity in some areas, and with substantial changes to how services are delivered. Their capacity to offer placements may change if, in the event of a further outbreak of Covid-19, delivering care to affected patients becomes the overriding priority.

If that happens, it is expected that students will remain on placements and continue to benefit from the experience of apprentice-style learning in a clinical environment, although opportunities in some specialist areas may be reduced. We will limit the impact on students where possible. We will rotate students through the sites that are continuing to accept students and, where necessary and possible, we will use remote and simulation facilities to offer a comparable clinical experience. For continuing students, it may be possible to delay placements until the following academic year to protect their safety. However, there is a possibility that graduation for some final year students may be delayed until they are able to complete all placements.

We do not expect students to incur any extra costs over and above those that we have advertised on the course page.

As a result of our courses beginning with the majority of teaching online, you will need a personal laptop or computer and access to the internet to participate in online lectures. Information is available on recommended device specification. If you are worried you might struggle to meet these requirements, you should email IThardship@sgul.ac.uk so we can look at support options for you.

Personal protective equipment in line with guidance at the time will be provided to students who attend for onsite practical sessions at the university, and also to those on clinical placements, as long as the NHS supply chain to those placements is maintained.

We do not expect students to incur any extra costs over and above the normal level, as previously advertised on the course page.

Personal protective equipment in line with guidance at the time will be provided to students who attend for onsite practical sessions at the university will go on clinical placements, as long as the NHS supply chain to those placements is maintained.

We assess the applied clinical and scientific knowledge, clinical skills and professional attributes of our students in a variety of ways. These include formal written examinations (mainly Single Best Answer with some Short Answer Questions), Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and a professionalism portfolio that varies in content over the duration of the course. 

We intend to carry out all of the assessments as outlined in the programme specification for students in 2020/21, and new students joining in 2021/22.

Written assessments will be in the format previously specified, but may be delivered online rather than on-campus if local or national health conditions preclude large gatherings at the time. We successfully delivered online assessments this year. We intend to use remote proctoring for invigilation if online delivery is required.  

If conditions mean large scale OSCEs are not possible, our contingency plan is to either use remote clinical examinations or to defer assessment till later in the academic year, or even following year. Decisions on this will depend upon the degree and extent of disruption at the time and throughout the academic year.

Your professionalism portfolio will be assessed as described in the programme specification. Again, if health conditions interrupt the academic year, we may have to modify certain elements of this assessment. In the first year, however, major changes should not be required.

We assess the applied clinical and scientific knowledge, clinical skills and professional attributes of our students in a variety of ways. The methods that we use include formal written examinations (mainly Single Best Answer with some Short Answer Questions), Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and a professionalism portfolio that varies in content over the duration of the course. 

We intend to carry out all of the assessments as normal for students in 2020/21, and new students joining in 2021/22.

Written assessments will be of the same format as specified, but may be delivered online rather than on-campus if local or national conditions preclude large gatherings at the time. We successfully delivered online assessments this year. We intend to use remote proctoring for invigilation if online delivery is required.

If conditions mean large scale OSCEs are not possible, our contingency plan is either to use remote clinical examinations, to use a clinical portfolio-based approach, or to defer assessment. Decisions on this will depend upon the degree and extent of disruption at the time and throughout the academic year. If that happens, graduation for some final year students may be delayed until you are able to complete all assessments, because we have any obligation to our regulators to confirm that our students have met the clinical and practical outcomes for the programme before they graduate.

The professionalism portfolio will be assessed as described in the programme specification. Again, if health conditions reduce clinical contact time on placements, we will have to modify certain elements of this assessment. We may need to use ‘student selected components’ and ‘elective time’ to ensure you have adequate clinical placement time. Where this is required, and a student has as a result not been able to complete an SSC or elective, any associated assessment requirements will also be amended to reflect the change.  Workplace-based assessments are another important part of this assessment which may be affected by reduced clinical contact time where the make-up and numbers may need to be modified proportionally to any disruption. All other strands of this portfolio will be delivered as normal.

The changes that we are making are the consequence of current public health advice, and our capacity to offer alternatives is limited by that advice. If you wish to avoid these changes by deferring your offer please contact admissions@sgul.ac.uk.

The changes that we are making are the consequence of current public health advice, and our capacity to offer alternatives is limited by that advice. You will be required to consent to these changes as part of your re-enrolment. If you wish to avoid these changes (e.g. by taking a year out from your studies) please discuss this directly with your course team in the first instance. We remain, as always, focused on the best experience and outcomes for our students.