Medicine BM6 Widening Participation (BMBS)

Program Overview

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This integrated medicine course is only open to UK applicants.

You'll study at one of the UK's leading teaching hospitals, Southampton General Hospital, and at our purpose-built life sciences facilities on campus. You'll gain clinical experience from the start of your course, meeting patients in hospital and primary care settings. You'll also benefit from our world-leading medical research groups, carrying out your own in-depth project.

This BMBS Medicine BM6 course is designed to

widen participation

in medicine. For example, you may be able to apply if you or your parent or guardian receive benefits, or you are the first in your family to apply for a higher education course.

As part of your degree you will:

attend weekend shifts as a healthcare support worker to experience multi-professional teamworking

take a student assistantship module in year 5

undertake your own research project in year 3

You can:

take your year 5 elective anywhere in the UK, or abroad

apply for a master's of medical science or a MSc at Southampton - or study for a BSc or MSc at another university - between year 3 and year 4 (known as intercalation)

take an optional French or Spanish language module in year 3

You can get involved in

research

and

entrepreneurship

. We work on life-changing treatments and therapies in partnership with industry and with experts in the physical sciences, computing, engineering and mathematics fields.

You'll meet patients in clinical settings and will learn from

volunteer patients

, simulated environments and prepared patient cases.

In year 3 students may be placed in partner trusts including Portsmouth and Winchester as well as Southampton. In the final 2 years of the programme students are placed across the Wessex region.

Learn more about placements

Program Outline

This course lasts for 6 years. Year 0 is designed to build your skills and confidence and give you a grounding in scientific and professional practice.

After year 0, the course is the same as our main A100 BM5 medical degree. It is split into 4 distinct phases, with clinical practice throughout.

You will get clinical experience from the first weeks of your course. Clinical experience may involve weekend and evening working. In year 0, most of your teaching sessions will take place over 3 days of the week. From year 1 onwards, your course will be timetabled throughout the week.

You must pass all the course modules to progress to the next stage and graduate.

Year 0 overview

You'll have interactive sessions studying physiological, anatomical and biochemical concepts and principles and learn how they apply to medicine. You'll also take placements where you can observe how things work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and GP surgeries. You'll meet patients and healthcare staff.

You'll further develop your professional abilities by learning about ethics, psychology and sociology, including the factors that influence health and illness.  You'll produce a portfolio of your project and placement experience.

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Year 1 overview

Phase 1: The Fundamentals of Medicine

This phase takes place over the first 2 years and is made up of 4 university semesters. During this phase, you will complete a number of systems-based modules integrating anatomy, physiology, pathology and pharmacology with the psychosocial sciences.

You'll also complete a Medicine into Practice module in years 1 and 2. This will give you the opportunity to learn medical history-taking and examination skills in both primary care and hospital settings. In year 1 you will choose 2 Student Selected Units focusing on public health and medical humanities.

Phase 1 modules are:

Foundations of Medicine

Cardiopulmonary

Locomotor

Renal

Nervous System

Gastrointestinal System

Endocrinology and the Life Cycle

Research into Medicine and Health

Medicine in Practice 1 and 2

Student Selected Unit 1 and 2

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Year 2 overview

You'll complete phase 1.

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Year 3 overview

Phase 2: Progression into Clinical Practice

Year 3 begins with a 16-week module focusing on your research project.

This is followed by 24 weeks of clinical placement focusing on:

Primary Care and Long-term Conditions

Medicine and Elderly Care

Surgery and Orthopaedics

This course also has the option to take a master's of Medical science between year 3 and year 4 (known as intercalation). You can apply for this in year 3.

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Year 4 overview

Phase 3: Developing Clinical Practice

This phase takes place through year 4 over 37 weeks. It continues through the first half of year 5 and ends with the year 5 exams. During this phase your studies and clinical practice will include the following modules:

Acute Care

Child Health

Clinical Ethics and Law

speciality weeks (neurology, dermatology, head and neck and ophthalmology)

Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Genitourinary Medicine

Psychiatry

In year 5, in the 24-week placement leading up to finals, you will have clinical placements in Medicine, Surgery and Primary Care. You can also choose to complete a fourth student selected unit.

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Year 5 overview

You'll continue with Phase 3: Developing Clinical Practice, and move into Phase 4.

Phase 4: Preparing for Independent Practice

After finals you will undertake an elective: an 8-week placement abroad or in the UK. You will also complete an assistantship module where you will shadow a Foundation doctor for 2 weeks each in Medicine and Surgery. This will prepare you for entering the Foundation programme as a newly qualified doctor in August.

Want more detail?

See all the modules in the course.