Graduate Entry Medicine MBChB

Program Overview

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Graduate Entry Medicine MBChB

Overview

The University of Chester's medical degree is a four-year, graduate entry MBChB programme, open to applicants with a previous degree in any discipline. Unlike many traditional MBChB degrees, this allows more mature students to consider becoming a doctor after having completed a previous course of study towards a graduate degree.

Course Structure

The course is structured into a series of core university and health and care placement blocks, which gradually introduce and prepare students for working with complex situations and more independently as a Foundation Doctor.

Year 1

The aim of Year 1 is to equip students with the core knowledge, practical and clinical skills needed to get the most out of the intensive clinical placements in the rest of the course. The first year is therefore mainly provided as university-based teaching in the Wheeler Building on the Chester campus.

Year 2

Year 2 is structured around three blocks of clinical placement, with academic blocks integrated throughout for additional teaching, support and guidance and a longitudinal student selected component (SSC) running across the year where students can study a topic in more depth in an area of practice or clinical specialty that interests them.

Year 3

Year 3 of the course begins with an 8-week academic block, designed to prepare students for the intensive Specialist Clinical Placements (SCPs) to follow, with opportunities to review and consolidate their learning and practice in areas of clinical procedural and communication skills within the university environment.

Year 4

Year 4 is designed to prepare students for the national Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) and for working as a Foundation doctor. In the final year, students will complete their final SCP, followed by the Junior Assistantship where they will rotate through acute medical and surgical specialties and primary and community care.

Modules

• Foundations of Science and Medicine (120 credits)
• Core Clinical Education and Principles of Clinical Practice (120 credits)
• Speciality Training Preparation for Practice 1
• Speciality Training Preparation for Practice 2

Teaching and Learning

• Lectures, seminars, clinical and communication skills, simulation and workshops
• Written and practical assessments including, workplace-based evaluations
• Case-Based Learning (CBL) is central to the MBChB curriculum

Entry Requirements

• Home Students:
  • At least an upper second class honours (2:1) degree in any subject
  • Candidates with a lower second class degree should hold either a Master's or a Doctoral qualification to be considered
  • Meeting the minimum threshold mark in either UCAT, GAMSAT or MCAT
  • 70 hours of work experience relevant to medicine
  • One reference from a person who holds/has held a position of responsibility
• International Students:
  • At least an upper second class honours (2:1) degree in any subject
  • Candidates with a lower second class degree should hold either a Master's or a Doctoral qualification to be considered
  • Meeting the minimum threshold mark in either UCAT, GAMSAT or MCAT
  • 70 hours of work experience relevant to medicine
  • One reference from a person who holds/has held a position of responsibility
  • English Language test certificate confirming a score of (or equivalent to) IELTS 7.0

Occupational Health

• Students must meet the immunisation and screening standards required for working in the National Health Service (NHS)
• An appointment with the Occupational Health (OH) provider will be arranged for students at the start of their training

Fees and Funding

• Home Students: £9,535 per year (2025/26)
• International Students: £44,000 per year (2025/26)
• Additional Costs: books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software

Who You'll Learn From

• Professor Kate Knight
• Professor Lauren Fisher
• Dr Simon Watmough
• Dr Andrew Fisher
• Dr Rebecca Banks
• Dr Michael Randles
• Dr Sandra Flynn
• Dr Ruth Taylor
• Dr Sabeel Valappil
• Matthew Shaw
• Professor John Reid
• Dr Nicola Connelly

Where You'll Study

• Wheeler, Chester
• City centre location
• Health and Social Care simulation suite
• On-site library
• Social spaces

Your Future Career

• Job prospects: Being a doctor is not just about scientific knowledge, students must develop both professionally and personally throughout their career
• Careers service: The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences
• Important aspects that students will explore include:
  • Teamworking
  • Managing change and uncertainty
  • Managing complexity
  • Patient safety, including understanding how medical errors occur
  • Leadership and management
  • Time management and task prioritisation
  • Becoming an effective teacher
  • Managing your own wellbeing, developing resilience to stress
  • Reflective thinking
  • Learning to learn effectively