Our graduates are entitled to provisional registration with the General Medical Council, with a licence to practise, subject to demonstrating to the GMC that their fitness to practise is not impaired. 

Preference is giving to those students who have achieved a first class life science degree. A sound knowledge base in Chemistry is essential, either from A levels or other pre-university examinations, or from the content of the degree programme.

Many more candidates than we are able to interview exceed the minimum requirements. Secondary school qualifications are used to discriminate between applicants.  In particular, we expect very good results in Science, English and Mathematics. As a guide our A level threshold requirements are BBB, though this may be raised through competition.

See also general entry requirements.

We want our students to start the course with a good knowledge of biological processes, cell functions and cell interactions. The degrees we regard as generally suitable are:

• Biochemistry/Medical Biochemistry 
• Biomedical Science 
• Dentistry 
• Human Biology/Physiology/Pharmacology 
• Pharmacy 
• Physiotherapy

Many other degrees may be suitable, but variations between different degree programmes will require each programme to be looked at individually (i.e. syllabus assessed). These include:

• Most Biological Sciences degrees 
• Nursing 
• Podiatry 
• Psychology 
• Sports Science/Sports Studies

We do not use any additional admissions test such as UKCAT or GAMSAT.

Candidates who are undertaking higher degrees are expected to have submitted their dissertations or theses before starting the course. A higher degree does not supersede the above requirements.

Applicants should enter details of all their qualifications on the relevant section of the UCAS form. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

We may not be able to consider degrees from overseas institutions because of the uncertainty in assessing the equivalence to a UK-based degree qualification.

In consideration for an offer, academic excellence is not the only requirement. Candidates must also provide evidence of being well-motivated to a career in medicine, and have significant non-academic interests and appropriate personal qualities.

All candidates who receive offers will have been interviewed (click on “Additional Information” tab – above).

International Students

This course is open to home/EU students only.

Applicants must have excellent written and spoken English. In line with the requirements for applicants from the UK, normally we expect grade A in English at GCSE (or equivalent). Please note that the university’s Standard English language requirements are minimum standards, which are likely to be raised through competition.

Non-academic offer requirements

All accepted candidates will be required to complete a health declaration form, and some may be contacted by an Occupational Health Physician where appropriate.

The UK Government Health Authorities require that all medical students must be screened to ensure that they are not carriers of the hepatitis B virus. All applicants who accept an offer must:

• Undertake a screening blood test for Hepatitis B.
• If negative, they must start a course of immunisation.
• Thereafter provide certified evidence of these.

Prospective students are strongly advised to take the blood test in good time.

The UK Government Health Authorities recommend that all medical students should be offered screening for a number of blood-borne viruses (Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus as well as Hepatitis B). You should be advised that any health care worker who is infected with any of these viruses (or who cannot prove that they are not infected) is not able to undertake exposure prone procedures when qualified (which are defined as ‘those invasive procedures where there is a risk that injury to the worker may result in the exposure of the patient’s open tissues to the blood of the worker.’). The MBChB Course at Birmingham is a non-Exposure-Prone Procedure course, so students with Hep C and/or HIV will not reflect any risk to patients during the course. Therefore, students who are positive or decline the offer of a blood test will still be permitted to continue on the programme. Although, medical students may engage in exposure-prone procedures on a voluntary basis (for example, during their elective). If this is the case, students are required to be screened.

For further information about these requirements, please see: Medical and Dental Students: Health clearance for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and Tuberculosis.

A satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau check is required from accepted candidates prior to registration for the programme. All students are required to sign the Fitness to Practise Code of Conduct prior to entry, details of which will be forwarded with an offer letter.

Medical students are expected to attend the entire course, which includes some evening and weekend work.

Opportunities for candidates with disabilities

We take a positive view of what candidates with disabilities can achieve as future medical professionals and take seriously our obligation to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all students with disabilities can successfully complete their studies. All applicants will be assessed up to and including the interview on the basis of the criteria outlined above regardless of any disability. All students, including those with disabilities, have to be able to meet the competency thresholds set by the GMC. If you declare a disability we will invite you to work with us to explore how best we can support your studies.

In addition to our five-year Medicine and Surgery MBChB programme, we have this four-year MBChB for graduates with a first degree in a life science. 

Phase 1 – clinical orientation (one year)

This phase begins with a programme covering, in addition to biological sciences, anatomy and medicine in society, since you will have covered little of these in comparison with your knowledge of other life science subjects. In the first year you work on problem-based case studies as part of a group of about eight students, with a tutor for your group. Each of you covers all aspects of the case studies. The problems are grouped into four- to six-week themed blocks covering basic science, anatomy (including prosection), ethics, medicine in society and behavioural science, with all these aspects integrated into each of the case studies.

Over the year you work in your group with different tutors to prepare you for the way group working operates within the health service.

A typical week might involve:

• A period of self-directed learning
• Presentations to the group of the results from the previous week’s problem and discussing the problem for the next week
• Group work in anatomy, clinical skills and basic science
• Time for meeting experts and meeting your group tutor
• Lectures covering the context and concepts that underpin the themes of the blocks
• Time in primary care with direct patient contact to obtain the necessary communication and clinical skills

There are formative assessments each semester, together with feedback from your tutor to assist you in your learning. At the end of the year there is a summative assessment on your clinical skills, knowledge and interpretive aspects of your learning.

Phase 2 – clinical experience

Your second year is based in the teaching Trusts that currently teach the third-year course for students on the five-year MBChB. You spend the first semester in one teaching Trust, and rotate to another in the second. This clinical experience and rotation between Trusts is the same as that for students on the five-year MBChB, and you also join these students in their clinical science lectures and in the teaching and special study module in public health and epidemiology. But, as a GEC student you continue with a small component of case-based learning to further your basic and behavioural science training.

A typical week might involve:

• Lectures
• Small-group clinical teaching sessions
• Clinic sessions
• One day in primary care
• Attendance with the on-call medical or surgical team
• A period of self-directed learning

After your first clinical year, you have the same knowledge and skills – having achieved the same learning objectives – as students who have completed the third year of the five-year MBChB programme. From this stage both routes share an identical programme.

Your third year includes attachments in medical sub-specialty modules such as cardiology, urology, bone and joint disease psychiatry and oncology. In the final year you will have clinical attachments in internal medicine and surgery and further experience in obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, paediatrics and general practice. 

View a video of one of our ex Undergraduate students talking about studying Medicine and living in Birmiingham.

Career opportunities

On completion of the two foundation years, which are compulsory post-graduation, you can then apply for posts in the field of your choice. For most of our graduates these are hospital and primary care posts in the NHS, but there are also opportunities in laboratory-based disciplines such as pathology, or in research. Some doctors move into more commercial fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, politics, or medical journalism and the media. Whichever direction you choose to go in, your training here gives you a first-class springboard.  

View a video of Helen Parry, MBChB Graduate and Core Medical Trainee Level 2, talking about her time studying at the University of Birmingham and how the skills she gained helped her build a career in medicine.