MBBS Medicine with a Gateway Year

Key details

MBBS MEDICINE WITH A GATEWAY YEAR

Start Year

2020

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

UCAS course code

A104

Entry Requirements

BBB

The Gateway Year of this course will equip you with the academic skills and knowledge you will need to progress onto our five-year MB BS Medicine course. Complete it successfully and you’ll be well on your way to your career as a qualified doctor.

At Norwich Medical School we put patients at the heart of everything we do. With a curriculum approved by the General Medical Council (GMC) and developed in accordance with their standards, our MB BS degree in Medicine will see you embarking on placements almost immediately. As soon as you progress on to the MB BS you’ll gain early exposure to the clinical practices essential to addressing the complex needs of patients in the 21st century. And you’ll graduate ready to use your skills and knowledge in your chosen field to improve the health of patients in your care.

Our rigorous training ensures we develop doctors who are knowledgeable scholars and scientists. And we pride ourselves on providing the highest possible quality of learning, in a supportive, nurturing and student-centred environment where you can reach your potential.

Highlights of Medicine at UEA

Learning with and from real patients, from the first month of your course
Exploring anatomy linked to clinical practice in our anatomy facility, including dissection
Access to a varied range of clinical placements on acute hospital wards, specialist units and in general practice
Linking theory with practice across the course, including during small-group teaching sessions and within primary care placements
Developing your clinical skills with access to the world-class and architecture-award winning Bob Champion Research and Education Building, with its state-of-the-art facilities and purpose-built clinical resource centre
Developing the art of communication through our excellent consultation skills programme, supported by dedicated tutors and role-players
A team of respected, highly experienced teaching and research academics, who’ll support your learning in our friendly, student-centred School
Strong networks for student support, including a dedicated and experienced team of senior advisers

About

Walk out into the world as a highly competent, empathic and confident doctor. This course gives you effective learning opportunities with hands-on experience and training in modern practices as you progress through the programme. 

Medicine at UEA is supportive and inclusive. We want everyone who has the passion and potential to succeed, to have the chance to study medicine here. If you don’t meet the academic requirements of our medical degree (MB BS), then our MB BS Medicine with a Gateway Year may be the perfect first step. We’re more interested in your potential to succeed: as well as looking at your results, we’ll look at the contextual date that may have influenced your ability to achieve academic success. This includes the school you studied at, your family income, your area of residence, and whether you live in the East Anglian region. 

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

In your Foundation (Gateway) Year this will include written exams at the end of the science module, and practical write-ups of laboratory experiments. In your Medicine modules you’ll be assessed through reflective writing (portfolio), presentations to your fellow students and written examinations in both ‘short answer’ and ‘single best answer’ formats.

Assessments in later years of the programme will include Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) at the end of each module and year.These are practical tests to assess your knowledge and clinical ability.

You’ll also have annual written examinations in both ‘short answer’ and ‘single best answer’ formats, research method assignments, and an audit project on the Student-Selected Study component of your course.During your time with us you’ll build a working portfolio and write a short essay each year, reflecting on your own personal and professional development.

Structure

During your Gateway Year you will gain the academic skills and knowledge you need to progress to our five-year medical degree, and you’ll feel like a medical student from day one. As well as focusing on science and study skills, you will start developing your medical and clinical skills with dedicated healthcare modules delivered by Norwich Medical School.

Teaching and Learning

We’ve developed a wide range of teaching methods to support your learning throughout the six years and to ensure you graduate with the essential skills required to become a competent doctor. These include:

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators
Small group working using PBL techniques and extending into general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements allowing you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact on most weeks of your course from the start
Shadowing in your final year – you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behaviours that will enable you to become a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

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Assessment for Year 2

In your Gateway Year this will include written exams at the end of the science module, and practical write-ups of laboratory experiments. In your Medicine modules, you’ll be assessed through reflective writing (portfolio), presentations and online examinations.

Structure

Upon successful completion of the Gateway Year, you will continue onto our five-year MB BS Medicine degree programme, which is organised into modules based on body systems. We aim to produce fully rounded medical graduates, so you’ll study the underpinning biological, social and clinical sciences of medicine, and then put theory into practice while on placements in hospitals and general practices.

Working in small groups, you’ll use problem-based learning (PBL) techniques to apply your learning to virtual scenarios and real patients. And you’ll undertake dissections on specimens and models to truly understand the structure and function of the human body. This is a practical, hands-on way to hone your knowledge and approach to medicine, allowing you to develop the relevant practical and communication skills in both simulated and real healthcare environments.

Teaching and Learning

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators that may be delivered on-line.
Small group working faciliated by tutors using face to face teachings and technologies to deliver PBL and general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements to allow you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact
Shadowing in your final year of the MB BS – ideally, you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – starting in your Gateway Year, you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behavious of a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 3

Structure

Teaching and Learning

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators that may be delivered on-line.
Small group working faciliated by tutors using face to face teachings and technologies to deliver PBL and general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements to allow you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact
Shadowing in your final year of the MB BS – ideally, you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – starting in your Gateway Year, you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behavious of a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 4

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

Structure

Teaching and Learning

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators that may be delivered on-line.
Small group working faciliated by tutors using face to face teachings and technologies to deliver PBL and general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements to allow you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact
Shadowing in your final year of the MB BS – ideally, you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – starting in your Gateway Year, you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behavious of a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 5

Structure

Teaching and Learning

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators that may be delivered on-line.
Small group working faciliated by tutors using face to face teachings and technologies to deliver PBL and general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements to allow you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact
Shadowing in your final year of the MB BS – ideally, you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – starting in your Gateway Year, you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behavious of a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 6

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

Structure

Teaching and Learning

Keynote lectures, seminars and anatomy practical classes delivered by expert academics and clinical educators that may be delivered on-line.
Small group working faciliated by tutors using face to face teachings and technologies to deliver PBL and general practice-based teaching, allowing you to apply the theory you have studied to clinical patient scenarios
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training throughout the course, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placements to allow you to integrate theory with practice, with patient contact
Shadowing in your final year of the MB BS – ideally, you’ll spend five weeks each in both medicine and surgery, working one-to-one with a recently qualified junior doctor; this will give you the chance to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve accumulated over the previous four years of study, and a real insight into what’s expected of you as a qualified doctor.
Developing professionalism – starting in your Gateway Year, you’ll be given guidance throughout your primary and secondary care placements, to help you develop the values and behavious of a safe, respected and trustworthy doctor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 1

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

Compulsory Modules

INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY

Code BIO-3002A

Credits 20

The topics covered on the module will give you a basic grounding in biological processes including the fundamental characteristics of living things; basic metabolic processes; an understanding of evolution and knowledge of the levels of biological organisation with some focus given to organ systems. This module also gives you the opportunity to develop key transferable skills which may include lab skills, report writing, assignment preparation, researching and evaluating evidence, giving and responding to presentations.

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF HEALTH

Code MEDA3009A

Credits 20

The module looks at different aspects of psychosocial health. This means considering individual factors that may contribute to health and illness and how these may interact with the social environment around us to inform how we experience health, wellbeing and illness and how we may respond to diagnoses and treatments. Individual factors may include perceptions, thoughts, feelings, coping strategies and past experience. Specific topic areas will include the Biopsychosocial model, Coping, Social Prescribing, Health Psychology Models, Psychological interventions for psychological impacts of physical illness, Addiction, Individual Issues Affecting Health and Developmental psychology across the lifespan. Medical research and Ethics will be embedded within the module.

FURTHER BIOLOGY

Code BIO-3001B

Credits 20

The topics covered will give you a basic grounding in biological processes including the fundamental characteristics of living things; basic metabolic processes; an understanding of evolution and knowledge of the levels of biological organisation with some focus given to organ systems. This module also gives you the opportunity to develop key transferable skills such as lab skills, report writing, assignment preparation, researching and evaluating evidence, giving and responding to presentations.

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE

Code MEDB3010B

Credits 20

This module is one of the key introductory module in the Medicine with a Gateway programme, specifically designed to introduce our A104 students studying at the Norwich Medical School. This module will introduce our Foundation Year students to aspects of Clinical Skills and professional practice that are applicable to medicine. The course intends to give you an opportunity to interact with patients and to learn important clinical skills. It is also designed to provide a context for your theoretical learning so that you can see how your learning about medical and social sciences applies to the care of patients. Time spent in clinical placements will also help you to understand how to take a holistic approach to health care and to build your understanding of the skills need to be professional in your role as a medical student. As is the nature of clinical placements, and especially at this current time the exact learning experiences of each student may not be identical to their peers. However, all students will receive the same broad opportunities to allow them to achieve the learning outcomes of the module, and it is expected that students will take responsibility for making the most of the opportunities provided.

INTRODUCTION TO ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE

Code MED-3002Y

Credits 40

This module uses problem based learning to bring medicine to life. It uses a series of interesting case studies and scenarios that encourage you to think about: what you know; research what you don't know; and explore a variety of issues that are encountered by health care practitioners both in the past, at the present and in the future. We have mapped this module on to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and sought to embed equality and diversity throughout this module. You will explore the case scenarios in groups of 9-11 and will develop into independent learners that can communicate effectively and demonstrate excellent team work. This module allows you to develop a broad scientific knowledge that will underpin the practice of medicine. You will also develop a range of transferable skills including the important study skills you will need to successfully navigate the next few years at medical school. This is an exciting and thought provoking module and we expect you to actively engage with the topics. We know that you will get as much 'out' of the module as you put 'in' to the module. Clinical aspects There is no practical clinical aspect to this module, but this module will give you a taster of what being a doctor is all about.

FITNESS TO PRACTICE - YEAR 0

Code MED-3001Y

Credits 0

All MB BS Gateway students must be confirmed as 'Fit to Practise' by the end of year meeting of the School’s Professionalism Committee. Progression to Year 1 of the MB BS course can only occur once the Professionalism Committee has confirmed a student as being Fit to Practise. If the Professionalism Committee does not believe that a student is Fit to Practise, it will inform the Foundation Year Examination Board and recommend relevant remediation. Further details of Professionalism / Fitness to Practise are available within the 'Professionalism and Fitness to Practise (FtP)' section of the MB BS General Information Blackboard site.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Assessment for Year 4

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

Compulsory Modules

Optional Modules

(0 credits)

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Open Days

Important Information

Assessment for Year 6

We’ll assess your progress on a regular basis throughout the course, to support your learning and development, and to keep you on track to become a qualified medical practitioner.

Compulsory Modules

Optional Modules

(0 credits)

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Open Days

Important Information

Entry Requirements

A Levels

BBB or ABC in any subjects, excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking. All science A levels must include a pass in the practical element.

T Levels

BBB or ABC in any subjects, excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking. All science A levels must include a pass in the practical element.

BTEC

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF): DDM in any subject, excluding BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services and BTEC Business Administration.

Scottish highers advanced

CCC

Access course

Not accepted

International Baccalaureate

32 overall including 3 subjects at Higher level 5 in any subject

GCSE offer

Six GCSEs at grade B/6 or above, including English Language, Mathematics and either a single science subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics) or double science. Applicants who do not meet the GCSE requirement MUST be resitting GCSE’s and predicted to achieve the required grade. This should be evident from their UCAS application.

Additional entry requirements

This course is a ‘Widening Access’ programme for students who are in the 13th year of education or left school no more than three years prior to the course start date. Applicants must have completed their GCSE and Level 3 qualifications in the UK. It is designed for students whose circumstances or educational opportunities have prevented them from realising their academic potential.

All applicants must meet the academic criteria and the following contextual criteria:

Your secondary school (GCSE education) achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50 or less, in the year you sat your GCSEs, according to the Department for Education data (www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/) AND one of the following:

You live in an area with low progression to higher education with Polar Data 1 or 2 from Polar 3.

In receipt of the UCAT Bursary.
Your combined household income is under £35,000 per year, excluding Government benefits. We use the same criteria as the UCAT Bursary eligibility. We are unable to accept payslips or P60’s.
You currently live locally to UEA (Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex or Lincolnshire). Evidence taken from UCAS application.

OR meet the academic criteria and ONE of the following contextual criteria:

Successfully complete the UEA Medical Aspirations Programme
You have been in Local Authority care. Examples of evidence accepted: Letter from Social Worker/Local Council.

Further information

A Level Resits will only be considered if they are completed within the A level two year period.

Not accepted: General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship Studies, GCSE short courses, BTEC Level 2, OCR Level 2, Functional Skills.

Applicants who have started or completed study post A level (degree study or equivalent) will not be considered.

Applicants predicted to meet the MB BS Medicine (A100) academic requirements are unlikely to benefit from this course and should apply directly to A100.

Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements and are attending the UEA Medical Aspirations Programme will be guaranteed an interview.

Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

All applicants are required to take the UCAT in the year of application, prior to applying. UEA does not have a cut off score. A high score is advantageous, however a low score does not disqualify an applicant from consideration. Further information is available at www.ucat.ac.uk.
The subsection scores may be used to rank the applicants for selection for interview.
The overall (cognitive) score is used alongside the interview score to rank and select applicants to whom an offer is made.
The SJT component score is included within the interview score.
Applicants who take the UCAT (SEN) will be requested to provide supporting evidence of their entitlement for extra time in examinations. This evidence may take the form of a qualified medical practitioner, educational psychologist or specialist teacher.

Important Information For All Applicants

All successful applicants will be required to complete a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Police check and a satisfactory occupational health check. As part of the selection process, all applicants who accept an offer of a place at Norwich Medical School are checked against the Medical Schools Council (MSC) excluded student database. Details of these requirements will be provided to the applicants at interview and if they are successful in receiving an offer. Further information regarding requirements for medical students in relation to blood born infectious diseases, and information on Medical Students Fitness Standards is available. Any offer holder with a current or past history of health conditions (physical or mental health) should tell occupational health about any health conditions they have, and may be subject to an early occupational health check, for the following reasons:
Medical schools have a duty to support their students, but students have to help the school to do this by being open and honest about their health.
Being open and trustworthy is an important part of being a doctor – patients and the GMC expect this of practising doctors. Failure by a doctor on the medical register to disclose a health matter that could potentially impact on patient safety is a breach of this duty.
A student should understand that their ill health could put their ability to study at risk. Where a student has this understanding – and shows this by getting help and support – their health condition rarely prevents them from completing the course. One way to demonstrate understanding from the start is for a student to declare whether they will need additional support when they begin their course.
Read more on Essential Information for Medicine Applicants
Norwich Medical School will consider all requests for adjustments in line with the UK Equality Act 2010. Any student can graduate as long as: they are well enough to complete the course; they have no student fitness to practice concerns (having a health condition or disability alone is not a fitness to practice concern); they have met all the Outcomes for graduates, with adjustments to the mode of assessment as needed.

Further guidance and advice specific to undergraduate medicine courses, including clinical exams, can be obtained via med.senioradviser@uea.ac.uk . Further information regarding accessibility, written exam concessions and confidential advice and guidance on health and disability can be obtained via: https://portal.uea.ac.uk/student-support-service.

Interviews

Each interview lasts approximately 50 minutes. Selected applicants are invited to take part in an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) style interview, also known as a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). During the interview, each applicant rotates through a series of rooms, known as 'stations', They will spend 5 minutes at each of the 6 stations, with a 1 and a half minute changeover/preparation time between each. Please note that we do not disclose interview questions.

Typically we look for applicants to demonstrate at interview;

An acceptable approach to decision making when given incomplete or conflicting information
The ability to learn and work effectively in partnership
A caring and supportive attitude
An empathetic and caring approach
Insight in to Medicine as a career and personal suitability for the profession
Honesty, integrity, and personal effectiveness.

We will individually email invitations to applicants who are selected for interview. If you are invited to interview you are required to complete this Work Experience Form.

Gap year

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year, believing that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.

Intakes

This course is open to UK applicants only. This course's annual intake is in September of each year.

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Course Reference Number: 665358

MBBS MEDICINE WITH A GATEWAY YEAR