MBBS Medicine with a Gateway Year

The Gateway Year of this course will equip you with the academic skills and knowledge you’ll 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, so you’ll gain early exposure to the clinical skills essential to addressing the complex needs of patients in the 21st century. And you’ll graduate as a professional, 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, with a course that gives you hands-on experience and rigorous training in modern practices from the very start.

Medicine at UEA is supportive and inclusive. We want everyone who has the passion and potential to succeed to have the chance to study here. Our MB BS Medicine with a Gateway Year is our widening access to medicine route and may be the perfect first step to a successful career in medicine. We’re more interested in your potential to succeed, so as well as looking at your results, we’ll look at 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.

Year 0

Structure

What to expect in your Gateway Year

During your Gateway Year, you’ll join a small cohort of students and work together to gain the academic skills and knowledge you need to progress smoothly onto our five-year medical degree – we work hard to make sure that you feel like a medical student from day one. As well as focusing on the medical science and study skills, you will start developing your identity as a medical student with dedicated modules delivered by Norwich Medical School.

The Medicine with a Gateway Year programme is mapped to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and encourages students to be curious and invested in the world around them. However, it also offers opportunities for clinical shadowing and clinical experiences with local health care providers including the NHS.

What to expect after the Gateway Year

Upon successful completion of the Gateway Year, you’ll continue your medical studies on the 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.

Our MB BS degree 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 will be complimented each week with teaching in primary care, where you will meet patients that can bring these scenarios to life. 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.

Your learning will be supported by a weekly programme of lectures and seminars, and complemented by attachments in secondary care hospitals, some of which may be residential.

For information on subsequent years of study, please see the full MB BS Medicine course profile.

Assessment

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 Gateway Year, you’ll encounter practical write-ups of laboratory experiments, as well as presentations to your fellow students. In your introduction to Clinical Medicine module, you’ll be assessed through reflective writing (portfolio). End of module examinations will also be used in both ‘short answer’ and ‘single best answer’ and ‘script concordance’ formats.

In order to progress on to the MBBS programme, students need to achieve an average mark of >70% for all modules they study as part of the Gateway Year programme.

From Year 1 the MB BS is a pass all components course. This means that in order to progress into the next year of study, you must pass all summative assessments in the current year of study.

Teaching and Learning

While studying on the Medicine with a Gateway Year programme, you’ll encounter 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, delivered by expert academics and clinical educators
Laboratory classes, delivered by expert academics and associate tutors
Small group working using PBL techniques and extending into general practice-based teaching
Consultation skills tutorials with tutors and actors to cultivate excellent communication skills
Clinical skills training, including practical skills and simulated scenarios to ensure you are well prepared for practice when you graduate
Clinical placement opportunities allowing you to integrate theory with practice
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

Core Modules (120 credits)

INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY

BIO-3002A (20 Credits)

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

MEDA3009A (20 Credits)

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

BIO-3001B (20 Credits)

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

MEDB3010B (20 Credits)

This module is specifically designed to introduce aspects of clinical skills and professional practice that are applicable to medicine. It is intended to give an opportunity to interact with patients and to learn important clinical skills. It is also designed to provide a context for theoretical learning so that the learning about medical and social sciences can be applied to the care of patients, and the practice of medicine in 21st Century UK. Time spent in clinical situations will help understanding of how to take a holistic approach to health care and to build understanding of the skills, knowledge and experiences required to be professional 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

MED-3002Y (20 Credits)

This module is part of a 1-year MB BS Gateway course designed to prepare students to join our MB BS 5-year course. The module takes place over the whole year and introduces the students to a range of health related issues that will be more fully explored in the 5-year MB BS course. The module uses a problem based learning approach (Norwich Medical School’s learning method) to explore a new clinical case scenario (e.g. diabetes, asthma, obesity) each week. Students explore these case scenarios in groups of 9-10 students. Importantly, students will learn how to work effectively within a team and develop communication skills. The course will also allow students to develop a broad and balanced foundation of scientific knowledge related to the practice of medicine but you will discover that there is a lot more to Medicine than just the science and you will gain an appreciation of the importance of behavioural and population sciences in healthcare. Students will develop a range of transferable skills but particularly those learning and study skills needed for successful completion of the MBBS programme. 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

MED-3001Y (20 Credits)

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.

Important Notice

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. 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. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

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Entry Requirements

A Levels

BBB or ABC in any subjects, excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking. Science A levels from English Exam Boards must include a pass in the practical element.

T Levels

Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Merit in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable pathways are: Health, Healthcare Science and Science

BTEC

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

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.

International Baccalaureate (UK based only): IB Middle Years (in lieu of GCSEs) with 6 passes at 6 including English Language, Mathematics and two science subjects.

GCSE short courses, BTEC Level 2, OCR Level 2, Functional Skills not accepted.

GCSE resits are considered. 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/) NOTE: The Government will not be publishing performance data for 2020 due to the pandemic therefore, we will use the Attainment 8 score in 2019 for students who achieved GCSE’s in 2020 or 2021 AND one of the following: 

You live in an area with low progression to higher education with Polar Data 1 or 2 from Polar 4. 
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 Preparing for Medicine Programme 
You have been in Local Authority care. Examples of evidence accepted: Letter from Social Worker/Local Council.

Further information

Applicants must be aged 18 by December 31^st 2023.

Applicants must meet both GCSE and A Level requirement.

GCSE resits are considered.

A Level Resits are not considered.

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 Preparing for Medicine Programme will be guaranteed an interview.

Ukraine Medical Students

We recognise that medical students who have previously studied in Ukraine have had their studies disrupted but due to the integrated nature of our course, we are unable to consider transfers into our medicine programmes. We are able to support applicants who would like to transfer to an alternative non-medicine course, if places are still available, and would consider their academic background to check if entry requirements are met. At least one year of degree study would be required. In some cases, if at least two years previous degree level study has been completed, students may be considered for year 2 entry if the content is deemed comparable and grades achieved are acceptable. Please contact admissions@uea.ac.uk with details of your academic history from high school onwards

University Clinical Aptitude Test

How do you use the 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; a low score does not disqualify an applicant from consideration. The UCAT website has further information.

The overall score is used to rank the applicants for selection for interview.

The overall 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.

Programme Conditions

Offers to successful applicants will be subject to a successful interview, a satisfactory occupational health check, including evidence of appropriate immunisations. We expect all students to be vaccinated against COVID 19 in order to attend all placement areas required for the course. Please see the Medical Schools Council webpage for the latest advice.

Applicants will also be required to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and 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 if they are successful in receiving an offer.

Essential Information for All Applicants

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 inform 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 must 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.

Norwich Medical School will consider all requests for adjustments in line with the UK Equality Act 2010. Any student can graduate providing 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 . Student support and information regarding accessibility, written exam concessions and confidential advice and guidance on health and disability is also available.

After the Course

Postgraduate Foundation training and beyond

Important note

Once enrolled onto your course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include your eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.

How will you process my application?

Briefly, all on-time applications proceed to primary screening, where checks are made to see that applicants meet, or are predicted to meet, our minimum academic entry criteria, have a satisfactory personal statement and reference and have taken the UCAT test in the summer prior to submitting the application. Applicants are then invited to interview (from late November/December onwards).

If the number of applications received exceed the number of interview places available those meeting primary screening requirements may also undergo secondary screening, where the overall UCAT score may be ranked against the applicant cohort, with the strongest applicants invited to interview.

Following the completion of interviews, interviewed applicants are ranked (by interview scores – which includes the UCAT SJT subsection score - and UCAT overall scores) within the applicant cohort. The interview score and UCAT score is weighted equally and the top ranking applicants will receive offers.

What if there is a mistake on my application?

Following the closing date, any errors or omissions should be notified to the Admissions Service immediately for consideration and verified by an official letter from your school. However, if notification is made after 15 October, we reserve the right not to consider the application further.

What if my predicted grades change?

Your application will be processed using the information provided on your UCAS form. Any changes in predicted grades will not be considered once processing has commenced following the UCAS deadline.

Can I send in additional supporting documents?

Only information submitted on the UCAS form will be considered, unless supplementary information is requested by the Admissions Team. Factual errors on the form should be notified to the Admissions Service as soon as possible but additional information provided,or errors highlighted after submission of the UCAS form cannot be considered. Please note that we are unable to accept any unsolicited additional references or CVs.

How do I report extenuating circumstances?

These should be indicated on the UCAS application. Supporting evidence may be requested. Please note that adverse events potentially impacting on performance at A level (or equivalent) or degree classification, should be notified to the relevant examination board. 

What if I will still be 17 at the start of the course?

Applications will not be considered unless you will be aged 18 by December 31st 2023. This is due to the very integrated nature of placements and primary care within the first year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, students who will not be 18 years old by this date, may wish to consider applying for deferred entry.

Should I gain some voluntary or paid experience in the Healthcare professions?

If possible, but this is not a specific requirement. However, it is important that, prior to committing to 6 years intensive study, that you find out as much as you can about being a doctor. Any experience that gives you an insight into your suitability to the profession is valuable. Such experience may include work experience in a health care organisation (e.g. a hospital, hospice, or primary care setting), a regular commitment as a volunteer in a care-related setting, or paid employment as a health care assistant or similar. Please see current guidance from the Medical School Council regarding work experience during a pandemic. This list is not exhaustive, but at interview, you will be expected to draw on your personal experiences to demonstrate your suitability to be a doctor. If invited to interview, you are required to bring with you our work experience form.

If I am unsuccessful, can I reapply?

Applicants to Medicine at UEA will only be considered for two consecutive years. All applicants must have achieved successful academic study within the past 3 years. Please note that entry requirements may change each year and we would advise you to check our website before submitting an application. You will be required to retake the UCAT test as this is only valid in the year of application.

Interviews

Interviews will be held on campus and will be in the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, subject to following the latest government guidance.

Please note that we do not disclose interview questions. 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 into 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. Interviews will take place between November and February.

Work Experience

If you are invited to interview you are required to provide two examples of relevant work experience which have informed your decision to study Medicine. We understand that it might be difficult to gain experience in a pandemic but the first thing to remember is that all applicants to medicine will be in the same situation. The second thing to remember is that clinical work experience is not generally a requirement for applying to medical school in any year. We are aware that the opportunities open to you have been affected and will take this into account when considering applications for cohorts that have been impacted.

The Medical Schools Council has published some very useful information on Work Experience as well as guidance for gaining relevant work experience during the pandemic and we will follow their guidance.

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. The annual intake is in September each year.  We have 40 places for 2023 entry.

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Alumni Story

Read about Ethan's life as a UEA postgraduate research student in the field of antibiotic medicine.

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This is your chance to ask UEA's students about UEA, university life, Norwich and anything else you would like an answer to.

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Course Reference Number: 6957408

MBBS MEDICINE WITH A GATEWAY YEAR