HCP-Med for Healthcare Professionals (MBChB)

Introducing MBChB HCP-Med for Healthcare Professionals

HCP-Med for Healthcare Professionals is an innovative 5-year medical degree specifically designed for experienced healthcare professionals, clinical scientists and veterinary surgeons living and working in Scotland.

For the first three years, you will study part-time and online, while continuing part-time in your current employment. You will also have clinical attachments (general practice and hospital) and three, compulsory, residential weeks in Edinburgh each year.

For years 4 and 5, you will join the main undergraduate MBChB programme full-time and be based in Edinburgh.

While emphasising teaching in general practice, HCP-Med for Healthcare Professionals will allow you to follow a career in any medical speciality.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a science or healthcare subject. We will also consider non-science based degrees supplemented with SQA Higher/GCE A Level Chemistry at grade C or above.

We will also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree or an Ordinary degree, or their international equivalents providing they are in a science or healthcare subject.

You need to have worked as a qualified healthcare professional, clinical scientist or veterinary surgeon, for at least two years prior to the start of the programme and be registered with one of the following:

• Association of Physician Assistants (anaesthesia)
• Faculty of Intensive Care
• General Medical Council (for Physician Associates)*
• General Dental Council
• General Optical Council
• General Pharmaceutical Council
• Health and Care Professions Council
• Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists
• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

(*revised January 2025 to change from Faculty of Physician Associates following their closure in December 2024)

If successful, you will need to provide evidence of support from your current employer as a condition of the offer.

University Clinical Aptitude Test

You must sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and your score will be assessed as part of your application. We have no minimum score requirement. Tests taken between July 2022 and September 2024 will be accepted for consideration.

We consider the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test separately. Applicants who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test will not be considered for entry.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

Selection

In addition to assessing your performance in your first degree and UCAT, you will be assessed and scored on two broad criteria.

1: Evidence of recent engagement with academic study and grounding in science subjects in the three years prior to the start of the programme. This could include, for example:

• a second degree
• further academic study at SCQF Level 9, 10 or 11 including, but not limited to MSc modules, PGCert, or PGDip with a minimum credit value of 20
• SQA Higher(s) at C or above, taken as further graduate study in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Human Biology

2: Evidence of working effectively as a healthcare professional, clinical scientist, or veterinary surgeon, such as:

• performance in current role
• teamwork and professionalism
• effective relationships with patients (some applicants may have limited experience working with patients; evidence of any patient contact will strengthen the application)

Half of the total assessment is made up of:

• first degree and any further academic study (15%)
• UCAT score (17.5%) and situational judgement test banding (7.5%)
• personal statement (10%)

The remaining 50% is attached to the interview.

Interviews

Selected applicants will be invited to an assessment day, which will involve an interview comprising four stations. If you are invited to an interview your invitation will provide more information about the stricture of the day. The assessment day score will make up 50% of the total score used to rank your application.

Fitness to practise

The University has a responsibility to ensure that students enrolled on a degree that involves practical training in a clinical environment, and that leads to a professional registerable qualification, are fit to practise. This is assessed according to the requirements and standards of the profession the student wishes to enter.

Further information about fitness to train is available on the Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners website.

Higher Education Occupational Physicians / Practitioners

You should notify us of any condition that could affect your fitness to practise at the application stage. However, if a condition develops or is diagnosed after this point please notify us so we can look into support arrangements with you.

*(Updated 14/08/2024 to remove incorrect information which stated that recent graduate applicants with no opportunity to undertake further postgraduate qualifications would not be disadvantaged in selection.)

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.5 with at least 7.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 110 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 191 with at least 191 in each component.
• PTE Academic: total 80 with at least 80 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 9 overall with at least 9 in each component.*

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the start of the month in which your programme of study begins.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 76 with at least 76 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)

We take part in the UK Foundation Programme Scheme. This places graduates in Foundation Doctor posts across the UK.

Many graduates also go on to work with distinguished national and international research groups.

What happens when you complete your MBChB?

At the end of your programme, you will receive your Bachelor of Medical Sciences Honours degree and MBChB degree, which is a Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ).

Once you hold a Primary Medical Qualification and have passed the Medical Licensing Assessment, you qualify for provisional registration with the General Medical Council (as long as there are no Fitness to Practise concerns).

Foundation Year 1 posts

Once you are a provisionally registered doctor, you can practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts. You cannot undertake any other type of work.

To obtain a Foundation Year 1 post, you will need to apply during the final year of your undergraduate programme. You should do this through the UK Foundation Programme Office selection scheme, which allocates posts to graduates on a competitive basis.

So far, all suitably qualified UK graduates from Edinburgh have found a place on the Foundation Year 1 programme but this cannot be guaranteed in all instances; for example, if there were to be an increased number of competitive applications from non-UK graduates.

The Foundation Year 1 programme usually takes 12 months to complete. On completion, you will be awarded a Certificate of Experience.

Full registration

Before you can begin unsupervised medical practice in the NHS or private practice in the UK, you must have full registration with a licence to practise.

Once you have your Certificate of Experience, you are eligible to apply for full registration with the General Medical Council.

Please be aware that these regulations may change from time to time.

Outcome: what happens when you complete your MBChB