Search

Chat With Us

    Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year
    Go to Lancaster University
    Lancaster University

    Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year

    Lancaster University

    Lancaster University

    flag

    United Kingdom, Lancaster

    University RankQS Ranking
    141

    Key Facts

    Program Level

    Professional Doctorate

    Study Type

    Full Time

    Delivery

    On Campus

    Course Code

    A104

    Campuses

    Main Site

    Program Language

    English

    Start & Deadlines

    Next Intake DeadlinesOctober-2026
    Apply to this program

    Go to the official application for the university

    Duration 6 year(s)
    Tuition Fee
    GBP 48,620  / year
    Next Intake October-2026

    Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year

    About

    Lancaster Medical School is part of Lancaster University – a high-ranking, forward-looking university. We have been training medics since 2006, initially in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and independently since 2012.

    We are proud to remain one of the UK’s smaller medical schools, even after the recent increase in the number of MBChB places available. Our size allows us to offer you a student-focused learning environment within a highly supportive community.

    Being a medical student can present many challenges, both academic and personal. We have a comprehensive network of formal and informal mechanisms in place to provide support and guidance, to help you cope with the transition to university, and throughout your clinical training.

    Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year is a pathway into Medicine for students who, for a number of restricted reasons, may be disadvantaged applying to our 5-year MBChB Medicine and Surgery programme. Please check our course pages for details. It provides an intensive one year grounding in the medical sciences and will prepare you to enter Year One of our standard MBChB Medicine and Surgery degree programme.

    The following describes the content of the 5-year MBChB Medicine and Surgery programme that you would progress onto pending satisfactory completion of the Gateway Year.

    Our MBChB is delivered through problem-based learning, lectures and clinical anatomy teaching. Problem-based learning is a form of small group learning. In groups of usually 7 or 8, you will explore realistic patient-based scenarios that resemble the clinical situations you may face in the future as a doctor. Your group will identify what you need to learn in relation to the scenario, and then you will independently research the topics, drawing on resource lists, seeking information and critically appraising its worth. An experienced tutor facilitates group discussions and feedback meetings to ensure that you learn the appropriate breadth and depth of material. In later years, in some instances, you will use real patients as a stimulus for your learning in place of written scenarios, but using the same problem-based learning process. Problem-based learning is an excellent method of developing and applying your medical knowledge, preparing you for your first day as a junior doctor and beyond.

    Your first clinical contact happens in year one when you will meet patients, under the supervision of a tutor, and discuss their experiences of healthcare and chronic illness. In year two, you will spend two days per week on hospital placement; you will also engage in a variety of community-related activities. Early patient contact allows you to practise your history-taking and examination skills, whilst providing a real-life context for your learning.

    In years three to five, the majority of your time will be spent on clinical placements, rotating through a variety of hospital and community settings to gain experience of different specialities. Your clinical placements will be in the acute hospitals and primary care settings of north and east Lancashire, and south Cumbria.

    A modern medical school, Lancaster utilises new technologies in its anatomy teaching, including Anatomage tables for virtual dissection. The School’s Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre has also invested significantly in ultrasound teaching, enabling you to learn anatomy, ultrasonography and clinical interpretation together.

    During your clinical skills training, you will learn the practical procedures and examinations required for clinical practice. In year one, clinical skills training takes place in the Clinical Skills Centre at Lancaster University. In years two to five, you will learn to perform clinical skills on patients whilst on clinical placements, supervised by senior medical staff.

    Doctors need to be able to communicate effectively with patients and their families in difficult times, to be their advocate and help inform their choices. In year one, you will study the evidence base around effective communication and start to develop your communication skills in a safe environment, through interaction with simulated patients (actors). From year two onwards, you will develop your communication skills further through interaction with real patients in hospitals and GP practices.

    In addition to the core curriculum, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue your own areas of interest in more depth through Selectives in Advanced Medical Practice and coursework assignments. You can also choose to study abroad during your Elective or take a year out from the course (between years 4 and 5) to study a medicine-related topic at BSc, MSc or MPhil level.

    As a BSc Marketing and Design student, you will be equipped with a strong foundation in the principles and practices of both marketing and design. Throughout the course, you will gain a deep understanding of the complementary and contrasting theoretical frameworks of marketing and design while developing essential design research skills and sharpening your critical thinking. You will learn how to respond to design briefs with creative experimentation and compelling visualisations. You will be able to commission design projects and effectively manage marketing strategies across diverse areas, from packaging to online advertising.

    Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    Entry requirements

    These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.

    Qualifications and typical requirements accordion

    BBB . This should include Biology and Chemistry.

    Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

    Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

    Not accepted on its own

    Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

    30 points overall including at least 5 in 3 HL subjects including Biology and Chemistry

    Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

    Not accepted

    Important information

    This course is only available to applicants who meet certain widening participation criteria.

    This page will give you an indication of entry requirements but it is important that you visit the Lancaster Medical School web pages for full information on our entry requirements and selection process.

    Help from our Admissions team

    If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.

    We also have more details on our website about:

    International foundation programmes

    Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

    Contextual admissions

    Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

    Career

    Careers

    A career with purpose

    Working in medicine offers a career with real purpose. Whether your training takes you towards hospitals, primary care, research or public health, you will play a trusted and respected role in society.

    If you wish to be a doctor, you will apply for your Foundation Year 1 (F1) post during your final year.

    Once you have completed your MBChB, you will be qualified to begin the two-year foundation programme as a junior doctor where you will gain experience in different specialties and complete advanced clinical training before you decide where to specialise.

    With further postgraduate training, you can enter a career in one of more than 65 clinical specialties across primary and secondary care.

    If you decide against a career in clinical practice, your transferable skills will prepare you for a career in public health, medical research, medical education, or even policy or communications.

    Our graduate destinations and preparedness

    Our alumni have gone on to a myriad of speciality training places, including emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, radiology, surgery, paediatrics and child health, and ophthalmology.

    According to the General Medical Council’s quality assessment ‘Foundation year 1 (F1) preparedness’ report, 99 per cent of our graduates enter their Postgraduate NHS Foundation Programme well prepared for clinical practice.

    Fee Information

    Additional fees and funding information accordion

    Additional costs for this course

    An initial Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check is paid for by the University but you will need to pay for any subsequent DBS checks that are required.

    You will need to cover your travel costs to and from GP and community placements, clinical placements your placement accommodation which are likely to be within Lancashire and South Cumbria.

    At the end of year four, you will complete a self-arranged and self-funded elective placement in the UK or abroad.

    You are expected to purchase a stethoscope which costs around £90, scrubs at approximately £18 and smart shoes for clinical placements.

    There will be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying and general subsistence on placement, trips and visits.

    Following graduation, to register as a doctor you must pay a registration fee with the General Medical Council followed by an annual retention fee.

    There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

    Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

    College fees

    Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

    For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.

    Computer equipment and internet access

    To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.

    The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

    Study abroad courses

    In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.

    Placement and industry year courses

    In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.

    The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.

    Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.

    We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:

    • Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
    • Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee

    International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will also be charged in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:

    • Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard international tuition fee during the Study Abroad year
    • Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard international tuition fee during the Placement year

    Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.

    Tuition Fee

    GBP 48,620 

    Application Fee

    GBP  
    Lancaster University

    Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year

    Lancaster University

    [object Object]

    United Kingdom,

    Lancaster

    Similar Programs

    Other interesting programs for you

    Find More Programs
    Wishlist