Medicine

This page is about the standard-entry Medicine course (A100).

The standard Oxford medical course has separate pre-clinical (years 1-3) and clinical (years 4-6). Students first gain a comprehensive grounding in medical science, before applying that scientific foundation in the clinical setting.

The pre-clinical stage

Applicants are initially admitted to the pre-clinical stage of the course.

The first five terms of this course are devoted to the First BM. This addresses not only much of the science that underpins Medicine, but also the clinical problems that arise when systems fail. Students are introduced to the major systems of the body and study all aspects of their structure and function in health and also the principles of disease processes.

Students are encouraged to develop an enquiring approach and to consider the experimental basis of the science in the course. Matters of clinical relevance are illustrated from the outset with students making regular visits to GP tutors.

The First BM is followed by a four-term BA Honours course (the Final Honours School) in Medical Sciences. Students specialise in areas of biomedical science selected from a range of options. They will become adept at working from primary research literature, and will be encouraged to think both critically and creatively. Students will gain in-depth knowledge of their chosen options, as well as advanced technical skills at the laboratory bench and in scientific data handling and presentation.

A typical week

During the First BM, lectures and practicals occupy about half of the time, and the remainder is free for tutorial work, self-directed study and extracurricular activities.

During the BA course, formal lecturing is kept to a minimum, and students are mostly free to pursue their research and to prepare for tutorials and seminars.

The college tutorial system is a central feature: students see their tutors and are taught weekly in groups often as small as two. This teaching can be tailored to individuals’ needs and interests and strong academic support ensures that students manage their time effectively. Classes and seminars usually contain between 10 and 50 students, while lectures are for up to 200 students.

In the pre-clinical stage of the course (years 1-3), most tutorials, classes, and lectures take place in the Medical Sciences Teaching Centre in the Science Area and are delivered by members of academic staff, research staff or NHS clinicians (usually at the level of consultant). Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research.

Some tutorial and class teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctoral level.

In the clinical stage of the course (years 4-6), most teaching is delivered by clinicians from the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust as well as local primary care physicians, and University academic staff.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Courses

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Assessment

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• Organisation of the body
• Physiology and pharmacology
• Biochemistry and medical genetics
• Population health 1: medical sociology
• Year 1: Learning with Patients 1

In-person examinations and other types of assessment.

A vast array of speciality training pathways are available after obtaining a medical qualification, ranging from general practice or emergency medicine through obstetrics or ophthalmology to paediatrics or psychiatry. Of course, you need not remain confined to the clinic, the ward or the operating theatre: the lecture theatre or the laboratory could also beckon. Some of our graduates end up leading the education of the next generation of doctors or directing biomedical research. You don’t need to know right now what you want to do when you qualify. The Clinical School organises careers sessions for final-year clinical students and helps students learn about and apply for foundation posts. BM BCh graduates are entitled to provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a licence to practise, subject to demonstrating to the GMC that their fitness to practise is not impaired. Tzveta is a consultant in oncology. She says: ‘Many universities can teach you how to be a foundation doctor. Oxford taught me how to work through problems carefully and logically from first principles, and gave me the theoretical grounding to be able to do so. I had the opportunity to read key papers in my subject, then discuss them with the academics who had published them. Most importantly, Oxford taught me that I was capable of much more than I imagined or believed. Though I have gone from essay crises to night shifts, from finals to Royal College exams, the focused determination it instilled within me remains, driving me through any challenges faced along the way.’ Kanmin graduated from pre-clinical medicine in 2003. He is now a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Lecturer in ophthalmology at the University of Oxford. He is undergoing 50:50 surgical retina fellowship training and translational research into gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases. Kanmin says: ‘The weekly essays and tutorials with world-leading academics in the colleges were an invaluable experience. In those intimate ‘mind sparring’ exercises, you go beyond the standard curriculum and probe the boundaries of the fundamental science behind modern medicine. In this way, Oxford nurtures not only sound medical practitioners but also future explorers and leaders in medicine… Of course, studying medicine at Oxford involves a lot of hard work. But the opportunities are also there to take part in the most vibrant student society/club life, whatever your hobby or background.’