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Medicine
(2018 Entry)
MBChB
We aim to graduate excellent clinicians who are equipped to practise in the 21st century, with a deep understanding of the scientific foundations of medicine and high levels of clinical expertise. The course is designed to ensure you meet the necessary standards in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes that new doctors need, as identified by the GMC in its publication, ‘Outcomes for Graduates’.
UCAS code: A100
Course Overview

School link:
School of Medicine
The School has recently conducted a curriculum review and we have identified ways of enhancing the course and the ways we assess students. The current course including these enhancements is described in detail in the Course Information Document (please see the PDF download below). The School has always actively sought ways of improving the course, and so some changes to the course may occur while you are a Keele student.
Throughout the course there is an emphasis on feedback to help you improve your knowledge, understanding and performance of medical practice. The modern, spiral, highly-integrated medical curriculum combines a range of learning strategies, including early clinical experience, integrated communication and clinical skills teaching, practical sessions, including dissection, problem-based-learning (PBL), lectures and seminars. You will have extensive experience of clinical placements in both primary and secondary care settings and in the community sector. Inter-professional learning and student interests are fostered throughout the programme.
Further opportunities for diversity are encouraged through intercalation. Opportunities for intercalation to pursue an additional qualification in a medicine-related subject are available and include studying at Bachelor’s level after the second year or Master’s level after the fourth year. Intercalation is a year out of your undergraduate medical studies in order to study a subject area in greater depth before returning to complete the medical course. An intercalated degree provides you with an opportunity to pursue an additional qualification in a medicine-related subject that interests you, acquire a better understanding of basic biomedical sciences, medical humanities and research methodologies, publish scientific papers and present at conferences.
Medical students at UK medical schools who are from overseas and of not have right of residence must check how the latest information on visa requirements affects their postgraduate training period. Please see the Visas and immigration website.
Information about medical careers after graduation is correct at the time of going to press. For up to date information please visit https://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/recruitment
What will this mean for my future?
Successful completion of the MBChB course provides you with a primary medical qualification (PMQ). Holding a PMQ entitles you to provisional registration with the General Medical Council. Provisionally registered doctors can only practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts. There is a national application process for Foundation Year 1 posts during the final year of the course, and costs are allocated on a competitive basis. So far, all suitably qualified UK graduates have found a place on the Foundation Year 1 programme, but this cannot be guaranteed. Successful completion of the Foundation Year 1 programme is normally achieved within 12 months and is marked by the award of a Certificate of Experience. You will then be eligible to apply for full registration with the General Medical Council. You need full registration with a licence.
Indicative modules
First year
- Health and Disease
- Infection and Immunity
- Emergencies
- Scholarship including Student Selected Component (SSC) 1
- Life Course
- Brain and Mind
- Pregnancy
- Lifestyle
Second year
- Mechanism of Disease
- Inputs and Outputs
- Movement and Trauma
- Scholarship including SSC2
- Circulation
- Breath of Life
- Integrated Systems
Third year
- Medicine I
- Medicine II
- Surgical Care I
- Mental Health I
- Paediatrics I
- Elderly Care
- General Practice Block I (Consolidation of Clinical Skills)
- SSC3
- SSC4
Fourth year
- Integrated Medicine I (Medicine and Neurology)
- Integrated Medicine II (Medicine and Musculoskeletal)
- Surgical Care II
- Mental Health II
- Paediatrics II
- Women's Health
- General Practice Block II (Higher Consultation Skills)
- SSC5
Fifth year
- Preparation for Professional Practice: Including out of hours evening and weekend working
- GP Assistantship
- Acute and Critical Care (emergency medicine, intensive care unit and anaesthesia)
- Medicine Assistantship
- Surgical Assistantship
- Distant Elective
- Preparation for Professional Practice Week
Entry requirements
Further details of academic and non-academic entry criteria are available on keele.ac.uk/medicine/undergraduatemedicalcourse/entryrouteshowtoapply
Course structure
Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is usually a self-contained unit of study and each is usually assessed separately with the award of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort. An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below.
There are three types of module delivered as part of this programme. They are:
- Compulsory modules – a module that you are required to study on this course;
- Optional modules – these allow you some limited choice of what to study from a list of modules;
- Elective modules – a free choice of modules that count towards the overall credit requirement but not the number of subject-related credits.
Modules Summary
Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is a self-contained unit of study and each 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort. An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below, with an indicative example of a week.
*Intercalated degrees
Undergraduates may suspend their medical degree for a period of 12 months to undertake either a BSc degree, normally after year 2 or year 4 or a Master’s degree after year 4.
To undertake such an intercalated degree, students must be given permission by the School of Medicine, as well as being offered a place on their chosen course following an application from the student.
Modules - Year One
Year 1 (Level 4)
Compulsory modules |
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Year 1 (Level 4) |
Med- 10008 |
120 |
0 |
0 |
Modules - Year Two
Year 2 (Level 5)
Compulsory modules |
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Year 2 (Level 5) |
Med- 20008 |
120 |
0 |
0 |
Modules - Year Three
Year 3 (Level 6)
Compulsory modules |
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Year 3 (Level 6) |
Med- 30001 |
120 |
0 |
0 |
Modules - Year Four / Five
Compulsory modules |
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Year 4 (Level 6) |
Med- 30002 |
120 |
0 |
0 |
Year 5 (Level 6) |
Med- 30003 |
120 |
0 |
0 |
For further information on the content of modules currently offered please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/az