Birmingham's MBChB Medicine and Surgery degree is a five-year degree where heritage meets ground-breaking innovation. The university creates knowledge and ensures that it delivers it, teaching students the practical, theoretical, and communication skills needed to become safe, compassionate, and ethical doctors of the future.
Whilst studying for a medicine degree at Birmingham Medical School, students learn from passionate researchers, academics, and clinicians in world-class settings with a focus on the hands-on, mentee-style experience.
Students learn alongside other health professionals for the broadest, real-life, learning experience and have the unique opportunity to see a vast range of illnesses, learning from a diverse population of over five million people. Birmingham is also home to some of the UK's leading hospitals, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, situated right next door.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital offers outstanding placement opportunities to many of Birmingham's students to help further cement their knowledge in a real-life setting.
During students' first two years in the course, they learn about the structure and function of the human body. They learn how each body system is controlled and is able to respond to the demands of everyday life, including the effects of disease and medical treatments.
From student's third year onwards, most of their teaching will take place in the university's partner Teaching Hospital Trusts.
Teaching in hospitals and general practices always takes place within a highly organized academy structure with senior clinicians and dedicated Clinical Teaching Fellows (junior doctors). This ensures that students receive excellent training in each specialty.
During students' final two years on the course, they will undertake clinical attachments in a wide range of specialties such as cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, rheumatology, orthopaedic surgery, oncology, ear, nose, and throat surgery, and anaesthetics.
During their fourth year, students will spend one month full-time on an elective placement where they can choose what they'll study and where. This could involve undertaking their own clinical research either at Birmingham Medical School, another centre in the UK or abroad, in a clinical setting (primary or secondary care), another healthcare setting, or in a laboratory.
In each year of the course, students spend eight days working in the community with GPs and patients, linking biological and behavioral theoretical learning to clinical situations with real patients.
They get to visit GP surgeries throughout their studies in a mix of inner city, suburban, and some rural settings to gain maximum exposure to a range of patients and conditions.
At Birmingham Medical School, students are supported throughout their studies caring at its heart a strong community feel and an award-winning student medical society.
Students learn about the psychology and sociology of health and illness and how the health of whole populations, as well as individual patients, is assessed. All medical students can expect plenty of patient contacts, but in Birmingham, students start this from as early as week 2 to quickly build up their skills and confidence when communicating with patients.
For more information and how to apply for a medical degree, visit the University of Birmingham website.
