The University of Southampton - Medicine

• Duration of Degree: 5 year
• Must be 18 at start of course
• Must meet GCSE requirements, predicted score will also be taken into account
• Unable to consider applications from applicants who fail to meet the requirements and undertake a different, equivalent qualification.
• International applicants are in separate pool of their own
• Welcome non medicine students that have started first year of their undergraduate degrees to apply

Subject requirement

• 2 sciences with Biology is a must
• Science subject means: Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography.

A level

• AAA
• Can consider A level taken outside of Year 12 and 13

IB

• 36 points with 18 at Higher Level, with 6 in Biology

GCSE

• 7 GSCEs at grade 6 or above, including English language, mathematics and 3 sciences
• For those with 2:1 honours degree or those over 21 without bachelor degree, must hold 4 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English language, mathematics and 3 sciences

Interview

MScs and PhDs cannot replace the requirement of Upper Second Class Honours degree.

English Proficiency

• IELTS: all band 7

Resit Policies

• A level: one retake attempt for a maximum of three subjects.
• GCSE retakes permitted
• No retake on degrees

a. Where is it going to take place?

The clinical placement will take place in partner trusts including Portsmouth, Winchester and Southampton for the first year of the placement. For the final 2 years, the placement could take place in a range of settings across the Wessex region. These include hospital trusts, GP surgeries, urgent care centres, the ambulance service and other third sector organisations in the community. Some placement sites are list as below:

• The Royal Hampshire County Hospital
• University Hospital Southampton
• Southampton General Hospital
• Princess Anne Hospital
• Southampton Children's Hospital

b. What is University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) like?

• UHS provides a range of secondary care services to the local population and specialist tertiary services for nearly 4 million people across the south of England and beyond.
• UHS has achieved top-quartile performance against most performance metrics compared to similar sized teaching hospitals, including long-waiting patients on referral to treatment pathways, diagnostics and cancer performance.
• There were frequently more than 400 attendances per day and an average of 13,100 patients per month.
• UHS is also a designated major trauma centre, one of only two places in the south of England to offer adults and children full major trauma care provision.
• UHS also recorded a lower than expected death rate via the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator (SHMI) and was one of 12 trusts in England out of 119 with lower than expected death outcomes.

c. How is clinical placement going to be for undergraduate students?

The undergraduate students will start gaining clinical experience from the first few weeks of the course and apply the core learning in hospitals and primary care settings. The clinical placement will take place from Year 3 to Year 5 with its own focus as below:

• Year 3: three 9-week placements in primary care and long-term conditions, medicine and elderly care, surgery and orthopaedics
• Year 4: speciality weeks in neurosciences, dermatology, head and neck, and ophthalmology
• Year 5: 6 week assistantship module in Medicine and Surgery

For the graduate students, the full-time clinical placement will start after Christmas in Year 2.

d. What is the course structure?

The five-year course is split into 4 phases:

• Phase 1 (Year 1 & Year 2)
  • the fundamentals of medicine
  • Year 1: 32% Scheduled learning & teaching + 67% Independent learning + 1% Placement
  • Year 2: 32% Scheduled learning & teaching + 62% Independent learning + 6% Placement
• Phase 2 (Year 3)
  • progression into clinical practice
  • 34% Scheduled learning & teaching + 47% Independent learning + 18% Placement
• Phase 3 (Year 4 & Year 5)
  • developing clinical practice
  • Year 4: 5% Scheduled learning & teaching + 43% Independent learning + 52% Placement
• Phase 4 (Year 5)
  • preparing for independent practice
  • 10% Scheduled learning & teaching + 40% Independent learning + 50% Placement

e. What is the teaching style in The University of Southampton medical school?

The following teaching methods are adopted in the course:

• Lectures
• Classes and tutorials
• Coursework
• Clinical Placement
• Independent learning

f. Does The University of Southampton offer the intercalated degree?

The students can apply to study for a Master of Medical Science or MSc at Southampton, or for an iBSc or MSc at another university (known as intercalation) between Year 3 and year 4.

The shortlisted applicants will be invited to a Selection Day. The selection process includes an interview and group task. The personal statements are used at the selection day. During a selection day, the candidates must show how they meet the school’s non-academic criteria by demonstrating that they:

• are self-motivated and resilient
• have reflected on relevant life experiences (this may include work experience, paid employment and personal experience, both in and outside health and social care settings)
• can communicate effectively
• can interact successfully with others
• understand the values of the NHS constitution

Others attributes like understanding of Medicine and a Doctor’s responsibilities, professionalism and clinical aptitude, empathy and ethics, team working, clinical data handling, problem solving and logical thinking are also important.

• Self-motivated and Resilient

1. Tell us about a time you faced a significant setback. How did you deal with it?
2. Describe a situation where you had to motivate yourself over a long period.
3. Medical school is demanding. What evidence is there that you can cope?
4. Why did you choose your first degree programme?
5. What attracted you to this programme of study?
6. Why do you want to study here?
7. What appeals to you about this city?
8. Why medicine, why not nursing or another health professional course?
9. If you were not accepted on to a programme of study here what would you do instead?
10. Are there any areas in which you want to specialise?
11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
12. How will you fund this course?
13. Do you think being a graduate will be an advantage in studying medicine and if so, what particular strengths would you bring?
14. Have you read anything interesting recently about medicine? (books, podcasts, websites etc)
15. What interests you about our curriculum?
16. What is problem-based learning (PBL)? What are its advantages/disadvantages?
17. Why would this PBL programme suit your learning style(s)?
18. This programme will require a significant amount of independent learning; how have you managed this approach to learning in the past?
19. What previous experience have you had of learning within a small group?
20. What are your preferred learning styles? How does this programme fit with those?

• Reflection on Relevant Life Experiences

1. Tell us about a meaningful experience and what did you learn?
2. Describe a mistake you made and how it has influenced you.
3. From your work/volunteering, what have you learned about yourself?
4. How will you handle the stresses of the work (on the course or on placement)?
5. How will you balance work and non-medical activities?
6. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
7. What difficulties do you think you will face and how will you tackle these?
8. What’s the biggest mistake you have ever made?
9. Tell us about a team activity that you have organised. What went badly? What did you learn?
10. Are you a leader or a follower?

• Effective Communication

1. Describe a time you had to explain something complex to someone.
2. Tell us about a time you dealt with a misunderstanding or conflict.
3. How would you explain ‘informed consent’ / a simple medical concept to a patient with no medical background?
4. Describe a time when listening carefully made a difference to an outcome.
5. Can you give an example of when you translated a complicated idea into something understandable?
6. How would you approach telling a patient that they need to change unhealthy habits?
7. What non-verbal cues do you think are important in clinical consultations?
8. How would you ensure everyone’s views are heard?

• Ability to Interact Successfully with Others

1. Tell us about a time you worked in a team.
2. Describe a situation where a team you were in did not work well. What did you do?
3. What makes a good team member? How do you demonstrate this?
4. Describe a time you contributed to a team’s success. What was your role?
5. Tell us about a situation where you supported another person to lead.
6. How do you manage disagreement while keeping the group productive?
7. After a group task, what steps would you take to improve next time?
8. How would you recognise and motivate your teammates?

• Demonstration of an Understanding of the Values of the NHS Constitution

1. Which NHS value is most important to you and why?
2. Tell us about a time you demonstrated one of the NHS values.
3. Why are the NHS Constitution values important for doctors?
4. Have self-diagnosis websites helped or hindered medical professionals?
5. Other than a lack of funds, what are the current issues within the NHS?
6. What relevance has the Hippocratic oath to modern medicine?
7. Where do you see the NHS in 10 years’ time?
8. What are the differences between length of life and quality of life?
9. Should someone that has smoked for the last 20 years be entitled to free health care?
10. The global population now exceeds 7 billion and could be described by many as overpopulated.
11. Therefore, should the NHS fund IVF treatment?
12. Can research be unethical?
13. What is ‘holistic medicine’? Does it have a place within the NHS?

• Clinical Scenarios

1. A 15-year-old girl approaches you requesting an abortion; you suspect there may be abuse. What do you do? Do you contact the parents?
2. Would you prescribe an oral contraceptive pill to a 14-year-old girl who is sleeping with her boyfriend?
3. You have one liver available for transplant, but two patients with equal medical need. One is an ex-alcoholic mother with two young children, the other a 13-year-old with a congenital liver abnormality. How would you decide to whom it should be given?

• Group Tasks

1. Your group has been asked to design a campaign to encourage vaccination uptake among teenagers. How will you ensure the plan is evidence-based and inclusive?
2. A hospital must choose between investing in new MRI scanners or community clinics. How will your group reach consensus on the best option?
3. Your team must decide how to allocate limited funding for student wellbeing initiatives. What principles should guide the decision?
4. You’re tasked with improving communication between doctors and nurses on a ward. What practical solutions might your group suggest?
5. Your group is discussing an ethical case where parents refuse a blood transfusion for their child. How will you keep the discussion respectful and balanced?
6. Antibiotic resistance. What would happen if they were banned tomorrow?
7. Advantages and disadvantages of free Wi-Fi in schools for 15-16 year olds.