Studying at Aberdeen Medical School

Overview

Aberdeen Medical School was formally established in 1787 and has been training doctors ever since. The medical schools has one of the largest clinical sites in Europe, giving you ample opportunities to get involved in research and other activities. The course at Aberdeen takes an integrated, system-based approach based around a series of clinical cases to integrate clinical ideas into pre-clinical learning. Through the GP Enhanced programme you’ll experience teaching in primary care settings throughout all five years of the course, giving you a thorough understanding of the role of GPs within healthcare and the community.

The University of Aberdeen takes into account both UCAT score and academics when shortlisting candidates for interview. This makes it an ideal choice for high scorers, and those who scored very highly in either aspect.

Key Points

• Scottish Medical School
• Integrated Course
• Optional Intercalation

Insider’s Guide to Aberdeen Medical School from Karen, Aberdeen Medical Student

What makes Aberdeen unique to other medical schools?

The University of Aberdeen Medical School is one of the few that offer clinical exposure from the first year onwards, its one of the things that drew me here and made it my first choice. The Remote and Rural option, where you get to have placements in the highlands is a massive factor that pulled me in.  The SSC in third year gives you the chance to look at medicine with an alternative take – there’s so much you could do and the options are endless, ranging from taking art classes to mindfulness and forensics.  If you’re a graduate, Aberdeen is one of the only medical schools that doesn’t put a cap on the number of graduates. The summer research scholarship that’s open to medical students is an excellent opportunity if you’re into research.

Course Structure at Aberdeen Medical School

Year 1 at Aberdeen Medical School

You study ‘Foundations of Medicine’ in Term 1 which is module based on basic medical science and the main processes underlying disease. It involves learning relevant anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and microbiology. In Term 2, you cover the cardiovascular and respiratory systems alongside the relevant GP teaching and anatomy. You are taught clinical skills from first year too, which include clinical examinations, history taking and some practical procedures! There is also an SSC at the end of the year which is a group project essentially. You also have placements, subject to the COVID situation.

Year 2 at Aberdeen Medical School

You cover more systems in year 2 starting with GI, head and neck (which includes dermatology, ENT and ophthalmology), neurology, MSK, endocrine, urinary and infectious diseases. You have CBL sessions with the GP practice that you’re assigned to for each system. There’s two anatomy lab sessions weekly as well. You also have weekly placements that run alongside all this. There’s another SSC that takes place just before Christmas.

Year 3 at Aberdeen Medical School

The reproductive system is taught first, followed by a 6 week medical humanities course. After that, you focus on haematology, paediatrics, geriatrics, immunology, clinical genetics and clinical pharmacology. You also have bi-weekly placements alongside your GP teaching. You end the year with public health teaching on clinical effectiveness and start the first of 9 five-week long clinical rotations.

Year 4 at Aberdeen Medical School

You have 7 six-week clinical blocks during which you will get to experience from acute medicine and critical care, surgery and critical care, reproductive and child health, GP, long term conditions and integrated care, mental health and diagnostics. You can do these in Inverness.

Year 5 at Aberdeen Medical School

There are 3 eight week clinical attachments in broad areas of medicine, surgery and community health (GP or psychiatry) that you get to pick. One of these courses will be in Inverness or Elgin (the Highlands). You have a choice of speciality within these blocks but this is the apprentice year where you complete Student Assistantships in your medical, surgical and psychiatry attachments. The focus of these is to learn what is required post-graduation when you will be working as a doctor. This is also the year you do your 8 week elective in.

Teaching Style at Aberdeen Medical School

What is the general teaching style at Aberdeen? E.g. is it PBL/Traditional? etc.

The general teaching style of Aberdeen is an integrated systems-based approach. You do various systems starting right from Year 1, all the way to the third year and thereafter you will be revising and consolidating what you have already learnt through your placements. You do have CBL sessions with the GP practice you’re assigned to and problem solving sessions every now and then.

Does Aberdeen offer dissection?

Your anatomy teaching is done through prosection in lab sessions however you do have the option to do dissection in third year.

Does Aberdeen offer a BSc? If so, how is the BSc year?

Yes, you do have the option to intercalate between year 3 and 4 or between year 4 and 5. For your BSc, you can do Medical Sciences (Honors year or Medical Sciences year) . There are a wide range of Masters degrees that you can do after your fourth year as well, such as Public Health, Psychology, Drug Discovery, Clinical Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Development, Genetics, Global Health and Management, Health Psychology, Medical Imaging, Medical Physics, Human Nutrition.

What is the pre-clinical / clinical split like? Do you get early clinical exposure?

In Years 1, 2 and 3, you learn many specialties and you learn the anatomy (and embryology where necessary), physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology. Years 4 and 5 are purely clinical. There is clinical exposure from first year onwards, which I found to be a massive positive.

Social Life at Aberdeen Medical School

What are the clubs and societies like?

There are so many clubs and societies, the list is endless! There is a society for everything. The medical school also has so many societies, there’s even sports clubs for medics only. There’s always something you can do here, with the proximity to the beach and the mountains- hiking, climbing, bouldering, surfing, skiing, etc. You name it, you can do it!

What is the social life like?

The social life is also really good, there’s something happening every other day and I guarantee you that you’ll never be bored. 

FAQs