Central Lancashire Medical School

The medical degree programme at UCLan is one of the newer medical degrees offered in the UK. As part of this integrated course, you will benefit from early patient contact and clinical placements in the NHS from your first year. Patient interaction occurs from Year 1 in a range of diverse urban and rural clinical placements.

Please note that UK applicants for 2023 must ordinarily live in the North West of England. For more information, visit the UCLan website.

Key Points

• No Entrance Exam
• Integrated Course
• Majority International Intake

Insider’s Guide to UCLan Medical School from Anisha Bahl, UCLan Medical Student

What makes UCLan unique to other medical schools?

UCLan is unique to other medical schools in the way that their student body is predominantly international students, meaning that there is a lot of diversity and cultures, creating a friendly and accepting atmosphere within the school. In addition, they’re a fairly new medical school, having just been accredited by the GMC. All of the medical school is in a new building, and there are several clinical suites, state-of-the-art anatomy models, and technologically advanced robotic patients and labs, all of which aren’t offered in other medical schools.

Course Structure at UCLan Medical School

Year 1 at UCLan Medical School

Y1 is mainly campus-based with lectures and teaching every day. There are three modules: ISCM (sciences and teaching of core medical topics), EIPOM (learning about evidence-based medicine, psychology, sociology), and MSQC (clinical skills, communication skills, portfolio, professionalism, equality, and diversity, etc., practical topics) 

One placement in GP practice and one in community clinics in Y1 

Students undertake a research paper on a topic of their choosing in this year

Year 2 at UCLan Medical School

Y2 is also mainly campus-based with lectures and teaching every day. There are the same three modules as Y1, which all build on the knowledge of Y1 material

12 days of clinical placements in Y2 to prepare students for Y3 

Students undertake a research paper on a topic of their choosing in this year

Year 3 at UCLan Medical School

The majority of learning in Years 3, 4 and 5 will be work-based learning undertaking supervised clinical placements at our partner clinical providers in both primary and secondary care. Examples include East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and GP practices in East Lancashire, Blackpool Hospital NHS Trust, Northwest Boroughs NHS Foundation Trust and others.

Examples of placement settings include general practice, general medicine, hospitals, surgery, A&E, and health and society 

Campus teaching occurs once a week every week, and once a week every block of the year syllabus 

Students undertake an audit and write a paper (2 projects) in this year

Year 4 at UCLan Medical School

The majority of learning in Years 3, 4 and 5 will be work-based learning undertaking supervised clinical placements at our partner clinical providers in both primary and secondary care. Examples include East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and GP practices in East Lancashire, Blackpool Hospital NHS Trust, Northwest Boroughs NHS Foundation Trust and others.

Examples of placement include hospitals, surgery, mental health, obstetrics and gynecology, and general practice 

Campus teaching occurs once a week every week, and once a week every block of the year syllabus 

Final MBBS exams take place in this year 

Students undertake an audit and write a paper (2 projects) in this year

Year 5 at UCLan Medical School

At the start of Year 5 you will have the opportunity to take an elective period of study, which will help prepare you for your future career. You may use this opportunity to sample medical practice in the country which you hope to undertake postgraduate training or use the time to sample a particular medical specialty.

SJT and prescribing exams take place in this year

Teaching Style at UCLan Medical School

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

In the pre-clinical years (year 1 and 2), teaching is quite traditional, as UCLan offers an integrated course where the school teaches scientific knowledge alongside clinical training. Teaching is by topic, so lectures are separated by body system, and further divided by topics like physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, pharmacology, radiology etc.

In the clinical years (years 3, 4 and 5), teaching involves a lot of case-based learning as well as problem-based learning. Lectures on campus utilize cases and small groups to allow for a student-directed teaching style. Placements have a lot of problem-based learning because students are assigned patients and have to use their resources to provide a diagnosis and management plan.

Does UCLan offer dissection?

UCLan itself doesn’t offer dissection. Instead, they have a 3D anatomy and virtual dissection platform present in all anatomy rooms of the medical school called an anatomage table. The table allows users the visualize anatomy on a 3D cadaver, classing as the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system. In addition, several societies within the UCLan student’s union host events for medical and science students that offer opportunities to dissect on cadavers outside of the course.

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

Yes, UCLan offers a BSc (honors) in the third year of medicine. Students in year three are found to be on clinical placement for majority of the year, with selective campus days for teaching once a week on average. Teaching is very practical, and students are tested on their knowledge of core clinical conditions and presentations at the end of the year.

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

The pre-clinical to clinical split can be quite smooth at UCLan. Students get early clinical exposure from the first year, and within the first months of starting their degree. In the first two years, students have to attend campus teaching and lectures every day in the work, with a couple weeks around the year dedicated solely to placement. From year three, students are immediately put in the full clinical environment after the first day and expected to attend every day from schedules of 8am-5pm. At the beginning of the clinical phase, it can be a lot to get used to. However, majority of students voice that it’s very enjoyable and some say it’s easier than the subsequent year because the knowledge that was being taught prior can now be applied in practice through placement. Students also have the opportunity to attend rural placements in the UCLan campus at the lake district of UK.

Social Life at UCLan Medical School

What are the clubs and societies like?

The Students’ Union is at the heart of student life at UCLan. The SU organises loads of events throughout the year, and also provides support to students who need it. It’s easy to enjoy a night out without the need to drink alcohol. Many bars and pubs including our UCLan’s Source bar serve non-alcoholic ‘mocktails’ as well as many other delicious drinks.

What is the social life like?

If it’s sports and activities you’re looking for, then there is plenty of choice. You may want to take advantage of the free sports membership for access to the state-of-the-art Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, or hire out sports facilities at the fantastic UCLan Sports Arena.

FAQs