Studying at Glasgow Medical School

Overview

The University of Glasgow offers students the opportunity to study medicine at a leading Scottish university with clinical placements taking place across the West of Scotland. Teaching is delivered in a range of innovative modern styles including small-group teaching, problem based learning and traditional lectures. Students at Glasgow have the benefit of training in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is home to purpose-built teaching facilities and laboratories.

Provided applicants meet the minimum academic requirements and have a satisfactory personal statement, interviews are allocated in order of UCAT score. This makes Glasgow an ideal choice for students scoring well in the UCAT.

Key Points

• Scotland
• Problem Based Learning
• UCAT
• Small Group Teaching

Insider’s Guide to Glasgow Medical School from Callum, Glasgow Medical Student

What makes Glasgow unique to other medical schools?

The teaching style makes Glasgow unique is the four-phase approach provides a good level of early clinical exposure and a spiral system-based curriculum which allows you revisit prior learning in subsequent years which reinforcing the information. 

Glasgow also has a great mix of UK and international students as well as a large section of graduates/mature students which allows you to meet lots of people from diverse background which enhances the university experience.

Course Structure at Glasgow Medical School

Year 1 at Glasgow Medical School

The Glasgow course is split into four phases, in first year you will complete phase 1 and start phase 2.

Phase 1 takes place in Semester 1 and lasts 13 weeks. During the first six weeks, you cover a basic science topic each week e.g. week 1 is cell structure, week 2 is immunology etc. During Week 7 there is a formative assessment week where you get to attempt an SBA paper. During the last 5 weeks on the Semester, you cover a system per week covering the anatomy, physiology and a couple of diseases based around the weeks PBL scenario. Throughout phase 1 you are taught through a variety of methods including weekly PBL scenarios, labs, anatomy dissection and lectures.

Phase 2 takes place during the 2^nd & 3^rd semester in first year and the whole of second year. Phase 2 involves eight system-based blocks that cover the anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and other basic biomedical sciences and some pathological conditions (based around weekly PBL scenarios). In Phase 2, the teaching method is similar to phase 1 with weekly PBL scenarios, labs, anatomy dissection and lectures.

Alongside Phase 1 & Phase 2 in year 1, you have science in medicine which teaching about research and evidence-based medicine. A clinical skills programme and VS also runs alongside the course.

VS (vocational studies) is a half-day every week where you cover medical ethics, professionalism, communications skills, and examination skills. It is led by a GP tutor with small groups (around 8-10) and includes visits to GP practices, hospices, and hospitals.

Year 2 at Glasgow Medical School

In year 2, you continue Phase 2 as in year 1 and continue with the science in medicine, clinical skills, and VS aspects of the course. You also get one SSC at the start of Semester 2.

Year 3 at Glasgow Medical School

In year 3, you start with phase 3 which is a 15-week block consisting of a new clinical topic each week e.g. cardiology, GP etc focusing on more in-depth pathophysiology and clinical medicine. During phase 3, you have one day a week in hospital/GP, CBL (case-based learning) and clinical skills.

After phase 3, you will start phase 4 which will continue until finals. Phase 4. Phase 4 involves two years of clinical attachments in various specialties in hospital around Glasgow (and further afield). Year three also includes another SSC and the first of two electives (the junior elective). 

Students also get the option to complete an intercalated degree between third and fourth year.

Year 4 at Glasgow Medical School

The whole of year 4 is devoted to phase 4 and you continue to rotate around different medical specialties. Year three also includes another SSC and the second elective (the senior elective).

Year 5 at Glasgow Medical School

Phase 4 continues throughout year 5 until finals (around late March/early April). After finals, there is a seven-week PfP (preparation for practice) which you are attached to a hospital ward to shadow a junior doctor, it also includes lectures on important practical subjects e.g. medico-legal issues.

Teaching Style at Glasgow Medical School

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

In year 1 & 2, teaching is centred around PBL, labs, anatomy (dissection) and lectures alongside clinical skills and VS (vocational studies).

In year 3 (phase 3), teaching involves CBL, lectures, clinical skills and one day a week in hospital/GP.

Phase 4 onwards is predominately taught in clinical environment.

Does Glasgow offer dissection?

Yes (this has not been happened in the last 18 months due to COVID), however, it is expected dissection will resume in January 2022 (when social distancing restrictions in the university are lifted)

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

Yes, there is a variety of BSc (MedSci) degrees, these can be clinical medicine degrees (e.g. perioperative and critical care medicine), life science degrees (e.g. genetics) or College of Arts degrees. 

These degrees take place during third and fourth year.

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

Normally, there are several days in GPs and hospitals during year 1 and 2 (this hasn’t happened due to COVID recently, but hopefully will restart soon). Then there is one day of hospital/GP in phase 3 and full-time clinical placements from the second half of third year till graduation.

Social Life at Glasgow Medical School

What are the clubs and societies like? What is the social life like?

Glasgow is unique in that it has four student bodies: the SRC, GUU, QMU and GUSA. 

The SRC (student representative society) represents student’s interest at University level and has many societies affiliated with it ranging from MedChir to the University of Glasgow Taylor Swift Society (yes really!).

GUU (Glasgow University Union) and QMU (Queen Margaret Union) are the two social unions on campus both have lots of social events on, GUU has its own club called HIVE and HIVE Thursdays are a popular night out for GU students. 

GUSA is the Glasgow University Sports Association and is responsible for running sports for GU students, there are lots of sports clubs affiliated with it ranging from rugby to skiing to sailing. These sports club include both competitive and recreational sports as well as regular socials on Wednesday Nights. 

There are also lots of medic societies from academic societies to medic sport clubs. MedChir (Medico-Chirurgical Society) is one of the oldest societies at Glasgow University and it runs educational and social events including a medics ball and the highlight of everyone’s year: Medic Families. Each year also has its own year club which run social events and balls for their year and are named Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta & epsilon (on a rolling basis).

There are 100s of societies to get involved with and Glasgow has brilliant night lives with lots of bars & clubs near campus, definitely the best night out in Scotland!

FAQs