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The Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS) programme, known as BM5, is a five-year course designed to prepare students for a career in medicine by combining strong scientific foundations with early and sustained clinical experience.
Programme Highlights:
Integrated Curriculum:
The BM5 programme follows a modular structure that blends biomedical sciences with clinical practice from the early stages, enabling students to apply theoretical learning directly to patient care.
Early Clinical Exposure:
Students engage in early patient contact, including placements as healthcare support workers in Year 2, gaining real-world experience in multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
Research Opportunities:
In Year 3, students complete a 16-week supervised research project in a scientific or clinical field, encouraging the development of critical thinking and research skills.
Clinical Placements:
The programme features fewer but longer clinical attachments across a variety of medical specialties, offering immersive experiences and deeper clinical learning.
Optional Intercalation:
Between Years 3 and 4, students may opt for a one-year intercalated master’s degree in a related area, allowing for academic enrichment and specialization.
The University of Southampton Medical School provides its students with a robust clinical education through a network of hospitals and healthcare settings across southern England. This ensures exposure to a wide variety of medical specialties and patient populations.
Core Teaching Hospitals
Southampton General Hospital (SGH)
The primary teaching hospital, offering services in emergency medicine, surgery, intensive care, and a range of specialist treatments. It also houses research and education facilities closely integrated with the medical school.
Princess Anne Hospital
Located next to SGH, it specializes in maternity, obstetrics, and neonatal care, offering focused training in women’s health.
Royal South Hants Hospital
Provides outpatient clinics and diagnostic services, contributing to early clinical experience and general medicine exposure.
Lymington New Forest Hospital
A smaller hospital that supports surgical placements and contributes to student understanding of care in less urbanized settings.
The University of Southampton’s BMBS Medicine programme provides significant research exposure, particularly through the BM Research Project in Year 3. This 16-week module offers students the chance to carry out supervised research in a range of areas including scientific, clinical, service evaluation, or audit-based projects.
Key Features of the Research Project:
Comprehensive Research Experience:
Students conduct an in-depth investigation, culminating in a formal dissertation and presentation at an internal faculty conference, showcasing their findings.
Skill Development:
The project helps students develop vital skills such as critical thinking, time management, teamwork, report writing, and oral presentation—all essential for a career in medicine and research.
Application of Knowledge:
The research encourages students to apply biomedical, psychological, social science, or public health principles to real-world problems, reinforcing an evidence-based approach to medical practice.
This research experience is a core component of the curriculum and ensures that Southampton medical graduates are not only clinically competent but also equipped with the analytical and investigative skills needed for careers in academic medicine, healthcare innovation, and leadership.
Medical graduates in the UK follow a structured career progression pathway after completing their MBBS or equivalent degree. Upon graduation, they enter the Foundation Programme, a two-year paid training period (FY1 and FY2) where they rotate through various specialties to gain broad clinical experience. Successful completion of this leads to full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC).
After Foundation Training, doctors choose a specialty and apply for Core or Specialty Training. Core Training typically lasts 2–3 years and is followed by higher Specialty Training, while some fields (like General Practice or Surgery) offer run-through training from the start. Specialty training durations vary—General Practice takes around 3 years, while hospital specialties can take 5–8+ years, depending on the discipline. After completing training, doctors become Consultants in hospital specialties or General Practitioners (GPs).
In terms of further study, many graduates pursue postgraduate qualifications to enhance their expertise or academic profile. Options include:
Master’s degrees (e.g., MSc in Public Health, Medical Education, Clinical Research, or Global Health)
PhDs or MD(Res) for careers in academia or research
Diplomas and Certificates in fields like Tropical Medicine, Radiology, or Dermatology
Intercalated BSc or MBPhD programmes (during or after undergraduate studies for research-focused pathways)
This combination of structured clinical training and academic opportunities allows UK-trained doctors to build flexible, rewarding careers in medicine, academia, global health, and beyond.
A levels - AAA to include A level Biology and one additional science. Acceptable science subjects are Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography. Applicants must hold 7 GSCEs at grade B/6 or above, including English language, mathematics and either biology and chemistry, combined science, or science and additional science.IBDP - Overall score of 36 points with 18 at Higher Level, with 6 in Biology and one additional Science.Indian - Indian National Boards 85% overall with 85% in Phyiscs, chemstry and Biology.Student's must 18 years of age at the start of the course.The university requires the UCAT, followed by an MMI.PhysicianSurgeonFamily Medicine DoctorEmergency Medicine PhysicianMedical ResearcherClinical Trials CoordinatorEpidemiologistPublic Health AdministratorMedical EducatorHospital AdministratorMedical Science LiaisonHealthcare ConsultantTelehealth PhysicianHealth AdvocateForensic PathologistOccupational Health PhysicianSports PhysicianMedical WriterHealth Informatics Specialist
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University of Southampton
