Medicine BM BS

Course structure

Our five-year medical degree, awarded jointly by the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, leads to the qualification of Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (BM BS).

The BSMS course is designed to help you become a highly competent; strongly motivated doctor, committed to the highest standards of clinical practice, professionalism and patient care. By the time you graduate, you will have developed the knowledge and key personal skills and attitudes necessary to pursue a successful medical career.

Both universities are part of the UK Medical Act and our course has been approved by the GMC under its Quality Assurance of Basic Medical Education (QABME) processes.

We are a dynamic and vibrant school committed to new and innovative approaches to medical education.

Our purpose-built, modern facilities include anatomy and clinical science laboratories, simulated consultation rooms, multiple libraries, computer suites and state-of-the-art lecture theatres. Our enthusiastic and dedicated teachers will provide you with on-going feedback, continuously supporting you and ensuring that you develop to the very best of your abilities. A range of IT and mobile learning resources will support you on the go, from e-portfolios to smartphone apps.

Years 1 and 2

Introduction to clinical assessment and year 2: Learning from the patient journey

You will study the normal and abnormal functioning of the human body using a systems-based approach, with integrated modules covering the core biomedical and psychosocial sciences.

You will start to develop clinical skills in history taking, physical examination, diagnosis and effective communication with patients in a classroom setting and by gaining experience in primary, secondary and third sector placements. For example, you may spend time with a family looking after a new baby (year 1), and with a patient with dementia or a chronic health condition (years 2 and 3).

Your anatomy study will include a combination of cadaveric dissection, prosection, living anatomy and ultrasound sessions and 3D printed structures, where you will actively explore the human body and its relevance to clinical practice.

Student-selected Components (SSCs) will allow you to undertake individual studies and explore selected topics in depth, informed by the latest research.

Year 1 modules

• Clinical and Community Practice 1
• Foundations of Health and Disease
• Heart, Lungs and Blood
• Nutrition, Metabolism and Excretion
• Personal and Professional Development
• Year 1 Knowledge Test

Year 2 modules

• Clinical and Community Practice 2
• Neuroscience and Behaviour
• Reproduction and Endocrinology
• Musculoskeletal and Immune System
• Personal and Professional Development

Year 3

Learning in increasing depth in core and general specialties

At the heart of year 3 are ward-based attachments including acute medicine, general medicine and cardiology; elderly medicine and psychiatry; and perioperative care, A&E, general and vascular surgery.

You will consolidate your increasing clinical experience with an understanding of the underlying clinical, social science and public health issues through weekly teaching sessions on the scientific basis of medicine. This module also consolidates and expands your research skills in preparation for your Individual research project in year 4.

You will also gain further experience in safe prescribing of drugs, an essential skill for your medical career. Time for Dementia continues through year 3 and you will begin Time for Autism. Regular meetings with your tutor will support your personal and professional development via your e-portfolio.

Year 3 modules

• Clinical Foundation Course
• Scientific Basis of Medicine
• Medicine
• Surgery
• Elderly Medicine and Psychiatry
• Student-selected Components
• Therapeutics
• Year 3 Knowledge Test
• Year 3 OSCE

Year 4

Learning in specialist disciplines

You will develop your skills in more specialised clinical areas, completing rotations that include:

• general practice
• ophthalmology and ENT
• infectious diseases, HIV GUM and health protection
• dermatology/rheumatology
• neurology and neurosurgery
• oncology, haematology and palliative care
• obstetrics and gynaecology
• paediatrics.

The clinical focus in year 4 is on understanding patients’ integrated care and how primary, community and secondary care structures work together for the patient. You will also complete a year-long individual research project, supervised by a university or hospital research team, which can be laboratory based or more directly patient focused.

Year 4 modules

• Specialist Rotations
• General Practice and Population Medicine
• Individual Research Project
• Year 4 Knowledge Test
• Year 4 OSCE

Final year

Learning in an apprenticeship role focusing on foundation skills and patient safety.

Year 5 provides intense clinical and professional preparation for your foundation years. Throughout the year, you will develop your clinical skills through direct patient contact and by using clinical skills laboratories and simulators.

Before sitting the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) you will undertake clinical attachments in a range of regional locations. Your learning will be based on a close involvement with routine clinical cases, acting as a member of the clinical team in medicine, emergency medicine, elderly medicine, surgery, general practice and psychiatry. Central to your study will be the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients in these different areas of practice.

After revisions and exams, you will spend the rest of the year as part of a clinical team at one of our regional partner hospitals, working closely with junior doctors and completing the Preparation for Practice module (Foundation 0), preparing you for the role of foundation doctor.

Year 5 modules

• Regional Attachments
• Year 5 Knowledge Test
• Year 5 OSCE
• Year 5 Portfolio
• Preparation for Practice
• Elective

Widening participation 

BSMS is committed to widening participation into medicine, so along with assessing your academic profile, we will also be looking for any contextual data that may enhance your application. If you are identified as having any two from the following key pieces of data, then you will be considered separately from the rest of our applicants. For these applicants, we will accept AAB at A-level (including biology and chemistry); and English and mathematics at GCSE grade 5 or C.

• You live in a neighbourhood that has low participation into higher education or live in an area that falls within the lowest 20% of the Index of Mass Deprivation. Eligibility will be identified by BSMS Admissions. 
• You attended an 11–16 state school that performed below the national average at Progress 8 score. Eligibility will be identified by BSMS Admissions. 
• You (or a parent or guardian) are in receipt of a means-tested benefit. Eligibility should be self-declared and evidence submitted via our admissions portal. All applicants will receive information on how to do this after submitting their UCAS application.
• You are in receipt of the 16 to 19 bursary. Eligibility should be self-declared and evidence submitted via our admissions portal. All applicants will receive information on how to do this after submitting their UCAS application.
• You are (or have been) eligible for free school meals at any point between Year 9 and Year 13 Eligibility should be self-declared and evidence submitted via our admissions portal. All applicants will receive information on how to do this after submitting their UCAS application.

Applicants who are (or have been) looked after in local authority care for more than three months will automatically be invited for interview, subject to satisfying academic criteria.

Mature and graduate entry  

Access to HE Diploma
Mature entry: Pass with distinction on a recognised Access to Medicine course. Find out more about Access to Medicine.

Degree and experience
Graduate entry: Applicants should hold, or expect to hold, a first or upper second class honours science degree and at least BBB at A-level including biology and chemistry. If applying with a non-science degree applicants should hold, or expect to hold, a first or upper second class honours degree and at least AAB at A-level including grades A in biology and chemistry. Applicants without the required science qualifications may like to consider the Access to Medicine diploma.

Applicants should note that the integrated nature of the BSMS degree in medicine does not normally allow advanced entry to a different year of the programme.

EU or Channel Island applications are considered on the same basis as UK applicants. BSMS has six places per year for international students from outside the European Union. Applicants should possess academic qualifications equivalent to those required from UK and EU applicants. We may be able to interview overseas applicants by video link at their local British Council office.

Biomedical admissions test (BMAT) 

BSMS requires all applicants to sit the BMAT, in the year that you apply, in order to be considered for interview. You are required to register with BMAT assessment centres before the test. Check the BMAT website for key dates and additional information.

International requirements

International candidates can find out more about BSMS entry requirements for international qualifications and detailed information on English language requirements on the BSMS website.

Course fees

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

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