When applying to medical school or thinking about your route into medicine, it’s important to be aware of how long the process can actually take.
Medical degrees are already longer than standard university degrees, but you’re far from finished even after you graduate, so this guide will break down the general process most doctors will take from A-Levels to securing their title.
Written by Emma Francis Gregory
Let’s break the timeline down step-by-step, looking at how many years each phase takes:
A Levels: 2 years
Although not technically part of the pathway to becoming a doctor in the UK, it’s really important to ensure that you have the right A-levels or equivalent (e.g. International Baccalaureate or Scottish Highers).
Most medical schools require Chemistry and many also ask for Biology, but some others are more flexible in their requirements. It’s crucial to check the exact A-Level (and GCSE!) requirements for each university you apply to – otherwise, you risk being screened out pre-interview.
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Medical School: 4–6 years
Medical school in the UK can take between 4 and 6 years depending on the type of course you complete.
Undergraduate Courses
For students applying post-A levels (or equivalent), there are 5 and 6-year options available. 5-year courses offer the standard route into medicine and, although the exact structure varies between universities, Years 1 – 3 are usually either exclusively pre-clinical or are split across clinical and non-clinical settings. Meanwhile, Years 4 and 5 are largely clinical (i.e. spent on placement).
Foundation Year Courses
Applicants from widening participation backgrounds or those with lower grades than required for the 5-year course may be eligible for a 6-year degree programme, which includes a foundation year prior to entering Year 1 of the standard course.
Intercalated Courses
Students on all course types may have the opportunity to intercalate, in which medical degrees are paused for a year in order to complete a 1-year BSc or Masters degree. Some universities (such as Oxford and Cambridge), include a compulsory intercalation year – hence the course is 6 years for all students – whilst others permit optional intercalation depending on student preference.
Having an additional degree may be advantageous later in your medical career, as it can provide additional points on scoring systems when applying for speciality training and may also be a good opportunity to develop skills outside of medicine and get involved in research.
Graduate Courses
4-year courses are available for applicants who have completed a previous degree. Most universities offering this route ask for graduates to have completed a life science degree (e.g. biomedical sciences, biochemistry, pharmacology, neuroscience etc), but some universities, such as Newcastle and St George’s, accept applicants from non-science backgrounds.
Accelerated graduate entry courses usually allow students to either bypass the first year of the standard course and enter into Year 2 or combine Years 1 and 2 of the standard course into the first year of the graduate course before joining undergraduate students in Year 3.
Regardless of degree programme length, students must pass the Medical Licensing Exam at the end of their final year in order to graduate as a doctor.
Doctor Apprenticeship: 5 years (Alternative Route)
Instead of attending a university medicine course, a new option is being developed to enter medicine – apprenticeships.
The new medical doctor apprenticeships from the NHS will last 5 years, and will also require students to sit the Medical Licensing Assessment in order to graduate. The new scheme offers students an opportunity to earn a wage as they learn and will include earlier clinical exposure.
Entry requirements are comparable to those for traditional university medical degrees, although these will vary between different universities offering the course.
The apprenticeship route also aims to improve accessibility to medicine for students who might not have otherwise been able to pursue medicine, and hence there are restrictions on eligibility for the course. The first cohort of students will start their studies in September 2024, and are due to qualify in 2029.
Postgraduate Training: 5 – 10 years
Training doesn’t end after finishing medical school! All newly qualified doctors are required to complete 2 foundation years, rotating between 3 different specialities per year.
Following completion of their foundation training, doctors enter additional training in the speciality of their choice, for which they apply during foundation year 2. Although the process varies between specialities, the application process for this training involves a written application form and an interview. Several specialities (including surgical specialities, GP, and obstetrics & gynaecology) also require applicants to sit a written exam.
Doctors wishing to pursue a career in surgery must first apply for Core Surgical Training, which lasts 2 years, before applying for further training in a sub-specialty of their choice (e.g. neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic surgery etc), lasting up to 6 years.
Medical speciality training (e.g. cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology etc) varies in length but can be up to 8 years in duration, whilst GP training takes 3 years. Some specialities are very competitive when applying for training – this is when the intercalated degree may come in handy for providing additional points in the application process!
Other additional activities that can score points in the process include published research, teaching experience, undertaking additional training courses, and receiving academic prizes. However, this also varies between specialities.
But once speciality training is complete, you are officially a medical professional. Of course, your learning is never really over, as there’s always something new to discover in medicine. However, if you’re happy with your current position, there are no further years of training that will be required.
That covers what you need to know about how long it takes to become a doctor. Remember that, although it’s a huge time commitment, studying medicine is highly rewarding and will land you in an incredibly rewarding position should you put the work in.
I hope this guide has been helpful, and be aware that 6med is here to make the journey into medical school much easier. As well as our free application guides, which cover the whole medical school admissions process, we also offer more direct, personalised support via our UCAT and Interview Tutoring Bundles. If you want support for your whole application from start to finish, our Medicine Mastery Bundle is perfect for you. You can learn more about our bundles by exploring our site or booking a free consultation to speak with our friendly team.
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Want to get started on your med school application?
Get full, comprehensive support for your medical school application with 6med’s Medicine Mastery Bundle. Access everything you need for success as soon as you sign up.
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