BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery vs BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation (Year 0)

Course Comparison

Course	BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery	BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation (Year 0)
Award	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - BMBS	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - BMBS
Duration	5 years	6 years
Assessment breakdown	-	-
Course type	Full-time	Full-time
Placement	(with placements)	(with placements)
Location	Plymouth	Plymouth
Provider	Peninsula Medical School	Peninsula Medical School
Entry requirements	In order to meet the academic requirements for this programme, you must have one of the following combinations of qualifications: GCSE, A levels and UCAT GAMSAT A levels and stage 1 of either Biomedical Science or Human Biosciences with the University of Plymouth. Degree study at other institutions is not considered. A Bachelors degree course through the University of Plymouth School of Biomedical Sciences. Degree study at other institutions is not considered. Full details on the subject and grade requirements for these qualifications can be found below. None of the typical offers listed necessarily determine interview selection. As described in the relevant sections, various factors influence the threshold on an annual basis. We are unable to consider applications from students who have academically failed a previous medical degree or incurred Fitness to Practise (FtP) proceedings. If you apply and indicate you have previously enrolled onto a medical degree elsewhere, the School will contact your former institution for confirmation of any academic failure or FtP. GCSE Applicants need to achieve 7 GCSE passes (minimum grade 4/C) which must include: English Language Mathematics Two Science subjects - either GCSE Double Award Science or two from single award Chemistry, Biology, or Physics We are unable to consider functional skills in lieu of GCSEs. A Level We are only able to consider A levels, or equivalent qualifications, completed within five years of the start of the application cycle. For example, qualifications completed since 2019 would still be valid when applying in September 2024. If your A levels, or equivalent qualifications, outdate this, please refer to the GAMSAT section. Additional AS levels or Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ) are not recognised and will not advantage an application. The typical offer is AAA – AAB at GCE A level which must include the following : Grade A in Biology Grade A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology Your third A level can be in any subject, we do not give preference to three science A levels. General Studies is not accepted. For AAB offers please refer to the Widening Access section. Alternative qualifications to A level The following qualifications can be considered in place of A levels, alongside the GCSE and UCAT requirements. International Baccalaureate 36–38 points overall to include the following: Higher Level 6 in Biology Higher Level 6 in one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology Scottish Advanced Highers AAA to include the following: Grade A in Biology Grade A in one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology. We are unable to consider Scottish Highers for entry onto this course. Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge/Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge (now called Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales) can be considered in place of a third A Level alongside Biology and a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology. Irish Leaving Certificate H1, H1, H2, H2, H2, H2 to include Biology and one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology Cambridge Pre-U Diploma D3, D3, D3 including Biology and one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology. For widening access applicants, we will consider M2 in place of grade B at A Level. Other UK qualifications We do not consider any UK Level 3 qualifications for this course that are not listed above. If you do not have any of the above qualifications, please refer to the GAMSAT section. Qualifications awarded outside of the UK We welcome applicants with qualifications from outside of the UK and assess equivalence to UK qualifications using Ecctis. To check the academic suitability of your qualification, please contact the Admissions Team meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk UCAT As part of our commitment to a fair and transparent admissions process, Peninsula Medical School uses the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) alongside A levels and GCSEs to select applicants for interview. The Admissions Advisory Panel reserve the right to consider all aspects of the UCAT when shortlisting for interview. The UCAT is valid for 12 months and must be sat in the year of application. The UCAT threshold score applied to determine candidate selection for interview can alter each year and is influenced by the number and quality of applications received. We are therefore unable to confirm the cut off for the coming academic year until all applications have been received and assessed. Previous overall score thresholds are shown below for illustration: 2020 entry: Home – 2290 points 2021 entry: Home – 2400 2022 entry: Home – 2610 2023 entry: Home – 2680 International – 2440 UKWPMED – 2330 2024 entry: Home – 2210 International – 2600 UKWPMED – 2210 If you have sat the UCATSEN you will need to provide standard evidence of your entitlement to this additional time by submitting the following: If you are still in education, an official letter from your school, college or university stating that following diagnosis from a qualified medical practitioner, educational psychologist or specialist teacher the candidate is currently entitled to additional time in public examinations (or has had additional time in public examinations within the last two years) or If you are no longer in education, a post-16 years diagnosis or report from a qualified medical practitioner or educational psychologist that explicitly recommends additional time in public examinations. Please consult the UCAT website for advice, information and preparatory resources. Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) Peninsula Medical School uses the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) as an alternative entry route to A levels. Although the GAMSAT is called a graduate admissions test, you do not need to be a graduate to sit the GAMSAT or apply with this qualification. We are unable to consider previous degree study for this programme, other than the internal transfer options detailed below. Candidates holding degrees or without suitable A levels should therefore sit the GAMSAT to meet the entry criteria. The GAMSAT assesses your academic aptitude for the study of medicine, including reasoning in humanities, social science, biological science, physical science and written communication. Results from the test are the only academic qualification that will affect the shortlisting process and previous qualifications will not be considered. The results are valid for 2 years but must be sat at the latest by September in the year of application. As the GAMSAT assesses academic aptitude, you will still need to show us at interview that you have the appropriate personal qualities to train and practise as a doctor. For further information or to register for the test, please visit the GAMSAT website. We are unable to set the GAMSAT threshold in advance of the application deadline. All GAMSAT applicants are ranked based on scores achieved, examples of the score thresholds applied in previous admissions cycles are: 2020 Entry Section 1: 55 Section 2: 55 Section 3: 58 Overall: 63 2021 Entry Section 1: 47 Section 2: 48 Section 3: 54 Overall: 66 2022 Entry Section 1: 53 Section 2: 55 Section 3: 66 Overall: 66 2023 Entry Section 1: 54 Section 2: 47 Section 3: 53 Overall: 61 2024 Entry Section 1: 43 Section 2: 43 Section 3: 48 Overall: 52 You will typically only get student finance if you are completing your first higher education qualification, even if your previous course was self-funded. You may still be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances and for some courses. Within your offer conditions you will be required to provide evidence that you have funds available to cover tuition costs for the first four years of the programme.	We aim to build a picture of the circumstances that may have adversely affected an applicant’s education and academic potential. When assessing an application we will consider a range of educational, social, family, and individual characteristics and experiences. Applications for this course will therefore only be considered if the contextual entry requirements are met alongside the academic criteria. Applicants for this course must not meet the A level and GCSE grade requirements for the five-year BMBS Medicine (A100) course. However, if you meet either the GCSE or A level requirements for A100 but not the other, then you would be considered for the foundation course. View our entry requirements Students must be 18 years old or over at the start date of this programme. International applicants This programme is open to international applicants who are currently seeking asylum in the United Kingdom – no other international applications will be considered.