Prospective graduate entry students given a taste of Imperial medicine

New Graduate Entry Medicine course launched with special open day - News

By Laura Gallagher
Thursday 14 June 2007

Imperial's new Graduate Entry Medicine course, which aims to turn science graduates into academic clinicians, was launched yesterday with a special open day for prospective students.

Around 170 graduates visited Imperial to find out more about the course and meet the academics who might one day be their tutors. Welcoming them, Imperial’s Rector, Sir Richard Sykes, said: "It's exciting to see so many people with a scientific background looking to move into medicine.

"You will become the kind of doctors we need, excelling intellectually and clinically, with strong scientific knowledge underpinning your practical skills. I look forward to seeing many of you come back here next year to take the next vital step in your careers," he added.

The new course will train science graduates to become medical doctors over four years, rather than the six taken on the MBBS BSc course. It aims to create the clinical researchers of tomorrow by giving medical training to graduates who already have a solid grounding in science.

Prospective students were given talks, and had the chance to ask questions on, all aspects of the course - including the course structure, admissions criteria, UKCAT testing system, student loans and funding. All the talks and presentations will be available to view and download on this page and on the Graduate Entry Medicine pages from July.

Shiv Chopra, the President of the Medical Students Union, spoke about life as a medical student and at Imperial, and the welfare and support systems available. "You’d be fully integrated with everything that we do in the medical school," he said.

Mr Chopra then introduced fellow medical students who had joined Imperial's existing undergraduate course having already completed a first degree, to give their feedback on how they have found life at Imperial.

"I was amazed at the support system. The support system is what makes the student experience for you," said one student, now in the fifth year of his undergraduate course. "It's definitely the best way to do things, to do a degree first and then come into medicine," added one of his colleagues.

The students then answered audience questions on issues such as how to manage financially, whether it would be practical to combine the course with part-time work, and how feasible it would be to raise a young family whilst doing the course. Prospective students then went on a tour of the South Kensington campus.

The new course will take 50 graduate students per year, with a minimum upper second class degree or PhD in a biological sciences area, complementing Imperial’s undergraduate medical intake of 286 students per year. The first students on the new course will start in 2008.

Further information can be found at www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/teaching/undergraduate/grad_entry.

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