As you study Medicine and Surgery at Lancaster, you’ll experience a dynamic and supportive learning environment designed to shape you into a skilled, empathetic doctor.
Course structure and progression
Over five or six years, depending on your entry route, you’ll build the knowledge, skills and experience you need to become a confident, capable and compassionate doctor. You’ll start by learning the foundations of medical science and clinical practice, before progressing to hospital and community placements where you’ll apply your learning with real patients. Each year builds on the last, increasing your clinical exposure, responsibility and readiness for medical practice.
year-on-year overview of medicine and surgery accordion
The gateway year is the foundation year of our six year MBChB Medicine and Surgery course.
During the gateway year, you will build the academic and study skills needed to prepare you for the the MBChB.
You'll study a range of modules across Biomedical and Life Sciences and Chemistry, including:
Anatomy and Tissue Structure
Genetics
Hormones and Development
Infection and Immunity
Organic Structure (Chemistry)
Chemical Reaction Kinetics (Chemistry)
You will attend weekly support tutorials with the rest of your year group, which will build your academic skills and introduce you to broader topics in medicine such as the sociology of health, psychology of health, and medical ethics.
If you fail to meet the academic criteria for progression onto year one of the MBChB, you may be eligible to progress onto the second year of another degree offered by Lancaster University’s Faculty of Health and Medicine (for example, BSc Biomedicine). At the end of the gateway year, if you do not progress onto the MBChB or another degree at Lancaster University, you will be awarded a Certificate in Higher Education.
In your first year, you’ll be based primarily at the university as you build a solid foundation in medical knowledge and core clinical skills.
Problem-based learning (PBL)
You’ll complete 11 two-week PBL modules introducing key concepts in biomedical and social sciences, and the normal structure and function of the human body.
Anatomy and clinical skills
Learn through weekly anatomy teaching and hands-on sessions in our Clinical Skills Centre, where you’ll practise examinations, procedures and techniques.
Communication skills
From the outset, you’ll receive extensive communication training to prepare you for patient contact in years 2 to 5.
Study Skills Module (SSM1)
A four-week module helps you build academic skills like information retrieval, critical analysis and report writing, guided closely by academic staff.
Community clinical training
Join small group sessions led by GP tutors to explore the principles of general practice and community based care, including discussions based on real patient consultations.
Each PBL module spans a two week period and a typical timetable for each PBL module looks like this:
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Week 1
Lecture PBL Self-study
Lecture CALC Self-study
Lectures Self-study
Lecture Clinical Skills Self-study
Lecture CMP Self-study
Week 2
Lecture PBL Self-study
Lecture CALC Self-study
Lectures Self-study
Lecture Clinical Skills Self-study
Lecture PBL Self-study
PBL: Problem Based Learning
CALC: Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre
CMP: Communication for Medical Practice
In your second year, your time will be split between campus and clinical settings. You will be on campus on Mondays and Fridays, and spend two days each week on hospital placement. You will also take part in community-based activities, clinical teaching with GP tutors, and two community-focused assessments.
Special Study Module 2 (SSM2)
This module builds on the academic skills developed in year 1. You will explore a subject area in depth, source and appraise evidence, and present your findings in a written report. Many students choose clinical topics and work with a consultant who provides guidance and support.
Early clinical placement
During your hospital placements, you will take patient histories, prepare case presentations and gain hands on experience. Your progress will be guided by a clinical logbook that outlines key learning objectives and tracks your achievements.
Communication skills
Communication training continues throughout year 2 and builds on the foundation set in year 1. These sessions complement your growing clinical experience and help you develop confidence in real patient interactions.
Typical timetable
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Week 1
Lectures PBL
Hospital
Hospital
Community Self-Study
Anatomy
Communications skills
Week 2
Lectures PBL
Hospital
Hospital
Community Self-Study
PBL
In year 3, your learning is structured around five clinical rotations. Each rotation includes patient contact, clinical teaching, problem-based learning and other sessions such as tutorials and lectures.
The rotations are:
Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Sexual Health
Paediatrics and Therapeutics
Managing Long-Term Conditions
Care of the elderly with Neurology
Community Mental Health
Problem-based learning (PBL)
Problem-based learning in year 3 becomes more clinically focused. You will begin using real cases from your placements, presenting your own patient histories and using these to develop your learning objectives.
Professional Practice, Values and Ethics Case Analysis (PPVE) coursework
You will complete a coursework assignment based on a clinically informed scenario that presents an ethical or professional dilemma. Using an ethical framework such as the Four Principles or Four Quadrant method, you will analyse the situation and submit a written report. Case Analysis is designed to develop decision-making skills and prepare for ethical challenges in medical practice.
Health, Culture and Society (HCS) coursework
This coursework will allow you to apply your understanding of various psychological and medical sociology concepts to your experiences on clinical placement. You will be able to choose from a range of topics, for instance, medicalisation, patient safety or health inequalities, and then explore why the concept is important, who might benefit from a deeper understanding and how it might influence future medical practice.
In year 4, your learning is divided into two extended clinical blocks. Each includes patient contact, hospital based teaching, weekly primary care sessions and other learning activities such as lectures and tutorials.
As in year 3, much of your learning is based on real clinical cases. You will present information from your own patient histories and use this to shape your learning objectives.
You will spend at least three days a week in hospital settings, supported by a programme of clinical learning in primary care.
Block 1: Acute adult care
This block builds on your year 2 experience and deepens your understanding of general medicine and surgery. It includes placements in: acute medicine across a range of specialties, palliative care, acute surgery and peri operative care.
Block 2: The specialties
This block builds on the specialty rotations in year 3 and expands your knowledge of key areas. It includes placements in: obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and paediatrics.
Primary care clinical learning
Throughout both blocks, you will attend weekly full day sessions in small groups led by experienced GP tutors. These sessions focus on developing core generalist skills that will support you in any medical specialty.
Final exams
You will sit your final examinations at the end of Year 4, allowing you to focus on preparation for clinical practice in the apprenticeship-style Year 5.
Elective
After completing your final examinations at the end of year four, you will spend four weeks on your Elective placement. You will arrange and fund your Elective yourself, with advice and guidance from Lancaster Medical School. Your Elective is an opportunity to broaden your clinical experience and participate in healthcare delivery in a different setting.
You may choose to spend your Elective in another country, learning how different cultural, social and environmental factors influence healthcare delivery outside the UK. Alternatively, you may choose to spend your Elective in the UK, to explore a particular speciality in more depth, for instance working within a tertiary care centre.
Intercalated degree
Between Years 4 and 5 of the MBChB programme, you will have the option to take a year out from your studies to complete an intercalated degree. Intercalation provides you with an opportunity to study a subject related to medicine at greater depth or engage in academic research for a year.
If you decide to complete an intercalated degree, you will suspend studies on the MBChB programme for a period of twelve months whilst you undertake studies for a BSc, an MSc, an MRes or an MPhil degree. You will then return to the MBChB programme at the beginning of Year 5.
Clinical attachments
In Year 5, you will undertake five clinical attachments, two of which are Selectives in Advanced Medical Practice (SAMPs):
Emergency Medicine
Primary Care
SAMP 1
SAMP 2
WARD Placement (where you will have the opportunity to shadow an FY1 Doctor)
You can choose to follow SAMPs in a wide variety of different clinical specialties, providing the opportunity to explore different potential medical careers during the course of your undergraduate degree.
Each attachment consists of seven weeks of intensive clinical experience. A portfolio is used to guide and assess your learning. You will take responsibility for your own learning and engage in reflective practice to prepare you for Foundation training and lifelong learning.
Student life at Lancaster Medical School
Find out what day to day life looks like for our medical students. Head over to the Faculty of Health and Medicine TikTok account for student insights, behind-the-scenes content and more.
Problem-based learning at Lancaster Medical School
Problem-based learning is a small group teaching method where you’ll work in groups of around eight to explore realistic, patient based scenarios. These mirror the clinical situations you may encounter in future practice. Your group will identify learning objectives based on the scenario, then you’ll research the topics independently, using recommended resources and critically evaluating additional information.
A student perspective on problem-based learning
Here's what some of our students have to say about their experience with problem based learning at Lancaster Medical School.
Unna, fourth-year MBChB student
It’s really about teamwork, and in a way, because of the small groups, it is a bit like school. It really is a big leap from school to university and so for me this made the transition easier.
Isra, second-year MBChB student
I really like the small group teaching in problem-based learning. I was quite nervous to start medicine and this kind of teaching in small groups made it less daunting.
For me, problem-based learning is a much more engaging way to learn than being assigned book after book on a topic and then having to memorise it for an exam.
Placements
Throughout your degree, you’ll complete clinical placements in both hospital and community settings across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Hospital placements take place at local NHS Trusts, where you’ll apply your learning in real clinical environments and develop essential patient communication skills. You’ll also gain experience in community settings such as GP practices, primary care assessment services and specialist clinics, reflecting the shift in modern healthcare delivery.
A student perspective on hospital and community placements
Here's what some of our students have to say about their experience with being on placement at Lancaster Medical School.
Rhys, final-year MBChB student
I am interested in Anaesthetics and ICU and the University gives plenty of opportunity to explore specialisms in and out of placement. In 5th year I was able to choose 2 of my own rotations, one of which was Anaesthetics. I also work at the hospital as a clinical support worker. It is sometimes difficult to try and balance but luckily with this role I was able to choose when I worked allowing flexibility and forward planning.
Shiv, third-year MBChB student
I chose Lancaster because I like the small group teaching in the form of PBL as well as early clinical exposure right from first year and then regular clinical placements from second year onwards. The clinical placements early on may seem daunting at first, but they are a very engaging way of learning and getting more clinical experience for our future work.
Clinical Skills teaching at Lancaster Medical School
Clinical Skills is a key component of medical education. At Lancaster, we use a variety of modern technologies in our Clinical Skills lab. This element of teaching aims to prepare you for placement and your future as a medical practitioner, allowing you to build confidence, skills and practice in a safe and supported environment.
My very first time talking to patients in a clinical setting was very daunting. I became more confident at this by the communication for medical practice sessions taught by the medical school, which make us excel in our history taking skills as well as early clinical exposure, which strengthens our confidence when talking to patients.
Mobile Simulation Teaching Unit
The Mobile Simulation Teaching Unit is a unique, flexible training space that puts clinical skills and simulation-based learning right on your doorstep. Equipped with patient manikins and adaptable to replicate settings like emergency departments or wards, you'll use the unit to practise diagnosis, communication and hands-on procedures in a realistic environment as part of your studies.
