Medicine

Queen Mary University of London's Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry is one of the oldest medical schools in the UK. We draw on our history and heritage to provide you with the best medical education and training, in some of the best teaching facilities, and prepare you for life in medicine wherever you choose to practice.

Our core curriculum will equip you with foundational knowledge and skills, as well as the fundamentals of professional practice necessary for being a new doctor. The curriculum content is underpinned by our world-leading bench to bedside research, linking your learning to the work of the faculty, who pioneer the discovery and development of new drugs globally, through to design and deliver effective public health interventions for our local community.

We use evidence-based educational approaches whether for small or large group teaching, and focus on developing your self-regulated learning ability necessary for independent clinical practice. You’ll start seeing patients from your very first week, in community and hospital settings, across all years of the course.

Alongside the core curriculum, you can self-select modules where you have interest or passion, from the fundamental or clinical sciences through to the psychological or social sciences as well as any area of study you want pursue with our support in order to be the doctor you want to be.

Further information about the course including full entry requirements and selection criteria can be found on the QMUL course finder webpages.

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2)

Campus-based teaching

You will take five systems-based modules and three student-selected components in each of the two years of Phase 1.

You will be introduced to applied biological sciences and address key topics, including:

normal biological structure and function of cells, organs and body systems 
the effect of illness on people and their families 
the impact of environmental and social factors on health.

Our evidence-based teaching methods in Phase 1 are carefully chosen to ensure you securely acquire the knowledge necessary for developing the skills and behaviours required for applying in clinical settings and mastering in Phase 2 and 3 of the course. We use small and large group methods such as lectures, practical (anatomy and physiology) teaching, and group work in problem-based, team-based learning, clinical and communication skills settings.

Student-selected components (SSCs)

SSCs are self-selected modules that allow you to broaden your knowledge, skills and professional behaviours in areas where you have passion or interest. SSC modules vary in length with some ranging from two to five weeks, and others spanning throughout an academic year.

Clinical placements

Clinical placements are an essential part of your professional identity development as a medical student to being a doctor. Our course ensures patient contact from the first of the course, and across every year of the programme ensuring knowledge and skills learnt in the classroom, are consolidated into professional values and behaviours learnt in clinical settings. 
Clinical placements for MBBS students at Queen Mary, University of London start in September of Year 1 with a group placement in a community-based setting, usually a general practice (GP) surgery. Students in groups of 8 work with a GP tutor on a fortnightly basis throughout the length of Year 1.  You will be introduced to the GP team at the surgery, the local area served by the practice  and most importantly the patients.  You will learn about the impact of ill health on the patient, their family and their community as well as all the factors that contribute to the experience of living with disease for the patient. 
In Year 2 you will experience innovative online teaching on the management of mental illness with Psychiatrists from our partner mental health Trusts – East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) and North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT).  You will also continue to have teaching in community settings from our GP tutors.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Your progress is evaluated through a system of programmatic assessment that includes monitoring of learner engagement continuously across the academic year, through to performance in written and practical examinations at end of each academic year.

A scheme of merits and distinctions recognises excellent or outstanding attainment across each area of the curriculum. Prizes reward outstanding achievement across all the assessment methods and in specialist areas of the curriculum.