Medicine BM6 Widening Participation (BMBS)

Study Medicine at one of the UK’s leading teaching hospitals, University Hospital Southampton, as part of a supportive and ambitious community of peers and staff, to become the doctor you want to be. Medicine is a challenging and rewarding field that blends science with compassionate patient care. At Southampton, you’ll study a curriculum designed to mirror real medical practice from your very first week, exploring how to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease, seeing the whole person and not only the condition they present with. On our updated six-year BMBS Medicine (BM6) degree you will study medicine over 6 years including a year 0, as you train to be a doctor. You'll be part of a smaller group of students embarking on this rewarding programme, learning in clinical settings and on a curriculum which integrates insights into the latest research driving advances in healthcare.

After graduating with a BMBS degree, you’ll be eligible for provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and can begin your Foundation Programme as a junior doctor. Our graduates pursue a wide range of careers, from hospital medicine, surgery and general practice to public health, global health, medical education, and roles in research, healthcare management, or pharmaceuticals. Your medical degree opens doors to leadership positions that can shape the future of healthcare.

Key Features of the Course:

• This course is designed to widen participation in medicine. For example, you may be able to apply if you or your parent or guardian receive benefits, or you are the first in your family to apply for a higher education course
• BM6 is a six year programme featuring a year 0
• You will attend shifts as a healthcare support worker to experience multi-professional teamworking
• Early and regular clinical placements in hospitals and community settings
• Research-led teaching from leading academics and medical researchers
• Student Selected Units to explore areas of personal interest
• A final-year student assistantship to prepare you for clinical practice
• Optional intercalated master’s degree between years 3 and 4 (study a master's of medical science or MSc at Southampton; or an iBSc or MSc at another university)
• Elective placement in year 5 in the UK or abroad

Student Support

From day one, you’ll be part of a friendly, supportive community of students, academics, and clinical mentors dedicated to your success. Experienced tutors and clinicians will guide you through practical and academic challenges, while small group teaching ensures you get personalised support. You’ll develop teamwork and communication skills alongside your peers, and have access to pastoral care, wellbeing services, and a wide range of student-led societies to help you thrive both academically and personally.

Further Information

This course is only open to home fees classified applicants. Applicants must meet three out of the six advertised eligibility criteria. Only applicants who meet both the eligibility criteria and the academic criteria will be considered. On successful completion, you’ll graduate with a BMBS degree and be eligible to apply for provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC). Applicants may be invited to attend a Selection Day as part of the admissions process.

Compulsory modules in Year 0: Applied Knowledge A, Applied Knowledge B, Clinical Practice and Personal and Professional Development, Health Improvement, Research as Applied to Medicine.
Compulsory modules in Year 1: Applied Knowledge 1, Applied Knowledge 2, Applied Knowledge 3, Applied Knowledge 4, Clinical Practice 1, Personal and Professional Development 1.
Compulsory modules in Year 2: Applied Knowledge 5, Applied Knowledge 6, Applied Knowledge 7, Applied Knowledge 8, Clinical Practice 2, Medical Humanities, Personal and Professional Development 2, Research as Applied to Medicine 2.
Compulsory modules in Year 3: Applied Knowledge Assessment (MCQ) Yr 3, Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (OSCE), Clinical Teaching Series, Medicine and Elderly Care, Mental Health, Population and Planetary Health, Surgery and Orthopaedics.
Compulsory modules in Year 4: Acute Care Year 4, Child Health, Clinical Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA) (Final), Medical Ethics and Law Year 4, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Genitourinary Medicine (O and G and GUM), Psychiatry, Specialty Weeks (Dermatology, Head & Neck, Neurosciences and Ophthalmology), Year 4 Applied Knowledge Test (AKT).
Compulsory modules in Year 5: Applied Knowledge Assessment (Final), Assistantship FY, Medicine (Final), Personal and Professional Development FY, Primary Medical Care (Final), Student Selected Unit (Final) (elective, clinical placement, research, education, supplementary), Surgery (Final), Workplace Based Assessment (WpBA).

Completion of BM6 year zero prepares you to successfully enter year one and study alongside students starting the BM5 programme. Each semester you will be assessed using a range of methods including written examination papers, practical reports, presentations, essays and production of a portfolio. These are similar methods to those used in later years of the BM5/BM6 programmes, so this will help you prepare for future assessment. In order to progress from BM6 year zero you must demonstrate satisfactory performance in all eight components: four elements of coursework and four examinations. Students who fail in any component will be required to resubmit work in the case of a failed coursework component or take a supplementary examination in the case of a failed examination component. Students are not normally allowed to repeat BM6 year zero.