Students who already hold a degree can apply to either or both of the affiliate course in Medicine (A100) or the Graduate course in Medicine (A101).
|
Course |
A100 |
A101 |
|
Length |
5 years |
4 years |
|
Term length |
In years 1 and 2, 3×8 week terms per year. Years 3-5 are more full-time |
48 weeks per year |
|
Assessment |
Holistic without weightings: BMAT, UCAS, additional questionnaire, interview |
Sequential consideration of academic record and work experience (collected by an additional questionnaire) |
|
Interview format |
2 x 30 minute panel interview |
Multiple mini interview |
|
Postgraduate degrees considered as part of assessment? |
Yes |
No |
|
Minimum requirement |
Typical minimum offer high 2.i; A levels in region of A*AA |
First class degree and ABB at A level or A*A*A at A level with a 2.i or degree in progress |
|
Applications per place |
Around 7 per place |
Around 600 applicants for 40 places |
|
Proportion of applicants interviewed |
Typical between 50% and 75% |
About 10-15% |
Similarities
Students on both courses cover the same content through lectures, practical sessions, dissections and placements, sit the same exams and receive the same degree.
Applicants to both courses are assessed on their academic record, their work experience and commitment to medicine.
Applicants to both must apply via UCAS by the 15th October and submit an extra application form specific to Cambridge. Candidates have a choice of 4 colleges for the Graduate Course (Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s and Wolfson) and only 3 for the affiliate course (Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s and Wolfson). If applying to both courses, candidates must apply to the same college for both.
Differences – structure
The affiliate course follows the standard undergraduate course in Medicine, skipping year 3 (where first-degree medics study another subject, usually one of the natural sciences).
The Graduate Course similarly skips the third year. In addition, the first year of clinical training (year 4 of the 6 year course) during the vacations in the first two years – years 1, 2 and 4 of the 6 year course are taken over 2 years.
Differences – assessment
The Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine is the most competitive course offered by the University. Typically, the course receives well over 500 applications for the c.40 places on offer. Due to the high level of competition, the assessment of applications follows a sequential process. The first stage considers first degree outcome and the best 3 A levels (postgraduate degrees are not included). Over half of applicants are rejected at this point and candidates need A levels of ABB with an achieved 1st class degree or A*A*A with an achieved or predicted 2.i or predicted 1st.
The second stage scores candidates on their work experience – candidates need both ongoing/recent caring experience as well as several years of prior experience to be competitive. Only around 80 candidates are selected from across the colleges for interview, which follows a multiple mini interview format.
The affiliate course follows the same assessment process as our other courses, using the BMAT as a pre-interview assessment and with a holistic consideration of a candidates application. All realistic candidates are interviewed and the interview format is two 30 minute interviews.
Which is better for me?
Some differences are down to the assessment process. Most obviously, the A101 course is only open to home fee status candidates. There are also differences to the funding available but do remember that it is possible for affiliate students to earn money by working in the vacations in the first two years.
If you have lower A levels (or equivalent) and a strong degree, or a reasonable degree but strong postgraduate grades, you are unlikely to be competitive for the A101 course but could a strong applicant for the affiliate A100 course.
The converse situation is unlikely – a a strong applicant for A101 will almost always also be a strong applicant for A100 and candidates are encouraged to apply to both courses if they wish.