Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year Lancaster University

Designed for talented UK students from backgrounds under-represented in medicine, our Gateway Year builds the academic skills, knowledge and confidence needed to progress onto the full five-year MBChB Medicine and Surgery programme — and to become a skilled, compassionate, patient-centred doctor.

Our approach

Studying medicine at Lancaster is about more than diagnosis and treatment. You will learn about the body's systems — cardiovascular, musculo-skeletal, renal and more — before exploring how dysfunction leads to ill health. Social, psychological and ethical dimensions are woven throughout, helping you treat the whole person.

How you'll learn

Teaching is active and small-group focused. Methods include:

• Case-based learning

• Think through real clinical problems

• Clinical skills

• Hands-on practice from year one

• Simulation

• Practise safely, build confidence

• Placements in locations from rural GPs to urban hospitals

• Placements and assessment

Clinical placements begin in year two, aligned to what you've just studied. Assessment combines written exams, OSCEs (structured clinical exams testing communication, history-taking and practical skills), and an ongoing online portfolio built from year two onwards. Final exams take place at the end of year four, leaving year five free for Foundation training preparation.

Support and values

Lancaster is committed to social justice, inclusion and sustainability. We offer dedicated pastoral support for medical students covering academic, health, disability and personal matters, in addition to the university's wider student services.

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.

A levels

BBB . This should include Biology and Chemistry.

Access to HE Diploma

Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

BTEC Extended Diploma

Not accepted on its own

BTEC in combination with A levels

Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall with at least 5 in 3 HL subjects including Biology and Chemistry

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

Please refer to the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

T levels

Not accepted

GCSE requirements

Requirements will vary depending on individual circumstances but all applicants must have achieved grade 6/B in double award Combined Science (trilogy) or Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Mathematics and English Language.

Additional requirements

All applicants must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) to be eligible for consideration at Lancaster Medical School. No applicant will be offered a place without being interviewed in person. Lancaster Medical School uses the multiple mini interview format for their admissions interviews. More information can be found on the Lancaster Medical School web pages.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require an IELTS score of 7.0 overall with at least 7.0 in each component for this programme. English language qualifications for undergraduate study.