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There are now sixteen graduate-entry medical courses in the UK, and between them they offer a wide range of different aims and learning styles. Your chances of success in obtaining a place, and your happiness in your medical training, will be much greater if you choose a course that suits your own aims and your own learning style. The Oxford graduate-entry course is best suited to:

  • people who like a self-directed learning style. The assumption on this course is that you will cover most of the basic material on your own. Group teaching is mainly in the form of interactive, problem-solving seminars rather than didactic lectures. If you prefer to learn through lectures, or if you like to have a lot of guidance for your studies, then you would almost certainly be happier on another course. If you like to learn mainly by yourself, and to be able to follow your own interests in depth, you will probably enjoy this course. We will provide you with excellent library facilities, electronic resources and tutorial support to enable you to make the most of your abilities.
  • people who like to have time to follow up their own special interests. Our timetable leaves plenty of time for private study, and we encourage students to study in depth areas of medicine that particularly interest them. If you prefer a more structured timetable, you might be happier on another course.
  • people who are interested in the scientific basis of medicine. We aim to produce practising doctors, not laboratory scientists, but we believe that some people benefit from having a clear understanding of the science underlying their medical practice. This course has a very strong emphasis on the science of medicine; if you don't like the idea of studying science, this course is not for you. If you enjoy learning about science and about medical research, and would like to become a doctor who has a strong scientific basis for clinical practice, you will enjoy this course.
  • people who wish to be doctors, not pure scientists. Our course involves students in clinical practice every week from the first week, and we expect students to put as much emphasis on their clinical skills as on their academic skills. All of our exams and assessments integrate basic science with clinical skills. If you would prefer to learn science in isolation before you start meeting patients, or if you have no interest in clinical practice, this course is not for you.

Before you apply anywhere, think carefully about how you would like to learn, and try to make a realistic judgement about which is the best course for you.