top of page
Chester

Medicine at University of Chester Medical School (GEM) & Interview Questions 2024

Overview of Chester Medical School

🏫

Graduate Entry Only 


Chester Medical School, a part of the University of Chester, offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in biomedical and life sciences, as well as medical practice. The school is set to launch its four-year Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) course from September 2024, providing a unique opportunity for students with a previous degree in any discipline to pursue a medical degree.


The GEM program at Chester Medical School is designed to accommodate students from diverse backgrounds, not just those with a scientific or healthcare-related degree. Currently open only to international students, the school plans to extend this opportunity to home students soon. The first cohort will commence in 2024, and the program is undergoing the General Medical Council's (GMC) quality assurance process to ensure high educational standards.


The GEM course will be delivered mainly at the Chester campus with facilities at Exton Park, Wheeler Building, and Bache Hall. Students will be partnered with several NHS sites for practical exposure. The course comprises 160 teaching weeks, with approximately 100 weeks dedicated to clinical placements across Cheshire, Shropshire, and North Wales.


Year One focuses on university-based teaching, with learning organized into five blocks of five weeks each. The curriculum utilizes Case-Based Learning (CBL) as the central teaching method, supplemented by lectures, seminars, and clinical skills sessions. Students will have early patient contact and will be exposed to various clinical settings, including state-of-the-art simulation suites, hospitals, general practices, and community placements.


Assessment includes formative assessments at the end of each teaching block and summative assessments at the end of years 1, 2, and 4. Upon successful completion, students will be awarded a Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Chester, enabling them to work as Foundation Year 1 doctors in the UK or equivalent posts overseas.


Chester Medical School is committed to delivering a high-quality medical education, with Warwick Medical School as its contingency school to ensure students' progression and completion.

📅

Chester Medicine Course Structure

The Chester Medical School's Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) course is a four-year program with a focus on Case-Based Learning (CBL). The course structure is as follows:


Year 1:

  • University-based teaching on Chester campus

  • Organized into five blocks of five weeks each, covering various medical topics

  • Patient contact and clinical skills training from the first term


Year 2:

  • Divided into three main blocks: Advanced Cases 1, Core Clinical Education, and Student Selected Component (SSC)

  • Transition to a greater amount of teaching in the clinical environment

  • Core Clinical Education includes time spent in various medical specialties

  • SSC allows students to explore a particular topic in greater depth


Year 3:

  • Majority of teaching based in the community, general practice, and NHS hospitals

  • Divided into three main blocks: Student Selected Component, Advanced Cases 2, and Specialist Clinical Placements

  • Specialist Clinical Placements cover eight specialties, with six placements in Year 3 and the remaining two in Year 4


Year 4:

  • Divided into four blocks: Specialist Clinical Placements, Elective, Advanced Clinical Cases, and Assistantship

  • Elective allows students to undertake a medical project in a setting of their choice, often outside the UK

  • Advanced Clinical Cases helps consolidate knowledge and practice skills in a practical clinical context

  • Assistantship prepares students for work as a Foundation Year 1 doctor, integrating them within a clinical team


Teaching methods include small group seminars, clinical skills and simulation sessions, and larger lecture theaters. There are 160 teaching weeks over the four years, with around 100 weeks in clinical placements across Cheshire, Shropshire, and North Wales. Students are assessed through formative assessments at the end of each teaching block and summative assessments at the end of years 1, 2, and 4.

Chester Medical School Entry Requirements - Medicine

GCSE

We do not look at school-leaving qualifications as part of admissions criteria.

A Levels

We do not look at school-leaving qualifications as part of admissions criteria.

IB

We do not look at school-leaving qualifications as part of admissions criteria.

Scottish Higher

We do not look at school-leaving qualifications as part of admissions criteria.

Scottish Advanced

We do not look at school-leaving qualifications as part of admissions criteria.

Degree (Graduates)

BSc 2.1 or above. 2.2 degree accepted with Masters or Doctorate.

📖

Admission Tests for Chester Medical School

UCAT

Yes

How Does Chester Medical School Look At The UCAT?


Chester UCAT Cut Off 2024 for 2025 Entry


UCAT is one of the entry criteria for graduate entry and you must meet the minimum threshold mark, there is no current information as to what this is. 


Note: It is only available for graduates for 2024 entry



📝 PS - Have your PS checked - 5⭐ Rated

🎙️ Interviews - 1-1 Online Medicine Interview (Panel & MMI) Tutoring & Mocks tailored to Chester - 5⭐ Rated

BMAT

No

GAMSAT

No

❓ Applying in 2024 for 2025 Entry?

✅ Join our incredibly successful Ultimate Package programme

✅ Receive 1-1 mentoring from qualified doctors & dentists
✅ Advice on work experience, volunteering, wider reading & universities
✅ Expert UCAT Tutoring, PS Editing & Interview Tutoring

✅ 100s of successful students