The University of Glasgow School of Medicine adopts a spiral curriculum and incorporates a range of teaching methods to support learning, including:
You will gain some clinical experience in the early part of the programme, with a clinical visit to an A&E ward or General Practice in the first half of Year 1, and a clinical placement for one day per week in a hospital or General Practice setting in the first half of Year 3. However, the majority of your clinical placements will take place during the ‘clinical years’ or ‘phase 4’, from the second half of Year 3 onwards. During this time, you will undertake a range of clinical rotations, within a variety of specialities, in five to ten-week blocks.
You will also undertake a ‘Preparation for Practice (PFP)’ placement, following your final exams, to prepare you for the first year of the Foundation Programme.
During your studies at Glasgow medical school, you’ll gain experience in clinical environments throughout Glasgow and the west of Scotland, including within the “medical teaching centre at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which boasts a purpose-built learning and teaching facility, teaching laboratories and a state-of-the-art clinical skills suite”.
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Glasgow School of Medicine offers two four-week electives, following the third and fourth year of study, allowing you to explore an area of medicine of interest to you.
Within year 2, 3 and 4, you'll have the opportunity to personalise your learning experience through the choice of student selected components (SSCs).
There is also an optional intercalated degree, which allows you to take a break from your MBChB, to study for a one-year BSc or two-year BSc (Hons) degree, in a discipline of your choice from over twenty options. You can find out more about Glasgow School of Medicine’s intercalated degree options here.
Glasgow School of Medicine offers clinical placements within twenty-five hospitals and one hundred and fifty GP practices, giving you diverse opportunities throughout Glasgow and the west of Scotland.
Glasgow School of Medicine uses a panel-style approach for its interview format. For 2025 entry, interviews will be conducted online using Zoom.
The interview consists of two sections – panel A and panel B – and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Panel A focuses on 'what being a doctor means', while panel B focuses on you as a future doctor, and includes an ethical scenario (you'll have the choice from two). You can find more information about the interview format here.
Their website also provides tips on preparing for the interview, which gives an insight into what they will be assessing, for example: personal characteristics, previous experience and skills. You can view it here, along with ‘other important information’ that they’ve referenced.
As part of the entry criteria for medical school, most universities require you to pass an admissions exam before you’ll be invited for interview.
Admissions exam for Glasgow: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
The UCAT assesses the characteristics, attitudes and professional behaviours required for medical school. The exam is made up of 5 sections: Abstract Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Situational Judgement (SJT) and Verbal Reasoning.
If you meet all entry requirements in relation to your academic qualifications, personal statement and reference, your UCAT score will then be used to determine if you’re invited to interview for Glasgow medical school. To achieve a high overall UCAT score, it’s essential that you prepare well for all 5 subtests.
The free Medibuddy UCAT question bank uses artificial intelligence to carefully select questions based on your individual strengths and weaknesses within the syllabus. This ensures that you’re focusing on the areas which will have the biggest impact on your UCAT score.
You can also clearly see how you’re performing in each subtest using the question bank dashboard (below). Your calculated skill level, response time, total number of questions answered, and correctly, is given for each section so you can easily identify which areas you’ve “mastered” and which you need to spend more time on.
To find out more about the UCAT check out our Complete Guide and preparation tips.
Often voted the world’s friendliest city, Glasgow is a thriving city, which boasts affordable living costs compared to other major UK cities. Coupled with an impressive sporting history, and an exciting nightlife, Glasgow is an exciting prospect for both students and graduates.
As a Russell Group University, Glasgow is a prestigious university. In 2024, The Guardian ranked Glasgow 9th for Medicine. Students benefit from lecture-based learning, problem-based learning, and Glasgow's case-based learning, receiving access to leading researchers and teachers in clinical and basic science.
Students also experience a variety of clinical attachments and gain access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre, the Sir Michael Stoker Building, and the Imaging Centre for Excellence.
The University of Glasgow Medical School has high standards and a competitive entry process, reflecting the school’s commitment to finding students who are prepared for the challenges of a demanding medical education.With around 2,000 applications each year, only 600–700 candidates are invited to interview, competing for approximately 230 spots.
