Small group teaching in Consulting Room D1035, Queen's Medical Centre Medical School, University Park

Medicine with a Foundation Year BMBS

Royal Derby Hospital and Medical School, Nottingham, UK

This course is only open to Home students.

We are planning significant changes to our BMBS Medical degree programme from 2026 onwards, it’s important you understand these changes before applying to this course. Find out more

Course overview

Our Medicine with a Foundation BMedSci and BMBS course enables those who may not meet the grades for our five-year medicine course the opportunity to gain the skills they need to succeed in medicine and begin their journey to becoming a doctor.

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Biochemical Molecules and Processes

Mandatory

Year 1

Body Structure and Function

Mandatory

Year 1

Cells, Tissues and Genetics

Mandatory

Year 1

Integrative Module

Mandatory

Year 1

Public Health

Mandatory

Year 1

Professional and Communication Skills

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About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Monday 10 June 2024. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

Foundation year

In your first year, you'll study all the important elements of biology and chemistry required for your studies throughout the rest of your course.

You'll cover key topics in professionalism and communication and have your learning set in a clinical context where appropriate.

You'll undertake learning in fundamental subjects including anatomy, microanatomy and microbiology.

This year is predominantly studied at the Derby Medical School at Royal Derby Hospital.

Upon successful completion of your end of year exams, you’ll transition onto the five-year medicine course.

Teaching methods

  • Anatomy sessions
  • Case-based learning
  • Clinical skills sessions
  • eLearning
  • Full-body dissection
  • Lab sessions
  • Lectures
  • Practical classes
  • Self-study
  • Seminars
  • Small group learning
  • Tutorials
  • Clinical skills (embedded in Professionalism module)

 

Assessment methods

  • Case studies
  • Clinical exams
  • Coursework
  • Dissertation
  • Examinations
  • Formative assessments
  • Logbooks
  • Objective structured clinical exams
  • Poster presentation
  • Practical exams
  • Presentation
  • Short project
  • Workplace-based assessment

 

During your foundation year, you'll have around 12 hours of teaching contact with 25 hours of independent study per week. 

On graduating, you'll be able to provisionally register with the General Medical Council (GMC) for a licence to practice medicine in the UK. We'll help you through this process and provide support as you transition to the UK Foundation Programme.

To fully register with the GMC and be able to practice medicine unsupervised in the NHS or as part of a private practice, you will need to complete a Medical Licensing Assessment and complete the UK Foundation Programme.

Find out more about the GMC registration process.

While most students continue in a traditional medical career to become doctors, a medicine degree can lead to careers in research, sales, journalism, illustration, communications, and economics and more.

Average starting salary and career progression

 

A doctor on the UK Foundation Programme can expect to start at £27,689 to £32,050.

As you gain experience as a doctor and develop your professional skills, you may progress on to senior clinical posts and earn up to £107,688 depending on your role and years of service.

96.5% of undergraduates from the School of Medicine secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £35,089.


HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017- 2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).

 

For me, there were multiple reasons for choosing Nottingham. A big one was full body dissection, only offered by a handful of other medical schools. It’s the best way of learning gross anatomy and it helped me choose my anatomy-based BMedSci project on dissection of the facial nerve. "

Romana Jan

Medicine with a Foundation Year student

Course data

Open Day June 2022