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M&D Pre-Medical Programme

This is a unique one year programme, primarily for students who do not meet the academic entry requirements for direct entry into the degrees offered at our affiliate medical schools in the Caribbean and mainland Europe. The programme also provides a suitable route for students who wish to enter a medical school in the UK or other countries.

The programme is taught at the University of Sussex, where students are registered in the School of Life Sciences. Although the programme is not offered by the Brighton & Sussex Medical School (BSMS), BSMS will consider applicants from the programme. The University of Sussex cooperates in administering the programme alongside M&D Europe (UK) Ltd. through which applications must be made.

Key features of the programme

We currently have direct entry agreements with the following medical schools: St Matthew's University, Grand Cayman (SMU), the Medical University of Gdansk, Poland (MUG), Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, Saba University School of Medicine, and the Medical University of the Americas (MUA).

The Pre-Med programme offers three (non-exclusive) routes on completion:

  1. An opportunity to obtain the credits needed for entry to one of our affiliate medical schools in one year – this means that you will not have to commit three years to an undergraduate degree, which may or may not lead to medical school. Students who successfully complete the Pre-Med will have met all necessary academic requirements as part of their application to these universities.
  2. An opportunity to apply (or re-apply) for a place at another medical school and use one of our affiliate medical schools as a back-up option, should their other applications be unsuccessful.


    Over the past 4 years, 24% of students who successfully completed the M&D Pre-Med were made an offer by a UK medical school (about 1 in 4 applicants).
  3. An opportunity to apply for entry to the second year of Bachelor degrees in Biochemistry or Molecular Medicine at the University of Sussex), or Biomedical Sciences at Brunel University, London. Other universities may also consider applicants for second year entry to similar programmes.

Please see the Progression Routes page for more information

Students have the opportunity to receive specialist preparation from experienced advisors about applying to UK and overseas medical schools. This includes work experience at hospitals, interview practice and optimising personal statements for applications.

While on the programme students are fully registered members of the University of Sussex and taught on the Sussex campus. This enables students to benefit from the experiences of university student life – something they would not experience at a school, college or access course.

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Programme outline

In 2009/10 the teaching term begins on 5 October and ends on 25 June 2010. Students must ensure that they arrive at the University in September. Induction week commences on 28 September 2009.

For this reason, and depending on the student's academic background, the exact course content may vary from student to student. All students, however, will complete the following modules, all of which include extensive practical work:

Organic Chemistry
General Chemistry
Fundamentals of Cell and Molecular Biology
Introduction to Molecular Genetics
Human Physiology
Neuroscience & Behaviour
Energy in Life
Health: A matter of National Concern
Introductory Physics
From Critical Reading to Stylish Writing

The latter course is compulsory for students wishing to progress to an affiliate Caribbean medical school. Students will also take and a course in Psychology for which a wide selection of options are available.

Please note: students with low grades in Biology may be required to take additional modules. This may mean taking some courses in the summer at an additional cost.

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Entry requirements

UK applicants must have three A Levels, with at least two of those being science-based (i.e. Biology, Chemistry or Physics). The remaining A Level can be in any subject, or made of two separate A/S Levels. Our minimum A Level grade requirement is B, C, C, however due to demand for places, the average A Level grade of our Pre-Med students is usually higher.

Equivalent qualifications, such as the Irish leaving Certificate, the I.B. Diploma or Scottish Highers are also accepted. Prospective international applicants with other qualifications should contact us for an individual assessment. Some students may be advised to take A levels in the UK, a foundation course or a course in the International Summer School before starting the Pre-Med.

International students requiring a foundation course are recommended to take the M&D Foundation Programme offered at Albion College, Central London.

If English is not your native language, you are normally expected to have passed a recognised test in English to the level of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent (with not less than 6.0 in the writing and listening sections).

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Accommodation

Accommodation in University of Sussex-managed housing will be guaranteed to students holding an offer for a place on the Pre-Med, provided an application for accommodation has been submitted by 1st August. Due to massive demand for places, University accommodation can not be guaranteed for students who submit their applications after this date. University Accommodation may be on or off campus.

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Programme costs

The tuition and administrative costs of the programme for all students (including EU nationals) in 2009/10 are £12,200.

Course fees for students who need to take the course ‘From Critical Reading to Stylish Writing’ are £13,150. This course takes place either in the September prior to the course start, or the July immediately following the programme. ‘From Critical Reading to Stylish Writing’ is compulsory for students wishing to progress to a Caribbean medical school.

The above figures do not include living expenses, which for an average student in Brighton and Hove are about £7,260 for an academic year.

If you fail a module you are entitled to one re-sit attempt, free of charge. This is normally scheduled in September. Students who need to repeat any part of the Pre-Med may have the opportunity to do so during the International Summer School Programme at the University of Sussex and there is a separate charge for this.

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Many UK medical schools and dental schools receive many applications to study medicine or study dentistry and places are very limited. Therefore, the preparation of a UCAS application form for medical or dental school is very important. Online Medical Admission forums are an excellent way to exchange views and ideas on what medical schools are looking for and which medical and which dental schools actually ask the toughest interview questions. The premed course is an excellent way to secure a place at a UK medical schools in the UK or medical schools based abroad. Medical and dental school applicants are strongly advised to get as much medical work experience and possible. Medical work experience seminars and dental work experience seminars consist of a series of medical seminars and dental seminars at a NHS hospital based in Britain. Many students also fine that UKCAT revision and UCAS Personal statement checking is very helpful.
Fierce competition for UK medical school places has encouraged students to embark on medical degrees and dental degrees outside of the UK, such as: Medical schools in Poland, Medical schools in Slovakia, Dental schools in Slovakia, Medical schools in Prague, Dental schools in Prague and Medical schools in the Caribbean.

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