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This profile of Keele highlights this medical school's entry requirements, typical offers, student numbers, competition ratios, teaching and learning methods, course structure, demographics and history. Is Keele one of your target medical schools? This medical school can be added to or removed from your personal shortlist |
Keele's medical programme is highly integrated, with learning centred around continuous feedback. Teaching is delivered through lectures, PBL, seminars, and cadaveric dissection, set in a modern spiral curriculum, in which core themes are revisited in increasing clinical detail each year. Anatomy is taught through dissection and prosection.
Key information dashboard
For convenience, here is an at-a-glance summary of key information related to Keele medical school.
Links in this dashboard can help you check which other UK medical schools are similar to Keele with regard to points listed here.
Be sure to check our notes in sections below for more details about each of these points.
Keele medical school establishment date: 2003
Years of course: 5
Total medical students: 730
Average year cohort: 146.0
Region: West Midlands
Subject prerequisites:
Biology (acceptable option)Chemistry (acceptable option)
Interview format:MMI
A Level typical offer:AAA
Advanced Higher typical offer:AB
IB typical offer:35 points
General teaching method:
CBL, Integrated, PBL
Anatomy teaching:
Dissection
Intercalation mode:Optional intercalation
Typical offers
A Levels must be completed within a two-year period, including Chemistry or Biology plus a second science (Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Further Maths, Maths, Physics, Psychology, Statistics) and a third academic subject.
Only one from Maths, Further Maths and Statistics considered.
Passes required in Science A Level practical elements.
A Levels in General Studies, Citizenship and Critical Thinking are not accepted.
GCSE results must include a minimum of 5 subjects at grade 7 (A).
English Language, Maths and Sciences must have been passed at a minimum of 6 (B).
Advanced Highers must include two subjects (both sciences), sat in S6.
Any additional subject sat at Higher level in S6 must be achieved at grade B or higher.
Scottish Highers must include Chemistry or Biology plus a second science, both at A, to be achieved by the end of S5.
Any additional subject sat at Higher Level in S6 must be achieved at grade B or higher.
National 5 results must include a minimum of 5 subjects at grade A/1.
Minimum of grade B/2 required in English Language, Maths and any science not offered at Higher grade B or better.
IB applicants must achieve 6,6,6 at Higher level, including Biology or Chemistry plus a second science.
Extended essay and Theory of Knowledge marks are not included in this total, but these components must have been completed satisfactorily.
Standard level grades of 6,6,5 expected.
As explained on the website, students with specific indicators of educational and socio-economic disadvantage may be eligible for adjustments to entry criteria.
Total students and cohort sizes at UK medical schools
For uniform comparison of medical student admissions each year across all UK medical schools, we rely on annual reports from the Office for Students (OfS) entitled 'Medical and dental intakes'.
| Admission year | Total students admitted this year | Home places | International places |
|---|---|---|---|
2020-21 |
170 students in this cohort | 160 Home students | 10 International students |
2019-20 |
160 students in this cohort | 155 Home students | 5 International students |
2018-19 |
145 students in this cohort | 135 Home students | 10 International students |
2017-18 |
125 students in this cohort | 115 Home students | 10 International students |
2016-17 |
130 students in this cohort | 120 Home students | 10 International students |
2015-16 |
125 students in this cohort | 120 Home students | 50 International students |
Competition data
Competition ratio data reported here is from the 2019-20 admissions cycle, as confirmed by MedSchoolGenie Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from this period.
Please note: Due to ongoing impact of Covid-19 since March 2020, UK medical schools have not yet released competition ratio data for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. Applicants should keep in mind that coronavirus-related lockdowns and other restrictions affected the entire UK education sector, so competition ratios were most likely distorted during 2020-21. MedSchoolGenie will update here when further competition data becomes available.
Applicant percentages of success
From reported competition ratios, it's possible to calculate percentages of success at various stages of the application process.
Numbers of applicants competing in latest admissions cycle
Based on reported numbers of applicants securing places, we can use competition ratios to estimate how many applicants have been competing at each stage of the most recent admissions cycle.
Please note: Estimates of competition factors from 2020 onwards may be less reliable than in previous years because UK medical schools have not yet reported competition ratios for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. MedSchoolGenie will update here when more recent data on competition ratios becomes available.
Teaching and learning
Early clinical experience.
Integrated communication and clinical skills teaching.
Practical sessions, including dissection.
Problem-based-learning (PBL), lectures, and seminars.
As explained in its overview of teaching, "Problem-based learning is one major component of the Keele curriculum. Students work in small groups to study written descriptions of clinical situations. Using a specific set of study skills, students use those scenarios to guide them towards relevant theoretical and practical learning. Normally, each scenario is the focus for learning for a week, with two tutorials (tutor in attendance) devoted to it. This process starts at entry to the medical school. From Year 3 onwards PBL develops into case-based learning where the written scenarios are augmented using discussions of patients encountered by students in their clinical placements."
As explained in discussion of intercalation on this medical school's website, "Medicine students can opt to take a year out of their undergraduate medical studies in order to study a subject area in greater depth, before returning to complete the medical course.... Undergraduates may suspend their medical degree for a period of 12 months and depending on your individual circumstances, you may be able to undertake, after Year 2, a bachelor's degree and after Year 4 a bachelor's degree or master's degree. Keele students may choose to stay at Keele to complete the intercalated degree or apply to another University, depending on the area they are interested in."
Phase one (years one and two):
Phase one at Keele introduces students to biomedical, behavioural, and social science. Students have early clinical contact, with a longitudinal general practice placement in which each student is supported by a GP tutor to improve examination skills. Intercalation is available after years two or four, allowing students to specialise in an area of interest.
Phase two (years three and four):
The second phase of the course is delivered through teaching in general practice and hospital placements. Specialties include paediatrics, surgery, and mental health. Medical students learn to assess ill patients, with emphasis on history and examination skills that build on the scientific basis of medical symptoms and signs.
Phase three (year five):
Phase three is centred around student assistantships in primary and secondary care, lasting between ten and twenty weeks. These assistantships are based in North Staffordshire, Shropshire & Mid-Wales and South Staffordshire. Prior to graduating, students return for a one week course focussed on preparation for clinical practice.
Reported demographics
This chart highlights gender and disability data reported by Keele to the General Medical Council (GMC), which has compiled this information into spreadsheets as part of its medical school annual return (MSAR) data sets.
Please note this data is retrospective, and that future numbers can vary from preceding years.
For comparison, we also include below all demographic data reported by this medical school to General Medical Council.
| Reporting year | Female students | Male students | Students with declared disability | Students without declared disability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 59.1% female students | 40.9% male students | 18.5% students with disability | 81.5% students without disability |
| 2016-17 | 57.8% female students | 42.2% male students | 18.4% students with disability | 81.6% students without disability |
Medical school history
This medical school began teaching undergraduate clinical medicine in 2003, using the Manchester curriculum, with the MBChB degree awarded by the University of Manchester until 2011. From 2012 (2007 intake) the MBChB degree was awarded by Keele University itself.