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This profile of Glasgow highlights this medical school's entry requirements, typical offers, student numbers, competition ratios, teaching and learning methods, course structure, demographics and history. Is Glasgow one of your target medical schools? This medical school can be added to or removed from your personal shortlist |
Glasgow's medical programme was ranked joint first in the Complete University Guide 2021, alongside Dundee. Utilising an innovative spiral curriculum, Glasgow delivers teaching via lectures, problem-based learning, clinical placements, labs and e-learning. Core themes are revisited each year in more detail, with increasing clinical emphasis as the course progresses.
Key information dashboard
For convenience, here is an at-a-glance summary of key information related to Glasgow medical school.
Links in this dashboard can help you check which other UK medical schools are similar to Glasgow with regard to points listed here.
Be sure to check our notes in sections below for more details about each of these points.
Glasgow medical school establishment date: 1751
Years of course: 5
Total medical students: 1495
Average year cohort: 299.0
Region: Scotland
Subject prerequisites:
Biology (acceptable option)Chemistry (strictly required)Maths (acceptable option)Physics (acceptable option)
Interview format:Traditional interview
Admissions test:UCAT
A Level typical offer:AAA
Advanced Higher typical offer:AB-BBB
IB typical offer:38 points
General teaching method:
Integrated, PBL
Anatomy teaching:
Dissection
Intercalation mode:Optional intercalation
Typical offers
A Levels must include Chemistry and one of Maths, Physics or Biology.
If Biology is not studied at A2 level, it must have been taken at AS level and a grade A is required.
General Studies, Critical Thinking and Global Perspectives & Research are not accepted.
Advanced Higher subjects not specified
Highers must include Higher Chemistry and Higher Biology / Human Biology AND either Higher Mathematics or Physics.
A minimum of Grade B is required in any required Higher subject studied in S6.
Biology and Human Biology are considered equal subjects at Higher; however, only one is counted towards entry grades.
IB results must include three Higher Level subjects at 6,6,6, including Chemistry and Biology.
Standard Level Physics or Mathematics at 6 (HL recommended) SL English at 6.
As explained on the website, Glasgow is committed to widening participation and participates in Reach programme aiming to increase access to Medicine and other professional training.
Factors taken into consideration include care experience, postcode deprivation.
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 |
355 students in this cohort | 285 Home students | 70 International students |
2019-20 |
320 students in this cohort | 260 Home students | 60 International students |
2018-19 |
300 students in this cohort | 235 Home students | 65 International students |
2017-18 |
265 students in this cohort | 220 Home students | 45 International students |
2016-17 |
255 students in this cohort | 210 Home students | 45 International students |
2015-16 |
265 students in this cohort | 215 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
Integrated spiral curriculum, divided into 4 phases.
Teaching styles range from lectures, podcasts and other e-learning media, to small group teaching (including tutorials and Problem Based Learning), laboratory and dissection (cadaver) classes.
As explained in its overview of Medicine programme, "The MB ChB programme (specifically the “loops” of the spiral curriculum) has been organised into four Phases. These overlap the five years of the course, and reflect the development of students as they progress through the curriculum.... We have also developed the concept of Vertical Themes... as subject areas which continue through the full five years of the programme."
As explained in discussion of intercalation on this medical school's website, "At the end of the third year, selected Medical ... students may be permitted to undertake an intercalated course. Medical and Dental students can apply for either a one-year Honours degree, BSc (MedSci) or BSc (DentSci) degree within the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences or College of Arts."
Phase one (year one):
Phase one is covered in the first half of year one, giving students a foundation in biomedical science that underpins future learning. Students gain an introduction to clinical skills, complemented by placements in A&E and general practice.
Phase two (year one and two):
Phase two takes place in the second half of year one and the whole of year two, introducing students to anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry.
Phase three (year three):
The third phase takes place in the first half of year three, using cased-base learning to introduce students to haematology, pathology, and clinical chemistry. Teaching is delivered in small groups, with students attending one day of clinical placements in hospital or general practice each week.
Phase four (years three, four, and five):
The final phase of Glasgow's curriculum includes the second half of third year and all of years four and five. Teaching is based around 5-10 week clinical placements in specialties such as surgery, psychiatry, and general practice. A final module entitled ‘Preparation for Practice' follows final year exams, in which students follow current FY1 doctors.
Reported demographics
This chart highlights gender and disability data reported by Glasgow 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 | 55.7% female students | 44.3% male students | 7.6% students with disability | 92.4% students without disability |
| 2016-17 | 53.9% female students | 46.1% male students | 7.6% students with disability | 92.4% students without disability |
Medical school history
The current medical school at Glasgow was established in 1751, with the appointment of Dr William Cullen.