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This profile of Sheffield highlights this medical school's entry requirements, typical offers, student numbers, competition ratios, teaching and learning methods, course structure, demographics and history. Is Sheffield one of your target medical schools? This medical school can be added to or removed from your personal shortlist |
Sheffield's five-year integrated curriculum champions patient-focused Medicine. Students have clinical contact from year one, complemented by early clinical skills training. Teaching is delivered through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work, and full-body dissection for anatomy. Sheffield's medical programme is divided into four phases. Sheffield was ranked 12th in the UK in clinical, pre-clinical and health in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020.
Key information dashboard
For convenience, here is an at-a-glance summary of key information related to Sheffield medical school.
Links in this dashboard can help you check which other UK medical schools are similar to Sheffield with regard to points listed here.
Be sure to check our notes in sections below for more details about each of these points.
Sheffield medical school establishment date: 1828
Years of course: 5
Total medical students: 1350
Average year cohort: 270.0
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber
Subject prerequisites:
Biology (acceptable option)Chemistry (acceptable option)Maths (acceptable option)Physics (acceptable option)Psychology (acceptable option)
Interview format:MMI
Admissions test:UCAT
A Level typical offer:AAA
Advanced Higher typical offer:AA
IB typical offer:36 points
General teaching method:
Integrated
Anatomy teaching:
Dissection
Intercalation mode:Optional intercalation
Typical offers
A Level subjects must include Chemistry or Biology, and another science (Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Psychology), taken in one sitting.
Further Maths, Critical Thinking are General Studies not accepted.
Grade 6 (B) minimum in English Language, Maths and Science.
One resit allowed per GCSE and resits must be taken in one sitting.
Advanced Higher subjects must include Chemistry or Biology and either Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics or Psychology.
IB applicants must achieve 6s in Higher Level subjects (to include Chemistry or Biology and another science subject).
Standard level subjects must be scored at grade 4 minimum.
As explained on the website, schemes such as Discover Medicine and Realising Opportunities encourage applications from under-represented groups. There are dedicated courses at Sheffield Hallam University & the University of Bradford that permit entry to Medicine course, via UCAS.
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 |
315 students in this cohort | 300 Home students | 15 International students |
2019-20 |
305 students in this cohort | 280 Home students | 25 International students |
2018-19 |
240 students in this cohort | 235 Home students | 15 International students |
2017-18 |
245 students in this cohort | 225 Home students | 20 International students |
2016-17 |
235 students in this cohort | 215 Home students | 20 International students |
2015-16 |
230 students in this cohort | 210 Home students | 20 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
Lectures, seminars, tutorials, and dissection are methods of teaching.
Integrated 5-year course with option for intercalation after third year.
As explained in its overview of teaching, students at medical school "learn through clinical teaching on wards in hospitals, clinics (both in general practice and in hospitals), lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work, dissection and personal development supported by experienced teachers and personal academic tutors."
As explained in discussion of intercalation on this medical school's website, students can "enhance undergraduate Medicine studies at the University of Sheffield... to study either a BSc Medical Sciences Research or a BSc Medical Sciences (Surgery). You could also choose an intercalated masters degree.... if you have completed at least three years of your medical degree."
Phase one (year one):
Phase one takes place in year one, introducing students to normal structure and function of body systems. Course content is contextualised through ten half-day clinical placements. Population health science and medical ethics are taught alongside core content, emphasising the impact of illness on patients.
Phase two (years two and three):
Phase two takes place over year two and the first half of year three, subdivided into phase 2a and 2b. Phase 2a commences with a six week research project, followed by training in procedural skills such as taking blood. Following this, phase 2b students are trained in history taking and physical examination, assisted by volunteer patients. Students then undertake a twelve week longitudinal placement, integrating into multi-disciplinary teams to broaden exposure to clinical Medicine.
Phase three (years three and four):
The third phase at Sheffield spans from the second half of year three through year four. Emphasis is placed on ‘hands on' learning with placements in primary and secondary care. Specialty attachments include children's health, mental health, and women's health.
Phase four (year five):
Phase four takes place in year five, aiming to prepare students for practice as a junior doctor. Before progression to foundation training, students undertake a six week assistantship related to their upcoming FY1 post.
Reported demographics
This chart highlights gender and disability data reported by Sheffield 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 | 55.4% female students | 44.6% male students | 17.9% students with disability | 82.1% students without disability |
| 2016-17 | 53.8% female students | 46.2% male students | 18.8% students with disability | 81.2% students without disability |
Medical school history
In 1828 Arnold James Knight and Hall Overend made motions to found a public medical school in Sheffield, and the new medical school was formally opened as the Sheffield Medical Institution in July 1829. In 1905, the university college received its royal charter to become the University of Sheffield and Medicine was a founding faculty at the university.