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- Undergraduate
- MBBS
Study at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, a collaborative and inclusive medical school embedded in communities of Cumbria, training clinicians who are innovative, adaptable and focused on the delivery of high-quality person-centred care.
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Study a bespoke, community-focused curriculum at the University of Cumbria and graduate with an Imperial College London degree
Gain early clinical experience to allow you to develop your clinical skills and professional practice
A 4-year graduate entry degree, with a commitment to widening access to under-represented groups in medicine
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MBBS
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Duration
4 years
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Start date
August 2025
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UCAS course code
A102
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
Not set Home
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Delivered by
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Pears Cumbria School of Medicine
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Location
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Pears Cumbria School of Medicine
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Minimum entry standard
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2:1 (or above) in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree.
View full entry requirements
Course overview
Study at an innovative new medical school embedded in the communities of Cumbria, with learning opportunities across the region.
The bespoke programme blends expertise from the highly rated MBBS programme at Imperial College London, with the University of Cumbria's longstanding reputation in training allied healthcare professionals.
You will gain early exposure to clinical practice alongside research-informed medical sciences teaching. You will also complete a community-based project on a topic of interest to you, linked with prevention and healthcare delivery. Clinical skills training and multi-professional collaborative learning will occur across the 4-year programme.
A professional development programme will support your academic progress and career development. You will be allocated a tutor with clinical experience in Cumbria and be given access to resources to structure your learning.
You will need to be a home student with at least an upper second-class science or allied healthcare degree to be considered. Successful students will graduate with an MBBS awarded by Imperial College London.
To encourage applications from groups less well represented in medicine and as part of our commitment to widening access, this 4-year graduate programme does not have any GCSE or A-level requirements.
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A new collaboration between the University of Cumbria and Imperial College London
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No.1 in the Northwest for Graduates into employment or further study within 15 months 97% of Graduates – HESA 2023
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Imperial College London is ranked 8th in the world for Medicine QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
- Year 1
- Year 2
Year 1 will focus on the integration of medical science and clinical knowledge, while you begin to develop the professional values and behaviours needed to become a doctor.
From early in the programme, you will undertake clinical placements and clinical simulation in a range of settings across North and South Cumbria, which may necessitate travel and/or temporary accommodation.
These sessions will enable you to develop your practical procedural, clinical and communication skills.You will also explore the contributing factors to health and healthcare delivery. There will be a focus on the application of research to healthcare delivery.
Core modules
Year 2 will delve deeper into medical sciences with continuing focus on the integration of medical science and clinical knowledge, widening your clinical knowledge, and further building on your professional values and behaviours.
The clinical learning in primary and secondary care settings will increase, allowing further development of your practical procedural, clinical and communication skills.
You will deepen your understanding of the factors contributing to health and healthcare delivery completing a group project in an area of interest to you.
Core modules
Years 3 and 4 are centred on your preparation for practice as a Foundation Doctor in the NHS.
In Years 3 and 4, you will undertake clinical placements in clinical specialties, medicine, and surgery, based in hospital and community settings. These placements will facilitate the integration of your learning within the medical school, and in the clinical settings, to prepare you for practice.
In addition to being embedded in clinical teams, a range of structured teaching and simulation sessions will provide you with added experience of unfamiliar situations, managing uncertainty to support you in your practice e.g., making clinical decisions.
During your final year, there will be the preparation for practice component. This will contain a pre-foundation assistantship, during which you will have a defined role and responsibilities within a local clinical team where you will participate in activities which are like those of a newly qualified doctor.
You will complete your training with an elective period that will enable you to organise your own extended placement, either in the UK or abroad.
You will need to complete all components of the Medicine (Graduate Entry) programme to a satisfactory standard to obtain your MBBS award
Year 3
Year 4
Professional accreditation
Please note: this MBBS programme is subject to ongoing quality assurance by the General Medical Council (GMC) who are responsible for the monitoring standard of medical education in the UK.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Interactive Lectures
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Scientific Practicals -
Tutorials -
Team-based and Skill-based Learning -
Situational Learning (e.g. Clinical Placements) -
Simulation Learning -
Case Studies -
Flipped Classroom -
Reflective Practice
Assessment methods
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Written Assessments -
Clinical Assessments -
Oral presentations -
Reports and Write-ups -
Workplace Based Assessments -
Project work
Your timetable and learning
Our timetable is structured to allow you to focus on your Professional Knowledge, Clinical Skills, Professional Values and Behaviours at specific times.
We will use active learning methods so you can practise and apply your knowledge and critical thinking.
Assessment
A variety of assessment modes will be used, specific to the aims of each module in each academic year. These include, but are not restricted to, written, clinical and oral examinations.
You will also undertake Workplace Based assessments, which examine clinical skills or practical procedures, undertaken in simulated circ*mstances, and/or in a clinical setting.
Assessments will take place in class and/or online; they may be open or closed book. Assessments for the MBBS programme are pass/fail. You will receive regular feedback through formative assessments that will allow you to track your progress and prepare for the summative assessments.
Medical Licensing Assessment
The General Medical Council's Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) aims to demonstrate that those who obtain registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK meet a common threshold for safe practice. To obtain registration with a licence to practise, you will need to pass both parts of the MLA and demonstrate your fitness to practise.
Student agreement
Due to the unique nature of Medicine programme, which emphasises clinical placements, all students will be asked to sign an agreement upon entry, which sets out the responsibilities of both Pears Cumbria School of Medicine and the student.
The agreement complements Imperial College London’s current policies and procedures, promoting a coherent understanding between students and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine Faculty as to what is expected from each, and improving the student’s learning experience.
Placements and location of study
The programme is based at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, at the University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street Campus, Carlisle.
You will complete a number of clinical placements throughout your degree in partner NHS organisations.
From early in the programme, you will undertake a range of short clinical placements and simulation. These will be across North and South Cumbria, in community, primary and secondary care settings, including mental health.
During the programme you will be expected to complete placements in both north and south Cumbria areas which may necessitate travel and/or temporary accommodation.
Towards the end of the programme, you will undertake a period of pre-foundation assistantship during which you will be embedded in a clinical team locally; and an elective, where you will organise your own extended placement, either in the UK or abroad.
Staff expertise
You will be taught by a range of teachers from Professors to local health care experts, plus specialists external to Imperial College London and the University of Cumbria. You may also experience peer teaching.
University of Cumbria Campus, library, and facilities
Based at the University of Cumbria’s Carlisle Fusehill Street Campus you will study alongside students undertaking to a wide variety of different programmes. You'll find a bustling environment for students offering multiple spaces to use for socialising and meeting with friends.
A 10-minute walk from the centre of Carlisle the campus allows students to enjoy the facilities at Fusehill Street whilst having the flexibility to easily access the city centre.
Our libraries offer you flexible, accessible, and safe spaces. Our excellent range of digital and physical library resources support your learning.
Our Skills@Cumbria team support your library, academic and digital skills development throughout your programme of study.
Library and academic advisors team provide online resources, including our Skills TV channel, webinars , group workshops, individual appointments and email guidance to support you with searching, writing, referencing, presenting, dissertations and more.
For further information, please refer to our facilities page.
Disability support at the University of Cumbria
Disability support will be provided to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine students by the University of Cumbria.
The University of Cumbria is committed to supporting disabled students to participate in their programmes of study. The University seeks to embed policies and procedures which promote disability equality and offer support through the provision of reasonable adjustments.
Students are encouraged to declare Disabilities/Specific Learning Difficulties within the admission processes e.g., on their application form or UCAS forms, and during your registration and enrolment processes. By declaring information within these processes, the University of Cumbria can send students specific information and contact them to discuss needs.
Our Disability Support teams will work with you to develop your learner support plan detailing your needs and required and recommended adjustments which will be shared with your programme tutor. Our Specialist Learning Advisors provide support, information, resources, and appointments for students with specific learning difficulties you will have access to a range of specialist equipment, hardware, and software dependent on your specific needs.
On each campus, you will find accessible workstations with specialist hardware such as larger screens, keyboards, and adjustable height desks. All computers have access to a range of assistive software and a selection of over 100 free accessibility apps for everyone to use.
Further details are available on our disability support page.
University of Cumbria Student Accommodation
With a bustling city centre, beautiful surroundings and a wealth of history, Carlisle is a fantastic place to live and study.
Campus accommodation at Fusehill Street offers modern, stylish affordable ensuite accommodation, with 85 ensuite rooms organised into flats of 5-7 rooms per flat.
Accommodation contracts for medical students will be up to 49 weeks so you do not need to vacate your room at Christmas or Easter. Further contract extensions over the summer can usually be facilitated.
University of Cumbria also has a nominated a 3rd party provider, Denton Holme Student Village (‘the Host’). Denton Holme offers 249 rooms within 25 townhouses, with resident parking and bike storage facilities. Offering riverside views, the village is a 20-minute walk from the Fusehill Street campus. Denton Holme Student Village is managed by Host, the student facing brand for Victoria Hall Management Ltd. You can apply for this accommodation via the University of Cumbria application process; however, your contract will be directly with the Host.
For further information, please visit our accommodation page.
Entry requirements
Currently, the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine can accept applications only from prospective students who are considered a home student for fee purposes.
- Academic requirements
- Admissions tests (GAMSAT)
- English requirements
- Widening participation
Academic requirements
2:1 (or above) in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree.
Candidates are required to meet a minimum threshold score for each section of the Graduate Medical School's Admissions Test (GAMSAT) entry exam and are ranked according to this sum.
Subject requirements
Examples of relevant UK biological or allied health professional subjects as relevant to the academic admissions criteria are:
- Anatomy/Anatomical Science
- Biochemistry
- Bioengineering
- Biology
- Biomedical/Healthcare Science
- Cell and/or Molecular Biology
- Dietetics and Nutrition
- Dentistry
- Genetics
- Health & Social Care
- Microbiology
- Midwifery
- Neuroscience
- Nursing
- Physiotherapy
- Paramedic Practice/Science
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Radiography
- Sports Science/Rehabilitation
- Occupational Therapy/Health
- Veterinary Science/Medicine
*The above list is not intended to be exhaustive because degrees vary. There are many other relevant degrees, and if yours is not listed you are advised to discuss directly with the Imperial admissions team. Candidates with degrees awarded by institutions outside the UK should contact the admissions team.
Graduate Medical School's Admissions Test (GAMSAT)
All applicants applying to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine are required to take the GAMSAT.
Applicants are required to register for GAMSAT and to follow all instructions from the test administrator.
The GAMSAT results will be made available to the admissions team prior to the applicant's intended entry to the programme.
To apply in 2024 for the programme commencing in 2025 only results from March 2023, September 2023, March 2024, and September 2024 can be used.
Admissions requirement
Applicants who do not apply for the GAMSAT sitting by the required date will not be considered.
Applicants must achieve minimum threshold scores in GAMSAT section I 'Reasoning in Humanities' and section II 'Written Communication' to be considered for interview.
Additional information
The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine will give emphasis to adjustments for those who are identified as coming from groups who are under-represented in medicine, as per the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine widening participation criteria (please see below for a description of this).
These candidates will have an uplift applied to scores in section I ‘Reasoning in Humanities’ and section II ‘Written Communication.’
The uplift will be calculated to account for the spread of scores across all candidates applying within a given UCAS cycle. All candidates will be expected to meet the same minimum scores in Section III Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences.
Data used to identify widening participation candidates within the academic admissions process:
Application data will be used to identify candidates who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Have spent time in care under a local authority.
- Have a home address* postcode that falls into England’s index of multiple deprivation quintile 1.
Have a home address** postcode that falls into POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 and who also meet one of the following four sub-criteria:
- Are the first generation in their family to have attended university
- Attended an English school in the past ten years where the key-stage 5 performance is below the Imperial College London's percentile threshold of 20%
- Attended a school in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland in the past ten years where the Free School Meals percentile is above the Imperial College London’s percentile threshold of 80%
- Or have at some point, identified as young carers. These candidates will be reviewed on a case-by- case basis with evidence from local council social worker services.
*Home address is place of permanent residence, not term time address.
**These candidates will be flagged as Widening Participation candidates for the purposes of the shortlisting and interview.
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
When applications open, you will be able to start your application via UCAS Hub. There you can add this course as one of your choices and track your application. Currently, the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine can accept applications only from prospective students who are considered a home student for fee purposes.
Start your application via UCAS | A102
UCAS institution code: I50
Application deadlines – 15 October 2024 at 18.00 (UK time)
Tuition fees
- Home fee
Home fee
2025 entry
Not set
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
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Graduate with the skills and knowledge to enter a diverse range of careers including: clinical medical practice, clinical and biomedical research, the pharmaceutical industry, scientific journalism, and healthcare management.
Access the specialist careers support from the Imperial College London medical school careers team, alongside the support offered through your professional development tutor and other medical school staff. Including one-to-one appointments, talks from doctors in different specialities, skill sessions, networking events and careers fairs, and much more.
Achieving this MBBS provides you with a primary medical qualification (PMQ), entitling you to provisional registration with the GMC and license to practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts. In your final year, we will support you to apply for a Foundation Year 1 post through the UK Foundation Programme selection scheme.
On successful completion of the Foundation Year 1 programme, you can apply for full registration with the GMC before entering Foundation Year 2.
As a doctor you’ll need full registration with a license to practise for unsupervised medical practise in the NHS or UK private practice, although regulations in this area are subject to change. Then, you can train as a specialist through an NHS scheme, choosing from around seventy different specialities.
Further links
Contact the department
Email: cumbriamedadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk
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