MB ChB Gateway to Medicine (A108)

2025 entry

Course summary

Gateway to Medicine is aimed at students with the potential to become doctors who do not meet the standard academic entry criteria to apply directly to our five-year Medicine course. Our Gateway courses are a widening participation initiative for UK students who fulfil specific criteria and wish to apply for a clinical programme.

During the Gateway year, students will learn alongside each other, benefiting from shared interprofessional insight and the unique community of Bristol's medical, dental and veterinary schools. Students will be taught by teachers who are scientists and clinicians.

The Gateway course builds on core basic sciences underpinning clinical subjects (chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, anatomy and physiology); it encourages reflection and places emphasis on personal and professional development; strengthens practical, statistics, research and library skills; considers attributes and behaviours that enable a successful transition to university study. Successful completion of the Gateway year allows automatic progression onto the five-year MB ChB Medicine.

Eligibility
This course is open to applicants from specific schools and colleges in the UK only, those who have spent three months or more in care and/or those who have been eligible for free school meals during their secondary education. Further information and lists of eligible schools and colleges are available on the Gateway courses eligibility webpage.

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT, formerly UKCAT) is required for admission to this course. You may be eligible for a UCAT bursary to cover the cost of taking the test; please visit www.ucat.ac.uk for more information.

Health and conduct

Certain health conditions may be incompatible with some careers in medicine. Further information can be found in our pre-course information, or you can contact our Occupational Health team.

If you have a chronic health condition contact the enquiries team for guidance on making an application.

Medical students must complete a health questionnaire and undergo a medical examination. Non-immune students must be immunised against hepatitis B and tuberculosis.

In accordance with the General Medical Council guidelines, all medical students undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in line with other UK health-related courses.

Course structure

Studies will include:

  • Basic anatomy, physiology, cell biology and biochemistry of the healthy human/animal
  • Fundamental principles of chemistry
  • Numeracy skills and statistics relevant to health sciences programmes
  • Clinical professional attributes
  • Clinically-relevant work experience.

Successful students will then join the five-year MB ChB Medicine course.

Full details about the course structure and units for this course can be viewed in the programme catalogue.

Go to programme catalogue

Entry requirements

We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.

BBC including B in Biology or Chemistry. Applicants with predicted or achieved grades of AAB or above (or points equivalent), or with A in Chemistry, are not eligible for this course.
DMM BTEC Extended Diploma Applied Science (RQF): Grades DDM or DMM, including five specified Biology or Chemistry units in any combination. Applicants with predicted or achieved grades of DDD or above cannot be considered for Gateway programmes but could be considered for the five-year standard entry course instead.

Find out more about BTEC entry requirements
29 points overall with 14 at Higher level, including 5 at Higher Level in Biology or Chemistry. Applicants with predicted or achieved grades of 33 points overall including 16 at Higher Level, or with 6 at Higher Level in Chemistry, are not eligible for this course.
Advanced Higher: BB including Biology or Chemistry, and Standard Level: BBBBC. Applicants with achieved or predicted Advanced Higher grades of AA, or with Chemistry at A grade, are not eligible for this course.
Not accepted for this course. Access to HE students are instead welcome to apply to the standard Medicine course.

More about Access to HE entry requirements
Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/M2 is B, and M3 is C.
More about UK qualifications.