oxbridge

I have seen some discussions in the forum about going to Oxford or Camebrige for medical education, and thought I should make a small note.

Going to these schools following the traditional 5 year course will, for most 'elite' students, result in graduating twice; firstly from Oxford or Camebridge after the two first years and a year of research (intercalated degree), and then from a different medical school after three years of clinical medicine. Why is this you may ask, are these not the best schools in the UK, and the most famous?

Yes, they are the best and the most famous in most ways, including the pre-clinical subjects and in research, but not in clinical medicine. The reason for this is that the teaching hospitals has a relatively protected environment, providing their clinicicans time to do lots of research (more important than teaching, don't forget), and that the clinical population is relatively small (and very homogenous) in comparison to those found in larger cities (London, Birmingham etc.).

It is a tradition (expected) for these students to leave, altough the University is keen for them to stay. The remaining places, which has historically been filled by students from other schools, are now filled by those in the new 'fast-track' course (4-year) for graduate students, who only has a 1-year course before their pre-clinical finals.

The bottom line is that if you are interested in getting the best clinical education, while living in a more 'normal' environment, and you are not planning on a super-career in research, go elsewhere.

Good luck