Peninsula Medical School

BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation (Year 0)

An exciting new course offering an alternative entry route into medicine for able students whose education has been impacted by adversity. Using a Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach, this course begins the journey towards the development of the academic, personal and professional skills needed for a career in medicine.

It aims to aid the transition to university through building a strong sense of belonging within the medical student community, as well as introducing you to our learning, teaching and assessment methods. Students successfully completing Year 0 will enrol directly onto Year 1 of the standard 5 Year BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course with no further selection process.

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First choice for health

Delivered by professional experts, our programmes are tailored to you and your career. Together, we address today's most challenging healthcare issues, through research-informed teaching and active, real-world learning.

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Key features

  • £1,000 bursary available in year zero for each new entrant to the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation course (6 Years).
  • Teaching sessions are not timetabled on Fridays to allow time to fulfil other commitments such as remunerated work, travel home to fulfil caring duties, or community work.
  • Offers an alternative entry route to medicine for those whose academic potential has been adversely affected by educational and social factors.
  • A strong inter-professional study component which incorporates experiential learning in community healthcare.
  • Provides supported learning designed to develop students in all aspects required to thrive in their future medical study.
  • Delivers shared teaching with the BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with Foundation Year to raise academic standards in science and facilitate collaborative learning.
  • Direct enrolment onto Year 1 of the standard BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course without further assessment, subject to successful completion of Year 0.
  • Responds to the University, government and GMC mission to ensure medicine is a career open to all and that doctors of the future reflect the communities they serve.

Course details

  • Year 0

  • Teaching will be delivered across a mixture of shared and bespoke core modules. Shared modules are delivered in collaboration with the School of Biomedical Sciences. 

    Semester 1 – compulsory modules


    FMD001 – Molecules to Cells – shared (20 credits)
    Introduction to key aspects of genetics, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology that will underpin your later learning.

    FMD002 – Introduction to Human Physiology – shared (20 credits)
    Provides a grounding in key aspects of human anatomy and physiology that underpins later learning in pathophysiology, pathology and developmental biology.

    Semester 2 – compulsory modules


    FMD004 – Interdisciplinary and Team Based Learning – shared (20 credits)
    Develops key skills required for working in multidisciplinary teams through encouragement to work with peers to problem solve and manage tasks.

    MED001 – Active Life Sciences Learning – bespoke (20 credits)
    Introduction to the practical and professional skills required to study medicine; studying anatomy, neuroscience, sociology and psychology, learning about interaction with patients and how to integrate learning from different disciplines.


    Two further bespoke modules will run across both semester 1 and 2:

    MED002 – Workplace related hot topics in Medicine
    Gives a grounding in understanding how the health and community services work, particularly in terms of how people work together in teams to provide integrated healthcare for patients. This module is linked to workplace observations and community projects.

    MED003 – Learning Skills for Medicine
    Learning how to adopt an independent, managed, reflective and active approach to studying medicine, and scientific communication.


    For information about the remaining five years of this course, please refer to the BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course page.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor Surgery with Foundation Year 0 Programme Specification 4659

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

In light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the changeable nature of the situation and any updates to government guidance, we may need to make further, last minute adjustments to how we deliver our teaching and learning on some or all of our programmes, at any time during the academic year. We want to reassure you that even if we do have to adjust the way in which we teach our programmes, we will be working to maintain the quality of the student learning experience and learning outcomes at all times.
Progressions routes

If you do not qualify for entry to Year 1 of the BMBS programme, you may able to progress to selected courses within the School of Biomedical sciences. Please note this would be subject to programme-specific entry requirements.


Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

120

We aim to build a picture of the circumstances that may have adversely affected an applicant’s education and academic potential. When assessing an application we will consider a range of educational, social, family, and individual characteristics and experiences. Applications for this course will therefore only be considered if the contextual entry requirements are met alongside the academic criteria.

Applicants for this course must not meet the A level and GCSE grade requirements for the five-year BMBS Medicine (A100) course. However, if you meet either the GCSE or A level requirements for A100 but not the other, then you would be considered for the foundation course.

View our entry requirements
Fees, costs and funding

The UK is no longer part of the European Union. EU applicants should refer to our Brexit information to understand the implications.

New Student 2022-2023 2023-2024
Home £9,250 £9,250
International £14,600 £16,300
Part time (Home) N/A £770
Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per 10 credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. More information about fees and funding.

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Health and more details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Faculty of Health additional costs.

*Please note this is the international tuition fee rate for Year zero only. International tuition fee rates charged for Years 1-5 of the BMBS with Foundation are significantly higher than the rate charged for year zero. Please visit the BMBS course page for an indication of these fee levels. International fee rates are not fixed at the point of entry and will be subject to annual inflationary rises.

NHS Student Bursary Services Authority Bursaries

Currently, all home and EU students have their fee liability for Year 5 met by the NHS in the form of a non-repayable bursary. In addition to this, the NHS BSA also offer a means tested maintenance bursary which is paid monthly to the student.

Year 0 bursary
All new entrants enrolling for the BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation (6 Years) course will be entitled to a bursary of £1,000 from the Penninsula Medical School. This award will be paid directly to the student in three equal instalments in November, February and May.

If you are experiencing financial difficulty throughout the duration of your course, please contact the Student Funding Unit for advice.

How to apply

Applicants should apply to no more than four of the same clinical degree courses but may wish to consider BSc (Hons) Dental Therapy and Hygiene, BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography, or one of our School of Biomedical Sciences courses as their fifth choice.

All applications must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All applications for the BMBS with foundation course must reach UCAS between 1 September and 15 October annually.

The UCAS code for the Faculty of Health is P60 PLYM.

For more information contact the Admissions Team: 

Admissions Team
Faculty of Health
The John Bull Building
Plymouth Science Park
Plymouth
PL6 8BU 

Tel: +44 1752 437333 
Fax: +44 1752 517842

Email: meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Facilities

From the very latest electronic patient simulators and 3D human anatomy models to our web-based Managed Learning Environment and extensive library and learning facilities, you'll benefit from exceptional facilities throughout your degree.

Find out more about our facilities
<p>John Bull building</p>
<p>Virtual 360</p>

Teaching and learning

Our teaching approach balances the core knowledge and skills you need to practise as a doctor with the flexibility to focus on the specialist themes and topics that interest you the most.

Find out more about teaching and learning
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Teaching and Learning

Widening access

As part of our commitment to widening participation to medicine, dentistry and health courses, we undertake a series of initiatives in order to raise aspirations and awareness.

Find out more about access and participation
<p>Widening Access BMBS hero</p>
Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine

Chris Gummow – Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery graduate

Coming from an entirely non-medical background with no contacts in that sphere, until that point, I had always doubted whether I would be able to get into medical school.”

Read more about Chris' journey.
<p> Medical student Chris Gummow on his elective at Rarotonga Hospital in the Cook Islands<br></p>

Careers

Whether it’s working as a doctor in the NHS or taking your skills to developing countries, we’ll work closely with you throughout your degree to give you all the advice you need to take your career in the direction you’d like.

Find out more about your career opportunities
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Careers

People