Extended Medical Degree Programme

A six-year medical degree programme open to students studying A levels/Access to Medicine at eligible non-selective state schools in London, Kent and Medway. Students study the core curriculum at a slower pace and with greater support for first three years. The course covers the same topics, at the same level of detail, as the standard 5-year medical degree programme, and students sit the same assessments throughout.

• Underlying philosophy of full integration of medical science and clinical teaching.
• Teaching underpinned by our own virtual campus online learning resource.
• A wealth of facilities and resources including the largest UK medical anatomy museum.
• Offers dissection and prosection teaching.
• Enriched by a global network of international partnerships including Johns Hopkins University.

The EMDP is the UK’s flagship widening access to medicine programme. The programme runs for six years rather than the usual five, allowing the first two phases to be studied at a slower pace and with greater support for the first three years. EMDP students follow the same medical curriculum as all other medical students and undergo the same rigorous assessment.

Now in its 13th year, over 300 students are currently studying on the EMDP. Each September we will take another 50 eligible students onto the course.

Which programme should I apply to?
Applicants will only be considered for the EMDP if they apply for course code A101. If applicants wish to also be considered for the standard 5-year programme then they must apply to UCAS course code A100 as well as A101, and each application will be considered separately.

Eligibility for the EMDP
All 50 EMDP places are funded by HEFCE which means that only applicants with Home/EU fee status are eligible to apply to the programme.

Applicants who have previously registered for, started or completed a degree at another higher education institution in the UK or overseas are not eligible for the EMDP.

To be eligible to apply, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• Applicants must be completing, or have completed, all A levels at an eligible London school. Please check the list of eligible schools posted on the "further information" tab. Independent candidates are not accepted.
• Since the age of 11, applicants must have attended only educationally non-selective state schools or FE Colleges – no private or selective study. All schools attended since the age of 11 should be listed on the UCAS form.
• Applicants will have completed all GCSEs, including maths and English, at a non-selective state school. Please note that candidates re-sitting GCSEs in maths or English will not be considered and are recommended to reapply once they have achieved their grades.
• Applicants must have achieved a grade B or higher in Maths and English GCSE.
• Applicants taking A levels must have achieved, or be predicted to achieve, BBB including Chemistry, Biology and one other A level (not including General Studies or Critical Thinking)
• Applicants taking an Access to Medicine course are eligible if they have completed it, or are about to complete it, at an eligible FE college in Greater London. If applicants are taking the Access to Medicine course have previously started or completed A levels, all academic achievements will be assessed
• Applicants taking an Access to Medicine course are expected to achieve distinction in all modules.
• All applicants must sit the UKCAT in the appropriate admissions cycle.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate a genuine "commitment to the community" in their UCAS statement. This could be in the form of regular voluntary work at school or within the wider community.

Eligibility through Realising Opportunities
The EMDP admits 50 students a year from eligible non-selective state schools in Greater London, but may offer up to 5 places (maximum) each year to RO participants from any non-selective state school in the UK who meet all eligibility criteria and are successful at interview.

Please note that candidates taking part in RO who are attending an A level school or college in Greater London must also be attending an EMDP-eligible A level school/college. Eligible schools are listed in the "Overview" section of the online prospectus.

If you successfully complete the Realising Opportunities (RO) programme your application to the EMDP at King’s will receive additional consideration when short-listing for interview. This is dependent on you meeting the schools eligibility criteria and some additional admissions criteria for this programme, specifically that you have been in non-selective, state schools since the age of 11, that you have achieved at least a grade B in Maths and English at GCSE, that you are completing three A levels including Biology and Chemistry, and that you have sat the UKCAT.

RO candidates who want to apply to the EMDP should also be able to demonstrate evidence of "commitment to community" in their UCAS statement: this could be in the form of regular voluntary work at school or within the wider community. We would also like candidates to have taken up all opportunities available to them through RO for attending medically-themed outreach events, and would ask for evidence of that in your UCAS statement.

RO candidates who are successful at interview will be expected to achieve at least BBB at A level.

How are applications to the EMDP assessed?
Once applicants have satisfied all eligibility criteria, applications are assessed by using a number of contextual details included on the UCAS form, including the personal statement and educational reference.

We are looking for candidates who:

1. Are academically capable of coping with the course: some evidence of “excellence” at GCSE would be an advantage to candidates who have not yet completed their A levels.
2. Can demonstrate evidence of genuine enthusiasm for medicine and a realistic understanding of the demands of the professional life of a doctor. For example: have you taken part in any medical outreach opportunities? For more information about King’s Outreach for Medicine, see: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/medicine/study/outreach/index.aspx
3. Will contribute to the College community, have experience of being effective and responsible leaders, and who have gained some practical experience of working as part of a team.

Special consideration
Special consideration will be given to candidates who:

• Are in care.
• Are attending a sixth form school or college whose educational performance is ranked to be in the bottom third of schools eligible for the EMDP. Educational performance is assessed by using the "Average Point Score per Student" data, as published by the Department for Education and updated annually. The most recent data will be used.
• Have completed GCSEs at a non-selective state school flagged as having a high proportion of students eligible for free school meals, as reported by the Department for Education. The most recent data will be used.

How are candidates selected for interview?
Once all contextual factors are considered, around 180 of the most competitive and suitable candidates will be invited for interview. The EMDP is a competitive programme with around 10 applications for every place. It is not possible to interview everyone who is eligible and meets the minimum entry requirements, and we will select only the most promising candidates in the context of their educational background for interview.

What is the interview process?
Interviews will take place in March 2014. The EMDP interviews candidates by using a "Multiple Mini Interview" format (MMI), where candidates rotate around a number of different stations, each lasting between 5 and 10 minutes. An interviewer will be present in each station. Candidates are asked to arrive around half an hour before their interview slot, and all candidates will take part in a short interview "debriefing" session after the process is completed.

How can I prepare for interview?
Candidates may be asked to discuss aspects of their UCAS statement, to answer questions on particular topics, or to complete specific tasks. You can prepare for the MMI by thinking about why you are interested in medicine and the experiences you have had that make you suitable for the degree and for the profession. You should also expect to be asked to demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, and some understanding of current issues in medicine, public health and medical ethics. We are looking for candidates who have excellent attention to detail, can think on their feet and be reflective about their experiences by responding naturally to a question, rather than repeating memorised phrases or ideas. We would also expect candidates to demonstrate openness, honesty, clarity in thought and expression, and a realistic and professional approach to being selected for a place at medical school.

The medical curriculum is divided into five phases.

Phases 1 and 2 (Introduction to Medical Science) focus on basic science, illustrated and informed by clinical practice.
Phases 3 and 4 (Intensive Patient Contact) focus on clinical training, underpinned by science.
Phase 5 (Clinical Assistantships) is vocationally oriented and includes the opportunity to study abroad for an elective period.

EMDP students complete phases 1 & 2 over three years.

Each phase contains elements from the core curriculum, which is compulsory, as well as Student Selected Components, which offer a wide element of student choice.

Students can follow a year-long BSc in a subject of their choice by ‘intercalating’ the degree between phases of their MBBS.

During phase 2 of the programme you will be introduced to patients and clinicians. You will also work with other students destined for healthcare professions such as dentistry, nursing and midwifery. Interprofessional Education is embedded in the curriculum, developing teamwork, communication, and an awareness of ethical and professional responsibilities.

An important feature of the King’s approach to studying medicine is the way in which understanding is built up: as new knowledge is added, material covered in earlier phases is reinforced. So, for example, communication skills are developed through a ‘spiral’ curriculum which runs through all five years of the MBBS, allowing students to revisit and progressively build on their skills.

Teaching takes place mainly on the three hospital campuses (Guy’s, King’s Denmark Hill and St Thomas’), with placements in general practices in London and district general hospitals throughout south east England adding a further dimension to the clinical experience.

Lectures and seminars are complemented by rich and varied opportunities to develop practical skills such as venepuncture and examination. Students can make use of 17 separate rooms in the Chantler Skills Centre, the largest of its kind in the UK, to develop and practise their skills in taught classes or on a self-access basis. They also benefit from the training provided by trained Patient Educators and student peers. These are innovative schemes, which supplement more formal teaching.

A key resource for all King’s medical students is the Virtual Campus, a constantly updated online environment which you can access at any time, from anywhere in the world. As well as providing administrative support including timetables and reading lists, the virtual campus offers innovative teaching and learning resources such as clinical videos and interactive scenarios.

Although there are four entry routes into medicine at King’s, all students follow the same MBBS curriculum.

Outcome of the course
At the end of the undergraduate course you will receive your MB ChB degree, which is a primary medical qualification (PMQ). Holding a PMQ entitles you to provisional registration with the General Medical Council. Provisionally registered doctors can only practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts: the law does not allow provisionally registered doctors to undertake any other type of work.

To obtain a Foundation Year 1 post you will need to apply during the final year of your undergraduate course through the UK Foundation Programme Office selection scheme, which allocates these posts to graduates on a competitive basis. So far, all suitably qualified UK graduates have found a place on the Foundation Year 1 programme, but this cannot be guaranteed, for instance if there were to be an excessive number of competitive applications from non-UK graduates.

Successful completion of the Foundation Year 1 programme is normally achieved within 12 months and is marked by the award of a Certificate of Experience. You will then be eligible to apply for full registration with the General Medical Council. You need full registration with a licence to practise for unsupervised medical practice in the NHS or private practice in the UK.

Currently, students study the following programme structure. King's reviews its programmes on a regular basis, in order to continue to offer innovative and exciting learning opportunities and this information is therefore subject to change. Please check here for updates, or contact the School/department for further advice.

First semester:
Biochemistry, cell biology, pharmacology and histology.
The anatomy and physiology of the kidneys, liver and gut.

Second semester:
The liver, kidney and gut (covered via six clinical scenarios).
One Student Selected Component (SSC), completed at the end of the year.

Plus EMDP-specific material:
Chemistry
Numeracy
Academic English
Subject-based tutorials


First semester
Immunology and Statistics
The Anatomy and Physiology of the Heart and Lungs
Communication skills
Clinical skills, covered in GP surgeries, hospital visits and inter-professional education (IPE)
One Student Selected Component (SSC)

Second semester:
The heart and lungs (covered via seven clinical scenarios)
Medical sociology, psychology and medical ethics
Clinical skills are covered in GP surgeries, hospital visits and inter-professional education (IPE)
One Student Selected Component (SSC)

Plus EMDP-specific material:
Academic English
Critical thinking
Subject-based tutorials

24 clinical scenarios, as covered in the conventional degree programme.

Clinical teaching is integrated across the major specialities relating to diseases of the abdomen, chest and head with an introduction to clinical pharmacology and therapeutics.

You develop the skills of history-taking first learned in the clinical contact sessions in the second year, and begin to learn the basic skills of clinical examination, diagnostic reasoning, interpretation of pathological and radiological data and practical procedures such as venepuncture and basic resuscitation.

The clinical attachments consist of two sections. One of a 'clinical immersion' period when you will be part of a clinical team on a ward. The other is of a similar length and includes two days of Special Study Modules and time to expand on the basic science and dealing with certain topics in therapeutics, imaging, pathology etc.

Students build on the basic knowledge and skills developed in the third year in adult medicine and surgery and psychiatry, and extend these to the special groups of patients. There are three blocks of training:

• Accident and emergency medicine, anaesthetics, orthopaedics, rheumatology, rehabilitation and neurology
• Reproductive and sexual health, including obstetrics and gynaecology, breast medicine and neonatology
• Health care of the elderly, child health and paediatrics, palliative care and dermatology

You will develop the special communication skills required for these groups of patients, and will gain an understanding of ethical issues and their application in the context of the sensitive areas that the management of these patients presents. You will learn about the psychological and socio-economic circumstances of patients, particularly those who are more vulnerable and disadvantaged from age and dependency, and the role of the multi-disciplinary team in the care of dependant patients. There will be teaching in public health, epidemiology, pharmacology, therapeutics and the laboratory sciences as applied to the year four specialities.