Gateway to Medicine Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

Gateway to Medicine is a one-year course that is designed to support you towards starting our five-year medicine course. The course is open to Scottish residents from widening access backgrounds. You can see the whole eligibility criteria on our entry requirements page.

Our experienced medical school staff will be with you to help you achieve your potential. Our small and friendly learning community will also be on hand to support your learning. You will also have access to buddy systems, peer tutoring and all the medical student societies.

When you pass this course you will receive a Certificate of Higher Education in Life Sciences for Medicine. If you reach a good standard during the course you will get a direct entry place onto level 1 of our Medicine course.

Based on the University's City Campus you will study topics such as:


- introduction to anatomy


- the science of life and of the organism


You will also get to join up your understanding of topics such as chemistry, maths and physics and how they apply to the life sciences.

Part of your studies each week will be based at the School of Medicine at Ninewells Hospital.

This includes a module called Orientation to Clinical Skills. In this, you learn aspects of examining patients and basic life support. You will also have the opportunity to shadow medical students as they work on the ward in the hospital. This will be a great way for you to develop skills in talking with patients.

In Healthcare in Context, you study how and why medicine is practised as it is in the NHS and in Scotland.

During the year you will also have the opportunity to either:


- train and work in a paid role as a healthcare support worker within NHS Tayside Staff Bank


- volunteer with a charity or other third-sector organisation


Reflecting on this opportunity forms part of your academic studies for the year.