An intercalated degree is a year-long period of study which is separate to your main medical degree.
There are several good reasons to consider an intercalated degree:
- To study in-depth. An intercalated degree gives you the chance to specialise in a topic that interests you, delving much deeper into the subject than the regular medical curriculum allows.
- To enhance your CV. With an increase in medical school admission numbers and with an increasingly competitive market as a postgraduate, it's crucial that you make the most of any chance to develop your CV at undergraduate level -- especially if you're considering a career in a competitive area such as surgery, academic medicine or research.
- To learn about scientific research. By carrying out a research project you are provided with rigorous training in research methods and the opportunity to work with experts at leading research institutions in potentially novel areas of research.
- To enjoy a change of scene. When you intercalate, you take a break from your regular medical studies and get experience of another academic environment, perhaps another city -- which can be great fun.
Intercalating at HYMS
You can take an intercalated year between Phase I and Phase II (i.e. after year 2), or between Phase II and Phase III (i.e. after year 4). For that year, you'll effectively join a final-year Bachelor's degree programme, taking the same assessments as the other final-year students on that course. You will generally follow a course of modules and a research project, although there is also a purely research-based programme available at HYMS. If you already had a first degree before you came to HYMS (or, in some cases, even if you didn't), you can alternatively use an intercalated year to study for a Masters degree.
We offer a wide range of intercalated course options at HYMS itself, and in departments at the University of Hull and the University of York. Whichever option you choose, you'll still be a HYMS student, working toward a qualification of HYMS BSc (Hons) in Medical Science.
We warmly welcome students from other medical, dental and veterinary schools to study for intercalated degrees at HYMS. Equally, HYMS students may apply to take an intercalated degree at another institution, as long as they have our permission to take academic leave of absence from their main MB BS course.