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Professor Peter Bazira and school students in the anatomy lab

UKWPMED

We are committed to supporting talented people from underrepresented backgrounds to fulfil their ambition of studying Medicine – and consequently, tomorrow’s doctors better reflecting the patient population.

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Introduction

Widening participation in Medicine: A collaboration of UK medical schools

We are committed to supporting talented people from underrepresented backgrounds to fulfil their ambition of studying Medicine, ensuring that tomorrow’s doctors better reflect the diverse patient population.

We are proud to be part of UKWPMED, an innovative collaboration of six medical schools across the UK, to enhance the opportunity for applicants from widening participation backgrounds to study Medicine.

The scheme is open to students in Year 13 who complete a widening participation programme at a participating UKWPMED medical school – offering them the opportunity to interview at any of those schools and, if successful at interview, a reduced offer.

Medical students and their clinician supervisor on a clinical placement in ED at Hull Royal Infirmary
Medicine student and a GP with a patient at Brough GP Surgery
Students practising taking bloods in clinical skills

Benefits of the UKWPMED

Opportunity to interview at participating medical schools

The six UKWPMED participating medical schools’ widening participation programmes are recognised at each other’s institutions as part of their admissions process.

Students can choose to apply to study Medicine at one (or more) of the participating medical schools. Students who successfully complete one of the participating widening participating programmes and who successfully meet the essential entry criteria for Medicine are offered the opportunity to interview at any participating medical school.

As part of the collaboration, all students will get the same consideration, regardless of the widening participation programme they have completed.

Reduced offer to study Medicine of ABB

Subject to meeting the entry criteria and if you are successful at interview at a participating medical school, you will be given a reduced offer of ABB subject to meeting the entry criteria. Here at Hull York Medical School, and also Birmingham Medical School, this is dependent on a firm acceptance of your offer.

Participating medical schools

The following medical schools are participants in the scheme. Widening participation programmes normally cater for local widening participation students. If there is a course local to you in this list, please visit their website to check your eligibility and how to participate.

Medical school Widening participation programmes
Birmingham Medical School Routes to the Professions: Medicine 
Brighton and Sussex Medical School BrightMed 
Hull York Medical School Pathways to Medicine
Keele University School of Medicine Steps2Medicine 
Manchester Medical School Manchester Access Programme and Preston Widening Access Programme (for medicine)
Peninsula Medical School Peninsula Pathways PLUS 

Other widening participation programmes

Unfortunately, we can only offer the benefits of the scheme to students from a participating university medical school.

We hope in time to add more schools to the collaboration. However, depending on your widening participation credentials, you might still get some benefits from the above medical schools. Check their websites for details.

Eligibility criteria

  • The UKWPMED scheme is open only to applications for A100 Medicine only in the 2022–23 application cycle.
  • The scheme is open to Year 13 students. Medical schools may not consider applicants as part of the UKWPMED scheme if they have completed Year 13 at the time of application (check with the medical school before applying).
  • Medical schools will consider only UKWPMED applicants who are classified as home status, and each medical school will follow their own procedures for determining this status.
  • Applications must complete one of the participating widening participation programmes. Successful completion is defined by each programme.
  • Applicants must meet the pre-A Level academic requirements for each medical school to which an application is made.
  • Applicants must meet the UCAT requirements for each medical school to which an application is made. Exceptions are: Students on BrightMed widening participation programme can apply with BMAT if they have not taken UCAT; Brighton and Sussex require BMAT for standard entry, although they will accept applications from those on UKWPMed programmes who have only sat the UCAT.

A level resits – Each medical school has its own policy regarding resits. You will need to discuss with the medical school you are applying to whether they will be able to offer you any benefits under the UKWPMED scheme.

Gap years – If you wish to take a gap year, either you should apply for deferred entry, or, if your application is successful, request that your offer is deferred. Please check with your medical school before applying. For deferral requests received after an application is submitted, each medical school will consider those requests according to its own policy.

How to apply

Applications to study Medicine are made through UCAS in the standard way. Please note this scheme is open to A100 Medicine applications only.

To be eligible for the scheme, you will need to include details about your participation in the UKWPMED in your UCAS application.

You can apply to one or more of the participating medical schools. You can also apply to non-participating medical schools, however you will not be entitled to the benefits of this scheme at those medical schools. Depending on your widening participation credentials, they may be able to offer you some benefits – please check with the medical school you are applying to.

By applying as part of UKWPMED through UCAS, you are consenting to allow each medical school to check your eligibility by contacting the medical school where you completed your widening participation programme.

How to add your participation in your UCAS application

Please follow these instructions to include the required information in your application:

1. In the ‘Diversity and inclusion’ section of your application, select the ‘Activities in preparation for higher education’ section.

Please note that ‘Diversity and inclusion’ is only added to the side menu once you have:

  • Completed the ‘Contact and residency’ details
  • Recorded under ‘Postal address’ that your ‘Address type’ is ‘UK address’ and added your full UK address
  • Saved the page
Screenshot of the diversity and inclusion menu in the UCAS application form

2. Select ‘Add activity’ and complete the details as follows:

  • Select UKWPMED from the ‘Sponsor’ dropdown list
  • The ‘Duration (days)’ refers to the number of events or contact days you have attended during your widening participation programme
  • In the ‘Location’ field, search for the medical school who provided your widening participation programme
Screenshot of the UKWPMED details in the UCAS application form

What happens after you have applied

Applicants will follow the medical school’s usual admissions process for A100 Medicine applicants. Medical schools will invite successful applicants to an interview. All medical schools will follow their own admissions procedures, check with your medical school.

As part of the collaborative project all students will get the same consideration whether they are from the host widening participating programme or from another.

Please note an interview at one school does not guarantee an interview at another.

Contact us

If you have questions about our Pathways to Medicine widening participation programme, please contact our Outreach Team: outreach@hyms.ac.uk

If you have questions about your eligibility for the UKWPMED scheme or applying to study Medicine with us at Hull York Medical School, please contact our Admissions Team: admissions@hyms.ac.uk