Peninsula Medical School

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

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.

Progression

Meeting the relevant entry requirements at the end of your foundation year will enable you to progress to stage 1 of the standard 5 year BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course with no further selection process.

Key features
  • Offers an alternative entry route to medicine for those whose academic potential has been adversely affected by educational and social factors.
  • Bursary available for each new entrant to the BMBS with Foundation 6 year course.
  • Teaching sessions are not timetabled on Fridays to allow time for other commitments such as caring duties, community work or part-time jobs.
  • A strong inter-professional study component which incorporates shared teaching with Foundation students from other programmes in the Faculty of Health.
  • Hands-on, experiential learning in community healthcare.
  • Provides supportive and encouraging learning to help students develop in all aspects required to thrive in their future medical study.
  • Direct enrolment onto Stage 1 of the standard BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery programme without further assessment, subject to meeting the relevant entry requirements at the end of your Foundation year. Please note, we are unable to support transfer from our Foundation year to year 1 of other medical schools.
  • Responds to the University, government and GMC mission to ensure medicine is a career open to all and that doctors reflect the breadth of communities they serve.

Course details

  • Foundation year

  • 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.
    MED004 – Active Life Sciences Learning (20 credits)
    This module will introduce core scientific principles of medicine such as anatomy, immunology, neuroscience, psychology, sociology, pharmacology and microbiology. It will use many of the concepts you have learned in the physiology module and layer on more detailed information that relates to medicine. The module has been tailored so that all knowledge builds up to principles that students will encounter during their next five years of study and their whole medical careers. 
    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:

BMBS with Foundation Year 0 Programme Specification 2024 25 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.

Entry requirements
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.
Students must be 18 years old or over at the start date of this programme.

Fees, costs and funding
Student 2023-2024 2024-2025
Home £9,250 £9,250
International £16,300 £18,100
Part time (Home) £770 £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.

Financial support

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 Peninsula 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 Financial Support Team for advice
Specifically for medical students transferring from year 0 to year 1, the University offers the James Johnston bursary of £500. 
To cover finance (replacing Student Finance) for the last 2 years of medical school, students are eligible for the NHS bursary in stage 4 and 5 (i.e. years 5 and 6). Home students only, who are eligible for the bursary will receive funding for their course fees as well as some supported living costs. Students can also apply for a maintenance loan as well as the fee payments, please see https://www.gov.uk/nhs-bursaries for more information.
University of Plymouth awarded bursaries can be found on our bursaries and support funds page.
You can discuss possible University issued support with the Student Funding Unit via studentservices@plymouth.ac.uk or by visiting the team in the Charles Seale-Hayne Library, Monday-Thursday 8:30-17:00, Friday 8:30-16:30.
*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.

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.

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 

Facilities at Peninsula Medical School

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.
 
Using the Anatomage Table

Plymouth Integrative Health and Social Care Education Centre (PIHC)

The PIHC helps ensure students graduate with the skills and knowledge required for collaborative working in health, social care, and many other careers.
Experience an interprofessional learning environment across our health programmes that will prepare you for life as a healthcare professional.
Medical students using the Anatomage table clinical
Medical Students in the Life Sciences Resource Centre
Teaching and learning
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Careers
Career opportunities
Medicine and dentistry school school pupil with microscope
Access and Participation: supporting your journey into healthcare professions

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.”
Medical student Chris Gummow on his elective at Rarotonga Hospital in the Cook Islands
Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine