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Medicine

Oriel provides a stimulating and congenial environment for studying medicine at both pre-clinical and clinical levels. Students from all years, both pre-clinical and clinical, interact actively and productively.

The Oxford medical course sets out to train doctors who will be at the forefront of medicine, be it as GPs, hospital doctors or researchers. We thus emphasise the scientific basis of medicine throughout the course. We are interested not just in the facts (although all medics need to learn a very large number of facts), but also in the experimental basis of current medical practice (why and how do some cells become cancerous?) and in evidence-based clinical medicine (what is the most effective way of treating a patient with raised blood cholesterol?). Thus we are looking for students of the highest academic ability, with the drive to maintain learning throughout their careers, and with a deep curiosity into how the body works and how and why it sometimes does not.

The entire purpose of the interview is to establish what you do when you don’t know the answer.

Thomas Brockwell|Medicine

Oriel’s tutors are experienced teachers but additionally are researchers of international renown in their particular fields. The very well-stocked library supplies students with personal copies of all the standard texts, which they may retain for the duration of their courses. Oriel has an active medical society, which meets annually for a lecture and dinner at which students meet senior doctors in a very relaxed atmosphere, and we have a list of ex-Oriel medics who are always available for consultation by students and junior doctors. Oriel has a generous academic travel grant scheme and has extra funds to help clinical students with their elective travel.

Oriel is developing a strong medical “subject family” which brings together undergraduates, graduates, researchers and clinicians engaged in the biomedical sciences for discussions and other events.

Admission Criteria

All candidates take the BMAT test. No written work is required. Oriel does not have a preference for Maths or Biology at A level, and students taking one non-science A level are encouraged to apply.

Number of places

Pre-Clinical: 5 or 6, Clinical: 4 or 5

Departments

Medical Sciences Division

Teaching Staff

Dr Tishan Wellalagodage

Junior Dean, DPhil Candidate in Medicine

Dr Azmi Rahman

College Lecturer in Medicine

Dr Kerstin Timm

Isobel Laing Career Development Fellow in Medical Sciences

Professor Randy Bruno

College Lecturer in Neuroscience

Organising Tutor
Professor Sumana Sanyal

Fellow & Tutor in Medicine | Professor of Molecular Pathology

Dr Claire Pearson

College Lecturer in Medicine

Dr Simon Lord

Against Breast Cancer Senior Research Fellow

Dr Pamela Lear

College Lecturer in Medicine

Dr Bernadette Young

Fellow and Clinical Tutor in Medicine

Dr Brett William Clive Kennedy

Stipendiary Lecturer in Medicine | Academic Clinical Fellow & Registrar in Cardiology, Thames Valley Deanery

Professor Tim Elliott

Fellow & Kidani Professor of Immuno-Oncology

OTHER COURSES YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Biochemistry
Number of places 4 Admission Criteria Applicants must have A-level, or the equivalent, in Chemistry. Due to the course content, Biology and Maths and/or Physics at A level, though not requirements, are very helpful. The first-year course provides the necessary background in biology, physics and maths for those who have not studied these beyond GCSE.

Chemistry
Number of places 4 Admission Criteria Conditional offers: A*A*A at A-Level (or equivalent) including Chemistry and Mathematics. The A*s must be in science subjects and/or mathematics. Further information can be found on the Chemistry Admissions page.

Mathematics
Number of places 6 Admission Criteria All candidates must sit the Admissions Test for Mathematics. Conditional offers: A*A*A at A-Level (or equivalent) with the A*s in Mathematics and Further Mathematics (if taken). The majority of entrants have two A-Levels in mathematics. Applicants with only one mathematics A-level are not at a disadvantage in the competition for places, but successful candidates have more preparation to do over the summer before they start their course.

Physics
Number of places 5 or 6 Admission Criteria All applicants must take the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) in school or at a test centre in early November. No written work required. Typical offers: A*AA at A-Level (or equivalent) including A*, A in Physics and Maths.

Physics and Philosophy
Number of places 2 Admission Criteria Typical offers: A*AA at A-Level (or equivalent) including A*, A in Physics and Maths. Applying for Physics and Philosophy, rather than for Physics, will not reduce your chance of admission. Applicants for both degrees are considered as a gathered field and applicants to Oriel for Physics and Philosophy are automatically considered for a place to read straight Physics. All applicants must take the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) in school or at a test centre in early November.  

What next?

Applying to Oriel

Applying to Oriel

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

Open days

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