What does intercalation mean?
An intercalated degree is an additional degree obtained during medical school in addition to your primary medical qualification. This additional degree could be a batchelors, masters or at a select few universities, a PhD.
One of the distinguishing features of medical courses is the option to intercalate or an integrated (ie mandatory) intercalated degree. Typically, the latter are 6 year courses, but there are exceptions. See the tables later in this article to find out where you can intercalate.
Why would you want to intercalate?
Everyone’s circumstances and interests are different and it is important to think carefully about what is important to you. Here are some of the common reasons why an intercalated degree might be for you:
- If you already have a strong inclination for academia an intercalated degree is an excellent opportunity for you to gain early exposure to research techniques, medical statistics, reading and writing papers for publication. If you have committed to a particular field of interest, it is also an opportunity to spend an entire year intensively studying that specialty. It will enhance your portfolio and demonstrate your commitment to the specialty when you later apply to higher specialty training.
- This study showed that almost three quarters of students applying to the foundation programme (the training programme for UK medical graduates). Students who had undertaken an intercalated degree were more likely to have published than those who had not. The same study demonstrated that students experienced a high pressure to publish to enhance their applications to the Foundation Programme (and to specialty training later).
- The extra year to obtain an intercalated degree will incur additional costs in the way of tuition, accommodation and living costs, but It is an opportunity to gain a bachelor’s or masters within one year rather than three years if you were to enrol in a standalone degree. This could represent relative value for money for those that can afford the absolute cost.
- Some universities will allow you to intercalate at another university. The process to do so is not straightforward and very competitive so it is important to make inquiries early and make your preparations to apply as early as possible. If you are successful in your application, this would give you an opportunity to study and experience a completely different institution.
- The pace of an intercalated degree is less pressured than that of the medical degree. This can mean a welcome break and refresh before returning to the intensity of the latter years of medical school.
What are the disadvantages to intercalating?
Undertaking an intercalated degree is not for everyone. Here are some factors to consider:
- If you don’t have a special interest in research or have no inclination at this early stage to commit to specialty (don’t worry, you have plenty of time to decide) a year of extra study and financial burden will probably be a poor investment.
- The style of teaching during an intercalated degree is largely self directed. This might not suit everyone.
- In the case of optional intercalated degrees, the time out from medical school will remove you from your current cohort of colleagues. This can be challenging socially and psychologically, especially when graduating a year later than friends. You may have little contact with fellow students when intercalating, especially when studying in another University which can feel isolated.
- Some students can experience anxiety over the lost momentum in training. Returning to medical school after a year away can be a challenging transition especially if you are returning to a cohort of students your are unfamiliar with.
Where can you study an intercalated degree while at medical school?
As previously mentioned an intercalated degree can be offered as an option or integrated. Not every medical school will be geared up to offer an intercalated degree. For example most graduate entry courses will not offer it as as an option, as by definition, their students already hold a degree and their priority is to become a practicing doctor as soon as possible.
Intercalation offered
Typically, if a student undertakes an intercalated degree, they press pause on their medical degree. Depending on the medical school, this might be between years 3 and 4 or years 4 and 5. The intercalated degree is studied on a full time basis and on completion they will recommence their medical course. Most universities offer bachelor’s degrees and masters degrees and a select few offer PhDs.
| Medical School | Intercalation Offered? | Intercalated MD/PhD available? |
|---|---|---|
| University of Aberdeen | Yes | |
| Anglia Ruskin University | Yes | |
| Aston University | Yes | |
| Barts and the London | Yes | |
| University of Birmingham | Yes | Yes |
| Brighton and Sussex | Yes | |
| University of Bristol | Yes | |
| Brunel | Yes | |
| University of Buckingham | Yes | |
| University of Cambridge | Yes | Yes |
| Cardiff University | Yes | |
| University of Central Lancashire | Yes | |
| University of Dundee | Yes | |
| University of Edinburgh | Yes | Yes |
| University of Exeter | Yes | Yes |
| University of Glasgow | Yes | |
| Hull York | Yes | Yes |
| Imperial College London | Yes | Yes |
| Keele University | Yes | |
| Kent and Medway | Yes | |
| King’s College London | Yes | |
| Lancaster University | Yes | |
| University of Liverpool | Yes | |
| University of Manchester | Yes | Yes |
| Newcastle University | Yes | |
| University of Nottingham | Yes | |
| University of Oxford | Yes | Yes |
| Peninsula | Yes | |
| Queen’s University Belfast | Yes | Yes |
| University of Sheffield | Yes | |
| University of Southampton | Yes | |
| University of St Andrews | Yes | |
| St George’s University of London | Yes | |
| University of Sunderland | Yes | |
| Swansea University | Yes | |
| University College London | Yes | Yes |
Integrated Intercalation
An integrated intercalated degree is a mandatory part of the curriculum and is completed as part of the medical course rather than taking time out of the course. Usually this is a bachelor’s degree. Some courses might also give you an opportunity to intercalate later in the course to gain a masters, or PhD if offered.
| Medical School | Integrated Bachelors Degree |
|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | Yes |
| University of Edinburgh | Yes |
| Imperial College London | Yes |
| University of Lincoln | Yes |
| University of Nottingham | Yes |
| University of Oxford | Yes |
| University of Southampton | Yes |
| University of St Andrews | Yes |
| University College London | Yes |
Final Thoughts
It is worthwhile considering how important an intercalated degree is to you while you are considering your medical school options. Weigh up your priorities. For instance, if you feel academia and research is, or could be, a significant part of your career- a medical school that offers intercalation will be higher priority. If, on the other hand, you want to enter clinical practice as soon as possible you might want to priorities a course that does not have an integrated intercalated degree as these will typically be 6 years to complete rather than 5.
If you are already in medical school and are now considering applying for an optional intercalated degree, all of the above factors apply. Start your inquiries early and reach out to students who are currently or recently completed an intercalated degree, preferably the degree you are yourself considering. <link to article on how to apply for the optional intercalated degree>