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Scotland’s first graduate-level medicine course.

Applications for a degree course offering exisiting graduates a new route into medicine will open in September, Health Secretary Shona Robison has confirmed.

The four-year course will have 40 places available and is being delivered by the medical schools in St Andrews and Dundee in collaboration with the University of the Highlands and Islands.

The course, which will begin next Autumn, will be open to existing graduates from any discipline with an interest in pursuing a degree in medicine.

Ms Robison has encouraged graduates thinking about a switch into a medical career to consider the course.

Ms Robison said:

“As part of our efforts to create a workforce fit for the future of the NHS, we are looking at innovative ways to attract talented people. This graduate-level course is ideally suited to those who did not choose medicine as their first degree, but now want to consider it as a career.

“This course will add to the already outstanding level of medical education available in Scotland. It will offer great experience, based around real patient cases, giving graduates an excellent grounding in what to expect in their careers ahead.

“It will have a particular focus on general practice and rural working, some of the most fascinating and rewarding parts of our health service. This will help to encourage more graduates to choose  to build their careers in these areas.

“I’d urge anyone with an existing degree, or who is about the graduate, to look out for the details of this course when it’s advertised in the coming weeks.”

Background

Details will shortly be posted on the medical schools’ websites, and a social media campaign will be used to encourage applications.

Candidates interested in the new course will need to sit the GAMSAT aptitude test by 4 August. UCAS applications will open in September.