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Intercalation

Hey guys,

I was wondering whether anyone could tell me how intercalating works exactly. I know that you take a year out to do another degree but are the choices of degree unlimited? Also, can you apply for at any university for any medical related degree? (Do other unis give you accom?) Do LEAs tend to give out student loans during your intercalation year? And if you intercalate, do you go into the 3rd year of a particular degree?

I think it would be pretty tough to do a degree like psychology because you have to do alot of reading and alot of what is in the degree of psychology isn't really covered during your time at med school, so I guess there would be alot of background/catch up reading to do.

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks x :biggrin:

Reply 1

Elles

jamie7

I was wondering whether anyone could tell me how intercalating works exactly.

Your sig says "Fresher"...but would help if you said which med school you're at/course you're on here?

E.g. Intercalating for me (this year) just worked by carrying on my course & progressing into the 3rd year. It's built in, so i stayed at the same university - had a choice of 5 options within Biomedical Science & supplementary papers. Or if we wanted to add another year we could do PPP or theoretically any degree. Mostly we join part of the 3rd year for Physiology/PPP/Experimental Psychology. & I'm being funded by my LEA & have a student loan.

Miles has transferred from preclinical at one university to another to intercalate though - so he'd be the person to ask if you're already on a medical course where intercalation isn't the norm... :smile:

Reply 2

jamie7

Heya, sorry. I'm a first year at Liverpool University studying medicine. I know that intercalation is a long way off but I just wanted to have more of an idea about it.

Reply 3

Muse

jamie7

I was wondering whether anyone could tell me how intercalating works exactly. I know that you take a year out to do another degree but are the choices of degree unlimited?

No, different medical schools have different selections available for their students and most rely on significant content being covered in the former years.

Also, can you apply for at any university for any medical related degree?

You can apply to other unis to 'intercalate', but you can't directly apply to join the final year of any old degree course, you'd still be attached to the medical school and on a course which is open to other intercalating medics. At some med schools you graduate with e.g BSc Bedpanology (joining the final year with other Bedpanologists) and others would be BSc Medical Sciences with Bedpanology (usually a course tailored specifically for medics)- not that it makes any difference.

(Do other unis give you accom?)

Depends. If you're applying to London it's a bit more difficult (only first years tend to be guaranteed accom), but I managed to get university accommodation after pestering the office almost daily.

Do LEAs tend to give out student loans during your intercalation year?

Yes.

And if you intercalate, do you go into the 3rd year of a particular degree?

Depends on the medical school. It's pretty common to join the 3rd year of another course.

I think it would be pretty tough to do a degree like psychology because you have to do alot of reading and alot of what is in the degree of psychology isn't really covered during your time at med school, so I guess there would be alot of background/catch up reading to do.

Does Liverpool offer an intercalated degree in psychology? Bristol doesn't because we don't exactly learn much psychology in the preclinical years to catch up to the level of a third year.

Reply 4

Fluffy

Miles

No, different medical schools have different selections available for their students and most rely on significant content being covered in the former years.

You can apply to other unis to 'intercalate', but you can't directly apply to join the final year of any old degree course, you'd still be attached to the medical school and on a course which is open to other intercalating medics. At some med schools you graduate with e.g BSc Bedpanology (joining the final year with other Bedpanologists) and others would be BSc Medical Sciences with Bedpanology (usually a course tailored specifically for medics)- not that it makes any difference.

Depends. If you're applying to London it's a bit more difficult (only first years tend to be guaranteed accom), but I managed to get university accommodation after pestering the office almost daily.

Yes.

Depends on the medical school. It's pretty common to join the 3rd year of another course.

Does Liverpool offer an intercalated degree in psychology? Bristol doesn't because we don't exactly learn much psychology in the preclinical years to catch up to the level of a third year.

I got into a 'humorous' debate re:intercalation last week.

I was asked by one of our PhD students if I planned to do an intercalated degree, I said no and before I could qualify it the stupid b!tch started yelling at me that all medics were basically scum who had no idea what research was about and can't be arsed to get off our high horse to find out.

This was in front of about 15 of my course mates.

I had the last laugh. It felt good :biggrin:

Reply 5

michellehall

ive had a look at the Fy1 application form and theres 2 slots for educational acheivments, so could one be your medicine degree and one and the degree you get from intercalation?

Reply 6

Fluffy

michellehall

ive had a look at the Fy1 application form and theres 2 slots for educational acheivments, so could one be your medicine degree and one and the degree you get from intercalation?

Everyone will have a medical degree! I think they're more after things like getting work published, getting merits/distinctions/prizes etc...

Reply 7

michellehall

ha ha i never thought about that how stupid am I

Reply 8

bright star

god that's the next hurdle isn't it????

getting a job at the end of it all!!!!

Reply 9

Fluffy

bright star

god that's the next hurdle isn't it????

getting a job at the end of it all!!!!

Nope. Getting to the 'end of it all' is the next hurdle... All those exams!

Reply 10

Ataloss

jamie7

Heya, sorry. I'm a first year at Liverpool University studying medicine. I know that intercalation is a long way off but I just wanted to have more of an idea about it.

At Liverpool, you do not have the opportunity to intercalate until the end of 4th year.

A lot is changing at the moment in the postgraduate applications and training program and further change is likely in the next 3 years. It is likely the value/importance attached to intercalation will change a lot and something to evaluate closer to the time.