Degree Classification for Medicine

Medic96

What percentage must one get to get a first class honours in medicine?

Reply 1

Bow Tie

The MB, BS or MB, ChB, etc. aren't like other degrees in their classifications.

Often it's classified purely on a pass/fail.

Also, as there is no standardised examination for the pre-clinical years in the UK, the medical schools can set the percentage to pass (say 55%) wherever they like and is dependent on the exam perceived difficulty so the pass percentage varies.

Some universities, such as Imperial, have "Pass (with merit/distinction/distinction*)" on the final certificate which for example could be "Pass with Merit" meaning the candidate attained a pass in the top 30% of that years' cohort of medics.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2

Medic96

Thankyou for clarifying that.. I was just confused as some of my seniors recently graduated with a first class honours in medicine from my uni. Any idea what classifies as first class honours normally?

Reply 3

Bow Tie

Did they intercalate a degree? Sometimes a university offers a 6-year medicine course with a optional/compulsory intercalated BSc degree which IS classified like normal degrees are. Then they graduate with a MB, BS, iBSc (1st, 2: 1, 2: 2, etc.).

1st class honours is usually above 70% I believe.

Reply 4

Medic96

Yes that might be it.. because one of my seniors did a previous degree in biomedical sciences

Reply 5

nexttime

Original post by Bow Tie

1st class honours is usually above 70% I believe.

Yes by definition. That doesn't necessarily mean you got 70% on the actual exam though - it may be scaled in a variety of ways. For example, for my intercalated degree if you got 100% in the exam, that scaled to an 81, hence it was physically impossible to get above an 81.