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Preclinical vs clinical
The preclinical years teach the underlying science of medicine, and the clinical years teach medicine in hospitals and GP surgeries.
Summary
- At Cambridge, the first three years focus on core preclinical sciences, mostly taught by the university's School of Biological Sciences.
- In the last three years, Cambridge students spend most of their time learning in hospitals and GP surgeries.
- Some courses start clinical placements earlier. At Keele, students have placements with community services and general practices in Years 1 and 2.
- Dundee also has placements based in general practice throughout its early years, so the split is not the same at every school.
Sources
- medschl.cam.ac.ukmedschl.cam.ac.uk/…/medicine-mb-and-bchir-course-information
- keele.ac.ukkeele.ac.uk/…/medicine
- dundee.ac.ukdundee.ac.uk/…/medicine
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