Teaching on the first 3 years of the A100 Medicine course consists of lectures, practical classes, seminars and college tutorials. During the first three pre-clinical years of your degree you’ll study compulsory subjects in the first 5 terms and in the last 4 terms of your degree you can choose one from a range of Final year Honours School (FHS) options plus undertake a laboratory project and an extended essay.

Tutorials are a key part of our teaching philosophy and allow you to consolidate your learning in a small group teaching environment. Although they differ between tutors, tutorials will normally be based upon a reading list circulated in advance featuring research papers, review articles and textbook passages. You’ll often be asked to complete a worksheet, problem or essay and the tutorial will give you an opportunity to discuss ideas, ask questions and challenge your thinking.

In your first and second years, your tutorials will engage with a limited number of topics in more detail. This will help you to integrate your knowledge across different subjects and to understand the experimental basis of current medical practice. Third-year tutorials aim to foster your critical analysis skills through reading primary research papers. We’ll encourage you to engage in scientific debate, building and improving your oral presentation skills.

During the third year of your pre-clinical course, you may apply for entry to a London clinical school to complete the second stage of your medical training but subject to satisfactory academic progress you are guaranteed a place at the Oxford Clinical School. You can also defer your entry to the clinical school in order to undertake advanced study for a Master’s degree, PhD or DPhil.

Our former students have achieved distinction in many branches of medicine and biomedical research. Hear about how their time at Hertford benefitted our alumni in their own words.

Rebecca Mills (2004-2010):

“It is only since leaving Oxford that I have begun to realise just how much those first three years shaped and prepared me for my career. The confidence and resilience I developed during tutorials has proved invaluable in succeeding within a surgical environment.”

Annabel Christian (2006-2012):

“The six years spent studying Medicine at Hertford have been absolutely amazing. The friendly attitude of both staff and students make Hertford a popular college with an excellent reputation for being welcoming to students from all walks of life. This relaxed atmosphere combined with excellent teaching from medical tutors means students can excel and have the opportunity to explore their own academic interests. I particularly enjoyed learning in a tutorial environment because it provided the chance to ask questions and discuss in detail areas of medicine that I found interesting.”

Every application for A100 Medicine to Oxford University is considered centrally. We take into account your UCAS application and the results of the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) – you need to register separately to sit this test and can find past papers online.

If we shortlist you, you will have two interviews – one with Hertford and one with a second college. Your interviews will last around half an hour each and will usually be with a panel of two or three tutors. We’re here to get the best out of you so will endeavour to make you feel comfortable. Your interview isn’t an exam and we aren’t looking to test your specific knowledge. Rather, we are interested in how you’ll benefit from studying Medicine at Oxford, especially in our tutorial teaching environment.