What are the best medical schools in the UK?

Wondering about the Best Medical Schools in the UK? Making the decision on which medical school to attend is a significant step in your academic journey. As you contemplate your application and where to pursue your studies, it’s essential to explore the top medical schools in the UK to find the best fit for you. Your choice of university not only influences the quality of education and learning opportunities but also determines your living environment and overall experience.

While league table rankings offer valuable insights, they shouldn’t be the sole factor in your decision-making process. They serve as a helpful tool to narrow down your options and pinpoint the best medical schools in England worth exploring. But when comparing medical schools based on rankings, focus on what matters most to you. Whether it’s the entry requirements, student support services, course satisfaction, or other aspects, prioritize the criteria that align with your preferences.

Using medicine league tables

It’s crucial to note that different league tables may present varying opinions on the best medical colleges in the UK. This discrepancy arises from the diverse criteria used to evaluate institutions. Therefore, delve into the specific scoring criteria of each university to assess their compatibility with your needs, rather than solely relying on the overall ranking.

For instance, comparing the best medical schools in England from prominent league tables like The Guardian’s Best UK Universities for Medicine and The Complete University Guide’s League Table can reveal significant differences in rankings. By considering individual criteria that resonate with you, you can make a well-informed decision tailored to your priorities and aspirations.

Medical School	The Guardian Overall Score	Complete University Guide Overall Score	Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide)	Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide)
Aberdeen	100	95	84	99
Cambridge	99.3	100	N/A	100
St Andrews	93.3	96	82	92
Swansea	89.1	N/A	N/A	N/A
Edinburgh	89	97	74	100
Keele	88.3	95	81	96
Imperial	87.3	97	80	100
Oxford	84.8	98	N/A	99
Glasgow	82.9	98	78	99
Brighton & Sussex	82.4	94	80	99
Bristol	80.1	97	78	100
UCL	79.2	97	75	99
Queen’s Belfast	78.8	97	83	100
Cardiff	78.4	96	98	98
Hull York	78.1	95	71	100
Dundee	76.7	97	79	99
Leicester	75.5	96	83	99
Newcastle	74.1	95	75	100
Sunderland	72.9	N/A	N/A	N/A
Liverpool	72.5	94	77	100
Leeds	69.2	94	75	100
Barts (Queen Mary)	67.7	95	76	98
Norwich (UEA)	67.5	95	76	100
Plymouth	66.7	94	79	100
Birmingham	65.4	95	75	99
Lancaster	65.2	96	84	100
King’s College London	64.6	96	74	100
Warwick	62.3	N/A	N/A	N/A
Southampton	62	94	71	100
Manchester	61.8	95	71	99
Exeter	60.6	95	76	100
Sheffield	60.5	96	77	100
Buckingham	54.8	90	73	100
Nottingham	51.3	94	67	99
St George’s	48.2	94	68	99
Aston	41.9	N/A	N/A	N/A
UCLan	36.2	88	71	N/A

How do medical school rankings work?

Medical school rankings can be quite overwhelming with the multitude of ranking systems available. This diversity can make it tricky to compare different medical schools and identify the top universities for Medicine.

The Complete University Guide stands out for its thoroughness, considering various sources to create a comprehensive ranking. It incorporates data from the National Student Survey to gauge student satisfaction and relies on the Higher Education Statistics Agency for insights into graduate prospects.
In a similar vein, The Guardian University Guide focuses on student experiences and post-graduation opportunities, omitting research impact to concentrate on student enjoyment and employability.
By merging these rankings, we have crafted a consolidated Medicine league table above, highlighting the leading Medical Schools for your reference.

Best medical schools based on student satisfaction

When delving into the criteria breakdown, you’ll observe that certain aspects, like the retention rate of first-year students and the percentage of graduates in high-level jobs or further studies within fifteen months, consistently receive high scores across all universities. However, student satisfaction varies significantly, leading to distinct differences between institutions. The Guardian’s league table, utilizing the latest National Student Survey (NSS) results, dissects student satisfaction into two key areas: satisfaction with teaching and feedback. Below, we present details of medical schools that excelled in these categories:

Highest Scoring Medical Schools for Satisfaction with Teaching:

St Andrews: 95.7% (Also ranked 1st for satisfaction with feedback)
Queen’s, Belfast: 93.1% (Also ranked 2nd for satisfaction with feedback)
Aberdeen: 92.9% (Ranked 6th for satisfaction with feedback)
Keele: 91.5% (Ranked 7th for satisfaction with feedback)
Leicester: 90.8% (Ranked 8th for satisfaction with feedback)

Highest Scoring Medical Schools for Satisfaction with Feedback:

St Andrews: 76.5% (Also ranked 1st for satisfaction with teaching)
Queen’s, Belfast: 71% (Also ranked 2nd for satisfaction with teaching)
Lancaster: 70.7% (Ranked 6th, only 0.1% behind 5th)
Swansea: 68.8% (Ranked 7th)
Brighton Sussex Medical School: 67.5% (Ranked 8th)

Best medical schools for value added

The Guardian’s league table typically evaluates value added by comparing students’ entry qualifications with their degree scores to assess teaching effectiveness. However, this information has been excluded from rankings since 2022. Noteworthy medical schools highly rated for value added through effective teaching in the 2021 rankings include:

Swansea – rating 10/10
Warwick – rating 10/10
Brighton Sussex Medical School – rating 9/10
Leeds – rating 9/10
Queen’s, Belfast – rating 8/10
Keele – rating 8/10
Lancaster – rating 8/10
Hull York Medical School – rating 8/10

While league rankings offer valuable insights, they should be considered alongside entry requirements, location, and course-specific details to determine the best medical school for your individual needs and preferences.