If you're planning to apply to
medical school in the UK, you’ve probably wondered which universities are the
best — and more importantly, why. In this guide, we’ll go through the top
10 UK medical schools for 2023, explaining what makes each one unique and
why students love studying there.
🎯 Remember: A top-ranking university might not be the best
fit for you. Choosing the right medical school should also match your personal
learning style, goals, and lifestyle preferences.
Let’s begin!
🎓 #10 – Queen’s University Belfast
📍 Location: Northern Ireland
Queen’s is a modern,
forward-thinking university with a strong reputation for early clinical
exposure. Students start seeing patients in first year, which gives them
a great head start.
Why students love it:
- Access to two teaching hospitals
- Case-based learning
– learning through real patient cases
- Full body dissection (not just prosections)
- Offers assistantship before starting as an FY1
doctor
- Includes an intercalated degree (BSc or MSc)
- Final year elective placement abroad
🎓 #9 – University of St Andrews
📍 Location: Scotland
One of the oldest universities in
the UK, but very innovative in how it teaches.
Why students love it:
- Small group teaching
(similar to Oxbridge)
- Full dissection with a 6:1 cadaver-student
ratio
- Early patient contact
- Supportive learning environment in a historic city
🎓 #8 – University of Dundee
📍 Location: Scotland
A highly student-friendly medical
school with a wide variety of teaching methods.
Why students love it:
- Full dissection and simulation-based learning
- Intercalated degree
after third year
- Uses problem-based, case-based, and team-based
learning
- Clinical placements include longitudinal clerkship
(following real patients)
🎓 #7 – University of Leicester
📍 Location: England
Known for being research-active,
especially in fields like cancer, cardiovascular, and brain research.
Why students love it:
- Described as patient-centred, not problem-based
- Hands-on clinical work from year one
- Offers full body dissection
🎓 #6 – Imperial College London
📍 Location: London
Imperial is almost always in the top
5 UK universities across all subjects. Its research and innovation are
world-class.
Why students love it:
- Research-led learning
from the start
- Focuses on applying science to real-world clinical
problems
- London-based – lots of opportunity but a different
student experience
- Strong links with leading teaching hospitals
🎓 #5 – University of Bristol
📍 Location: England
Bristol focuses heavily on building
skills and clinical confidence from the start.
Why students love it:
- Early patient contact
- Case-based and practical learning
- Offers student-selected components (study what
you’re passionate about!)
- Final year focused on foundation training prep,
not exams
- Uses prosections instead of dissection
🎓 #4 – University of Edinburgh
📍 Location: Scotland
Scotland’s top-ranked medical school
with one of the UK’s highest research outputs.
Why students love it:
- Combines lectures, clinical placements, and simulated
ward training
- A beautiful, vibrant city to live and study in
- Strong academic reputation with hands-on training
🎓 #3 – University of Glasgow
📍 Location: Scotland
Four out of five Scottish medical
schools are in the UK top 10 — and Glasgow is a standout!
Why students love it:
- Uses a spiral curriculum (revisiting topics with
growing depth)
- Great mix of small group, PBL, labs,
and e-learning
- Offers community medical experience for aspiring
GPs
- Excellent student-selected modules for custom
learning
🎓 #2 – University of Oxford
📍 Location: England
Known worldwide, Oxford focuses on
academic excellence and individualised learning.
Why students love it:
- Tutorial system
(1:1 or small groups with experts)
- Traditional: 2 years of science, then 3 clinical years
- Strong research culture: All students complete a research
project
- Great support from college communities
🎓 #1 – University of Cambridge
📍 Location: England
The oldest and top-ranked medical
school in the UK — and often the world.
Why students love it:
- Intense, science-heavy foundation in the first 3 years
- Supervision-based teaching (often 1:1 or 3:1 student to tutor ratio)
- No patient contact in pre-clinical years – pure science focus
- Strong emphasis on underlying research and theory
- Weekly and termly assessments keep you on track
🏁 Final Thoughts: How Should You Choose?
While these are the top-ranked
UK medical schools, remember: the best school for you depends on:
- Your learning style (PBL vs traditional lectures)
- Campus or city life preferences
- Interest in research or practical learning
- Whether you value early clinical exposure or scientific
depth
✅ Tip: Choose a place where you will thrive, not just
what’s ranked #1.
💡 Want to Learn More?
GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE____we’re
releasing individual university profiles every week, packed with
insights from real medical students.
Want personal help with your medical
school application? Check out our one-on-one coaching at Future Doc — where
we’ve helped hundreds of students get into their top-choice universities on
their first attempt.
Thanks for reading — and good luck
with your med school journey!
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