The Access to HE Diploma is a Level 3 qualification designed to prepare individuals without traditional qualifications for university study. It provides essential academic subject knowledge and helps learners develop the study skills required for success in higher education. The Access to HE Diploma in Medicine is specifically for learners aspiring to study Medicine, Dentistry, or related fields, but who lack the necessary qualifications from school. This qualification can lead to degree-level studies in areas such as Applied Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Biomedicine, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, Neuroscience, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmaceutical Science, Pharmacology and Physiology, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine and Science.
This course will help you get the qualifications you need to study medicine or dentistry at university. You will learn study skills such as report writing, reading and comprehension of numerical data, preparation for exams and professional behaviours for medical practitioners.
For this Access to Medicine programme, we complete a total number of 60 credits:
Topics covered can include:
The course is taught on-site. Typically, this will require you to attend College 2-3 days a week. You will also have a personal tutor who will support you during the year and who will advise you on your applications to higher education institutions.
On successful completion of the course, you will achieve the following qualification: Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) [OCNLR]. Once you have completed your Access to HE course, you can progress to a Higher Education degree at a university or college. We recommend that you check you have completed relevant work experience, such as work placements in clinics, surgeries, hospitals, residential homes etc. in preparation for your personal statement. You should check requirements for specific degree courses - different Higher Education institutions may have different entry requirements for similar courses.
University
You will be assessed mainly through course work and exams.
You will need to be aged 19 or older on or before 31st August and have GCSE's in English, Science and Maths at grade 4/5 or above (or B-C).
Students are advised to check the entry criteria for individual universities, as these vary, and some may require grades higher than 4/5 in the above subjects. You must take a UCAT/BMAT for medicine and dentistry courses at an independent centre before starting the course and achieve a score of at least 630, with a minimum of 550 in each section, equating to a total score of 2520 (achieving band 1 or 2 is highly recommended).
All applicants must have an interview and initial assessment to confirm that the course is suitable for them.
Care to learn - childcare support for young people aged 16-20
If you are aged under 20 at the beginning of your course, or moving to the 2nd year of a level 3 course, and are caring for your own child you may be entitled to £175.00 maximum per week, per child through Care to Learn.
Please ensure you register on the Care to Learn website even if you haven’t chosen your childcare provider or the course you want to study. Once you have registered Care to Learn will confirm financial support in principle.
For further details and help with making an application please visit https://www.gov.uk/care-to-learn or speak to a Student Advisor.
If you are aged 20+ when you start a course and need financial support to help with the cost of childcare while you study the college may be able to help.
You will be required to make use of any government NEF or 2+ Funding before requesting any financial support from the college.
It is essential that you speak to a Student Advisor prior to enrolling on a course to discuss your personal circumstances, childcare needs and to find out if there are funds available.
Eligibility for help with childcare costs is based on your personal circumstances.
You need to have evidence that you meet general discretionary Learner Support Funds or 19+ Advanced Learning Loan bursary fund criteria:
All childcare applicants approved for funding will be required to sign our Terms & Conditions and MUST inform the College immediately should they stop attending lessons for any reason.
Email learner.services@cwc.ac.uk to put your name on the childcare waiting list. You MUST speak to a member of the Student Advice or Learner Services team before you enrol on a course.