We're reviewing this course as part of our regular quality assurance process.
This may result in some changes to course content or delivery of the course in 2025.
In 2025, BM6 Year 1 students will study an improved and updated course. This will have more clinical learning time and embedded research experience. The major change, to enable this, is the removal of the research project in Year 3 and the associated integrated BMedSc award.
Southampton developed its BM6 programme, a six year Widening Access to Medicine programme, in 2002 to meet both the national agenda of widening participation to medicine from more diverse backgrounds as well as one of the medical school's own strategic aims.
Students on the BM6 course have a unique and tailored first year of study to meet their specific needs and to support them in the transition to University and to ensure they successfully graduate as doctors. Students on the BM6 course go on clinical placement in their first year and experience an innovative research-led curriculum that puts compassion and communication at the centre of their studies.
Over 350 BM6 students are now qualified doctors, and the programme recently celebrated the excellence of current students and alumni at a 20th anniversary event.
Success for BM6 students past and present
Our students are our best ambassadors, and connect with their peers to share their experiences and encourage them to apply – such as by supporting residential activities for Y12 students:
Widening access to Medicine residential
The BM6 team includes staff from a range of backgrounds and experience, including those who are experts in education, scientific research and clinical staff.
Programme Lead: Dr Caroline Childs
Deputy Programme Lead: Dr Jane Cleal
Since its inception in 2002 the BM6 has received national recognition as an example of good practice of an innovative widening access programme.
It was featured as a case study in the 2002 UUK Report ‘From the Margins to the Mainstream' and in the 2005 follow-up UUK Report ‘ Embedding Widening Participation in Higher Education'. It also featured in The Department of Health's report: ' Medical Schools: delivering the doctors of the future '; London 2004.
In the BMJ 2011 paper 'Widening access to medical education for underrepresented socioeconomic groups: population based cross-sectional analysis of UK data, 2002-6 ' the authors Jonathan Mathers et al concluded that 'efforts of the 3 schools offering foundation programmes (of which Southampton is one) seem to have been far more successful in diversifying the future medical profession than other initiatives'.