A career in medicine can involve everything from taking care of people to researching cutting edge cures and treatments for diseases to teaching the next generation about medicine. With 28 specialities, there are so many different directions you can take this.
The Pathways to Medicine programmes run over two academic years, starting when you are just heading into Sixth Form/College and finishing before your exams in year 13. Alongside a work experience placement there is a programme of after-school and weekend skill workshops and information sessions, mentoring opportunities, networking events with universities and leading professionals, and a summer residential packed full of opportunities to develop skills needed to access a career in medicine.
Employability Skill Workshops
Throughout the programme, there will be skill workshops with university staff and career professionals teaching you various employability skills specific to Medicine, such as:
• Patient care
• Diagnostics
Work Experience
“Over my two years, I gained amazing work experience where I got to see consultations as well as be in a theatre and see surgeries. This allowed me to see the atmosphere I would be working in and reinforced my feelings about studying medicine.” – Alaine Geneste, 2023 Pathways to Medicine alum
Our work placements take place in-person and are between 3 and 5 days long. They’ll provide you with the opportunity to get a flavour of the day-to-day activities, projects and workloads that make up a career in medicine and gain the employability skills that will help you decide if medicine is the right career path for you.
You can work either in a clinical in-person setting or digital work experience where you have a fictional patient who has an injury and each session students are taken through different parts of the hospital (e.g. ambulance, ER, neurosurgery). You will be able to put this on your CV, and maintain these connections for after you graduate university and are looking for employment.
Insight Events
At insight events, you will get to hear from a panel of medical professionals about what it’s like to work in the field, what the different departments do and what the different jobs are. You’ll walk away with an in-depth knowledge of what kinds of jobs you are most interested in and what they will look like day-to-day.
University Taster Sessions
You will be able to tour your university, attend university Q&A sessions, make connections with university admissions staff and professors, and take part in a few tester lectures in your chosen subject.
Undergraduate Mentor
Throughout your programme, you will be able to talk to current undergraduates and alumni who can provide guidance where needed on anything and everything to do with university applications, life at university, and studying at university.
Sutton Trust Online
Sutton Trust Online is our digital platform providing support to students on their journey to university or an apprenticeship. Alongside your core Pathways programme you will also have access to STO. Here you will be guided through all the information, skills and advice you need as you explore, apply, prepare and succeed at university or an apprenticeship.
Workshops
There are certain ‘soft skills’ which will help you when you are looking for work and starting out in your career. Throughout the programme, there will be monthly after school/weekend skills workshops for you to take part in, such as:
• Communicating
• Interviewing
National Conference
Each University Pathways to Medicine programme holds its own in-person week-long conference where you will have access to:
• Subject specific taster lectures
• Work experience/Sector experience
• Medicine skill workshops
• Panel Q&A sessions with medical professionals
University and Apprenticeship Application Support
Pathways will provide expert and personalised support throughout the university and apprenticeship application process, with:
• A personal statement mentor and apprenticeship application workshops
• University and Apprenticeship Q&A sessions
• Curated resources on how to write the best application
• Lots of information on bursaries, scholarships, and financial aid
Professional Network
Throughout the programme, you’ll attend networking skill sessions and then put your new skills into practice. Meeting a variety of medical professionals, volunteers and university professionals; you will build up your professional network for future opportunities.
Peer Network
Throughout the programme, you will meet with other students for both events and social activities. Often our students end up at the same university as their programme, which means that you will already have an established network of friends when you get there.
Work Experience
You will automatically be eligible to take part in an exclusive online work experience. The three- day online work experience allows you to follow one patient’s journey through a hospital, learning from top medical professionals and current medical students, and gaining an insight into a variety of medical specialities such as Emergency Surgery, Cardiology and Rehabilitation. You’ll also working on practical group activities in key skills like consultation and medical ethics.
You may also have the opportunity to take apply for an in-person work experience in a clinical setting, meeting clinicians and learning what it’s really like to work in a hospital.
To apply to Pathways to Medicine you must:
In addition, we are looking for students who:
The more criteria you meet, the more likely you are to be offered a place on the programme.
Applications for all Pathways to Medicine programmes are open!
Below are the application deadlines for each university hosting a Pathways to Medicine programme this year
Imperial University applications will need to come through this website.
University | Application deadline |
University of Nottingham | 13/11/2023 |
Imperial College London | 26/09/2023 |
Hull York Medical School | 03/12/2023 |
Newcastle University | 20/11/2023 |
The proportion who were eligible for Free School Meals at Secondary School.
The proportion who would be first generation university students.
The proportion who met at least three of our five criteria.
The number of students who took part in the programme.
The Sutton Trust is incredibly grateful for the generous support that make our programmes possible. Special thanks to: