Years 3 – 4
The academic year
The teaching year is extended to about 45 weeks, with short breaks at Christmas and Easter and a longer break in the summer.
Year 3
Year 3 starts with a two-week course introducing you to clinical medicine as it is practised in secondary care.
At the heart of Year 3 are ward-based attachments including:
- General Medicine, Acute Medicine and Cardiology
- Elderly Medicine and Psychiatry
- Surgery, including Perioperative Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Orthopaedics and Urology
Weekly teaching sessions on the scientific basis of medicine throughout Year 3 provide an opportunity for you to build on the core knowledge gained in Years 1 and 2. You will learn about cutting-edge developments in areas such as genetics, immunology, infectious diseases and therapeutics.
You will gain further experience in safe prescribing of drugs, an essential skill for your medical career.
Where will I study?
From Year 3, you will be based in Brighton at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Audrey Emerton Building (AEB). The AEB provides comprehensive learning facilities, including a fully stocked medical library, computer suites, a clinical skills training area, teaching rooms for large and small group study and a top floor restaurant with panoramic sea views.
You will have ward-based placements at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and across other sites in East and West Sussex.

You will maintain an individual e-portfolio that is similar to the one you will use as a junior doctor , which help you reflect on how your personal strengths are developing along with your clinical skills and experience.
Intercalation
The intercalated degree is an optional addition to a medical degree. Subject to performance, you may have the opportunity to undertake an intercalated BSc or Masters degree, between Years 3 and 4.
Please note, intercalation numbers are capped at 40% of the total cohort, with priority given to those without a prior degree.
Read More about intercalation >
Year 4
During this year you will also undertake a rotation of clinical placements in the specialist subjects of
- General Practice
- ENT, Ophthalmology and Neurology
- Microbiology and Sexual Health
- Rheumatology and Dermatology
- Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care
- Paediatrics
The clinical focus in Year 4 is on understanding patients' integrated care and how primary, community and secondary care structures work together for the patient. You will also participate in Time for Autism and complete a year-long Individual Research Project, supervised by a university or hospital team.
Where will I study?
You will be based at the AEB at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, and will have clinical placements across East and West Sussex.