Your timetable and learning

Our timetable is structured to allow you to focus on your Professional Knowledge, Clinical Skills, Professional Values and Behaviours at specific times.   

We will use active learning methods so you can practise and apply your knowledge and critical thinking. 

Assessment

A variety of assessment modes will be used, specific to the aims of each module in each academic year. These include, but are not restricted to, written, clinical and oral examinations. 

You will also undertake Workplace Based assessments, which examine clinical skills or practical procedures, undertaken in simulated circumstances, and/or in a clinical setting. 

Assessments will take place in class and/or online; they may be open or closed book. Assessments for the MBBS programme are pass/fail. You will receive regular feedback through formative assessments that will allow you to track your progress and prepare for the summative assessments. 

Medical Licensing Assessment

The General Medical Council's Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) aims to demonstrate that those who obtain registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK meet a common threshold for safe practice. To obtain registration with a licence to practise, you will need to pass both parts of the MLA and demonstrate your fitness to practise.  

Student agreement

Due to the unique nature of Medicine programme, which emphasises clinical placements, all students will be asked to sign an agreement upon entry, which sets out the responsibilities of both Pears Cumbria School of Medicine and the student.    

The agreement complements Imperial College London’s current policies and procedures, promoting a coherent understanding between students and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine Faculty as to what is expected from each, and improving the student’s learning experience. 

Placements and location of study

The programme is based at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, at the University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street Campus, Carlisle. 

You will complete a number of clinical placements throughout your degree in partner NHS organisations.  

From early in the programme, you will undertake a range of short clinical placements and simulation. These will be across North and South Cumbria, in community, primary and secondary care settings, including mental health.

During the programme you will be expected to complete placements in both north and south Cumbria areas which may necessitate travel and/or temporary accommodation.  

Towards the end of the programme, you will undertake a period of pre-foundation assistantship during which you will be embedded in a clinical team locally; and an elective, where you will organise your own extended placement, either in the UK or abroad. 

Staff expertise

You will be taught by a range of teachers from Professors to local health care experts, plus specialists external to Imperial College London and the University of Cumbria. You may also experience peer teaching.

University of Cumbria Campus, library, and facilities

Based at the University of Cumbria’s Carlisle Fusehill Street Campus you will study alongside students undertaking to a wide variety of different programmes. You'll find a bustling environment for students offering multiple spaces to use for socialising and meeting with friends.  

A 10-minute walk from the centre of Carlisle the campus allows students to enjoy the facilities at Fusehill Street whilst having the flexibility to easily access the city centre. 

Our libraries offer you flexible, accessible, and safe spaces. Our excellent range of digital and physical library resources support your learning. 

Our Skills@Cumbria team support your library, academic and digital skills development throughout your programme of study.  

Library and academic advisors team provide online resources, including our Skills TV channel, webinars , group workshops, individual appointments and email guidance to support you with searching, writing, referencing, presenting, dissertations and more. 

For further information, please refer to our facilities page.

Disability support at the University of Cumbria

Disability support will be provided to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine students by the University of Cumbria. 

The University of Cumbria is committed to supporting disabled students to participate in their programmes of study. The University seeks to embed policies and procedures which promote disability equality and offer support through the provision of reasonable adjustments. 

Students are encouraged to declare Disabilities/Specific Learning Difficulties within the admission processes e.g., on their application form or UCAS forms, and during your registration and enrolment processes. By declaring information within these processes, the University of Cumbria can send students specific information and contact them to discuss needs. 

Our Disability Support teams will work with you to develop your learner support plan detailing your needs and required and recommended adjustments which will be shared with your programme tutor. Our Specialist Learning Advisors provide support, information, resources, and appointments for students with specific learning difficulties you will have access to a range of specialist equipment, hardware, and software dependent on your specific needs.

On each campus, you will find accessible workstations with specialist hardware such as larger screens, keyboards, and adjustable height desks. All computers have access to a range of assistive software and a selection of over 100 free accessibility apps for everyone to use.

Further details are available on our disability support page.

University of Cumbria Student Accommodation

With a bustling city centre, beautiful surroundings and a wealth of history, Carlisle is a fantastic place to live and study.

Campus accommodation at Fusehill Street offers modern, stylish affordable ensuite accommodation, with 85 ensuite rooms organised into flats of 5-7 rooms per flat.

Accommodation contracts for medical students will be up to 49 weeks so you do not need to vacate your room at Christmas or Easter. Further contract extensions over the summer can usually be facilitated.

University of Cumbria also has a nominated a 3rd party provider, Denton Holme Student Village (‘the Host’). Denton Holme offers 249 rooms within 25 townhouses, with resident parking and bike storage facilities. Offering riverside views, the village is a 20-minute walk from the Fusehill Street campus. Denton Holme Student Village is managed by Host, the student facing brand for Victoria Hall Management Ltd. You can apply for this accommodation via the University of Cumbria application process; however, your contract will be directly with the Host.

For further information, please visit our accommodation page.