I am a fourth-year medical student with an interest in surgery and I chose the BSs (Hon) Surgical Sciences programme for my intercalation year.
For me, the most memorable aspect of the intercalation year was the diversity. On the Surgical Sciences programme, we not only had the opportunity attend a series of fascinating lectures covering different surgical specialties, but there were also parallel courses that introduced us to the fundamentals of critical appraisal, medical statistics and clinical research.
Engaging in a systematic review and meta-analysis project also helped me learn and develop a wide range of research skills.
The intercalation year can feel a bit overwhelming at the start: there may be changes to the assessment formats and layout of learning objectives compared to second year, but hopefully with some gradual adjustments and familiarisation, you will have an enjoyable year. Also, regardless of which programme you select, many of the valuable skills you learn will be transferrable in the future.
