Wondering whether to intercalate or not?

University courses Medicine & Psychology
1

:white_check_mark: Reasons to Intercalate

1. Interest in Research or Academia

  • If you’re interested in academic medicine, research, or teaching, an intercalated degree (BSc, MSc, MRes, etc.) can give you valuable research experience.
  • Helps if you plan to apply for academic foundation programmes (AFP) or competitive specialties (e.g., neurosurgery, radiology, cardiology).

2. Boosting Your CV for Competitive Specialties

  • Specialties like surgery, dermatology, radiology, and cardiology are highly competitive. An extra degree can increase your points on applications and improve your chances.
  • Some intercalated degrees (especially with published research) help in getting national training numbers (NTN) later.

3. Gaining a New Perspective

  • An intercalated year lets you dive deep into a subject you enjoy—whether that’s global health, medical education, physiology, or artificial intelligence in medicine.
  • It can break up the intense pace of medical school and offer a different style of learning (more coursework, research, or practical projects).

4. Improved Exam Performance & Understanding

  • Some students find that deep diving into a subject (like physiology, pathology, or pharmacology) helps with clinical years and future exams.
  • If your medical school ranks students, an extra degree can give you an advantage.

5. More Time to Decide on Your Career Path

  • If you’re unsure about your future specialty, intercalating gives you time to explore options before committing to foundation training.

:x: Reasons NOT to Intercalate

1. Financial Burden

  • An extra year of tuition fees and living costs can be expensive.
  • If funding is a concern, check whether scholarships, NHS bursaries, or university funding are available.

2. Delay in Becoming a Doctor

  • Intercalating adds an extra year before you qualify, which means a later start to foundation training.
  • If you’re eager to graduate and start earning as an FY1 doctor, you might prefer to continue medical school without a break.

3. No Clear Benefit for Your Career Goals

  • If you’re not interested in research or don’t need extra points for your chosen specialty, an intercalated degree may not add much value.
  • Some specialties (e.g., GP, psychiatry, emergency medicine) place less emphasis on intercalated degrees in applications.

4. You’re Already Struggling with Medicine

  • If you’re finding medical school tough, an additional academic year might add stress rather than help.
  • Some students feel burned out during intercalation, especially if they’re not truly interested in the subject.
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