Requirements of British universities for higher medical degrees.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the requirements and opportunities for obtaining a doctor of medicine or master of surgery degree from a university in the United Kingdom other than the graduate's own, particularly in the case of foreign graduates.

DESIGN

Review of regulations governing the award of doctor of medicine and master of surgery degrees in British universities.

SETTING

All 19 universities in the United Kingdom offering clinical courses.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Availability of degrees to graduates of other universities.

RESULTS

Opportunities for obtaining a degree differed widely among the medical schools, one university (Edinburgh) not admitting graduates of other universities in any circumstance. Of the remaining universities, none would consider a graduate who had not worked in the area where the medical school was located.

CONCLUSION

The wide differences in opportunity among the medical schools may put some foreign graduates at a disadvantage compared with other graduates. This problem may become more severe as the number of graduates from the European Community who settle in Britain increases.