Should I do an intercalated BSc?

The choice of whether to undertake an intercalated bachelor of science degree (BSc) is one of the most important decisions that medical students face. This year long, full time course gives students an opportunity to acquire a greater understanding of basic biomedical or clinical science in a chosen subject.

Most students choose to intercalate after the first two preclinical years, and a handful intercalate in later years. Intercalating is a compulsory part of medical studies at some institutions—for example, Imperial College—and some institutions reserve this year for only the highest achieving students—for example, Barts and the London. In 1997-8 an estimated third of UK medical students intercalated,¹ but recent evidence indicates that the proportion may be increasing.

The benefits are many, but there are also disadvantages in disrupting your medical course for a year. Also many students are in some ways misinformed about what this year of study will entail.

Benefits of intercalating

The UK offers many intercalated courses, ranging from anatomy, physiology, or oral biology, to psychology, linguistics, and medical ethics.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in research and academia then a BSc is strongly recommended. In the UK medically qualified professors and readers are more likely to have an intercalated degree.² Intercalators are more likely to get honours in their medical degree, hold academic positions, and have papers published.³

Evidence also indicates that students who have intercalated not only have a greater ability to critically analyse literature, but also they are more likely to comply with evidence based practice after graduation (box 1).

Students who have intercalated tend to acquire different learning styles than students who have not. A longitudinal study of British medical students at the time of entrance into university and during their final year showed that intercalators had deeper analytical skills and strategic learning scores than at application to medical school.¹

Most intercalating students consider a bachelors degree. But some students are offered either masters or doctoral degrees. For example, the MBBS-PhD (bachelor of medicine and surgery-doctorate) programme has been adopted by University College London, Imperial College, Kings College, London, and the University of Singapore. These further degrees train the brightest medical students to translate scientific discoveries in the laboratory to use at the patient’s bedside. Some students choose to study for a masters degree in business administration after their medical course, with a view to develop a career in the drug industry.

Drawbacks of intercalating

Intercalated degrees might be too costly for some students now that means tested tuition fees and student loans have to be taken into account. Also, spending an extra year at university is a potential drawback because medicine is already a long degree.

Other drawbacks of intercalating depend on the time at which you undertake the degree. Most intercalating students at Barts and the London intercalate after their fourth year. This may be a deterrent because you may fear the effects of a year out of your medical degree so late in the course (box 1).

You’ve decided to intercalate

See box 2 for some practical advice. Once the practical dilemmas about the application process are resolved, you need to think about some of the academic aspects of undertaking a BSc. Intercalated degrees are very different to the standard medical degree course in terms of the learning styles used and in the methods of assessment. In the world of research you will find that many questions have no simple answers, and you’re likely to find conflicting evidence.

You will also find many more questions that research has yet to answer. Read the literature and use your initiative to predict feasible answers.

Most of the material taught in this year is not such that you can refer to a single textbook: much of what is taught is based on current research findings that have either supported or failed to confirm initial theory. For this reason, therefore, you should read broadly around a topic, gaining information from sources such as journals and books.

Under an illusion?

Many students are told that an intercalated BSc will be a year in which they can study a subject other than medicine. This is partly true, but these subjects mostly have their foundations in basic biomedical sciences so they are to an extent related to medicine.

To illustrate this point, KG took a BSc in abnormal psychology, which covered psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Much of what I learnt gave a different perspective from that provided by typical psychiatric rotations. I explored the psychological theories that underpin current treatments and not just the treatments themselves. Although some students may recognise the benefits of such an approach, others may find it off putting.

Some students believe that an intercalated year will be a time to relax from the sometimes burdensome pressures of medicine. Be aware that BSc are equally if not more demanding. This year out is not designed to be a break from your medical course. It is a challenging year in which students are encouraged to study a subject in as much depth as any other bachelors degree.

Unlike most medical courses, assessment for intercalated degrees is by essay. Unfortunately, most students who undertake bachelors degrees will have last written an essay during their A levels. Therefore, the old adage of “practice makes perfect” should be used to guide your study. You should obtain and practise past essay questions to judge the standard that is expected in examinations. If this is done at the earliest opportunity, you will stand in good stead by being better prepared for the end of year exam, which usually contributes most to your grade (box 2).

Competing interests: None declared.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

1. McManus IC, Richards P, Winde BC. Intercalated degrees, learning styles, and career preferences: prospective longitudinal study of UK medical students. BMJ 1999;319:542-6.
2. Leung WC. Is studying for an intercalated degree a wise career move? Student BMJ 2001;9:418-9. http://student.bmj.com/search/pdf/01/11/careers.pdf
3. Riaz A, Howell S. Intercalated BSc degrees: why do students do them? The Clinical Teacher 2005;2:72-6.

       

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