Exceptional Summer Pre-College Medicine Program for Teenagers at Oxford University Campus

Outside of lessons, we are proud to offer a busy and diverse social programme to help you get the most out of your time in Oxford. This includes activities such as punting on the River Cam, zorb football and a murder mystery night in the college. There are also two excursions during the programme, one day trip to visit Oxford and its constituent colleges, as well as an optional day out in London, seeing the city’s most famous landmarks as well as some free time for shopping. Those who choose not to travel to London are invited to afternoon tea in Oxford. Activities and excursions are run by our team of friendly mentors – whose main job is to maximise your enjoyment.

Outside of lessons, we are proud to offer a busy and diverse social programme to help you get the most out of your time in Oxford. This includes activities such as punting on the River Cam, zorb football and a murder mystery night in the college. There are also two excursions during the programme, one day trip to visit Oxford and its constituent colleges, as well as an optional day out in London, seeing the city’s most famous landmarks as well as some free time for shopping. Those who choose not to travel to London are invited to afternoon tea in Oxford. Activities and excursions are run by our team of friendly mentors – whose main job is to maximise your enjoyment.

Participants should arrive between 2 pm and 5 pm on the first Sunday of the programme. Our team will be ready and waiting to welcome you, register you, and show you to your accommodation. Please note that your accommodation may not be ready until 3pm. 

If you are arriving at London Heathrow Airport, we are able to offer a shared airport transfer service. This is a chaperoned service departing from London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 and travelling directly to the colleges in Cambridge/Oxford. Do not worry if you will be arriving to any other Heathrow terminal - our dedicated pastoral team will be there to meet you and escort to Terminal 3 for departure to your college

The transfers depart at 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00 on the Sunday of arrivals. On the final Saturday of the programme, the transfers to London Heathrow Airport depart at 07:00 and 12:00. This will be available to book for a fee per journey after enrolment.

Specific details, such as contact numbers, are shared with participants nearer the time of the programme.

If you are arriving at another airport, or by alternative means, further details about arrivals and departures are shared in your Welcome Pack, sent with your confirmation of enrolment.

To book the shared airport transfer service, which will cost £90.00 each way,

The Medicine summer school programme for 13-15-year-olds is expertly designed to blend practical knowledge and theory. The curriculum focuses not only on teaching key theories within medicine but on developing the key skills you will require in medical studies and professions – including being a doctor and a researcher. The medical school programme is fun as well as challenging – a series of dissections will show you how internal systems function and interact, allowing you to apply the theory that you’ve learnt. You will complete the medical school programme having expanded your knowledge and skills in anatomy, biology, and more!

Learn directly from expert academics from world-class universities

You will explore novel concepts and share ideas in small groups of like-minded and ambitious peers from around the world. In small class sizes averaging 7 students, you will be guided by expert tutors who have honed their expertise through teaching undergraduate students at world-class universities, including the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard. Our rigorous vetting process guarantees that all participants are taught by engaging and supportive educators who are, most of all, enthusiastic about sharing their expertise to ensure our summer school teaching is of the highest quality. It is an unrivalled academic experience.

Boost your confidence and develop key attributes in academic skills workshops

Our workshops are geared towards unlocking participants’ potential, giving them the tools to prepare for the next steps of their education and future goals. Build upon existing study skills to support future university-level learning. These workshops explore a diverse and enriching range of topics – past examples have ranged from ‘Productivity tips’ to ’21st Century Technology Skills’. We’re sure that you’ll learn something completely new. Unlike traditional schools, it allows you to learn beyond the traditional curriculum. This programme is designed for students with at least an upper-intermediate level of English (B2).

Example Modules

**Medical Research and Science Communication: **The increased longevity of humans over the past century can be significantly attributed to advances resulting from medical research. Major benefits have included vaccines for measles and polio, insulin treatment for diabetes, classes of antibiotics for treating a host of illnesses, and new surgical techniques such as microsurgery. But how are these discoveries made, and who makes them? Scientific research is a process of small steps, occurring over years or decades, costing millions, and requiring painstaking work undertaken by vast teams of scientists and clinicians. Spanning various disciplines, in this topic, you will focus on the principles and methods of medical research, in particular the journey of lab bench discoveries to the patient bedside, clinical trials, and careers in medical research. You will also cover the importance of communicating scientific and medical research to the community, as well as the pros and cons of each method of communication.

**General Anatomy and Physiology: **The human body is a finely tuned and complex machine. Its study can be traced as far back as the embalming of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt! Our understanding of anatomy has greatly increased since the development of novel technologies, allowing us to uncover the organs’ microstructures, but scientists across the globe are still focused on uncovering its secrets. Anatomy and physiology are the sciences behind the structures of the body and their functions. In this topic you will explore the different systems of the human body (skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory etc) and how they're connected, in order to provide an overview of the human body as a whole. You'll then explore the key systems in-depth, looking at the characteristics and micro anatomical features of several organs through dissection.

**Genetics and Epigen: **In the 60+ years after the discovery of DNA’s structure, there has been astonishing progress in our understanding of gene function and variability. Genes are a segment of DNA passed down from parents with certain traits to their children. Genes are organised and packaged in units called “chromosomes". After going over chromosomes’ structure, you will first focus on understanding the replication, transcription and translation of DNA, from nucleic acid to protein synthesis. You will also explore the role of the environment on genetics. Finally, you'll consider the most recent breakthrough in genetic engineering, CRISPR gene editing, a tool which allows virtually unlimited editing of the genome of any species!

**Science Conference: **You will partake in a mini-science conference where you'll present a research topic assigned earlier in the week. You will be encouraged to view each other’s work critically, ask follow-up questions and engage with the subject matter.

Key Facts

• Average class size is 7
• Maximum class size of 10 students
• 1:1 Career Coaching
• Personal support and guidance for success
• Professional development workshops
• Building essential skills for success
• World-class experience

-Shared airport transfer service, which will cost £90.00 each way,