University of Plymouth

Spend a year experiencing critical care medicine and life in the intensive care unit.

Critical Care is a dynamic specialty. As a Plymouth intercalated student in critical care you will have the truly unique opportunity to spend nine months embedded in practice in a critical care unit. Access to expert mentorship from across multiple clinical disciplines will mean that you develop the confidence and competence to understand critical illness, and contribute to the management of patients on the critical care unit. You could be involved in caring for patients in the perioperative phase, those with critical illness, major trauma, burns and cardiothoracic conditions to name but a few. There may also be opportunity (depending on local placement capacity) to gain experiences in critical care outreach, anaesthetics, resuscitation medicine, or even pre-hospital care.

Special features

A truly unique intercalated degree in critical care with a full academic year embedded in clinical practice.
Highly applicable to those interested in future careers in intensive care medicine, emergency or acute medicine, anaesthetics or surgery.
Our experienced faculty and network of mentors ensures a personal experience tailored to your learning needs and expectations.
As you grow with us, you can expect to become a functioning member of the clinical team, making a difference every day.
We help you to develop your transferable skills so that you can perform to the best of your ability. We provide expert teaching on topics including leadership, communication skills, teamwork and human factors.
New from 2019/20 ‘SimWARS on the Moor’: As part of the course, all of our students are invited to attend a two day residential course provided in collaboration with Devon Air Ambulance Trust, focusing on pre-hospital trauma care and non-technical skills development.

Entry requirements

Applications are welcomed from students who will have completed the third or fourth year of medical studies prior to intercalation.

Although we appreciate that it may not be possible for all students to gain substantive Intensive Care Unit experience prior to application, some evidence of prior commitment and enthusiasm towards critical care or allied specialties is highly desirable. Third year applicants in particular must ensure that they have sufficient insight into clinical practice to demonstrate suitability to undertake a longitudinal placement in the Intensive Care Unit. This can be evidenced, for example, through placements, attendance at relevant courses, meetings and conferences, involvement with undergraduate societies, and additional work shadowing.

Shortlisted prospective applicants are invited to interview at our annual selection event in Plymouth where there will be opportunity to find out more about the course and meet our current students and faculty.

Closing date

Please contact the course provider.