University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry

Surgical wards at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

The Institute of Education for Medical and Dental Sciences is part of the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition. It is responsible for all of the education and teaching activities of the School. Its current director is Prof Rona Patey, an anaesthetist. The deputy director is Prof Gordon McEwan, a physiologist. Scholarship-focused academic staff within the school mostly fall within this institute. The school's education and teaching activities take place across both the Foresterhill Medical Campus, the university's main Old Aberdeen Campus, and Aberdeen Sports Village.

The Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, one of the school's teaching hospitals

Today, the school is based in the Polwarth Building on the Foresterhill campus in Aberdeen, as well as the Suttie Centre for Teaching & Learning, the Institute of Medical Science, Dental Institute, Biomedical Physics Building, Health Science Building, Polwarth Building, Rowett Institute (all on the Foresterhill Campus) and in the Centre for Health Science in Inverness. Laboratory and science teaching also takes place in Foresterhill and Old Aberdeen, with a new Science Teaching Hub currently under construction for the use of science students. Undergraduate clinical placements are mainly in hospitals but also in general practice and community settings. The variety of placements offered, both within Aberdeen and in other locations in the Highlands and Islands, allows students to gain experience of both inner-city medicine and to see how healthcare is delivered in areas far removed from large teaching centres.[4]

The main teaching hospitals are in Aberdeen: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, Woodend Hospital and the Royal Cornhill Hospital.

Teaching is also provided in Inverness: mainly at Raigmore Hospital and also New Craigs Hospital. Elgin: at Dr Gray's Hospital. In Fort William: Belford Hospital. In Stornoway, Isle of Lewis: Western Isles Hospital. In Kirkwall, Orkney: Balfour Hospital. In Lerwick, Shetland: Gilbert Bain Hospital. In Wick: Caithness General Hospital

Undergradaute medical science courses are offered in physiology, pharmacology, neuroscience, anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, immunology, developmental biology, and sport science. Optional courses include an industrial placement and biobusiness training.

The Head of School is Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya.[5] There are four active Regius Professorships, in Medicine, Physiology, Surgery and Anatomy. The Regius Chair of Midwifery is in abeyance.

The University of Aberdeen offers undergraduate courses in medicine (MB ChB), dentistry (BDS) and BSc programmes in Medical Sciences.[6] In 2018, the school had an intake of 184 students to study medicine; of these 18 came from outside the UK.[7]

Aberdeen offers a five-year MBChB programme, leading to the award of the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MB ChB. The course uses a systems-based, integrated approach to teaching.[8]

The school offers the opportunity to undertake a further year of study to gain an intercalated BSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences or Medical Humanities.[9]

The Institute of Medical Sciences, where medical science research is performed

The school also offers a large variety of postgraduate degrees, including Applied Health Sciences, Master in Public Health, Global Health and Management, Human Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, Health Economics for Health Professionals, Health Psychology, Medical Sciences, Molecular Medicine, Microbiology, Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes, Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Bio-business, Microbiology, Medical Physics, Medical Imaging, Industrial Biotechnology, Clinical Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Development, Precision Medicine and Pharmacological Innovation, Advanced Clinical Practice, Clinical Education, Special Care Dentistry, Advanced Restorative Dental Practice and Physician Associate programmes.[6] Postgraduate degrees are offered as taught courses, generally leading to the degree of Master of Science (MSc), and as research degrees either at a master's (MSc, MRes, ChM) level or at doctoral (PhD, MD) level.[10]

• Robert Brown – discoverer of Brownian motion
• Sir Graeme Catto — president of the General Medical Council
• John James Richard Macleod — co-discoverer of insulin and Nobel Prize winner
• Sir Patrick Manson — "Father of Tropical Medicine"
• Professor Alex Mowat – pioneer of paediatric hepatology
• Sir Alexander Ogston — discoverer of Staphylococcus aureus
• The Very Reverend Gordon McPhate – Dean of Chester Cathedral
• Surgeon Major Peter Shepherd – pioneer of first aid for civilians.
• William Heath Strange - founder of the Hampstead General Hospital, now the Royal Free Hospital