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Medical school comparison

Chester Medical School (GEM) vs Lincoln Medical School

Chester Medical School (GEM) and Lincoln Medical School are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Both sit in England, so location and clinical-placement breadth are similar — the differentiation comes from selection methodology, interview style and curriculum philosophy. Their A-Level requirements (Graduate vs AAB) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

Side-by-side comparison

Chester Medical School (GEM)

Chester

Quick comparison

Location
Chester, UK
A-Level offer
Graduate entry - degree required
TrueScore
1820GEM
UCAT home cut-off
-
Interview format
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance
-
Decision date
March onwards

Lincoln Medical School

Lincoln

Quick comparison

Location
Lincoln, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level including Biology (or Human Biology) and Chemistry
TrueScore
1700
UCAT home cut-off
~1700+ /2700 with B1 SJT and 6× grade 9s at GCSE (combined ~51/60 target). Lower UCAT viable with stronger GCSE/SJT mix.
Interview format
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance
All Students (2023): 159/229 = 69%
Decision date
March onwards
Compare different schools

Chester Medical School (GEM) vs Lincoln Medical School - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Chester Medical School (GEM) requires Graduate entry - degree required. Lincoln Medical School requires AAB including Chemistry and Biology. Lincoln Medical School is the stricter A-Level offer; Chester Medical School (GEM) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Chester Medical School (GEM) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview. GCSE profile matters at both schools — Chester Medical School (GEM): Not applicable - graduate-entry programme. Requires a 2:1 honours degree. Lincoln Medical School: Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6 including Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics (or dual-award Science).

Interview formats

Both Chester Medical School (GEM) and Lincoln Medical School use MMI interviews, so the underlying prep approach is the same — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot-topic answers and (for MMI) structured station responses against a timer. Interview windows: Chester Medical School (GEM) interviews in December - March; Lincoln Medical School in December - March.

Curriculum and teaching style

Chester Medical School (GEM) runs a PBL curriculum; Lincoln Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Chester Medical School (GEM) leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Lincoln Medical School uses a more traditional lecture-led structure. Specifics: Four-year accelerated graduate-entry MBChB. Cheshire-based with regional NHS placements. Five-year MBBChir partnered with Nottingham. Lincoln-based teaching with Lincolnshire NHS clinical placements (Lincoln County Hospital, Pilgrim Hospit Intake size: Chester Medical School (GEM) — ~30-50 places per year (small newer cohort).; Lincoln Medical School — ~80 places per year (small cohort, focused on Lincolnshire placements).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

What makes each distinctive

Chester Medical School (GEM): Graduate entry programme with focus on serving local communities. Newer course with a regional commitment to north-west England. Lincoln Medical School: Strong choice for low-UCAT, high-SJT applicants. SJT scored heavily (B1 = 15, B2 = 10, B3 = 5, B4 = 0). A band 1 SJT can offset a relatively modest UCAT score in the overall ranking.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Chester Medical School (GEM) is the lower-risk academic option. Both schools sit in the same England foundation-programme catchment, so post-graduation training paths overlap heavily. If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Chester Medical School (GEM); if you prefer lecture-led foundations, the other suits better. Your firm/insurance choice should ultimately weight: where your UCAT and predicted grades sit relative to each school's threshold, which interview format you can prepare for most credibly, and where you'd actually want to live for five or six years.

Common questions

Neither school publishes a single fixed UCAT cut-off; both use UCAT as part of a composite shortlisting score alongside GCSE and personal-statement weighting. Chester Medical School (GEM) guidance: see school page. Lincoln Medical School guidance: ~1700+ /2700 with B1 SJT and 6× grade 9s at GCSE (combined ~51/60 target). Lower UCAT viable with stronger GCSE/SJT mix..

Chester Medical School (GEM) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Lincoln Medical School uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). The format is the same, so the same prep approach applies — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot topics, and (for MMI) structured 5-7 minute station answers. Interview windows: December - March (Chester Medical School (GEM)); December - March (Lincoln Medical School).

Chester Medical School (GEM) requires Graduate entry - degree required. Lincoln Medical School requires AAB including Chemistry and Biology. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Chester Medical School (GEM) — Not applicable to graduate entry.. Lincoln Medical School — Resits considered..

Chester Medical School (GEM) — Not applicable - graduate-entry programme. Requires a 2:1 honours degree. Lincoln Medical School — Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6 including Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics (or dual-award Science).

Chester Medical School (GEM)'s selection methodology: New programme (first cohort 2025). UCAT + degree class + interview. Lincoln Medical School's selection methodology: Lincoln operates jointly with the University of Nottingham - uses Nottingham's weighted UCAT/academic scoring system. New programme (first cohort 2019). Understanding each school's exact algorithm is the single highest-leverage piece of pre-application research — it tells you whether your profile is competitive before you spend an application choice.

Chester Medical School (GEM) is in Chester, UK. Lincoln Medical School is in Lincoln, UK. Tuition is £9,250/year at both for UK home applicants; the main cost difference is accommodation (London accommodation typically runs 30-50% above the national average).

Chester Medical School (GEM) typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. Lincoln Medical School releases medicine decisions March onwards. If one is earlier than the other, you may need to hold a decision while waiting for the second school — be ready to compare in real time.

Chester Medical School (GEM) runs a PBL curriculum. Lincoln Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Chester Medical School (GEM) specifics: Four-year accelerated graduate-entry MBChB. Cheshire-based with regional NHS placements. Lincoln Medical School specifics: Five-year MBBChir partnered with Nottingham. Lincoln-based teaching with Lincolnshire NHS clinical placements (Lincoln County Hospital, Pilgrim Hospital Boston, Grantham).

You can — UCAS allows 4 medicine/dentistry choices in total, so listing both is feasible if your profile fits each school's selection algorithm. Apply to both only if your UCAT, GCSE and predicted-grade profile is competitive against each school's published weighting. A common mistake is using two of your four slots on similar schools when a more spread-out portfolio (one safe + one stretch) would maximise overall offer probability.

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 20 June 2026.