Intercalation. Fancy sounding word, huh. But what actually is it? Well, as part of your medical course, in-between preclinical years and clinical years, many universities offer an opportunity to study a subject of your choosing in detail for a year. And at the end of that year, you get a degree in it!

Second year in Cambridge is infamous for being the most difficult year. It’s known to systematically drain your enthusiasm and passion for medicine. But, the thing that kept us going was the prospect of our 3rd year (the intercalation year), a chance to choose a subject we enjoyed and study that in more detail. But more importantly, the 3rd year was promised as a bit of a holiday year, where the workload becomes a fraction of what it previously was.

Here, we’ve suggested 5 key steps to follow when approaching your intercalation year. Importantly, begin by looking at past exam questions, choosing your lecture series wisely, creating essay plans and practicing writing essays as much as possible! Be pro-active!

We’ve complied and answered the questions most commonly asked by those looking to intercalate or are currently intercalating, including “is it worth intercalating”, “can I do a non-science course” and “should I do primary research”.