List of Medical Schools by closest region

Matched each county to its nearest medical school by city/region, based on where GMC-registered medical schools are located. Some counties genuinely sit closest to schools just over their border.

England

County	Major Towns	Region	Closest Medical School
Bedfordshire	Bedford, Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade	East of England	University of Cambridge
Berkshire	Reading, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Newbury	South East	University of Oxford
Bristol	Bristol	South West	Bristol Medical School
Buckinghamshire	Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes, Amersham, Marlow	South East	University of Oxford
Cambridgeshire	Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, Wisbech, St Neots	East of England	University of Cambridge
Cheshire	Chester, Warrington, Crewe, Macclesfield, Northwich, Ellesmere Port	North West	Chester Medical School
Cornwall	Truro, Falmouth, St Austell, Penzance, Newquay, Bodmin	South West	University of Exeter (Peninsula)
Cumbria	Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Whitehaven, Penrith	North West	Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (Carlisle)
Derbyshire	Derby, Chesterfield, Matlock, Buxton, Ilkeston, Swadlincote	East Midlands	University of Nottingham (Derby campus)
Devon	Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Barnstaple, Exmouth, Newton Abbot	South West	University of Exeter / Plymouth (Peninsula)
Dorset	Dorchester, Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Christchurch	South West	University of Southampton
Durham	Durham, Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street	North East	Newcastle University
East Riding of Yorkshire	Beverley, Bridlington, Goole, Driffield, Hornsea	Yorkshire and the Humber	Hull York Medical School
East Sussex	Lewes, Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Hove	South East	Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Essex	Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Harlow	East of England	Anglia Ruskin University (Chelmsford)
Gloucestershire	Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, Tewkesbury	South West	Bristol Medical School
Greater London	Croydon, Bromley, Kingston upon Thames, Sutton, Harrow	London	Imperial / UCL / KCL / St George's / Barts (QMUL)
Greater Manchester	Manchester, Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford	North West	University of Manchester
Hampshire	Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Andover	South East	University of Southampton
Herefordshire	Hereford, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye, Ledbury	West Midlands	Three Counties Medical School (Worcester)
Hertfordshire	Hertford, Watford, St Albans, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead	East of England	University of Hertfordshire Medical School
Isle of Wight	Newport, Ryde, Cowes, Sandown, Shanklin	South East	University of Southampton
Kent	Maidstone, Canterbury, Dover, Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, Rochester	South East	Kent and Medway Medical School (Canterbury)
Lancashire	Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, Lancaster	North West	University of Lancashire (UCLan, Preston)
Leicestershire	Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Melton Mowbray	East Midlands	University of Leicester
Lincolnshire	Lincoln, Grantham, Boston, Stamford, Skegness	East Midlands	Lincoln Medical School
Merseyside	Liverpool, Birkenhead, St Helens, Southport, Bootle	North West	University of Liverpool
Norfolk	Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn, Thetford	East of England	UEA Norwich Medical School
North Yorkshire	Northallerton, Harrogate, Scarborough, York, Whitby	Yorkshire and the Humber	Hull York Medical School (York)
Northamptonshire	Northampton, Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough	East Midlands	University of Leicester
Northumberland	Morpeth, Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hexham, Blyth	North East	Newcastle University
Nottinghamshire	Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent, Worksop	East Midlands	University of Nottingham
Oxfordshire	Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Witney, Abingdon	South East	University of Oxford
Rutland	Oakham, Uppingham	East Midlands	University of Leicester
Shropshire	Shrewsbury, Telford, Oswestry, Bridgnorth	West Midlands	Keele University School of Medicine
Somerset	Taunton, Bath, Bridgwater, Yeovil, Wells, Glastonbury	South West	Bristol Medical School
South Yorkshire	Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber	University of Sheffield
Staffordshire	Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, Burton upon Trent	West Midlands	Keele University School of Medicine
Suffolk	Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft, Felixstowe	East of England	UEA Norwich Medical School
Surrey	Guildford, Woking, Epsom, Reigate, Farnham	South East	University of Surrey (Guildford)
Tyne and Wear	Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields	North East	Newcastle University / Sunderland
Warwickshire	Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Nuneaton, Rugby, Leamington Spa	West Midlands	Warwick Medical School (Coventry)
West Midlands	Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley	West Midlands	University of Birmingham / Aston
West Sussex	Chichester, Crawley, Worthing, Horsham, Bognor Regis	South East	Brighton and Sussex Medical School
West Yorkshire	Wakefield, Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax	Yorkshire and the Humber	University of Leeds
Wiltshire	Trowbridge, Salisbury, Swindon, Chippenham, Marlborough	South West	Bristol Medical School / University of Southampton
Worcestershire	Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Malvern, Evesham	West Midlands	Three Counties Medical School (Worcester)
City of London	— (a single city/borough)	London	Barts and The London (QMUL)

Tables based on the traditional/historic counties of each nation (since these map more naturally to "county" than modern council areas, especially in Scotland and Northern Ireland). "Closest medical school" reflects current GMC-approved medical schools as of 2026: Scotland (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews), Wales (Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor), Northern Ireland (Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University – Magee/Derry).

Scotland

County	Major Towns	Region	Closest Medical School
Aberdeenshire	Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh	North East	University of Aberdeen
Banffshire	Banff, Buckie, Keith	North East	University of Aberdeen
Kincardineshire	Stonehaven, Banchory	North East	University of Aberdeen
Moray	Elgin, Forres	North East	University of Aberdeen
Angus	Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose	East (Tayside)	University of Dundee
Perthshire	Perth, Blairgowrie, Crieff	East/Central	University of Dundee
Fife	Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, St Andrews	East	University of St Andrews
Kinross-shire	Kinross	East	University of St Andrews
Clackmannanshire	Alloa	Central	University of Glasgow
Stirlingshire	Stirling, Falkirk	Central	University of Glasgow
West Lothian	Livingston, Bathgate	South East	University of Edinburgh
Midlothian	Dalkeith, Penicuik	South East	University of Edinburgh
East Lothian	Haddington, North Berwick	South East	University of Edinburgh
Berwickshire	Duns, Eyemouth	Scottish Borders	University of Edinburgh
Peeblesshire	Peebles	Scottish Borders	University of Edinburgh
Selkirkshire	Selkirk, Galashiels	Scottish Borders	University of Edinburgh
Roxburghshire	Hawick, Jedburgh	Scottish Borders	University of Edinburgh
Dumfriesshire	Dumfries, Lockerbie	South West	University of Glasgow
Kirkcudbrightshire	Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas	South West	University of Glasgow
Wigtownshire	Stranraer, Newton Stewart	South West	University of Glasgow
Ayrshire	Ayr, Kilmarnock, Irvine	South West	University of Glasgow
Renfrewshire	Paisley, Renfrew	West/Strathclyde	University of Glasgow
Lanarkshire	Hamilton, Motherwell	West/Strathclyde	University of Glasgow
Dunbartonshire	Dumbarton, Clydebank	West/Strathclyde	University of Glasgow
Bute	Rothesay	West (Argyll & Bute)	University of Glasgow
Argyll	Oban, Inveraray, Dunoon	West Highlands	University of Glasgow
Inverness-shire	Inverness, Fort William	Highlands	University of Aberdeen
Ross and Cromarty	Dingwall, Ullapool	Highlands	University of Aberdeen
Sutherland	Golspie, Lairg	Highlands	University of Aberdeen
Caithness	Wick, Thurso	Highlands	University of Aberdeen
Nairnshire	Nairn	Highlands	University of Aberdeen
Orkney	Kirkwall, Stromness	Northern Isles	University of Aberdeen
Shetland	Lerwick	Northern Isles	University of Aberdeen

Wales

County	Major Towns	Region	Closest Medical School
Anglesey	Llangefni, Holyhead	North Wales	Bangor University
Caernarfonshire	Caernarfon, Bangor	North Wales	Bangor University
Denbighshire	Denbigh, Ruthin, Rhyl	North Wales	Bangor University
Flintshire	Mold, Flint, Holywell	North East Wales	Bangor University
Merionethshire	Dolgellau, Bala	North Wales	Bangor University
Montgomeryshire	Welshpool, Newtown	Mid Wales	Bangor University
Cardiganshire	Aberystwyth, Cardigan	West Wales	Swansea University
Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen, Llanelli	West Wales	Swansea University
Pembrokeshire	Haverfordwest, Milford Haven	West Wales	Swansea University
Radnorshire	Llandrindod Wells, Presteigne	Mid Wales	Cardiff University
Brecknockshire	Brecon	South East/Mid Wales	Cardiff University
Glamorgan	Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr Tydfil	South Wales	Cardiff University
Monmouthshire	Newport, Abergavenny, Monmouth	South East Wales	Cardiff University

Northern Ireland

County	Major Towns	Region	Closest Medical School
Antrim	Belfast, Antrim, Ballymena	East / North East	Queen's University Belfast
Down	Newry, Bangor, Downpatrick	East / South East	Queen's University Belfast
Armagh	Armagh, Lurgan, Portadown	South	Queen's University Belfast
Fermanagh	Enniskillen	South West	Ulster University (Magee, Derry~Londonderry)
Londonderry	Derry~Londonderry, Coleraine	North West	Ulster University (Magee, Derry~Londonderry)
Tyrone	Omagh, Dungannon, Strabane	West	Ulster University (Magee, Derry~Londonderry)

Notes:

St Andrews only offers the pre-clinical BSc; students move to a partner school (e.g., Manchester or others) for clinical years.
"Closest" is based on general geographic proximity to the county's main towns, not driving-distance calculations — for border counties (e.g., Clackmannanshire, Radnorshire, Fermanagh) more than one school is a reasonably similar distance.
Scotland and Wales no longer use these as administrative units (Scotland uses council areas; Wales uses principal areas), but they remain the standard reference for "county" in general usage.