Applying to Medicine in 2022
Read on for advice on applying to study medicine at university!
What should I study to apply to medical school?
Good grades at GCSE level in maths, science and English
Chemistry A-level
Often biology A-level is required too, but not always – dependent on the university!
Often a further science A-level is required or favoured, such as physics or maths.
What if I don’t study the right subjects?
Students who study predominantly non-science A-levels still have the opportunity to attend medical school. However, to do so, it is likely you’ll need to study a foundation course beforehand, which will add an additional year on to your studies.
Read more: Top 10 Medical Universities in UK
How to choose the right university for you?
Whatever advice you receive, it is imperative to do your own research into the different medicals, to see which school is the best fit for you. In doing so, you should consider aspects of the course itself, as well as of the university and location. For example, you should consider the level of hands-on experience and practical sessions offered by each course – some universities don’t offer clinical experience until later years of the degree, whereas others offer it sooner. Similarly, some universities offer a six-year course, during which you can obtain another undergraduate degree certificate, whereas other universities offer a five-year course. When considering the university/location itself, rather than the course, you should consider accommodation price and extracurricular societies, to see whether they suit your interests!
You can research the university and course online, on the university website. You can also check the university and facilities out in person on the open day – it is very important to attend these if possible!
You can also use student forums, such as The Student Room, to gather students’ opinions on different universities.
Note: On UCAS, you can only apply for four medical schools. Most students use their fifth UCAS choice to pick a backup subject that they enjoy, which is often similar to medicine, such as biomedical sciences. Ensure you do the same checking process for the university and course that you choose for your fifth choice!
How do I write a personal statement?
To apply for any university subject, including medicine, you will need to write a personal statement and upload it to UCAS. The personal statement is a document with a maximum character length of 4000, including spaces.
Before starting your personal statement, ensure you find out when the medicine application deadline is, so that you don’t have to rush the process of writing it.
The most important aspect of the personal statement is letting your university know about you and your interests, both with regards to medicine and extracurricular activities, such as languages spoken or sporting achievements. You should discuss your medical interests and motivations for applying for medicine. A large amount of the medical personal statement should focus on the extra reading you have done into medicine, as well as the volunteering or medical work experience you have undertaken. You should not only describe what you have read/done, but also note how it has influenced your decision to apply to medicine, and which skills you have gained from it. It is really important to do this to demonstrate that the work experience was worthwhile and beneficial to your skillset!
If you’re unsure, get in touch today to see how we can help you with writing your personal statement!
How do I get medicine-related work experience?
Medicine work experience can come in numerous forms – you can seek paid employment or do voluntary work.
A great place to start is by contacting your local nursing home, or even a hospital. Additionally, you can contact your GP surgery and see if there is the opportunity to shadow or work with them. Getting in-person experience with doctors and nurses is a great way to show your dedication and commitment to a career in medicine.
Additionally, thanks to the pandemic, there are many online and virtual work experience programmes that you can sign up for – just give them a search online!
What admissions tests do I need to do for medical school?
Whilst medical schools take applications via UCAS, you will also need to take additional admissions tests.
UCAT:
The UCAT is used for 30 medical schools in the UK. It focuses on testing qualities that are deemed important for people working in healthcare.
The UCAT offers bursaries for individuals that may need financial support for paying for the test, applications for this are open between May-September every year.
BMAT:
This test differs from the UCAT in that it assesses an individual’s ability to study a difficult biomedical degree, such as medicine. It is a challenging test; it needs to be difficult to successfully discriminate between applicants of different abilities. The universities that require you to take the BMAT are University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, University of Leeds, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Keele University and Lancaster Medical School.
What should I expect from my interview?
When you are asked questions in your interview, it is essential to give genuine answers. Over preparing for questions such as ‘why do you wish to study medicine’ will result in your answers looking staged, allowing interviewers to question your real intentions and desire to study medicine. Therefore, it is best to have authentic answers.
Different medical schools place different emphasis on the importance of an interview. However, for all medical schools, these interviews are important for getting a feel of what you are like as an individual and how you would fit into the university.
Whilst you should not learn or practice reciting answers, it is still good to practice interviews. You can ask family or friends to ask you some of the most common interview questions so that you can practice!
How do I prepare for medical school?
If you have received an offer to study at medical school, congratulations! At this point, ensure you check the school’s requirements for what to bring, e.g. if they request you to bring any special equipment or resources for your course. Also, check whether there is a pre-term reading list. If you are unsure, contact your course organiser to check if you’ve missed anything!