1. Applying to UK Medical School
Dubai 2016

2. The Journey into Medicine
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:

3. The Journey into Medicine
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:
UCAS Application

4. The Journey into Medicine
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:
UCAS Application
UKCAT

5. The Journey into Medicine
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:
UCAS Application
UKCAT
BMAT

6. The Journey into Medicine
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:
UCAS Application
UKCAT
BMAT
Interview

7. UCAS Application A competitive process
20,100 1st time applicants to medicine for 2016
Location
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Difference UK
16,730
17,000
17,140
15,220
14,820
-3% EU
1,960
1,990
2,110
1,940
2,050
+6%
Non-EU
2,950
3,130
3,490
3,230
3,240 0%
Total
21,650
22,130
22,740
20,390
20,100
-1%
Application ratio varies from 3:1 up to 15:1!

8. UCAS Application Three key questions: How to choose a medical school?
How to write an excellent personal statement?
How important is your reference?

9. Choosing a Medical School
Select up to 4 medical schools
Oxford or Cambridge (not both)
Use your UKCAT score to your favour – you will get your UKCAT score before you apply, so be tactical.
One ‘alternative’ course
Medicine or science related – it is inadvisable to apply to the same university for a very different course e.g. economics, as the medical admissions staff will be aware of this.
Some allow you to submit a separate personal statement .

10. Choosing a Medical School
Avoid choosing more than 2 BMAT universities as you won’t know your score when you apply
Avoid applying to medical schools that offer different course structures e.g. PBL and traditional
Don’t just apply to all the popular medical schools

11. Course Considerations
Location
Course structure
Course length

12. Location: 32 Medical Schools + University of Warwick Postgraduate Medicine only. University of Buckingham is the only UK Independent Medical school with no cap on international students and UCLAN – take only international students.

13. Location University Setting – Things to Consider:
City where you could be travelling an hour to your lectures, halls etc.
Campus where everything is easy to access
Collegiate where you could be living closely with students studying many different disciplines
Proximity to home – transport links
Cost of living - London is very expensive

14. Three types of course structure:
Traditional
Integrated
Problem Based Learning (PBL)

15. Course Structure - Traditional
Traditional - Lectures and tutorials make up the bulk of the first two or three years of study. These are purely science-based and not focused on individual cases. You will learn about the scientific theory of Medicine, and be taught modules in distinct scientific fields such as Physiology, Biochemistry and Anatomy

16. Course Structure - Integrated
Integrated - With an integrated course, scientific knowledge is delivered alongside clinical training. The material is taught by topic, rather than by discipline.
The material is covered by looking at body systems or topics e.g. when learning about the digestive system, you learn all the physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, clinical skills etc. relevant to that system.

17. Course Structure -Problem Based Learning
PBL courses focus on small group work and peer-to-peer teaching:
Step 1
Your group will brainstorm possible hypotheses and solutions, and decide what you’ll need to learn in order to ‘solve’ the problem at hand. These are called your ‘learning objectives’
Step 2
You go away and gather all of the information you need. This is usually in the form of private study and reading, but can also include lectures, teaching and clinical placements
Step 3
You then present your findings to your group and facilitator, and compare notes

18. Opportunity to gain Bachelor of Sciences
Intercalated BSc
Opportunity to gain Bachelor of Sciences
All 3 types of course offer an intercalated year This means you get a BSc (or a near equivalent), usually between your third and fifth year. This can be in a scientific subject, or at some universities, in a subject such as philosophy or the History of Medicine.
Varies between universities:
It is compulsory at some universities including UCL and Imperial
Some universities will only offer it to their top cohort of students
Some universities do not offer this
Varied opportunities
Adds an extra year to training

19. Course Length Undergraduate MBBS
5 years
Undergraduate MBBS with intercalated BSc
6 years
Postgraduate MBBS
4 years

20. Comparison Tool Choose up to 4 medical schools:

21. The Personal Statement
Your first point of interaction with the admissions team
4000 characters
Often a core component of interviews
Must stand out
Spelling and grammar must be perfect!

22. The Personal Statement
Structure is key:
Writing about the course – why PBL or traditional /integrated?
Work experience – reflect on what you learned
Skills and achievements – how do these relate to being an excellent medical student?
Hobbies and interests – evidence of skills gained
Future plans – what area of medicine interests you?

23. Writing about the Course
Two essential areas to cover include:
Why are you applying for medicine?
Why are you suitable to study medicine?

24. Skills and Achievements
Ensure you demonstrate you possess the key skills required to be a doctor:
KEY SKILLS
Communication skills
Leadership
Empathy
Teamwork
Organisation
Prioritisation
Working under pressure
Know when to ask for help
EXAMPLES
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Young Enterprise Schemes
Proud achievements
Positions of responsibility
First aid courses
Prizes and awards
Extra curricular activities
Always think – what is your USP?

25. How to Phrase Your Examples
'The strongest applicants are those who can link their extra-curricular activities to their proposed course of study.'
Warwick Medical School Admissions Tutor
I captained my school first XI football team in my final year at school.
Vs.
Whilst captaining my school first XI football team, I developed my communication skills with my team mates and teachers from other schools, and organised our international tour to France. I enhanced my ability to work within a team and prioritise my blend of school work and sports practice – demonstrated by the fact that in the run up to my examinations we won the regional cup.

26. Work Experience Essential component Various settings: Hospital settingGP
International
First aid
Volunteering
Charity work
Start a portfolio
Reflect on cases you saw – what did you learn?

27. Future Plans The start and end of your personal statement is crucial
Demonstrate enthusiasm and how you look forward to a career in medicine
Medicine is a lifelong learning experience – only once you qualify do you truly begin learning the job!

28. The Reference
Many universities place significant weight on your reference
It is your responsibility to tell your teacher everything you have done to ensure they know what to write! Be proactive!

29. The UKCAT UK Clinical Aptitude Test
Runs between 1st July and 5th October 2016
Required by 27 medical schools
2 hour computerised test
Tests aptitude in 5 sections:
Verbal reasoning
Quantitative reasoning
Abstract reasoning
Decision making
Situational judgement test

30. Uses of the UKCAT
Different medical schools have different policies, including:
Students ranked by UKCAT score
Minimum cut-off
Only used in borderline cases
Not at all
High emphasis
Low emphasis

31. Abstract Reasoning - 55 questions in 14 minutes
Set A
Set B

32. The BMAT
Bio-Medical Admissions Test – includes GCSE level physics but a higher level understanding and application. If you have not taken physics at A level, extra preparation will be needed
Sat on 2nd November 2016 at Jumeirah College – registration required.
Required by 7 medical schools:
Oxford
Cambridge
UCL
Imperial
Brighton & Sussex
Leeds
Lancaster
2 hour pen and paper test
Combines aptitude with knowledge:
Section 1: Aptitude
Section 2: Scientific knowledge
Section 3: Essay

33. Physics Question
Below are three statements regarding the decay of an element, X:
The velocity of the radiation particle that is produced is 300,000 kms-1 in a vacuum.
The production of this radiation by smoke particles allows ionizing smoke detectors to function
A negatively-charged particle is produced that is equivalent to the nucleus of a Group 8 element
Which of the statements concerning the radiation that is produced are true?
1 Only
2 Only
3 Only
1 & 2
2 & 3
None

34. Previous Essay Question
The scientist is not someone who gives the right answers but one who asks the right questions
Explain what this statement means.
Argue to the contrary that the right answers are more
important than the right questions.
To what extent do you agree that the right questions must be asked before science can progress?

35. The Interview The final hurdle
Your only opportunity to meet first face to face
Preparation and practice are essential

36. Types of Interview There are three styles of interview:
Traditional Interviews
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Oxbridge

37. Traditional Interviews
Used by approximately half of universities although many are moving to the MMI
Panels range from 2 to 5 members
Admissions tutor
Doctors / lecturers
Medical student
Observer / lay person
Topics assessed vary between universities
Part of the interview likely to focus on personal statement

38. Common Interview Topics
Background and motivation for studying medicine
Knowledge of the medical school
Depth and breadth of interest in medicine
Empathy
Team working
Personal insight
Hot topics
Work experience
Ethics
Creativity and imagination

39. Universities Using MMIs
Used by more than half of medical schools:
Universities Using MMIs
Aberdeen
Exeter
King’s
Liverpool
Queens
Birmingham
Glasgow
Lancaster
Manchester
Sheffield
Bristol
Hull-York
Leeds
Norwich (UEA)
St Andrews
Dundee
Keele
Leicester
Nottingham
St George’s

40. Format of MMIs Similar to speed dating! Typically 5 to 10 stations
3 to 10 minutes long
Format of each station varies
Each station tests different skill(s)
MMI specific skills:
Communication skills
Professional Judgement
Empathy
Data interpretation
Numeracy

41. Oxbridge Interviews Variation on traditional interviews
Carried out at individual colleges
In addition to common topics, focus heavily on:
Science based questions
Knowledge of research and trials
Linking scientific knowledge to abstract questions
Lateral thinking

42. Discriminator Topics Ethics NHS ‘Hot Topics’
Increasingly common in traditional and MMI
Assess your ability to approach issues with an open mind, considering all sides
Demonstrate reaching balanced conclusions
NHS ‘Hot Topics’
Assesses your interest and commitment to medicine
Are you aware of current issues in medicine?

43. Preparing for Interviews
Showcase longstanding commitment to medicine
Keep a portfolio of activities
Reflect on all activities and relate to medicine
Ensure wide range of interesting examples displaying all core skills
Stay up to date with current affairs
Have a comprehensive understanding of current NHS issues and have an opinion

44. Interview Support

45. The Road Ahead The 4 key check points: UCAS UKCAT BMAT Interview
16 year old
Insight development
17 year old
UCAS Application
Final Interviews
BMAT Examination
UKCAT Examination
14/5 year old
Is medicine for me?
18-24 years old
Medical School
The 4 key check points:
UCAS
UKCAT
BMAT
Interview

46. Start Preparing Early UCAS UKCAT BMAT Interview
Plan a wide range of work experience
Keep a portfolio and reflect
Ensure a wide range of extra-curricular activities
UKCAT
Start revision 6 weeks before the exam
Practice, practice, practice!
BMAT
Requires at least 8 weeks of revision
All past papers available on the BMAT website
Interview
Having a wide range of work experience and extra-curricular activities generates many unique talking points
Practice with different people

47. Key Timelines Key timelines for 2016/17: June: Register for UKCAT
1st July to 5th October: Sit UKCAT exam
15th October: UCAS submission
September: Register for BMAT
2nd November: Sit BMAT exam
November to March: Interviews

48. Always ask yourself…
How Can I Really Stand Out?

49. Free Medic Portal Resources
Website
General information about all aspects of the application process
Over 50 free practice UKCAT questions
Large free information bank
Online UKCAT and BMAT training
Blog
Weekly blog on what you need to be doing to succeed in your application
YouTube Videos
Bite-sized animated videos on current Hot Topics
Twitter
Latest medical news and events keeping you up to date

50. Thank You
Website: Blog: YouTube: