How to Succeed in Your Medical School Application

How to Succeed in Your Medical
School Application
4 Key Checkpoints
• UCAS
• UKCAT
• BMAT
• Interview
UCAS – Key Questions
• How to choose your Medical Schools?
• How to write an excellent Personal Statement?
• How important is your Reference?
Some General Points
• Select 4 Universities
• Oxford or Cambridge, NOT both
• One space left to choose an alternative degree
• Avoid more than 2 “BMAT” schools
Important Considerations
• Course Structure
• Location
• Length of Course
Location
• University Settings:
– City
– Campus
– Collegiate
• Proximity to home
• Accommodation
Length of course
• Typically five to six years of study
• Intercalated degrees (BSc or MA)
• Graduate entry - usually four years in length
Personal Statement
• Jump off page
• Often a core component of the interview
• Up to 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text
• ENSURE grammar, spelling and punctuation
are perfect!
Personal Statement – Focus Areas
 Writing about the course
 Skills & Achievements
 Hobbies & interests
 Work experience
 Future plans
Writing About the Course
Two of the most important things to include are:
1. Why you're applying for Medicine
2. Why you're suitable for the course
Skills & achievements/Hobbies
Demonstrate the required skills to be an excellent doctor.
Don’t be afraid to talk about anything that is relevant!
KEY SKILLS
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Communication skills
Leadership
Empathy
Teamwork
Organisation
Prioritisation
Working under pressure
Know when to ask for support
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EXAMPLES
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Young Enterprise
Any proud achievements
Positions of responsibility
First aid courses
Your USPs
Work experience
• VITAL SECTION – sets you apart from the crowd!
• Displays commitment and an informed decision in applying to medicine
• Include details of anything relevant
• Try and get a variety in your portfolio
• In the interview and on paper discuss real life examples
• ALWAYS Reflect
Future plans
• Medicine is a life long learning experience!
• State at some point your passion to develop your knowledge
throughout your medical career.
• Once you qualify as a doctor, only then do you really begin to
learn the job!
Your referee
• Reference should come from your school – a teacher that
knows you well and who will write you an excellent
reference!
• Don’t underestimate the importance of this
• NB – Be proactive and outline all the activities/extra areas
you have developed to your teacher, so they are included
UKCAT
• Preparation is KEY
• We run expert 1 day courses in the UKCAT
• Start in June
BMAT
• Required by
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Oxford
Cambridge
UCL
Imperial
Leeds
• Key to securing interview place
• November 2013
Three Main Styles of Interview
1. Traditional Interview
2. New Multi Mini Interviews (MMI’s)
3. Oxbridge Interviews
How Can I Really
Stand Out?
MSAS Conference – April 2014
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Medical Ethics
NHS Hot Topics
Insight into the career
Application
Process
Key Topics
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Real medical skills
Differentiate yourself
Prepare for Med School
ENHANCING
YOUR
APPLICATION
Clinical
Skills
Teaching
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UCAS
UKCAT & BMAT
The Interview
How to choose your
medical school
Guest
Speakers
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Admissions Tutors
University Lecturers
Medics from a range of
specialties
Thank You & Good Luck
www.mjcourses.com