How to get a place at a UK Medical School
Created | Updated Apr 22, 2002
So you want to be a Doctor? Well, before you get to sprint down corridors with a stethoscope around your neck, shouting 'Nurse I need adrenaline now!' you need to do some training.
A long and Winding road
Becoming a Doctor in the UK is considerably more streamlined than in the US. Most would-be Doctors begin their training after leaving school at 18 years old, although an increasing number are beginning after their first degree. After five or six years at medical school you get to call yourself Doctor and "pre register" with the General Medical Council. After working successfully for a year this can then be upgraded to full registration. Once you are fully registered, you can enter one of the recognised training programmes that will eventually lead to you becoming a Consultant or Family Doctor. Training consists of working in a relevant field, and sitting a series of exams. In general it takes an additional five years to become a Family Doctor (or GP), and up to ten to become a consultant. That said, you can take a Non Consultant post if you do not want to complete the full training.
The first thing you need to do is get a place at medical school. This can be quite tough, as there are one and a half applicants per place. It is getting easier though; in 1996 there were approximatly two and a half1.Before you even pick up an application form there are a few things you need to consider.
Step One - Preparation; Be the Applicant that They Want
You'll need the right AS levels at the right grades; these vary from year to year, although a high academic standard is required. So check the current requirements in prospectuses or at the University websites. (try Birmingham University) There have been many well-publicised cases of students with strings of A's who were refused places. The Daily Mail claims that this is because they went to comprehensive schools, it's more likely that in their application they came across as geeks, who had no idea of what a medical career involves. To stand a reasonable chance of getting a place you need to have work experience from a medical environment2 and also to have done some non-academic activities3. If you don't have these get some - you need them.
You can get experience of medicine by
Telephoning or writing to your local hospital and asking for work experience. You may have to be persistent and call several hospitals, as many are (understandably!) cautious about who they let in. You have a better chance if you wait until you are over sixteen.
Ask your family Doctor. You will probably end up doing routine clerical duties but grin and bear it - it will help get you into Medical School
Get a part-time job in a care home or Hospice. These are usually easy to come by and show you to be a practical person who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty.
If there aren't any vacancies ask if you can volunteer. Hospices in particular are always looking for helpers. Take up any chances for voluntary work that you can, since almost anything is useful.
Some pathologists will allow sixth form students to witness post mortems, make a start by writing to your local hospital.
Consider doing an evening class in sign language or basic counselling skills, as a student (albeit sixth form) you may get reduced rates.
When you are on work experience be prepared to help out with the most menial tasks, and try to be as pleasant and helpful as possible. You will spend most of your time bored and wondering how on earth this will get you into medical school.
Almost anything else you've done will help give the impression that you're a well-rounded individual, especially activities that involve teamwork. Another important thing to do is to contact your family doctor4 and arrange a hepatitis B screening, as you cannot be admitted to a Medical School if you are a carrier; also vaccination takes about nine months and needs to be completed before you start medical school. It is also advisable to check that you are up to date with your other vaccinations.
Where do you want to go?
There are currently twenty four Medical Schools in the UK. Think carefully about which four you are applying to, as some of them are more oversubscribed than others5. Under the current system you have to take your first job with the Health Authority that you trained under, so this means that you will spend at least the next six years in the area where you go to medical school. It is important that area's at least bearable. The academic course doesn't vary in actual content, although the methods of teaching vary. Some courses are entirely problem based, whilst some have a more traditional lecture based approach. Some are five years long and result in two degrees, whilst others are six years long and lead to three degrees. At Oxford or Cambridge the course is completely divided into two separate degrees. After you have completed the first three years, you would apply to take the clinical course, either at the same institution or at another6. Some institutions have both written and oral exams and some only have oral.
Step Two - Applying
Get an UCAS application form and fill it in. To maximise your chances do this as quickly as possible, since at the time of writing the application deadline for the Medicine course is the 15th of October, the year before you wish to start studying. Spend the majority of your time drafting a personal statement, and discuss it with anyone who will listen, since this is the most important part of the form. You can either fill in a UCAS form electronically and submit it online, or on paper and post it7. If you're using a paper form use a pencil first, and get a few spare copies. You could consider typing your personal statement and photocopying it onto the form. If you do this use a clear readable font and size it at 12pt with a line spacing of 1.5. Once you've sent it off, all there is to do is sit back and wait for post.
International students
A small number of places are available to overseas students, though some Schools give priority to those from countries with limited medical training facilities of their own. If you are not normally resident in the European Union Student you will have to pay the full tuition fees. To apply you will need to contact UCAS. Most schools will accept overseas qualifications, but will have to interview international students.
Mature Students
Some medical students now run accelerated courses for mature students, for which funding is currently available from your Local Education Authority. The others will accept mature students but they will have to meet the same entrance requirements as school leavers, and have to take the full five year course
Step 3 - The Interview
However perfect you're application some medical schools may reject you outright, don't be disheartened. Sooner or later you will get a thick brown envelope inviting you for an interview. First take a sigh of relief that you have got this far because, after reading your application form, they like what they see. Then spend some time preparing.
Sometimes an interview will be a full day, including taking an entrance exam and/or writing a short essay. It will often include a tour of the medical school, given by current students. At Oxford and Cambridge great importance is placed on the entrance exam. However, when it comes down to it the final decision is made after an interview.
If this is your first interview then ask one of your teachers to give you a mock interview, preferably one who will be brutal. Read through the newspapers and the New Scientist Magazine. If there are any medicine-related stories read them, and develop a balanced opinion on the topic. Buy a new outfit, boys should wear a shirt and tie, and girls something formal and conservative. Work out where the interview is and how best to ge to that place. Arrive at the Interview about ten minutes before the designated time. If you do use your parents as a means of transport then leave the parents outside the medical school, as you want to appear mature and independent
In the Interview
Smile pleasantly as you are introduced to the people interviewing you, there will be at least two. Sit down when invited to, and when answering the questions make eye contact with the person who asked them. The actual answers to the questions are not as important as the manner in which you answer them. Try to appear confident without being arrogant. If you don't know the answer then say so!8
After the introductions they will probably make a gentle start with...
The Innocuous - based on your application form.
'Arrrh you climbed Ben Nevis last summer, how long did it take you?'/'I see you support Liverpool, did you see the match last night?'
These questions are there to put you at ease, and to check that you actually know something about those exotic hobbies you put on your application form9.
Once you're sitting comfortable then they will move on to...
The Ubiquitous
'So why do you want to become a Doctor'/'So what made you choose to apply to this medical school?
As you will be asked one of these two questions it makes sense to have prepared an original and genuine answer to them both. Try to come up with something that will make you stand out from the other ten applicants they will see today. Never ever say that you want be a Doctor because "I just want to help people," as you will come across as an idealist who couldn't handle working in the health service. By all means mention your altruistic motives, but make it clear that you understand that you won't always be able to help people and save lives. One particularly deadly variation on this is "why didn't you consider nursing?". This is designed to trap you either into saying that you want to do medicine for the money or status, or revealing that you are unaware of how advanced modern nursing is. Some nurses can diagnose and prescribe, and nearly all can do clinical research.
So you survived that, and were taking a sign of relief about how nice this is, and then they move on to..
The Terrifying
How long would it take you become a consultant? / What makes a successful team? / What do think of the (recent controversial) case?
These questions are generally asked to every candidate so ask the previous candidates which questions they had and prepare an answer to them. If there is an issue show that you have the ability to see both sides of the argument, even if you passionately disagree with the other argument.
"As a Catholic I feel that human life is sacred from the moment of conception, however I can see that in some circumstances, such as after a woman has been raped, it may be justifiable."
In general it is the way you answer the questions, not the specific answers you give so don't worry to much if you couldn't remember the name of the body that set exams for surgeons.
After the interview comes a gut-wrenching week or so when you wait for the results.
If you got a Place
Great - now all you have to do is get good enough exam results.
If you Didn't
Get the best Exam results you can possibly get. On results day ring around every Medical School in the country and ask if they will take you. Though places on medical course are not advertised though clearing there are sometimes a few available to those who ask. If that doesn't work write to the admissions tutors and ask why they rejected you, and if you can change this reason do so. Then spend your year out doing something medically related, even if it is working as a care assistant, and apply again for next year. If your exam results weren't quite good enough you could consider doing a Biomedical Science or related degree and applying as a graduate10.
Money
At the time of writing students who are resident in the UK or EC can apply for means tested financial support.
In England or Wales
If your parents'/spouse's income is less than £20,000 a year, all tuition fees are paid and you can get a student loan of £3905 a year, more if you are studying in London to "cover" living costs. If your parents or spouse earns more than this then you may have to pay up to £1100 towards the cost of studying, and the student loan may be reduced by up to 25%. This means that if you get a full loan for the five years of the course you will be nearly £20 000 in debt by the time you qualify.
If you are from Scotland
The student support system has recently changed. If you start medical school in Scotland this year all your tuition fees will be paid, and you may be entitled to a bursary. The full details are also on the UCASWebsite
"That's not enough to live on"
As this researcher has discovered it is possible to get through Medical School without your parents contributing anything.11If you can't afford to live on the loan available then there are a number of hardship funds you can apply for.
