the option of intercalation, undergraduate medical education can range from four to six years of study.
With the introduction of the new UK Clinical Admissions Test (UKCAT) for the 2007 cohort of students applying to participating institutions, entry to medical school is, as you probably know becoming more competitive. UKCAT is essentially a computer-based test which is sat by the candidate; certain universities use these results to help them filter out the best candidates for interview. In addition to a high UKCAT score where necessary, to enter medical school, you should possess the minimum entry requirements of the institution.
Entrance requirements are constantly changing, but to give you an idea, for UK medical schools, these are normally five or more GCSE's A-C and three or more (or equivalent) Advanced level qualifications at grade A, preferably in biology, chemistry and physics; some schools may accept two science subjects and a non-science course as being satisfactory.
So, in summary, academic entry requirements vary between schools, but due to the rising number of applicants, high grades in the subjects are more or less mandatory. For those without the necessary academic prerequisites, students may enter medical school via the foundation programme route at participating institutions; by selecting this option, the candidate is required to take, in addition in the standard five year course in medicine, a year-long intense foundation course.
As it currently stands, prospective UK students are entitled to choose a maximum of four medical schools. To secure an interview, applicants should submit a concise relevant personal statement which clearly indicates that the candidate is academically and socially desirable. This statement, which is the most important part of the applications process, allows the student to sell themselves to the university! Obviously what is written needs to be the truth as doctors need to be honest, but the way it is worded and the content revealed is the key to the next door - the interview room! Details of this form shall be discussed in more depth later, but in summary, this needs to reveal personal reasons for choosing medicine and what it entails; furthermore, it needs to show that the applicant has core qualities of a doctor.
Doctors need to be of a good academic level and have extracurricular interests; the institution needs to recognise that students have good social skills and a way to relax when things get hectic, this is why it's important to mention any hobbies, sporting or musical achievements. A good doctor should be able to reflect on situations by identifying the problem and any lessons learned for future professional development. Relevant health-related work experience is generally mandatory for an application to be successful, so it is worth integrating this within the appropriate sections of the statement. As with the majority of UK higher education courses, applications for medicine are submitted via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS); UCAS shall process and submit the application to each of the four universities.
The interviews are normally unique to the school and can range anywhere from five minutes to over an hour. Furthermore, depending on the institution, the examiners may be from a multidisplinary team which could include academics, clinicians, nurses and medical students. In addition, the interview process may require the candidate to stay at the medical school for several days and attend more than one interview; again, this depends on the university. Following interview, the applicant shall be notified of the outcome via UCAS. A conditional offer is normally given after a successful interview; for applicants applying after knowing their A-level (or equivalent) grades, a nonconditional place is offered.
Christopher G. Ghazala, B.Sc. Hons. (Dunelm), M.Res. (N'cle), final year medical student
Received April 2010