The grades you achieve at A-level will impact on which university you attend and which course you’re accepted to but the strength of your medical school application is also critical and will determine how (and where) you begin your medical career. The competitive nature of the field means it is essential that your application stands out, otherwise no matter how good your grades, you may find that you’re being passed over for your first choice of school and degree program. To maximise your chances of getting into your preferred medical school, keep these five tips in mind.
- Research your chosen school
Before applying for medical school, you’ll need to check the application requirements. Some courses will only accept certain A Level subjects and grades and will have very specific entry requirements. If you haven’t done your research and made you’re A-Level choices based on those conditions, you could find yourself ineligible for the medical school you’d imagined yourself attending.
Likewise, it pays to double check on your choice of school’s approach to teaching, included modules, types of exams and any specialisms it may offer, to make sure your first choice really is the best one for you.
- Strive to demonstrate applicable work experience
Hands on experience in your chosen field can help your application stand out above the rest. Work experience in a hospital is beneficial, but it isn’t possible to directly shadow a doctor. Instead, why not apply to other medical specialities within the hospital or a residential home?
You don’t even have to do your work experience in a hospital. What you do with the experience is more important than the experience itself. You need to use it as an opportunity to learn new skills and apply them in the workplace. Make sure you emphasis this in your personal statement and application as it is something that many course heads will be on the alert for.
- Personal Statement
You personal statement is your opportunity to going to grab the attention of the admissions department. They’re investing time and resources in you, so they want to make sure they have the right applicant. It’s your job to show them that you are hard-working and talented, passionate about your chosen field, clear on your desire and motivation to study medicine, and able to showcase that you’ve gained the necessary skills to support certain aspects of the training modules. Our medical personal statement coursewill help you develop an interesting and relevant personal statement to stand out from the crowd.
- Be well prepared for the admissions test
Whichever university you choose to attend, you may be required to sit either the UKCAT and/ or BMAT aptitude tests to determine whether or not you meet the intellectual requirements of the school. You’ll need to be prepared here so that you enter feeling confident and are in the right frame of mind to showcase your potential.
- Interview
A Medical School interview is very much like a job interview. They like what they see on your CV, now they want to meet you face- to- face to discuss your application in depth. They’ll have heard the run of the mill answers before, so make sure your answers are well prepared, are honest and unique to you. Our medical interviewing masterclasswill prep you with insider tips and secrets to succeeding at this stage so you go in feeling confident, with tailored responses ready to win your place.