How to prep for medical school

With around 8,000 applicants for medical places each year but only about 600 places available for international applicants, medical degrees are certainly among the most competitive courses in UK higher education and the application process among the most demanding. Training to be a doctor is a long process and requires tenacity, dedication and strong will.

Step one: Get relevant medical experience as a volunteer or intern. It is never too early to start planning.

Said Pangbourne College's head of high potential achievers program Jack Simms: "Start the supra-curricular (wider-reading) as early as possible. This not only gives thestudent more interesting things to talk about in an interview but will complement their understanding of their A Levels so that they can perform well in their final examinations."

Early preparation is something King's Ely Senior school is also addressing. "We run the Avicenna Society for students of all ages. Every student is encouraged to study the history of the British national health service, reflect on ethical issues to do with medicine and present on topics of interest in medical and veterinary science. Students visit local medical facilities such as Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and attend presentations. Toward the end of the two-year program, students are given time to practice and receive guidance and feedback on work experience, UCAS applications as well as UCAT and MMI tests," said head of science Ned Kittoe.

Obviously, getting hands on experience has not been easy during Covid but there are some excellent online internship opportunities.

Westbourne School, for example, works with Heath hospital in Cardiff. The hospital's medical work observation program used to be for a week and in person but it moved online for the last two years. Said Westbourne's head of sixth form, Lisa Phillips: "A recent pupil, who just started studying medicine at Queen's University Belfast completed this course prior to her medical school application and the experience was invaluable."

Mark Jeynes, director of Padworth College which offers its own medical school preparation program, agreed that work experience is "one area of the application process where applicants have the opportunity to truly differentiate themselves."

The NHS also offers additional virtual work placement opportunities that can be accessed across the United Kingdom (alliedhealthmentor.org/nhs-healthcare-careers-virtual-work-experience/).

Step two: Establish the right academic path. Most medical schools expect both biology and chemistry at A Levels, though some may only want chemistry and others may even prefer three sciences (or maths). The grades expected vary from AAA to A*A*A. The competition for entry into medical schools is very high so even though A Levels/ IB predicted grades will always be considered first, it does not mean that GCSEs are not important as most medical schools tend to look at the wider picture.

In order to study medicine at most universities in the UK, applicants are generally required to have at least five A* or A grade GCSEs in subjects including math and English. Students may also need to have at least a grade B in biology, chemistry or physics. Which of the three is not always significant unless the chosen medical school has stipulated this in its entry requirements.

Step three: Choose the best and most suitable medical school. The institutions that can award medical degrees are governed by the General Medical Council. There are over 30 different institutions which are council-certified in the UK and many of these are considered to be some of the top institutions for medicine worldwide. All medical schools teach slightly differently but all must adhere to standards set by the GMC so that students meet minimum requirements when they graduate.

Although entry to any medical school is difficult, some are more focused on academic achievement than others. Some place weight on the results of admissions tests like the UCAT, some take more into account the personal statement and others consider the overall impression of the applicant.

Medical school teaching styles are typically put into three categories: traditional, problem-based or integrated teaching.

Traditional medical courses are offered at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.

Most medical schools currently adopt the integrated style, which is also recommended by the GMC.

Traditional courses: two years preclinical (biomedical science) then three years clinical (in the hospital wards). They involve lectures and clinical learning.

Integrated courses: preclinical and clinical stages are integrated so students do clinical work from the start. They involve lectures/tutorials and self-directed learning.

Problem-based courses: this is a patient-oriented approach, with students doing clinical work from the start. They involve tutor-guided group work and self-directed learning.

Coming up next week: Steps four to six

Pat Moores is the director of UK Education Guide, an independent source of advice and information about UK Education providers.

Website: www.ukeducationguide.com