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Applications to Medical School

Applications to Medical School. Joe Esland Medical Student, Leicester Medical School Academic Representative L5 2009. Overview. Choosing Medical Schools Course Type: Traditional PBL Mixed Other factors The Application Parts Personal Statement – Content, Do’s & Don’ts

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Applications to Medical School

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  1. Applications to Medical School Joe Esland Medical Student, Leicester Medical School Academic Representative L5 2009

  2. Overview Choosing Medical Schools Course Type: Traditional PBL Mixed Other factors The Application Parts Personal Statement – Content, Do’s & Don’ts ‘Back-Up’ Option Entrance Exams – UKCAT & BMAT Useful Resources

  3. Traditional Courses Oxbridge (Nottingham) Very distinct pre-clinical & clinical phases Often lecture-based Supplemented by tutorials and seminars Starting meeting patients in clinical years Excellent for those hoping to pursue a career in academic medicine

  4. Traditional Courses – Pro’s and Con’s Pro’s: Large focus on the scientific basis of disease Graduates are academically very able Con’s: Very little pt. contact in the 1st few years ? Less focus on the ‘art’ of medicine

  5. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Pioneered by Liverpool Medical School (in UK). There are now many PBL schools (later slide) Assigned to a group of ~10 people, whom you will work with over the next 2 years 2 week rotations which begin with a clinical scenario Assisted by a tutor, your group decides what you need to learn about this, in order to understand it. Meet with your group 2-3 times over the 2 week period – pool ideas and make sure you understand the content Little or no mandatory lectures Meet patients very early on

  6. PBL – Pro’s and Con’s Pro’s: You learn at your own pace Go into as much detail as you like Begin clinical practice early Con’s ‘Gaps’ in your knowledge Can learn incorrect/irrelevant knowledge Have to be self motivated to learn

  7. Mixed Courses NOT a mix of PBL and Traditional! Lecture-based learning, with (fairly) early patient contact Most medical schools: all vary slightly

  8. Mixed Courses - LMS Modules run side by side i.e Monday – Membranes & Receptors, Tuesday – Musculoskeletal System, Wednesday – Cardiovascular System etc Days begin with 2/3 hours of lectures Then go and apply that knowledge in Group Work Clinical scenarios set out to allow you to use learnt knowledge as you will when you’re a doctor Evenings are for directed study (you’re told what to go away and learn) 1-2 afternoons per week are doing Clinical Skills or other activities Assigned a pt. in year 1; begin on wards half way through year 2. Clinical years = year 3.5-5 (i.e 2.5 years)

  9. List of Medical Schools & Their Course Type PBL: Barts and The London (Queen Mary) UEA HYMS Keele Liverpool Manchester Peninsula (Exeter & Plymouth) Edinburgh Glasgow

  10. List of Medical Schools & Their Course Type Traditional: Oxbridge (Nottingham) Mixed: Birmingham Bristol BSMS Durham Imperial College London Guys, Kings’ and St Thomas’ (Kings College London)

  11. List of Medical Schools & Their Course Type Mixed: Leeds Leicester Newcastle Royal Free & University College (UCL) Sheffield Southampton St. Georges Warwick Aberdeen Bute (St. Andrews)

  12. List of Medical Schools & Their Course Type Mixed: Dundee Cardiff Swansea Queens’ Belfast

  13. Notes on Specific Medical Schools Oxbridge Students often go elsewhere for their clinical years: London schools Bute Only does pre-clinical medicine: students go to Manchester or Scottish schools for their clinical training Swansea & Warwick Offer post-graduate courses only St Georges Based in a hospital Southampton Don’t interview

  14. Applying to ‘New’ Medical Schools They aren’t easier to get into Why? They aren’t ‘worse’ However, still be wary when applying to them

  15. Which Medical Schools to Apply to? Course type How do you learn? Location Do you actually want to live in the city? Clinical exposure & teaching Length Size of teaching groups (Reputation) Teaching quality – Guardian and Independent Research quality - Times What the university has to offer BE REALISTIC

  16. The Application - Parts Academic Requirements: 3 A’s at A-level – Usually Chemistry, Biology and any other. Good range of GCSEs (some places stipulate a minimum requirement though) Personal Statement The most important document you’ll write! Reference UKCAT

  17. Personal Statement The most important part of your application! Trying to convince them of your suitability and commitment to medicine Need to stand out Needs to be well written – there is a lot to fit into it! Don’t be cliché: “Since I was a child” “I’m caring and I want to save lives” Try not to sound pretentious: “I undertook a placement to develop my bedside manner” “Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice…”

  18. Personal Statement - Content Desirable Activities: Scholastic activities – reading, debating Community activities – participation in school life and experience outside of your immediate environment General activities & interests – music, sport, first aid Work shadowing/experience To show you have a realistic appreciation of the career Paid or voluntary work To show you can interact with people…

  19. Personal Statement - Content Qualities to show: Commitment to medicine Realistic view of the course Appreciation of the academic, physical & emotional demands of the career Good communication skills Work successfully in a team Be REFLECTIVE on your experiences Use your activities and achievements to highlight why you should get the place (example later)

  20. Personal Statement - Content Your Personal Statement should answer two questions for the reader: What makes this applicant stand out? Should this applicant get the place over somebody else?

  21. Personal Statement – Key Terms In addition to As well as Reinforce(d) Strengthen Furthermore Besides More recently Enabled me to Provided me with Opportunity to

  22. Personal Statement – Using ‘I’ Where possible, avoid starting a sentence with ‘I’; it’s boring to read. For example: “I am the captain of the football team” “Being the captain of the football team…” “I am doing A-levels in…” “Having studied A-levels in…” “I have gained a number of skills…” “The skills I have gained from…”

  23. Personal Statement – Example “I have done work experience in a hospital nearby, and I’ve definitely seen how hard it is to be a doctor” No reflection ‘Hard’? What do you mean? “In addition to working in a hospital, I also did the Silver DoE award, showing that I can overcome difficult challenges” This is not too bad – it shows a quality Doesn’t relate explicitly to practicing medicine

  24. Personal Statement – Example “Having undertaken a placement in my local hospital I gained a valuable insight into the everyday challenges that a doctor faces. Some of the stories I learnt of and experienced whilst there I will not forget, and they have proven to me how demanding the career can be: both academically and emotionally. However, I now feel well prepared for the encounters that I may face in the future and, coupled with the physical endurance I’ve gained from doing the Silver DoE award, I believe I now contain many essential qualities of a modern physician.”

  25. Reference Unfortunately you don’t get to read this. (Although if you ask nicely, there are a few teachers that let you…) A document written by your teacher, which confirms your skills & attributes, and suitability for medicine

  26. Entrance Exams - UKCAT Supposed to assess your intrinsic ability to be a clinician Very difficult to revise for; this is the point of it! Best approach: Familiarise yourself with the parts Do the practice papers online Know the timing It is not negatively marked, so if you’re running out of time RANDOMLY CLICK ANSWERS FOR THE REMAIN QUESTIONS Must have registered by 27th September How it’s used - varies

  27. Entrance Exams - BMAT Currently used by Oxford Cambridge Imperial College London Royal Free and University College (UCL) 2 hour pen and paper exam, consisting of 3 parts http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/bmat

  28. 15th October 2010 Deadline for Medicine Applications

  29. Interviews All Medical Schools interview (apart from Southampton) Invited by letter Usually in two batches October – December January – March All vary – use website from penultimate slide to find out their content I’ll be back next academic year to give ‘mock’ interviews, with Mr George.

  30. Didn’t Get In? It happens to a lot of applicants – don’t be disheartened. Remember, on average, only 1 out of 10 applicants are offered a place, and everyone is as good as you are. It’s tough competition! You can do 1 of 2 things: Gap year – go a broaden your experience Go and do a different degree first (only if you want to, and have the financial support to study on the GEPs)

  31. Resources www.newmediamedicine.com Forums for every medical school – can get information to help with your application, and excellent for interview preparation www.medschools.ac.uk Lists all UK medical schools. http://www.medschoolsonline.co.uk/index.php?pageid=78 Summary of requirement for all UK medical schools

  32. Good Luck! Questions?Anything you’d rather not ask the teachers…je88@le.ac.ukNMM: JoeE

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