Demystifying the medical admissions process and supporting students considering a career in medicine

How do I know if medicine is right for me?

The best way to find out if medicine is right for you is to spend time in a caring role. If you don't enjoy working with and interacting with the general public, medicine might not be the best place for you. Volunteering in a care home or other similar community setting will be a great introduction to some of the skills which will be required of you as a medic. A medical degree can take 5-6 years to complete but will be very rewarding if you are prepared to work hard to get there.

Writing a personal statement

Writing a personal statement is not as scary as you think! Summarising yourself in under 4000 characters might seem a daunting task but there's really nothing to worry about. Just avoid some common pitfalls and be sure to show that you understand the realities of a medical career and demonstrate your skills with relevant examples. Don't forget to explain what you have learnt from your experiences.

Which medical School?

Every medical school will have a slightly different approach to undergraduate medicine. Choosing the right sort of course for you is very important. Do you want the opportunity for lots of patient contact early on with more clinical experience from year 1 or would you prefer to study the science behind medicine and then progress to clinical studies later on? Is location an important factor for you? How well will you meet the selection criteria? Having said this, medicine is a competitive course so keep an open mind when assessing your options and be prepared to have a range of options at hand.