Medicine in the UK is an exceedingly competitive but rewarding experience. Working to earn excellent grades and proving to admissions officers that you are dedicated to the course of medicine are essential parts of the application process.
There are 44 medical schools in the UK, however, one can only apply to four medical schools in the UCAS application. Applying for an undergraduate course requires applying to a medical school which is part of a university with close links to local hospitals.
The applicant chooses the course depending on the course content, academic requirements, and UCAT and BMAT requirements. They then send the application along with a personal statement which describes their motivations for applying to that particular course or university. The applicant may also have to participate in an interview in the second stage of the application process. These will be touched upon in further detail below.
Academic Requirements
An undergraduate degree in medicine has high academic standards which one needs to work hard to achieve.
For A-levels, the applicant needs to have at least 3 As with the subjects Biology and Chemistry
For IB (International Baccalaureate), the applicant requires at least 38 points in total and usually Biology and Chemistry (varies according to the university) at Higher Level with a point combination starting from 766
International applicants may also have to take a test proving their understanding in English. One such test is IELTS and a minimum score of 7.0 is required
Additional Requirements
Undergraduate applicants are encouraged to have work experience so they can reflect on them in their personal statements (essays written to universities) and to show that they are aware of the demands of the field. Applicants should also have a good understanding of the National Health Service (NHS) to strengthen their application. The interview process gauges the applicant’s motivation, personal interests, and proof of personal achievements and work experience which may contribute to displaying the strengths of the applicant.
A graduate degree in medicine requires additional work experience of a day a week for six months in a hospital, care home, hospice, or any other environment that involves caring for people.
Testing Requirements
Most medical schools in the UK require the applicants to take the UCAT which is the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (find out more on our instagram page). Some medical schools require an additional test called the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT).
Study in the UK
Medicine in the UK is usually a five to six year course. Most medical schools focus on academics and theoretical learning during the first two or three years. This is the preclinical stage.The remaining years focus on application in hospitals and care environments where students practice on patients in the clinical stage.
This was the general process of application but there are some nuances for each medical school and their course. Research is key in the application process of medicine. Also, growing a deep-rooted love for this field helps the applicant display their strengths in the most advantageous way possible. This helps them through the strenuous application process and the demanding course learning period. However, this hard work is sure to be rewarded at the end of the road in your desired profession.
Written by Tanisha Unnikrishnan
Extra Resources
Bibliography
Medical schools. (n.d.). Medical Schools Council. Retrieved July 11, 2022, from https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/medical-schools
Medicine Study in the UK. (n.d.). SI-UK. Retrieved July 11, 2022, from https://www.studyin-uk.com/popular-courses/medicine/
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