Getting into Medicine

Dr. Kevin WestLeicester University Medical School

Overview

• Entry requirements• UCAS forms• Interviews• Other selection methods• Widening participation• Myths

Entry requirements

• 4AS– Certification issues

• 3A2 - AAA– More A2 more credit?

• IB– Too high?

• Degree– 2i/1

UCAS form

• Academic ability/attainment– GCSEs – how many?– GCSEs – how many A*?– Educational disadvantage?– AS – not declared– AS – module resits– A level predictions – how reliable?– A* A levels

UKCAT

• Contribution to process– Total/mean– Individual sub-unit scores– Minimum threshold– Pre-interview or post-interview– Comparison with A levels

Personal statement

• Structure– Coherent, logical

• Content– Motivation, determination, commitment,

extracurricular activities, reflection

Personal statement

• Veracity – Plagiarism, help, commercial assistance, is it

worth the paper it is written on?

• Verifiability– Triangulation from personal statement– Checks by individual medical schools– Take up references?

Interviews

• Almost all medical schools interview• Is it worth it?– Can interviews distinguish between candidates

effectively?– Is the interview a 2 way process in recruitment

terms?– How long and how complex?

Interview structure

• ‘Traditional’– 2-5 interviewers– 20-30 minutes

• Multiple mini-interview– Multiple stations– Better reliability?

• Selection centre– Complex– Multiple observations

Other tools

• Supplementary questions– Questionnaire on line

• Written assessment– Test of written communication at time of

interview

Mitigation

• Medical schools are sympathetic• Evidence essential• Educational– Poor school– Teaching problems

• Personal– Personal or family health– Social/domestic issues

Disability

• Specific learning difficulties– Common– Support available– Disclosure essential but concealment common– May be disclosed or identified after exam failure

at medical school

Resit applicants

• Resit offers higher than first time offers– Difficult when standard offer is AAA

• Policies vary– No resits– Open access– In between

Widening participation

• Embedded policies– Ensure that there are no inadvertent barriers– Give credit for wide range of activities

• Specific schemes– Eg SOAMS– Aim Higher– Raising opportunities– 6 year courses

Myths

• GCSE– Number of A*

• A level subjects – Physics/Maths advantage?

• Education– Private/state

• Cartels– Do not exist