Dr Rachel Hogg

In pairs share what you already know about?
• Personal Qualities
• Career Options
• Qualifications needed
For the course you’re aspiring to ……..

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• Postgraduate vocational training
• Registration with professional bodies:
GMC, GDC, RCVS
• Speciality training
• Continuing Professional Development

What you might know about……
• Different courses
• Work experience
• Personal statement
• Interview

Open Days
Talking to students and lecturers
Events and activities advertised on RO website
The ‘Complete
University Guide’
UNISTATS webiste

• Look for teaching methods you think suit you e.g. for medicine
Predominately PBL (problem based learning)
- Traditional lecture/seminar based teaching
- Integrated PBL and traditional teaching
• Facilities
• Research
• Opportunities to intercalate

• First 2 years predominately science-based, with some clinical experience: communication skills and clinical skills teaching
• Teaching mainly lab work, seminars/tutorials, dissection, computer-based.

• Years 3-5 increased clinical teaching, through attachments to different specialities in hospital and community
• More self-directed learning

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Application & Admissions Tests
• There is an earlier deadline 15 October for all Medicine/Dental and
Veterinary courses (same as Oxford and Cambridge)
• You can apply for a maximum of four Med/Vet/Dent courses plus one other subject.
• UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test)
• Many medical and dental schools require - check website http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/
• 2 hour test in 5 parts: verbal, quantitative, abstract, decision, judgement
• Registration opens 1 st May 2015 and closes 22 nd Sept 2015
• Testing is from 1 st July to 6 th Oct 2015
• For e.g. cost £65 (July/Aug) if taken earlier or £80 if later, there is a bursary.

• Fewer medical, vet schools and biomedical science courses
• 2 hour test – 3 sections, on skills and knowledge already have: MCQs, short answers and an essay
• http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/our-services/medicine-andhealthcare/bmat/about-bmat/
• 2015 registration from 1 st Sept to 1st October (standard fees) – then exam taken on one date 4 th Nov 2015 and results 25th Nov.
• £44 ( Additional late fees up to 15 th Oct) bursary available
YOU NEED TO CHECK DATES AND ORGANISE

What are Universities looking for?
• Academic standard
• Insight into the career options and long postgraduate training
• Breadth of experience and interest
• Realism
• Balanced temperament
• Altruistic nature
• Maturity

• A realistic interest
• Informed about the career
• Demonstrated commitment to helping others/work experience
• Demonstrated a wide range of interests
• Contributed to school/college/community activities
• A range of personal achievements
CHECK INDIVIDUAL ADMISSION STATEMENTS

Non Academic Personal Achievement
‘I am really proud that I…….’
Could be:
• Musical, dramatic, sporting
• Challenge
• Organisational
• Learning something new
• Charity
• Job related
Responsibilities/ contributions
‘I lead/ care for/ coach/ train/teach……..’

• Show informed and committed
• Ideally gained over a year before application.
• Quality of experience – e.g. demonstrate what you’ve learnt and gained from it (not just the quantity)
• For Medicine and Dentistry e.g. sitting-in during a GP surgery or
Dental surgery, observations in hospital, can be a challenge
• So, also consider: meetings with professionals and related caring experience e.g. work experience in an old people's home, community & voluntary work, or other work in a hospital setting.

How much? Specified by Vet School for e.g. at
Bristol (other Vet schools will be different)
Vet
• 4 or more weeks at more than 1 practice
Animal
• 4 or more weeks at a good mix of places
• E.g. horse, dairy, cat, dog, beef, sheep, wildlife, zoo, laboratory, abattoir

• Check if traditional interview or Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) or both
• How informed you are about the course and career
• What have you learnt form work experience
• Reasons for wanting to study Medicine/Dentistry/Vet Science
• Awareness of current developments
• Ability to communicate
• Self-confidence, enthusiasm and determination
• Ability to cope with stress
• Understanding of ethical issues
• Practical tasks e.g. manual dexterity for Dentistry

Top Tips for Interviews
• Thoroughly research the course
• Dress smartly
• Focus on your communication skills
• Enthusiasm as well as knowledge
• If one MMI station or part of interview doesn’t go so well, don’t dwell keep going!
• Prepare and practice answering the kinds of questions you might expect, and ask for feedback on your answers