If you are reading this article, you are either considering or you have already decided that you want to apply for Medical School in the United Kingdom. This is a very difficult decision that will be crucial for your future, so do not hesitate and start reading to understand more.
THE PATH TO THE WHITE COAT
To become a doctor, regardless of the country, you usually have to go through different grades of school, then high school, and ultimately attend a Medical School. While this is still true almost everywhere, the path to the white coat is now becoming less linear with many different options to either diversify your training, specialize early in a field of medicine, or most commonly strengthen your chances of getting into med school in the first place.
As you probably know, getting into medical school is extremely competitive. Every year, thousands of applicants compete for limited spots in highly ranked universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, etc.) featuring an extreme applicant-to-matched ratio.
THE STEPS TO FOLLOW (AND THE ONES NOT TO CONSIDER)
The first step for a prospective applicant is a critical review of your curriculum, grades and training, all compared to what is ‘usually’ considered acceptable in your university of interest. An honest conversation with friends, family, or preferably with yourself, about what you have achieved so far will avoid unnecessary stress throughout the process.
Once you’ve identified where you are, you will need to decide where you want to go. When facing this step, you should consider:
- Top 5 universities you would like to attend (not necessarily the best universities, but the best for yourself)
- The city that you would like to live in
- The costs associated with points 1 and 2
- The opportunities associated with the school in terms of training, internationalization, and social activities
Here is a list of things you should not consider:
- Ranking lists published online
- Prestige for prestige’s sake
- Curriculum of studies
- Speciality programs (post-graduate speciality training) associated with that specific school
TIME FOR COMPARISON
Once you have decided on the programs that are most appealing to you, there are multiple ways to compare your profile with the average successful applicant. While this process can be overwhelming, it should not be a reason to get stressed, but more of an assessment of your chances of success.
If this comparison works as planned and your profile fits (or goes beyond) the typical successful applicant, you do not need anything else. To apply, you go through the process and demonstrate your best qualities before the admissions staff. Be confident in your value, but stay humble and focused on the goal. There is no guarantee that you will get accepted, no matter how good your application is.
However, if your profile does not represent what those programs are looking for, there are two main options:
- Evaluate different programs
- Improve your application
My take on this process is that the two options should not be mutually exclusive and should be merged. A disadvantaged student, either concerning nationality, prior training, or grades can have a very hard time getting into medical school in the UK. Given that, there is no single way to overcome this issue, but adopting a multifactorial approach can aid in maximizing your chances.
IMPROVE YOUR APPLICATION
While evaluating other programs is straightforward, there is much more when it comes to pursuing ways to improve your application. Actions such as doing research, pursuing an undergraduate degree, and engaging in work opportunities are all factors that can make all the difference, and for a matter of brevity, I will analyze only one of them.
Many first-time med school applicants often pursue a separate undergraduate degree before applying to med school. While programs like biology, biomedical sciences, chemistry, etc. can certainly provide good working opportunities, in this case, their principal value is to strengthen your application by proving two main points:
1 – You can be a great university student. This will be mainly based on your grades during the undergraduate degree. It is a very good addition for students who do not have a great high school profile.
2 – These programs give you the chance to deepen your understanding of some areas of science that you either did not study enough at school, or you want to explore before dedicating yourself to medicine.
Overall, this option is very valuable and certainly increases your chances of getting into med school. However, do not take this decision without thinking it through. You will have to work very hard to show both points and despite it not being medicine, any university degree requires a lot of hard work.
I hope this article gave you some information about the process and will serve to guide you with your decision of pursuing a medical degree. I wish you all the best with your application! Contact the Dreamando team for further guidance!