1. Advice for applicants to medical school
Becoming a Doctor
Advice for applicants to medical school
Jo-Anne Ireland, Recruitment & QA Manager 19 May 2010

2. Agenda Becoming a doctor Medical programmes
What medical schools are looking for
The UKCAT
Programmes at Southampton
Why choose Southampton?
Agenda for today

3. Why become a doctor? Positive Stimulating and Rewarding
Helping sick people & their families
Variety
Element of job security
Good level of pay
Wide range of career opportunities
Negative
Long hours
Hard work
Stress
Dealing with sick people
Under public scrutiny and criticism
Useful for applicants to have a balanced approach to applying to medical school and not to be too idealistic – this would be questioned at interview
Job security – Not as secure as it was 10 years ago due to changes in NHS
Level of pay – about £28-30k straight after university up to c. 70k for a consultant – pay off student debt quickly plus NHS funding on clinical part of degrees

4. The steps to becoming a doctor
Work and life experience
Undergraduate education to achieve BM, MBBS or MBChB
After graduation - Foundation programme (F1/F2)
Postgraduate training
Before even making an application students need to get work or voluntary experience to support their application
All students must complete an undergraduate degree even if they come in as a graduate
All medicine degrees in the UK (BM, MBBS, MBCHB will qualify applicants to become pre-registered with General Medical Council after graduation – there is no advantage to someone who wants to be a surgeon completing an MBBS
After graduation students complete a Foundation programme divided into F1 and F2 years (this used to be known as PRHO training)
After completing this they begin specialist training which, depending upon their specialism, can be between 5 and 7 years

5. How much will it cost? Standard fees for home students £3,290 per year
Can be deferred
DfES maintenance grants
Student loans
SoM £1000 bursaries for BM6 students
Scholarships to reward Distinctions
Further information
Students may also be eligible for NHS grants for their clinical years (Years 3 – 5 on BM5) or from Year 2 on BM4

6. A competitive field – 2010 Nationally Over 20,000 applications
7,000 places
Number of places restricted
Southampton
Over 5000 applications for 246 places
Many would be good doctors
Most applicants meet academic entry requirements
Students should:
Be aware of the competition
Research universities
As you are aware competition for medical school is fierce
Picture of applications for 2010 entry
Applicants MUST be well prepared

7. Improving chances Students should find out about selection procedure;
UCAS form,
interview
the academic entry requirements;
can the students meet them
are they predicted to so?
the non-academic requirements;
present them effectively on UCAS form/ interview
Gain as much relevant experience as possible!

8. Which medicine programme should your students choose?
Things to consider:
Type of teaching PBL or Systems Based and Integrated
Patient contact
Facilities – Local Authorities / Trusts
Research reputation
Employment area
Location
Size
There are over 30 accredited medical schools in the UK – it is important that students make an informed choice about which one is right for them
Some of the things they should think about:
Type of teaching – will explain on next slide
How early will they be getting contact with patients? Some courses don’t have this until year 3
What sort of teaching and clinical facilities are available? How big is the teaching hospital?
What areas of research does that medical school specialise in?
How easy is it to find an F1 post after graduation – most students stay in the area in which they have studied for their F1 and F2 years. Southampton currently has more places than students in the area so is a good option
Given the length of time students will be in the area they must be comfortable living there
Medical schools vary in size with cohorts between 100 and 400 per year – Southampton is medium sized

9. Type of teaching Problem Based Learning (PBL)
Small group working together to understand and explain the central issues of a problem
Effective teamwork – essential. Independent research, self- motivation, initiative
Systems Based
Subject disciplines (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry etc) presented in an integrated way within a body system
Practical classes, lectures, tutorials, self-directed study
Two main types of teaching in medical schools
Southampton uses System Based for first two years but integrates this with early patient contact
Traditional courses will divide programmes into pre-clinical/clinical years whilst more modern ones (like Southampton) will integrate the academic and practical aspects of medicine very early

10. How do applicants apply?
Through UCAS
Deadline 15th October for Medicine
Personal statement and reference
Interviews
Testing – BMAT, GAMSAT or UKCAT
All medical schools with assess the UCAS form in great detail
Most will interview
Tests – Southampton uses UKCAT (more later). The GAMSAT is only used for graduate applicants to medical school

11. Non-academic criteria
What is it?
Everything other than the academic grades or predictions on a UCAS form – however doesn’t include personal data.
personal statement,
reference,
job history etc.
Medical schools will assess academic and non academic criteria
Non academic criteria - Why is it important?
Academic qualifications alone no longer sufficient when comparing applicants to university due to increase in academic grades, e.g. Medicine – 95% have what we need academically.
Plus other skills expected on medical students and doctors
Personal Statements - one of the most significant ways to ascertain non academic criteria is through the Personal Statement.
Many subject areas will have specific non academic criteria they expect applicants to address and substantiate through evidence.
Reflection is key - applicants must be able to reflect on their experiences rather than just state them.
Addressing all of the non academic criteria for each course is part of the discipline of writing a good personal statement

12. Skills / qualifications needed
Non Academic Skills
GMC publication ‘Tomorrow’s Doctors’
High level academic qualification
Communication skills
Work experience / outside activities
Ability to manage own time
Negative
Ability to prioritise tasks effectively
Numerate and literate
Reflective and self- critical
Research skills
Problem-solving ability
This list of non academic skills is taken from the GMC publication ‘Tomorrow’s Doctors’ which lays out all of the skills doctors of the future must have
Advise your students to read it as it will form the basis for the non academic criteria for most medical schools – available at the GMC website

13. The UK Clinical Aptitude Test - UKCAT
One of several tests for medical school, others are BMAT and GAMSAT
Being used by 26 medical schools
The UKCAT focuses on exploring applicant’s cognitive powers as well as other attributes considered to be valuable for health care professionals – four sections
The test does not contain any science content, nor can it be revised for
Applicants will be able to register to take the test from 1 June in the year of making their application – 2 practice tests available
Registration available online at
UKCAT results considered alongside the other academic and non academic criteria
Further details are available on the UKCAT website
There is a fee of £60 for the test but bursaries are available – info on website
Applicants must take the UKCAT in EACH YEAR they apply, ie if applying for October 2011 entry, UCAS application deadline is 15th October 2010 and UKCAT should be sat from June-Sept 2010
Medical schools will use the test results in different ways but most will use results alongside other academic and non academic criteria – some will use it to help them shortlist for interview

14. The UK Clinical Aptitude Test - UKCAT
Verbal reasoning The ability to think logically about written data and arrive at a reasoned conclusion.
Abstract reasoning The ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking.
Quantitative reasoning The ability to solve numerical problems.
Decision Analysis The ability to deal with various forms of information, infer relationships, make informed judgements to decide on an appropriate response.
More definition of the four sections of the UKCAT

15. Medicine programmes available
BM5 : 5 year programme
BM4 : 4 year graduate entry programme
BM6 : 6 year widening access programme
Bachelor of Medicine:
A university degree course
A vocational training course
The start of a lifelong career
Equivalent to MBChB, MBBS etc
Students undertaking BM5/6 also obtain BMedSc
Three medicine programmes at Southampton
Will concentrate on ones for school leaver applicants

16. Entry Criteria – BM5 Academic
GCSEs - 7 A*, A or B to include English, Maths & Double Science
A levels – AAA to include Chemistry (or AS Level Chemistry and Biology at grade A in addition to AAA)
UKCAT
Non-academic
Self motivated and have initiative
Literate and articulate
Able to successfully interact with others
Have learnt from experiences of interacting with people in health or social care settings
Non academic criteria – we advertise these and directly assess UCAS applications against them

17. Entry Criteria – BM6 Academic
A levels – BCC to include Chemistry and Biology
GCSEs – 5 at grade C or above, incl. English, Maths and Double Science
Will accept a range of alternative qualifications
UKCAT
Non-academic
Have motivation and initiative
Literate and articulate
Have the ability to demonstrate commitment to becoming a doctor
MUST fulfil ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (please see brochure & website)
Eligibility criteria – applicants must satisfy two of the eligibility criteria and will be expected to provide documentary proof – full details in the brochure too:-
First generation applicant to higher education
Parents, guardian or self in receipt of a means-tested benefit
Looked after young people living in supported accommodation
In receipt of an EMA (education maintenance award) or similar grant
Living in an area with a postcode which falls within the lower 20 per cent of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (authenticated by the University), or a member of a travelling family
Graduate and international applicants are not eligible to apply for BM6

18. Why choose Southampton?
Friendly atmosphere
Support for students
GMC approval
24 points in QAE 1999 (reflected in 2003)
Well established curriculum – School of Medicine est. 1971
Type of teaching - Systems based and integrated - spiral
Diverse group of students
Early patient contact from Year 1
Diverse students – mix of ages, ethnicity, international students, some are grads, some have worked for several years
Patient contact – from week 3 of year one

20. Student Support Personal tutor School office team
Foundation course tutor
Subject tutor
Pastoral tutor
Student families
University Student Services, SUAIC
Because of nature of subject lots of support for students
Here are some examples…

21. BM5/BMed Sc curriculum outline
Years 1 & 2 - body in balance and effects of disease
Medicine in Practice
Year 3 clinical attachments
Year 4 clinical elective
Year 4 BMedSc research project, taught modules & clinical attachments
Final Year clinical attachments
To give you an idea of the types of subjects studied in each year:
First 4 semesters body in balance and effects of disease, assessed during each semester. Revisit yr1 material in year 2 and build up.
MiP – years 1 & 2 small group visits to GP and hospital with a tutor, meeting patients, learning clinical skills, communication skills
Third year clinical attachments – small groups rotate through Med, Surg, O&G, CH, mental health, Palliative care, GP plus weekly SBOM – integration of basic sciences into clinical context as a whole year group using symposia, staff from a variety of disciplines and health professions. Southampton, Winchester & Portsmouth
4th year clinical elective – 8 weeks, organised by you, can stay in UK or overseas
4th year BMedSc research project, Research Methods and Scientific Basis of Clinical Practice. Plus clinical attachments in dermatology, GU medicine, Ophthalmology, neurology, orthopaedics/rheum, head and neck, GP.
All students BMedScience (Hons) in addition to BM
Final year clinical attachments – 1:1 teaching MiP3 6 weeks in medicine, acute care/emergency & GP followed by attachments across medicine, child health, mental health, O&G, surgery, GP and choice SSU
Accommodation across variety of centres in Hampshire, IOW, Dorset and Surrey, Sussex

22. BM5/BMedSc - specific features
Student selected units- community engagement ;the humanities; teaching; critical appraisal.
Case based approach supported by e-learning
Interprofessional – Common Learning Programme
Research study
Student centred’ - choice, flexible teaching and assessment methods, student involvement
Option of an Intercalated Masters degree
SSUs – students undertake elements of choice based SSUs in each year of the programme
Case based approach as discussed earlier with supporting materials online
Interprofessional - SoM based in Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences. At various points in the curriculum medics work alongside student health and social care professional groups including nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, social work, radiography, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry.
Research study leading to BMedSc – chance to investigate an interesting topic and present findings at 4th year Conference
Student Centred – choice in SSUs and research study, a variety of teaching and assessment methods.
Strong student support and pastoral care plus student representatives on committees to input to the School
Intercalated degree – Subject to academic performance some students can opt for an additional year following successful completion of yrs 1-3 by undertaking an Intercalated Masters in Medical Science. 22 22

23. What next? What happens afterwards? Look online Request information
Attend Open Days
Gain as much relevant experience as possible
Research universities
Plan for UKCAT
Pass exams!
Prepare application in advance
Learn from application experience
Competition – Even with fees Medicine gone up whilst others have gone down
Southampton – 4600 applications for 246 places for 2010 entry
Attend open days
Gain as much relevant experience as possible
Do your research about where you would like to go
Plan for UKCAT
Try not to be disappointed if you don’t get in – Lots of well-qualified people don’t due to the competition
Get more work experience, apply again, do UKCAT again and use the time in between well
What happens afterwards?

24. Any questions?