Overview

The application deadline for medicine is usually mid-October; it is earlier than the deadline for most other degree courses, and if you miss the deadline there will be no opportunity to apply for a further year. The application process opens in mid-September. Applicants for medicine are given four choices of courses (most other degree applicants can choose up to five courses).

The application is made online on the UCAS website. The UCAS website also gives you a list of universities where you can study medicine; further information and links to the website address of each medical school are included.

Graduate entry programmes

The information on the UCAS website also includes details of graduate entry programmes (GEPs) - these are for those who already have a degree. The UCAS website will give you information on whether you need to have a degree in a scientific area and information about the minimum requirement. Graduate candidates normally need a first or upper second class honours degree. Some graduate programmes will accept applicants who do not have a scientific degree. For further information on GEPs see our guide for those considering applying for the accelerated graduate entry programme to medicine.

The Foundation or Pre-clinical Year

Several medical schools run a six-year course, which includes a one year foundation/pre-clinical course. This course aims to better prepare applicants for undergraduate medical education. Often these courses are designed for those with no, or limited experience of, laboratory based science and who have not studied chemistry.

The medical schools council website gives you a list of existing foundation/pre-clinical year courses.

Widening participation

Widening participation schemes into medicine are designed to increase the numbers of applications to medical school from students with disadvantaged backgrounds, e.g. those attending a school that has a below average performance level, those with a disability and those whose parents or carers did not attend university.

For further information see our widening participation pages.

On the widening participation pages we also have information for students with a disability.

The intercalated degree

Completing an intercalated degree is an opportunity to obtain a further qualification whilst studying your medical degree. We have more information on intercalated degrees and it is something to be aware of before you apply.  From a careers’ point of view completing an intercalated degree can give you some valuable experience in research and can help bolster your applications to the next stages after medical school. It is important to note that it will add another year onto your studies. Some medical schools expect all or most of their students to complete these, others do not. The medical schools' websites will guide you on the local information on intercalated degrees.

Problem Based Learning v conventional teaching

Another thing to consider whilst choosing which medical school to apply to is whether or not the medical school teaches by Problem Based Learning (PBL). This type of teaching is where the stages of learning are centred around a specific problem (such as a short clinical case scenario). This is different to conventional teaching. Again the medical schools' websites will indicate whether they incorporate PBL or not into their courses. You can read further about this in our 'Choosing a medical school' guide

The application form

It is important that you allow yourself plenty of time to complete the application form and that you adhere to the deadline given. You will also need to consider that your referees will need time to write references and you should not expect them to complete these just before the published closing date.

The UCAS website has some excellent advice on how best to complete your personal statement. We also provide detailed advice in our application form section. As medicine is extremely competitive it is crucial that you spend some time and effort on the personal statement. It is also essential to get some work experience in a medical setting. This does not need to be in a hospital, it could be in an old persons’ home or as a volunteer at a hospice etc. You may be asked about your experience and these interests if you are called to the medical school for an interview, so you need to be prepared to talk about them. See our page on volunteering opportunities in medicine.

UKCAT

Many medical schools will require potential students to undertake the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT). There is a practice test on the following website that we would urge you to complete before you take the actual test:  http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/.

BMAT

Some schools will require you to undertake the BioMedical Admissions Test  (BMAT) instead of the UKCAT. Again there is a practice test that you can take in preparation,  see: http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/bmat

N.B. The UCAS website will inform you of which test (if any) you will have to take.

The Careers Group, University of London have recorded the following podcast on the above admission tests.

The interview for medical school

The majority of medical schools will require you to attend an interview before making an offer. The questions can be about:

• Your motivation and reasons for wanting to study medicine
• Your work experience – (you will need to demonstrate some work experience in a caring environment).
• Your knowledge of health and medical news and the ethics involved in medicine – (make sure you listen to the news/read quality newspapers/news websites in preparation)
• Communication/interpersonal skills
• Teamwork

NEXT: read futher information on the application form