How do you prepare for medical school if you are only in your third/

fourth year of secondary school? Obviously, you still have a long way

to go, but it is helpful to start as early as possible and here is why...

 

Early preparation for medical school application

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General tips:

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1. Search for local volunteering opportunities

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Local community organisations, care homes and charities usually seek passionate students willing to commit, spare some of their free time and help in a number of different healthcare/community settings. Look out for these because voluntary commitments like these provide endless opportunities for interactions that will be of benefit for both you and your local community.

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2. Choose varied experiences

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It is vital to improve different aspects of your personality, attitudes and behaviours as this shows your diversity and potential contribution to the student body at medical school. This can be achieved by joining clubs, signing up for unusual volunteering placements or taking up challenging hobbies. Bring diversity to your local community and school! Leadership roles in particular are great experience.  Do not be afraid of new challenges, as all these things improve the relevant skills and qualities necessary to become a good doctor and come across well at interviews.

 

3. It is about quality, not quantity

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Getting involved in lots of different clubs or activities can be highly beneficial as you can experience new things and find something you are truly passionate about. However, it can “turn back on you” if you spread yourself too thinly. Dedication to a few activities can teach you more and show your persistence, commitment and drive for self-improvement.

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4. Keep a diary of your experiences

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It is easy to forget all the things you have experienced and learnt during your volunteering, so make sure you always write a few sentences on your thoughts and ideas for future personal development that you have come up with during these activities. It will be an invaluable self-made resource for your future medical school application! 

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5. Get involved in extracurricular activities

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School or university can consume you entirely if you do not have a life outside the classroom. Therefore, remember to develop your personal interests and make sure they are something you enjoy. Long-term commitment and dedication always lead to personal growth and development. Consequently, medical schools look for well-rounded people who know how to relieve stress outside of classes because everyone can get burnt out. So have your own hobbies in your free time and make your life and future medical school application interesting!

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When should you start working on your application?

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Start early as this will allow you time to find something you are really passionate about and take on new experiences that will strengthen your future medical school application. The longer you show commitment to a cause, the more successful your application will be. Remember to be persistent and do not give up if you are turned down. Always search for new opportunities to undertake interesting and rewarding volunteer placements, especially during weekends or school holidays. Leaving this until the last minute can be a snag to your application, so give yourself the time to carefully organise and enjoy volunteer placements, clubs and activities. 

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Subject Choice

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Your choices when picking your National 5 subjects are very important as they will put you on a path toward the Highers you will end up taking in S5. Some subjects are necessary for pupils wanting to apply for medicine, so you have to be careful when choosing your National 5s.

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Our recommendation is that you take: Biology, Chemistry, English, and Maths at national 5 at the very minimum plus your 2 other national 5s in different subjects. Physics will also help you when it comes to choosing your Highers as it will give you more options, so while it is not compulsory, it is also strongly recommended.

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Most medical schools will require that you take Biology and Chemistry at Higher level, as well as either Maths or Physics. This does vary from university to university, however, and it is best to check each university website to see exactly which subjects they require you take. These subjects will be easier if you have already sat them at National 5 level.

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Some universities also require minimum grades in subjects at National 5 level. In 2017, for instance, Glasgow  requires all applicants to have at least a B in National 5 English, while Edinburgh requires a B in National 5 English, Maths, Biology, and Chemistry. Again, make sure to check the university websites as these requirements may change every year.

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If you have already chosen your national 5 subjects and have not taken subjects that are required for medicine, do not worry. If it is early enough in the school year you can talk to your teachers at school and possibly switch courses. Alternatively, you can ‘crash’ a higher subject in S6 which is when you sit the Higher for a subject without having done the National 5. All though crashing a subject will make it more difficult, it is still very feasible, and many pupils manage it in the final year of school.

 

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Gaining experience for medical school

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Why do you need work experience?

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1. To gain a realistic insight into the career to which, after all, you are committing for a lifetime. It is vital that you are aware of the highs and lows of the medical profession by observation and experience of doctor’s day-to-day duties, workload and interaction with the healthcare team and patients.

2. To gain a deep understanding of the complex nature of medicine, and pros and cons of working in a caring profession. Whilst a doctor’s role involves strong diagnostic and logical thinking skills, it is also important to remember the emotional demands of a medical career and working within the wider healthcare team.

3. To demonstrate that you have developed relevant skills and attitudes essential to studying medicine and eventually becoming a good doctor. These qualities include outstanding organisational skills, teamwork, communication and listening abilities.

4. To demonstrate your lifelong commitment to medicine by providing evidence of focused experience of catering for patients’ needs. Work experience in a hospital or GP surgery will give you a strong addition to your UCAS personal statement and something to discuss at interviews later in the application process.

5. To help you decide if medicine is the right career path for you.

6. To help you stand out from the rest of the applicants and make your medical school application successful!

 

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What can you do?

 

Finding formal work experience can be very difficult on a practical level, as you often have to arrange it yourself. You don't need weeks' worth of shadowing or to see a massive range of specialties - what you actually take away from the experience is what admissions staff want to see. Your careers teacher may be able to put you in contact with doctors willing to let you follow them on their job for a couple of days, but asking at your local GP surgery or contacting family friends are other good options. Be polite, persistent and enthusiastic!

 

A number of widening access organisations can assist you with placements as well, but formal shadowing is not required for all universities as medical schools are aware of the barriers to arranging it. We suggest writing a letter as far as possible in advance to any potential placements, explaining that you are interested in studying medicine and how valuable this insight would be. If you have a personal interest in their specialty, even better! Thank them for their attention and be flexible in accommodating them.

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1. Work in healthcare settings and “shadow” health professionals

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There are countless areas of medicine where you can gain relevant experience and all forms of voluntary work in hospital settings provide invaluable opportunity to get an insight about the medical profession. Work/volunteer placements in a medical environment allow you to interact with an extensive range of people. If you are caring and dedicated, you will perfectly fit into the medical school. Therefore, remember to show your potential at every stage of your application. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to obtain relevant work experience in clinical settings but remember to never give up if you are turned down!

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2. Work with a wide range of people

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You can gain caring experience by volunteering in care homes, hospices or special schools. Basically, work with the elderly, disabled and young children as well! As a doctor you will be exposed to diverse people from different social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, make sure you experience and interact with at least some of them. It will show your perseverance while working under pressure. As you will find out, such voluntary work is very eye-opening and rewarding.

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3. Get involved in the wider community

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Every meaningful interaction with a wide range of people provides an opportunity to improve interpersonal skills by having to deal with diverse people and communicate effectively to solve problems. Spend some of your free time on doing something that hopefully you are passionate about - this will not only impact your local community but also lead to personal growth and development of relevant qualities. This sort of experience shows admissions staff that you have been exposed to a variety of different environments of cultural diversity which demonstrates your empathy, enthusiasm, adaptability and diligence.

 

4. Take on leadership roles and improve your soft skills

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Leadership is a powerful word and definitely not everyone was born to be a leader. However, leadership means a lot more than being school captain. You can develop your leadership skills by organising any type of events or fundraising for the local community. If you are passionate about something, e.g. sports, art or voluntary work, and are fully committed to this activity, try to work your way up to a leadership position. Start new projects and take initiative, or become the captain of your sports team! All of those experiences will provide an excellent opportunity to work on your communication and teamwork skills and improve your ability to work independently as well. The sense of responsibility that usually accompanies a leadership role can be a bit overwhelming at times but it will also trigger hidden abilities to overcome obstacles and setbacks.

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5. Join various creative clubs and societies

 

Being a doctor is a very difficult, stressful and challenging profession. Having some personal interests is essential in maintaining adequate work-life balance. Find something useful to you, something that represents who you are - perhaps musical, artistic or sporting hobbies? Having outside interests makes it easier to build a rapport with patients.