UK medicine: the five steps to getting in

If you're interested in studying medicine, you’ll need to start preparing your application up to two years in advance of the UCAS admissions cycle. This is a long, but necessary, process to make sure you have all the right criteria to be a successful future doctor. Here are our five key steps to help you get in.

Step 1: Choosing the right subjects

Medicine degrees have very specific subject requirements. So start by using Unifrog's shortlisting tools to shortlist the unis you might want to go to, and checking their entry requirements. This'll help you pick the right A level / IB / Pre-U options.

Most medical schools ask for biology and chemistry. The third option doesn’t have to be maths or physics; other essay subjects like English literature, history, or a modern language might be accepted.
 

For example, Cardiff University asks for double science at GCSE (alongside maths and English/Welsh language) followed by biology and chemistry at A level, with passes in the science practical parts if relevant. For your third subject, the uni doesn't accept critical thinking, general studies, citizenship studies, or ‘other similar equivalent subjects’ – so check the uni's website or contact its admissions team for specifics (these may be subject to change).

The A level entry requirements for medicine vary from AAA – A*A*A. This is a tough goal, so you need to be realistic with yourself from the start. Think about whether these grades are achievable, as it's hard to get into a medicine course without them.

But if things don’t go to plan, all is not lost – you can always explore other medical related careers. Check out the Careers library to find a range of medical and health-related options.

Step 2: Choosing your medical school

Try to play to your strengths. Choosing a medical school is a great opportunity to really tailor your application and find a place which suits your needs.

For example, if you’ve done really well in the UCAT, use this to your advantage and apply to the schools that have a high weighting for this in their application process. If you look on a course website and see that their UCAT cut-off score is usually above what you achieved, don’t risk it.

Wherever you apply, make sure that you fulfil all the entry requirements for that course. You can only apply to four medical schools (unlike the usual five choices for other courses), so it’s even more important that every application counts.

Location matters, too – especially as becoming a doctor will take upwards of five years. Before you apply, make sure that both the uni and the location are right for you.

Step 3: Work experience and volunteering

For a vocational course like medicine, work experience is an essential part of your application. It shows you're aware of the practical side of the course, and that you're committed to a future medical career.

But work experience can be tricky to find. You'll need to email local practices or work experience coordinators at hospitals. There will be a lot of students looking for hospital placements, so they can be very competitive. Check out how to write a winning cover letter here, and find support for writing your CV here.

Keep a diary throughout your work experience, writing down what effect the experience has had on your own desire to become a doctor. The main aim here is to come away with a better understanding of what you might want to do within the profession, and concrete, personal examples of how the experience supported your desire to pursue a career in medicine. This will be super helpful when it comes to writing your personal statement.

Your experiences don't all have to be specifically medical. For example, volunteering in a charity shop or tutoring younger students also shows a desire to help others.

Step 4. Admissions tests

The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a computer test that takes just under two hours. It has four different sub-sections: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, and Situational Judgement.

Different medical schools use the test in different ways: some use ‘cut off’ marks to exclude the weaker scoring applicants, whilst others simply view it as another section of your application to be assessed alongside your interview, exam results, and personal statement.

You'll need to register for the test on the UCAT official website during the summer preceding your application. This is also where you’ll find resources like example questions and past papers. You typically sit the exam in the summer holidays before you apply, on a date of your choice at a local open test centre. You get your results right after you complete the test.
 

Pro tip: If your school or college has access to Unifrog’s ‘Applying to medicine’ toolkit, check out Unifrog’s UCAT tool and course, ‘Applying to medical school in the UK’, to help you prepare.

Step 5: The personal statement and interview

Your personal statement and interview are the places where you can really shine as an individual, and show admissions tutors why you're uniquely suited to their course.

The first draft of your personal statement ideally should be finished before September of your final year at school. The UCAS deadline for medicine applications falls in October, and you don’t want to rush this key part of the process.

Check out the department websites to find out what the admissions tutors want to see in their applicants. If they’ve mentioned that they need to see evidence of work experience, extracurricular activities, or practical medical skills, make sure you include them!

Check that when you read your personal statement back, it answers the question: ‘Why are you perfect for a degree course in medicine?’. Discuss each example you include of volunteering, work experience, academic achievement, or hobbies in a way that answers this question.

Make the most of support from your friends and teachers. Ask a friend who’s also applying if you could give each other practice questions, or try to get a teacher to provide you with a mock interview.

There are always some standard questions you should be prepared for, like ‘Why do you want to be a doctor?’, or ‘Why choose medicine?’ but you shouldn’t just stick to practising these. There are many different potential interview formats. In a multiple mini interview (MMI), you'll be asked to move around stations and role play situations. In an Oxbridge interview, you'll be asked longer, more scientific questions which will test your ability to form a logical argument.


For more on acing the medicine interview, check out this overview guide.