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

Becoming a Doctor Advice for applicants to medical school

Jo-Anne Ireland, Recruitment & QA Manager19 May 2010

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Agenda

• Becoming a doctor

• Medical programmes

• What medical schools are looking for

• The UKCAT

• Programmes at Southampton

• Why choose Southampton?

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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

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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

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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 www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine

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A competitive field – 2010Nationally• 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

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Improving chancesStudents 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!

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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

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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

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• Through UCAS

• Deadline 15th October for Medicine

• Personal statement and reference

• Interviews

• Testing – BMAT, GAMSAT or UKCAT

How do applicants apply?

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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.

Non-academic criteria

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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

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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 www.ukcat.ac.uk

• UKCAT results considered alongside the other academic and non academic criteria

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The UK Clinical Aptitude Test - UKCATVerbal reasoningThe ability to thinklogically about written data and arrive at a reasoned conclusion.

Abstract reasoningThe ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking.

Quantitative reasoning The ability to solve numerical problems.

Decision AnalysisThe ability to deal with various forms of information, infer relationships, make informed judgements to decide on an appropriate response.

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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

Medicine programmes available

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Entry Criteria – BM5

Academic

• GCSEs - 7 A*, A or B toinclude 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

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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)

Entry Criteria – BM6

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• 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

Why choose Southampton?

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• Personal tutor

• School office team

• Foundation course tutor

• Subject tutor

• Pastoral tutor

• Student families

•University Student Services, SUAIC

Student Support

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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

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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

23What happens afterwards?

What next?Look onlineRequest informationAttend Open Days

•Pass exams!•Prepare application in advance•Learn from application experience

•Gain as much relevant experience as possible•Research universities•Plan for UKCAT

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Any questions?