Transcript A Career in Medicine - University of Leicester

A Career in Medicine
Prof Annette Cashmore
Leicester Medical School
Why medicine?
Desire to help others
 Caring nature
 Interest in science
 Good career prospects

Why not medicine?
5 year course
 Hard work
 Long hours
 Stress
 Family pressures
 Career difficulties

Getting into Medical School
Which qualifications?
 Which medical school?
 Other courses?
 UCAS form & UKCAT
 Interviews

Which Qualifications?

AS/A2 Levels
Leicester
4
AS inc. Biology and Chemistry
 3 A2 inc. Chemistry
 General Studies excluded
 Key Skills not required
 Arts/humanities/languages acceptable
 Standard Offer AAB (A in chemistry)
 Other medical schools may ask for AAA
Resits?
Grades should be obtained without resitting
module assessments
 If you need to resit assessments think
carefully about medicine
 A levels over 3 years – very difficult to get
into medical school
 If you have mitigating circumstances tell us!

GCSEs
Requirements vary
 Some medical schools expect 6 A*
 Leicester

 No
specific requirement but used in
scoring academic ability
 Mitigating factors taken into account
Other Qualifications?

We aim to be inclusive
 IB
 EB
 Advanced
 Access
 Degree
NVQ
Which Qualifications?
Graduate Entry

Health
Sciences/Psychology
4
year course based at
Leicester

Other degrees
5
year course
Graduate Entry

5 year course

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Any discipline if sufficient Chemistry and Biology (A
level or equivalent standard)
At least 2(i)
4 year course

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
Any discipline (non-science graduates encouraged)
Minimum 1 year working in healthcare environment
At least 2(i)
UKCAT

Used by nearly all Medical & Dental Schools
 Explores
cognitive skills of candidate
 Does not contain curriculum or science content
UKCAT
New in 2007
 Compulsory
 Used in conjunction with

 Academic
attainment/potential
 Personal statement
 Reference
 No minimum threshold
UKCAT
Register for test from 1st May 2008
 150+ test centres in UK – many test dates
 For 2009 entry you must have taken the test
before 10th October 2008
 Cost £60 (after Sept - £95 (bursaries
available to those getting top rate EMA)
 For more information visit www.ukcat.ac.uk

Important Dates 2008
7th July – UKCAT testing begins
 26th September – UKCAT bursary application
deadline
 26th September – UKCAT applications close
 10th October – UKCAT testing deadline
 15th October – UCAS application deadline

Which Medical School?
Read prospectuses carefully
 Considerations

 Campus
life
 Reputation
 Course
 Location
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Other Courses?



It is perfectly acceptable to include nonmedical as well as medical courses on
the UCAS form – we won’t see them
You will not be discriminated against
The nature of the other courses does not
matter (but avoid Vet. Medicine!)
The UCAS Form
A chance to sell yourself in a
buyer’s market
 GCSEs - good range, good grades
 Personal statement - accurate,
concise and interesting
 Work experience and other
activities important
 Report and predictions

The UCAS Form
Academic
 Personal statement
 Reference
 UKCAT
 Total
 2008 interview

5
5
5
5
20
16 needed
Interviews

Policies vary
No interview
 Selective interview policy
 No admission without interview (Leicester)

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Interview panel 1-5 people sometimes
including a medical student
Multiple mini-interviews
Interviews - Leicester


Two interviewers – no
personal statement
Score independently
Communication
 Motivation
 Teamwork
 Career issues


Applicants ranked without
returning to UCAS form score
Medical Courses
Old style preclinical/clinical divide almost gone
 Integration - horizontal and vertical
 Problem-based learning
 Early clinical work
 Core and options – student choice
 Less factual burden – emphasis on
understanding

The Leicester Course

Phase 1
5
semesters (3 semesters for 4 year
programme)
 Concurrent modules
 Clinical stream

Phase 2
 Clinical
experience
 Hospital and community based
Assessment
Big exams are out!
 Less emphasis on factual recall
 More emphasis on skill and
attitudes
 Strong emphasis on clinical exams
retained

Intercalated BSc.
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An opportunity to consider
Taken by approximately 10% of students
A year by research or my joining another degree
course with examination
Between 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th years
Encouraged
Sponsorship available
A year to do something completely different
Careers
Foundation programmes (FY1 and FY2)
 Run-through training
 Flexible training
 General practice
 Much more…

Questions?
[email protected]