You might feel swamped at the moment, having to consider UCAT deciles, researching universities, writing your personal statement and trying to bring your application together. So I’m going to tell you what UCAT deciles really mean and how this affects what universities you can apply to.

What this tells you is how competitive your score is. But I want to assure you, even if you feel like your UCAT score is not high enough, you can still get into medicine. This is because the UCAT is only a PART of your application. Yes, that is correct. Even if you aren’t happy with your score, you can apply to universities that emphasise different parts of your application. So here are the 5 steps to applying strategically.

1. List the universities you want to apply to: include your dream university, the course structure you like, intercalation options etc
2. Research the entry requirements: look on the university website or call the admissions office
3. Calculate your score at each university based on their criteria and how they select students for the interview stage
4. Compare your score to previous admissions data
5. Select your 4 universities: choose ones that you have a higher chance of being called for interview AND universities you actually like because of course structure, location and other considerations

To help you get started, I’ve linked my UCAT University guide down below, which has the list of some universities which are high UCAT, mid UCAT and low UCAT universities.

UCAT University Guide!

However, it is important to remember that this is a general guide. The change in the UCAT, specifically the removal of abstract reasoning, can impact UCAT thresholds. Additionally, the change of the personal statement structure could make universities change the emphasis placed on it. It is essential to look at your academic, extracurricular and widening participation profile holistically and research in detail tailored to your personal profile.

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Medicine interviews can be difficult. You need to demonstrate an understanding of the medical field, comprehend the interviewer’s psychology, effectively showcase your skills and experience, and present yourself confidently.

Then, to make things slightly more confusing, there are also different interview styles. However, I’m going to tell you the 3 possible interview styles your universities could have, so you know what to expect.

Traditional Panel

• Question and answer between panellists and students
• Important to be aware of your body language, maintain a professional appearance and build a rapport with your interviewer
• Pros - Can build rapport more easily, better for shaping your story and can feel less stressful
• Cons - Limited scope, harder to recover from mistakes, can feel intimidating

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Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs)

• Evaluating a candidate’s ability to handle different scenarios, think critically, communicate effectively and key qualities in the medical profession
• There are separate stations that you move between, so often, different stations are testing different skills
• During MMI stations, it is really important to
  • Manage your time effectively, as it is limited in each station
  • Stay calm under pressure
  • Understand what is actually being asked of you and know the interviewer’s psychology so you can deliver
• Examples of MMI situations include role play, calculation and data interpretation, ethical dilemmas, professional judgement, and skills-based questions
• Pros - If you mess up one station, you can forget about it and can repeat yourself
• Cons - Harder to build rapport and less time, so more pressure and limited depth

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Group interviews

• Multiple candidates are assessed collaboratively in a shared interview setting
• They are looking for teamwork, leadership and communication
• Pros - Can feel less pressurising
• Cons - Not an individual focus

The most common interview style that is used by the majority of medical schools is MMIs; however, some still use panel or group interviews. In each interview style, the key skills required for medicine are being tested, so no matter which interview style your university has, you must be able to

1. Showcase a strong knowledge of the healthcare field
2. Understand what interviewers are looking for so you can structure your answers to help you stand out
3. Develop the art of communication and presentation

To help you achieve your dream of studying medicine and mastering the interview styles, make sure you check out the Ultimate Medicine Interview Course to begin your interview success story today!

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To help you achieve your dream of studying medicine, make sure to take a look at the different resources I offer, such as the Ultimate Interview Course, which teaches you everything you need to know and the Ultimate Medicine Interview Document. Check it out using my website below!

Additionally, resources such as the A* AQA A-level psychology notes and my notes templated designed in an active recall format can help you stay on top of your academics!

📸Here are the links to each of my social media pages, so make sure you follow! In all, I detail the advice and tips you need to help make your application to medicine so much easier! If you ever need any help, feel free to reach out to me at loveleenj241@gmail.com