UK Medical School Entry - Arlington British Medical Academy

UK Medical Entrance Preparation Course for International Students

Do you want to become a Doctor or Surgeon?
Are you an international student wanting to study medicine in the UK?
ABMA can help you in achieving your dream in every step to study medicine in the UK.

MBBS in the UK

Introduction

Medicine is one of the most competitive courses in the UK to gain entry on to, but every year thousands of international students are accepted into medical school. If your grades are good, and if you can prove that you have set your heart on studying medicine, then applying to become a qualified doctor from a UK university is for you.
The entry standards for any medical school are strict and exacting. Interviews for admission can be tough and students should expect questioning on motivation, previous work, personal interests, as well as being able to produce evidence of all previous achievements, including relevant work experience. ABMA can help you at every step to ensure your application process is smooth and you pass the entrance test.

Medicine Entry Requirements

Typically, a medicine course is five or six years long. Sometimes called an MBBS or MBChB, they all result in a bachelor’s degree in medicine.

Minimum Qualification in your own country
English Language proficiency: IELTS: 7.5 overall, with no lower than 7.0 in any one component.
UCAT (previously UKCAT) and / or BMAT
Personal Statement
Interview

Minimum Qualification in your own country: 10+2 / A level or equivalent
International

Baccalaureate: 37 points including chemistry and another science subject
Or
A-level: AAA including chemistry and one other science, such as maths, physics biology or psychology
Or
Ontario high school diploma: 85% minimum in Biology and Chemistry and an average above 85% in 6 Grade 12 subjects

English Language Test: IELTS:

English Language proficiency: IELTS: 7.5 overall, with no lower than 7.0 in any one component.
For international students wishing to study Medicine at undergraduate level, an IELTS score of no less than 7 across all four categories – reading, writing, speaking and listening – with an overall 7.5 score generally required at most universities.

UK Clinical Aptitude Test:

UCAT (previously UKCAT) and / or BMAT:

There are 2 possible entrance tests (UCAT or BMAT) which are required – different universities require different ones, so make sure you check to see if you need to sit the UCAT, the BMAT or both. The UCAT is a computer-based exam which students sit anytime from June-September just before you apply. The BMAT has 2 dates, an earlier one in September and a later one in November, and this is a paper exam arranged to be sat in school. While these exams are probably one of the toughest parts of the process, it is possible to achieve high scores with practice and strategic prep. ABMA provides comprehensive preparatory courses to achieve high score in UCAT or BMAT.
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is part of the selection process of some UK medical and dental schools. It is an online test designed to test cognitive abilities, attitudes, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. There are four reasoning tests and a situational judgement test.

Verbal Reasoning. Assesses ability to think logically about written information and arrive at a reasoned conclusion: 21 minutes, with 11 passages to read and 44 questions.
Quantitative reasoning. Assesses ability to solve numerical problems: 24 minutes, 9 tables, charts, graphs etc. as information and 36 questions.
Abstract reasoning. Assesses ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking: 13 minutes and 55 questions.
Decision Analysis. Assesses ability to deal with various forms of information to infer relationships, make informed judgements, and decide on an appropriate response: 32 minutes, 1 scenario full of information and 28 questions (basic calculator provided)
Situational Judgement. Measures your responses in situations, and your grasp of medical ethics: 27 minutes and 67 questions on 20 scenarios.

The test is taken at your local test centre, with each subtest in a multiple choice format. Past papers are not available but there are specimen questions on the UCAT website. The UCAT must be taken by applicants at the following universities:

University of Aberdeen	Aston University
University of Birmingham	University of Bristol
Cardiff University	University of Dundee
University of East Anglia	University of Edinburgh
University of Exeter	University of Glasgow
Hull York Medical School	Keele University
King's College London	University of Leicester
University of Liverpool	University of Manchester
University of Newcastle	University of Nottingham
Plymouth University	Queen Mary, University of London
Queen's University Belfast	University of Sheffield
University of Southampton	University of St Andrews
St George's, University of London	University of Warwick

Personal Statement:

The personal statement is a crucial part of the application process when wishing to study in the UK and, because of the competitive nature and limited number of medical school spaces, it is vital that the medicine personal statement is of an extremely high standard. Important topics to cover include:

What you wish to achieve as a doctor
Work experience at any GP or medical institution and what you achieved
Your commitment to medicine and the NHS
Your achievements academically
Why you will succeed on the course
Hobbies and interests

We not only help you drafting your personal statement but editing your draft with fresh eyes. ABMA will provide guidance once enrolled) Work experience is valued extremely highly by medical school admission boards as it showcases the relevant skills and strength of character needed to becoming a doctor. Practical work experience also recognises a student’s ability to work independently or in a team, as well as communication skills, enthusiasm and responsibility. Many medicine programmes require a student to have completed work experience, but if you missed out on a placement, there are still a number of medical schools which will accept your initial application.

Interview:

The last big hurdle in the application process is the interview, which can either be in a panel format or as an MMI (multiple-mini interview), depending on the university. While this can often seem like a daunting experience, remember the interview is an opportunity to really showcase your communication skills, and put some real personality behind the person writing the personal statement. Luckily, there are certain types of questions which come up often in interview so preparation plays a huge role. The biggest thing I have learnt about interviews is how important it is not to prep full answers to every questions as you will be thrown off by anything else. Instead, preparing examples and a couple of points for the common questions meant I was able to approach interviews with a conversationalist manner while sounding confident.

Medicine Career Pathway

Foundation: Once undergraduate study of two-years has been completed, medical students will then move on to Foundation training, lasting another two-years. This brings together medical school graduates, other postgraduates and various health care providers. Once completed, you will move into your specialist training path. Speciality Training: Once you have completed four-years of study, now the serious work begins! The entry process once you have decided on which area you wish to specialise in is extremely competitive, so plenty of hard work is needed to ensure you can secure a place in the area you wish to focus on. Training here can last for anything up to seven years, and upon completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion Training (CCT). Post-Graduation opportunities With the number of positions medical graduates can move into numbering over 60, there is no shortage of opportunity depending on what area you wish to specialise in. Areas of expertise generally fall into the following categories:

Anaesthetics
General Practice
Medicine and associated specialties
Pathology
Psychiatry
Radiology
Surgery and associated specialties
Accident and Emergency