• Question: Hey. Congrats on getting so far. Do you have any advice for aspiring medical applicants that would help make a personal statement stand out and what is your opinion on a pre-med gap year? thanks

    Asked by 712prmc52 to Richard, vediacan on 26 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Vedia Can

      Vedia Can answered on 26 Jun 2015:

      Hi 712prmc52!!

      Thank you so much, I am chuffed to be in the finals, couldn’t of done it without all your lovely votes, so thank you!

      You literally have to promote yourself in a very confident manner (not arrogant, just confident). Highlight your achievements, illustrate your commitment and dedication to medical profession (via your long term work experiences or commitments) and clearly state what you hope to achieve after you complete your medical degree and the field you would like to work in. But what’s more important are the marks you achieve for the medical school admissions tests and for your final A-Levels. So, make sure you work hard and find a balance between academia and work commitments.

      I think it is a good idea to take a pre-med gap year to ensure you gain an insight into the medical profession and also more experience. However, make sure you are in a medical placement programme and you are not wasting that gap year. Here’s a link you should check out (if you haven’t done so): http://www.gapmedics.co.uk/

      Best Wishes,

      Vedia

    • Photo: Richard Prince

      Richard Prince answered on 26 Jun 2015:

      Hi 712,
      The personal statement is critical for medical applications. I’ve spoken a lot to people on the medical admissions panel in Manchester and to successful applicants. What makes the difference is that you show you understand how your experience relates to the qualities required of a doctor. You need not only to be very good academically but also to be a good communicator (that’s at least 50% of being a doctor), you need to demonstrate passion and compassion.
      The other advice I would give you is to be prepared for tough interviews! Some places put you in group situations to see how you work in a team and how you would respond to the style of teaching used by that University.
      In terms of a gap year… there are different ways of doing this. Medical schools will look for relevant experience, but they will probably take more notice of someone who has been steadily building up that experience prior to application (shows long term commitment). If you’ve already got that experience, then doing a gap year before starting your course can be a very rewarding experience and will probably make you a better doctor. If you are using it to try and strengthen your CV, it will help but won’t be a full substitute.
      Best wishes
      Richard

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