Choosing a Medical School

Although all medical schools have a core syllabus, their courses are often structured very differently. Some integrate pre-clinical and clinical aspects very closely, others teach purely via lectures and tutorials. Some focus on problem-based learning (PBLs). Although all offer Student Selected components at some point, the timing and amount of these varies.

You need to think carefully about the type of course that suits you and select the universities that fit your requirements.

Other Factors to Consider

Other factors you may wish to take into account when choosing which medical school to apply to are:-

• Location - city vs campus based. Do you like the city? (you'll be there for at least 5 years);
• Entry requirements - typical grades and retake policy;
• Reputation - league tables / talking to students;
• Specialist - medical school vs large, multi-disciplinary university;
• Facilities - accommodation / social aspect / extra-curricular.

If you can't decide where to live, why not consider St. Andrew's University in Scotland? You will study there for a three year BSc course before transferring to complete your medical degree in Manchester. That way you will get to experience two fabulous and historic universities as well as live in two different countries...

It is often a good idea to go and look around a few universities by attending their open days to get a feel for the atmosphere and talk to some of the students on the medical course. If you miss the open day, why not just pop on the train and go and have a look around the city / meet some students...

The entry requirements for each medical school are slightly different – you need to make sure that you have the correct subjects for the schools you want to apply to – see the appendix. Each year the criteria get tougher and tougher; realistically, if you are not capable of getting straight A grades at A-level, then you should not really be applying to medical school.

Remember, these are minimum requirements. Good candidates will be capable of exceeding these comfortably...

Retake Policy

You may have missed out on your A-level grades the first time around and are hoping to improve your grades with a retake course. Fewer and fewer medical schools are accepting students with retakes. Some still do accept them and can view them as an indication of perseverance and dedication, but they will often ask for straight As in the retakes and may put a time limit on when they must be completed by.

Of the schools that do accept retakes, most will only do so if you already hold a conditional offer with them and have only missed out narrowly on the required grades.

Make sure that if you are retaking some A-levels, you only apply to those universities that are sympathetic towards retakes or else you will be wasting an application.

Where a university states that it will accept retakes only in "exceptional circumstances" this usually means illness or bereavement, and you may need to show evidence of this (e.g. a letter from your GP).

If you're a retaker, your chances of being offered a place are extremely small. You should think very, very carefully about your chances of success before you do so...

See the appendix on entry criteria for up-to-date information on which schools accept retakes. It is your responsibility to check these details before you make your applications. Be aware that in general medical schools always prefer first-time candidates and so you cannot assume that retaking is a viable alternative.

Be aware that the "terminal units" (units 5 and 6) of science A-levels for at least one major examination board are no longer offered in the January examination. This makes it very unlikely that a full retake of all units in a subject in January is possible.

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Medical Schools in Ireland

There are six medical schools in Ireland, one in Northern Ireland (QUB, which you apply to through UCAS) and five in the Republic of Ireland:-

• University College Cork (UCC);
• National University of Ireland, Galway;
• Royal College of Surgeons Ireland;
• University College Dublin (UCD);
• The University of Dublin (Trinity College);
• Queen's University Belfast (QUB).

Applying to an Irish university is not an easy option and most medical schools demand straight A grades. However, it costs €45 and allows application to another 5 Medical School in conjunction with UCAS. The Irish education system rests with the Department of Education and Science at university level is free to all students from EU countries.

Entry requirements need to be checked carefully as they are usually in point format to fit with the Irish education system. Applications are generally made through the Central Applications Office (CAO) and can be made either online or via a paper application form by the 1st February (1st May for late applications).

Be aware that applications to Queen's University Belfast are made through UCAS not through CAO...

Health Professionals Admission Test (HPAT)

Universities in Ireland now require you to take a test similar to the UKCAT called the HPAT. It is a 2.5hr test focusing on:-

• Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving;
• Interpersonal Understanding;
• Non Verbal Reasoning.

Registration opens at the start of November and has to be taken at a test centre in Ireland in late February; check online for the exact dates as they change slightly each year. You must register for the test online by the 20th January, however leave yourself plenty of time as there are things you will need to do in advance such as acquiring a CAO number. Registration costs €95.

Beware - Applications for Queen's University Belfast are through UCAS and you are required to sit the UKCAT:-

• Central Applications Office - www.cao.ie;
• Education Ireland (overview of Irish Universities) - www.educationireland.ie;
• HPAT website - www.hpat-ireland.acer.edu.au.

Medical Schools Overseas

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Click here to download our review of Overseas Medical Schools as a PDF document. To read PDF files, you'll need a free copy of Adobe Reader.

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