Medical Futures Conference 2025
Concord’s 8th annual medical futures conference was a huge success. Building on the work of previous years, the conference allowed attendees to hear from experts in medicine and in applying to medical school.
Competition for places to study medicine is very high. This year there are around 24,000 young people applying for just 7,600 places. For international applicants the statistics are even tougher with around 5,000 students chasing just 500 places. This means that helping prospective medical students to be well prepared and make the best decisions for their applications is important.
The conference was for students in year 11 or 12 with an interest in careers in medicine and medically related fields. The aim was to give them an opportunity to learn from experts about applying to medical school. It also aimed to help them explore their interest in medical careers. There was a chance to try some clinical skills such as suturing, speak to doctors from a wide range of specialisms and meet current medical students.
Over 150 young people attended the conference. More than 50 members of Concord’s thriving medical society were joined by 110 students from around the region and a further group online.
In the morning, students were based in the Morris Building Theatre for a series of talks that explored choosing and applying to medical school. Following lunch in the dining hall, students were able to explore short talks and workshops and had the opportunity to seek individual advice from medics and universities.
Being able to meet and talk with people at all stages of their medical careers gave delegates a rare chance to explore their ambitions and gain insight into what their future could look like.
In the afternoon, 22 Doctors, including 4 Concord Alumni gave their time to support aspiring medics. A further 23 Concord Alumni who are currently at University studying Medicine, Dentistry or as Vet students came to offer support and insight. Around 10 university recruitment advisors also attended to provide all important applications advice and to help students understand the variety in medical degree programmes.
Concord’s Head of Science, Barry Brown, was pleased to welcome so many enthusiastic students from around the region: “With Concord having such a strong success rate at helping students gain places, it is a great pleasure to be able to share some of the knowledge we have gained, as well as to provide a venue for others wanting to help aspiring medics from across the region.
“We hope many of those who came will not only find the guidance useful, but will soon be pursuing their studies to become doctors, dentists, vets or other medical professionals”
I benefitted immensely from it. Somehow, all my questions and worries were answered.
I think the day was amazing, it was great to be able to speak to the different healthcare professionals about their roles and what their favourite parts about their job is.
The Medical Futures Conference at Concord College was an incredibly insightful experience. The talks covered key topics such as UCAS applications, writing the UCAT exam, and choosing the right medical school, which provided valuable guidance for aspiring medical students. I also had the opportunity to speak with a cardiologist and representatives from Cambridge, Keele and Nottingham, gaining firsthand insight into the medical field and university life. A special mention goes to Calvin, my buddy, who was extremely helpful in ensuring we got to the right places on time. His support made navigating the event much easier and more enjoyable. Overall, the conference was a fantastic experience that gave me a clearer understanding of the medical profession and the application process.
