Applying to medical school

Applying for a university place is not an easy ordeal. It can sometimes feel like jumping over a series of hurdles. However, applying for medicine makes things a bit more complicated. With thousands of applicants applying for a few hundred places, it is easy to feel as though the hurdles never end.

It is common knowledge that good AS and A level grades are necessary for a good medical school application, but in the face of such intense competition, stellar exam scores alone are far from sufficient. The ideal candidate will also have undertaken a period of work experience, which could be voluntary work, shadowing a medical professional in a clinical setting, or preferably, a mixture of both.  In addition, good communication skills, empathy and sound ethical judgment are only a few of the qualities that successful students have.

Anyone that has been through the medical school application process will agree that performance in entrance exams play an important role in the success of a student’s application. Impressive scores are not easy to achieve. It requires a great deal of practice and time management. The good news is that many Concord students perform very well in these exams. The secret to this is very simple; a lot of hard work.

Even though the application process is daunting, I believe that the college provides more than enough information and support to give students the best possible chance at obtaining a place at medical school. From ethical discussions to interview preparation workshops, the support has been remarkable. For that reason, it is not surprising to see the impressive numbers of students that are accepted on medical programmes every year. With the help of the college, and the encouragement of fellow students, I am sure that nearly everyone will find success in the end!

Naomi Morka, 6.2