Some thoughts on Interviews.

• You must be very well informed on both your A' level core syllabus and scientific current affairs. Keep a scrapbook of newspaper articles and journal reprints.

• Knowledge about your chosen institutions course structure and teaching styles is essential. If this is not clear from a thorough reading of the prospectus prior to the interview this can make a good question for your interviewers at the end of the interview.

• Plan ahead almost exactly what you are going to say during the interview, irrespective of the questions you may be asked.

• Your responsibility during the interview is to make the interviewer interested in you; your responses should make an interesting, good and true story, full of appeal.

• At the end of the interview you want the interviewer to write in her notes, "This is an impressive candidate - we must offer her a place at this institution" you may achieve this impression by preparation, clarity and honesty.

• Make sure that you create 'thinking time' before speaking any response.

• Answer the question, don't just shotgun the air with nice sounding vocabulary which seems relevant.

• Be prepared to mould, trim or spin a question so that you can emphasise a slightly more engaging fringe connection to a question, which is what the interviewer really wanted from you anyway.

• Always be prepared for a Dr. Nice and Dr. Nasty interview approach.

• Do not respond to aggressive interviewing techniques with aggressive answering.

• It is sometimes quite impressive to admit that a question is hard - and then having shown the pathway of your thinking to come to an agreeable answer.

• Universities are expecting a divergent thinker; when reasoning and expressing opinions, provide several approaches or possibilities to the same question, and avoid expressing one obvious opinion, you should be seen to have a mind open to many points of view but also be able to express which one you might consider to be best.

• Be prepared to have the tables turned on you with a radically different interviewing approach e.g. the interviewer invites you to interview him! For example "Ask me something interesting - scientifically speaking"

• Make sure you know how to brainstorm topics that are likely to turn up.

• Questions may be designed to test your observational skills, remain alert and lively.

• Consider the more quirky questions from the interview response forms and how you would think your way out of something similarly off the wall.

• When you have been asked a question try to think why it may have been asked, what sort of response in terms of style, thought and information would be most appropriate.

• Make sure you have two or three excellent questions of your own which you can present.

• It is useful to have some project/ prize essay on a topic of your interest and relating to university courses to talk about convincingly with enthusiasm.

• Remember that the interview is a personal performance, make it an honest one but an impressive one, strive to highlight your strengths.

• The interviewer may be apprehensive/ bored with interviewing aim to make your responses ones that will put the interviewer at ease/ interested.

• Answer the question which has been asked, yet aim later to expand some side issues which suit you better.

• Even if the question "There are five more candidates for this place why should I offer you the place in preference to them?" is not asked - have you put in a performance that will give you the place?

• Think about your entrance and departure from the interview, your appearance, your deportment, eye contact and vision lines, occupation of you hands, clarity of your speech and organisation of response.

• Get your journey out of your system before the interview and make sure that you warm up beforehand, read a paper for instance and talk matters over with someone.

• An interviewer may be the person who would teach you for three years if you gain entry, they should enjoy developing ideas with you over the course of the interview

 

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Questions to ask at Open Days.

To Dons / Fellows:

• How many hours of lectures/ practicals per week?

• How are theory and practical sides of the course assessed?

• What is the scope for fieldwork/ business/ enterprise/ other institution experience?

• Is there a research project/ literature survey/ dissertation?

• Where are the best library/ computer facilities for this course?

• How flexible is the course, are there many options, is it easy to change between them?

• What level of supervision do I get? Apart from lectures are there seminars, one to one sessions etc.?

• Is there a reading week?

• Am I allowed to get part time work?

• What is the view on GAP years?

• Do you interview applicants?

• Is there funding for subject related expeditions during the summer?

To undergraduates:

• What is the teaching/ lecturing like?

• Is it well supported with handouts or is there much library work?

• How often do you complete essays/ write ups/ assignments/ presentations?

• Are the college/ faculty/ university libraries good, enough copies, range of periodicals, long hours?

• What is the accommodation like over 3/4/5 years, price, quality, distance?

• How flexible is the institution if I have problems within the course/ want to change course?

• How good is the students' union at representing your views?

• How good is the students' union at providing services and laying on ents?

• What is the theatre/ cinema/ concert/ comedy/ gig scene like?

• What sports are available?

• What are societies like? Is it easy to set up your own?

• What is the beer/ food like? Is it near accommodation/ expensive/ wide range?

• What is transport (bikes/ buses/ cars) like?

• Is the atmosphere very politically correct?

• Have you needed to but a lot of books?

 To yourself:

• Do I want to spend 3/4/5 years doing this course with these fellows and students in this location with this atmosphere with the facilities and opportunities available?

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The skills of a Science Graduate:

• Specialist knowledge

Transferable skills:

• Fieldwork
• Research projects
• Report writing
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Analytical
• Problem solving
• Numeracy
• Organisational
• Statistics
• Computing
• Conceptual ability
• Multidisciplinary approach

Destinations of a Science Graduate:

• 40% of all career destinations are taken up by any graduate
• Research and development
• Medical lab/ Scientific Officer
• Teaching
• Medical/ Pharmaceutical sales
• Ecological work
• Science publishing
• Patents
• Regulatory organisations
• Consultancies

The right angle:

• Know your own interests
• Clear motivation
• Broad range of real interaction
• Contacts and experience

(As defined by the Oxford and Cambridge Careers Advisory Services)

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Medicine as a career

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Applying for Medicine

Those choosing the medical career-track require - according to the BMA - compassion, resourcefulness, boundless energy and perseverance. (See also Appendix A.)

Currently, competition for places at medical schools is still stiff, with 11,336 applicants chasing 4,900 places (i.e. 2.3 applicants per place). This may be softened by the fact that there will be 300 more places in 1999 – 2000 spread pro rata around the Medical Schools. Also, applications for medicine were 9% down in 1998 - 1999.

Most provincial Medical Schools require AAB, though it is still possible to secure an ABB offer from Schools such as Imperial and QMW (Barts).

Candidates must have Chemistry and usually one other Science. About 90% of those going up to read Medicine have Biology. Some Medical Schools prefer it, and Nottingham has just made it compulsory from 2001 entry.

Most Medical Schools are now more relaxed about the third A-level, and Art has been accepted at Imperial and St George’s, whilst both Ancient history and history have been accepted at Cambridge. Sheffield accept General Studies! However, doing 4 A levels is not likely to result in a lower offer: points offers are not given - it’s performance in 3 A levels taken at one sitting that matters. Three good grades in three different subjects is what’s needed.

Candidates for 2000 Entry will only be allowed 4 Medical School applications – though they can add two other courses to fill the six spaces without prejudice. For a truly committed candidate who is taking a gap, it seems that our advice should be to put down just four Medical choices. It will now be even more foolhardy for a weak candidate to put down an Oxbridge choice, because she will then be effectively limiting herself to three Medical Schools.

For 2000 Entry the deadline for Medical applications will be October 15.

Girls must try to ensure that they fulfil the criteria for GCSE grades, A-level predictions and work experience, otherwise they may well be trawled out by office staff in the Admissions Office and never reach the Admissions Panel/Admissions Tutor’s in-tray. For example, at St George’s, performance above the following two academic threshold criteria guarantees an interview:

- at GCSE, candidates must have 25 points (A/A* = 3, B = 2, C = 1)

- at A Level, they must have predicted grades of at least ABB (AAA if retakes).

Girls should also be aware that the ratio of applicants to places varies enormously between medical schools (ranging from 3.9 to 26.5 : 1!). Nottingham is not recommended for this and other reasons.

Girls must have an appropriate range of work experience. Glamorous high-tech experience (e.g. open-heart surgery) arranged by parents can seem less impressive than more mundane opportunities which have been created by the student herself and which reveal an input of time and proven commitment. Many Faculties tend to expect some shadowing experience with a GP (they point out that everyone has a GP), some in hospital and some voluntary work (e.g. in hospices, old people’s homes and special schools). Talking to doctors and/or Medical Students was also recommended. Work experience isn’t something merely to be ticked off, however. What is important (and what will be sought from them at interview) is what girls got out of their experience, so they should keep a diary whilst doing it.

Girls should keep a dossier of clippings from newspapers on current issues in medicine and be aware of ethical issues.

Most Medical Schools now welcome deferred entry, but usually stipulate that it should be constructive (though not necessarily medical).

An excellent web-site for girls to visit is www.asme.org.uk. It has listings of all medical courses on offer. These do differ from place to place and it goes without saying that girls will be expected to know about the key defining features of the courses for which they have applied.

Appendix A

What do Medical schools look for?

Ability to communicate

(2/3 of all complaints against doctors arise from communication problems)

Evidence of commitment and motivation

Empathy and Sensitivity

Ability to make decisions

Ability to work collaboratively

Evidence of perseverance

Evidence of outside interests

For example, at St.George’s, interview panels consist of three doctors who make an independent assessment on five key areas, each marked out of 5:

Writing ability

(candidates are asked to write a short (200 word) essay on a topic such as: 'No man is an island - Discuss’; or, 'Children watch too much television' - discuss.)

Communication skills

Interest in medicine (including a 'recognition of the importance of research')

Extra-curricular interests (including evidence of perseverance)

Personal attitudes/attributes e.g. empathy/sensitivity/contribution to a team/ ability to make decisions

The panel then produces an average score out of 25.

Personal references from the School should emphasise, where possible, where a candidate has:

• shown a commitment to medicine, e.g. by attempting to find out about a medical career
• shown evidence of concern for the welfare of others, e.g. being involved in welfare work
• achieved in, and persevered with, extra-curricular activities, e.g. sports, music, hobbies, etc.
• any mitigating circumstances for poor GCSE grades

Suggested format for Potential Medics completing their UCAS Personal Statements (Section 10)

The admissions panels who sift through literally thousands of applications generally score you on two things: the strength of your academic performance (past GCSEs - usually 5 or more grade As required, especially in English, Maths and Sciences; predicted A-levels - ABB is a minimum, and will not be enough for some places) and the reports written by your Teachers and yourself. See also Joe Ruston's excellent book 'Getting into Medical Schools' (3^rd edn., 1996, pub. by Trotman)

It is a good idea if you try to make your application easy to read and assimilate. Many Admissions Officers look at the forms at the end of a long hard day or at the weekend, and might look at 40 - 50 at a time. For this reason, many of them (most?) favour the four headings that we suggest overleaf, and we strongly recommend bold sub-headings within sections to make it easy for them. So far as style is concerned, there is no need to be verbose or lyrical: clarity is the most important thing.

Do try to personalize what you write with specific events and details so that your personality comes through.

Where possible, try to emphasize and (where it makes sense) link the following aspects of your life in what you write:

• responsibility,
• leadership,
• self-motivation,
• initiative,
• commitment,
• stamina,
• contribution to community,
• ability to organize,
• ability to communicate, and
• ability to keep a number of balls in the air at once!
• Remember that UCAS forms are reduced to A5 (half life-size), so word processing makes a lot of sense, but don't have the font size too small (11.5 is about the limit; you are reading 10.5 at the moment!).
• It is crucial to keep a copy, because if you are interviewed then many questions will come out of your section 10. You will forget what you wrote if you don't, and you don't want to be caught unawares! In fact, see Section 10 as a way of writing down an agenda for the interview. Remember that you may be quizzed on trivial items if you include them!
• On work experience, remember that dates, places and some idea of what was involved are crucial. You might also mention how you arranged the work experience (especially if you arranged it yourself) and how it affected you at the time. By the way, it should be mentioned that work experience with younger doctors is more valuable than with older ones, all things being equal. Work experience shouldn't be all of the hi-tech glamorous kind, either.

In what follows, the following key applies: Headings/sub-headings in bold

Commentary in italics

Exemplar statements in normal type

For vets, all the above apply: remember that vets deal with people as well as animals!

Please feel free to use this format, but don't feel that you must be constrained by it if you think that there is a better way of presenting yourself. Do not copy slavishly any of the phrases - express yourself in your own words. Whatever you write must be true for you, but written from the best perspective!

 

Why Medicine?

Summary of reason for doing medicine: e.g. ''I want a career which is intellectually demanding and emotionally rewarding and am prepared to meet the challenge.''

Followed by, perhaps, an experience that attracted you towards medicine: e.g. ''I remember regular visits to my Uncle in hospital when he had a protracted bout of Spode-syndrome and remember being fascinated by hospital life. My work experience with disabled children and with my GP have been particularly rewarding and have thoroughly confirmed my view that medicine involves the hard work, team spirit and commitment I am looking for in a career.''

Work Experience and Exposure to Medicine

Remember to give dates, places and locations, what it involved (or how it affected you) and possibly how you arranged it;

GP's Surgery - July 1995: shadowed local doctor in Spode for one week.

Spode General Hospital - March 1996: I spent two days in each of the following departments: Paediatrics, ENT and Gastroenterology

Royal Spode Hospice - April 1996: I did voluntary work serving in a café for two weeks and was able to talk to a number of care staff and relatives

Spode Infants School - July, 1996: I arranged through a local Headmistress to help voluntarily with reading at my local Primary School for three weeks and was given responsibility for the progress of three pupils.

Spode Home for the Elderly - throughout 1995-6: I have made weekly visits to talk to elderly people as part of my School's social service programme, and have been talking to a lady suffering from Parkinson's Disease over the last six months.

Tyre Fitter - August, 1995 and 1996: I worked as a tyre-fitter at a local garage, hard physical work which I enjoyed.

Pharmacy - December/January, 1996/7: I served behind the counter at a pharmacy in Spodeville during a severe local flu epidemic.

Positions of Responsibility/ School Prizes

Responsibility, linked to leadership, self-motivation, organization is very important:

Captain of School Ludo: I led the school team to the Spodeshire Cup in 1996.

House Captain of Games: At my School, I organize all house sports teams, lead the senior Monopoly side and coach the younger girls in ludo.

Secretary of School Medical Society: I organize the nine meetings throughout the year and, as well as liaising with visiting doctors, have to propose a vote of thanks at the end of meetings.

Community Service: I organized and carried out a 3000ft parachute jump with a dozen friends in 1995 raising £2000 for Cystic Fibrosis Research.

Spode Prize: won prize for best essay on eighteenth century porcelain manufacture.

Hobbies and Interests/ Achievements in Extra-curricular Activities

Show that you will put more into medicine than just work, and as a doctor you will be able to relate well with others (e.g. patients or members of a health care team):

Acting: leading roles in school plays, e.g. Spode in ''Spode of Spode Hall'', Richard Spode in ''The Importance of being Spode'' and Sir Thomas Spode in ''A Plate for all Seasons''.

Music: play the barrel organ (grade 7) in the Spode Big Band and have been learning the bagpipes for the last six months, aiming to take grade 4 in summer 1997.

Athletics: run for Spode City AC and recorded a club record of 3' 45'' in the 100m in 1996. I hope to improve on this next year.

Finally, you can sign off with a short sentence, such as: All this has taught me to manage my time with discipline and has enabled me to achieve success and satisfaction in what I do.

Impressions from observing Imperial College Medical Interviews

Ten interviews were observed. Each interview lasted around 15 minutes, the panel comprising one admissions tutor (Dr. FG Harrison), a local GP (Dr J Stride), a lecturer from the pre-clinical course (Dr T Tetley) and a student representative. The general feel of each interview was very friendly and positive. All candidates were asked an "opener" about their GCSE grades and performance over the first year of A level courses. 9 of the 10 were predicted at least 3 A grades at A level. Questions asked could be allocated into groups; afew examples are shown below:

Work experience

Always discussed at length All applicants had many varied experiences - the stronger candidates had several long- term placements, for example at nursing homes, shelters for the mentally ill or homeless etc. as well as more standard job shadowing experience. The admissions tutor said afterwards that he was always impressed by experience with patients out of the students' normal social group - an ability to talk and relate to a wide variety of people was seen as a big plus. The GP was understandably impressed with any GP experience. He asked applicants about Primary Care groups and other issues in funding of primary care. Applicants were often asked what they gained from their experiences, what they enjoyed most, and what was the least attractive thing they experienced.

Ethical Questions

How would you cope at the bedside with a dying patient? Breast reduction on the NHS to an applicant with plastic surgery experience? Blood transfusion for a child with Jehovah's witness parents? Contraceptive pill for an unaccompanied 12 year old girl? How would you cope with a suicidal patient? Problems of transplant operations for heavy smokers? What do patients expect of their doctor?

Why Imperial?

Applicants were questioned about why they had chosen Imperial. Imperial runs an intercalated BSc as standard as well as a "Systems" based course which allows patient contact from week 1. The panel were keen on applicants who demonstrated a scientific enthusiasm for doing a degree as well as medical study. Candidates who had also applied for non-medical courses were asked what they would do if they didn't get in to Med School. The expected answer was definitely to try again next year, or pursue a future career in medicine as a post-graduate. Evidence of a sound commitment to medicine was a requirement. Several candidates were not offered places as they were perceived as being too scientific in attitude. An enthusiasm for dealing with people was expected.

"Personal Questions"

e.g. How would you cope with the stresses of a long, difficult course? What extra-curricular activities do you want to do at Imperial? What would you do if you get behind with your work? What is the most difficult thing about a degree course? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a future medical student? The panel were trying to find out how committed the applicant was to medicine, and how realistic they are about the demands of the course.

After an opportunity for the student to ask any questions the interview was terminated. All the panel filled in a report sheet grading applicants on a variety of areas - work experience, suitability for the course, maturity, levels of nervousness, confidence, communication etc. A space existed for comments and then each panel member grade the applicant either O (offer), W (waiting list) or R (reject). A consensus was then reached usually with the admissions tutor having the final say.

Overall Impression

All candidates had impeccable personal statements, fantastic GCSE grades and outstanding references. The girls in general interviewed much, much better than the boys. They were more relaxed, cheerful and mature. Many of the boys came across as dull, boring people and this certainly counted against them in the eyes of one of the panel.

All those applying should work hard at collecting a full set of work experience, really stress in interview their motivation for medicine as a career, understanding both the good and bad sides, and then try to make themselves interesting!! Being clever is simply not enough.

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