My name is Nazifa and I’m a 1st year Medic at the University of Oxford. To preface this and shed some light on why I have titled this blog as ‘Being Different’ – I am a Muslim, first generation, disability identifying, Bangladeshi student from a widening participation background. Now let me explain why that is all so positive and how to harness your uniqueness as an asset and not a perceived disadvantage in your application, time at medical school and beyond.
How did you get involved in Medic Mentor and why?
But first, here is some background on me and Medic Mentor. I first got involved with Medic Mentor (MM) in year 11 (I think?… it genuinely feels like so long ago!). My initial experience with MM was attending a Get Into Medicine Conference where I learnt about all parts of the application process and really, was welcomed into the MM Family. I followed up the conference with pretty thorough combing through of the MM website and discovered the different opportunities available. This was so important to me because my school was unable to support me in my application.
What were you most scared of/worried about when it came to applying to medical school?
I know it is such a cliche to say that I have wanted to do Medicine since I was a child but it really is true in my case! I have uncovered my primary school leavers book where year 6 Nazifa wrote in scruffy writing under ‘When I grow up I want to be…’ two words.
‘A Doctor’.
It’s safe to say that until thus far, that passion has lived on. But, that is not to say that there were no obstacles in that journey. My biggest challenge was likely something almost intrinsic – a little phenomena coined ‘Impostor Syndrome’. Discussion on Impostor Syndrome could warrant its own blog article so to summarise in my own words; it is the unwelcomed feeling of doubting yourself and your achievements, often accompanied by atelophobia.
Impostor Syndrome is ironically not an impostor among Medical School applicants, Medical students or Medical professionals. And where a sufferer can be quick to acknowledge the good works of others, the same person may require almost empirical evidence to support celebration of their own achievements.
Describe your experience of the Awards Programme
The Awards Programme encouraged me to engage in activities that all form a key part in developing a strong application to Medicine. It was helpful to have set criteria to meet which laid the groundwork for what I needed to do!
Describe your experience of the Summer School
Ah, the MM Summer School of 2021. This was an experience that helped shaped not only my application but also myself. I will not be shy in saying that I literally did not know anyone in my cohort and was planning to complete the week without talking to anyone unless necessary. Thankfully, a lovely peer approached me on the first day and introduced me to her friends and I quickly integrated into their group. The friends I made at Summer School I still have contact with to this day and I am very happy to say that we got into Medical School together 🙂
The Summer School offered holistic support and resources that many would struggle to gather themselves. It was delivered in a timely manner and was supplemented with mentor leadership. During the jam-packed experience I completed the bulk of my personal statement, had mock interviews, took part in team building exercises and got to play splat 😀
I remember writing my personal statement conclusion at the Summer School and having Dr Ehsan read it and remark that it is ‘so cute’ with a beaming smile on his face from which I gathered his approval. For reference, here is an excerpt from the conclusion:
“Becoming the ‘ideal doctor’ is a chimera but being able to contribute to the NHS is rewarding enough. Despite the stress, workload and pressure that come along with a medical career, I am eager to cultivate a craft which would last a lifetime and from which I can learn daily.”
Also, for all my fellow widening participation students – MM does kindly offer full scholarships to fund limited places at Summer School. I am very grateful to have received one!
Describe your experience of writing personal statements, what was difficult and what helped?
To elaborate further on personal statements I want to acknowledge that it can seem like an absolutely mammoth task until you break it down. I find that for most students the problem is either getting started or the actual content itself.
For me, the personal statement was an opportunity to show my potential beyond grades. My personal statement was less of an academic account and was more of an insight into my experiences. It was laced with the things that make me different. I discussed my ethnicity in the context of predisposed conditions and touched on my disability as a form of self awareness. Your personal statement is what you make of it and the best advice I have is to know that it is a personal statement. Others can give you advice but it is ultimately going to be you who writes it – so go with your gut feeling!
I like to see the personal statement as three units. The first unit is the introduction where you detail why you want to study Medicine. The second unit is the body and bulk that includes your supporting experiences. The third and final unit is the conclusion where you round off with your suitability for Medicine.
Essentially – why Medicine, what I have done for Medicine, why me. Here is roughly how I did it:
- Bullet point any possibly relevant experiences (eg. work experience, volunteering, wider reading, super curriculars, research etc.)
- Near each point write the transferable/soft skills associated with the activity
- Start with writing the body by expanding on your points
- Follow a reflective cycle (eg. Gibbs) if that helps you
- Each experience should in a nutshell say what happened in the experience, what you learnt from it and how you applied that later on
- Writing your conclusion should be a bit easier now and is a chance to include any extracurriculars/ hobbies
- Finally, write your introduction (I know it seems backwards to write this last but I think it works!) which should be a short, succinct insight into your motivation to study Medicine
Describe your experience of preparing for the UCAT, what was difficult and what helped?
The admissions tests were undeniably for me the most academically challenging part of the application. The UCAT especially is so abstract (there is literally a section titled ‘Abstract Reasoning’) that just looking at questions could throw me off.
For this exam I would advise learning the ‘theory’ of the content before diving deep into exam questions. For the UCAT there are plenty of PDF guides available which walk you through each section and introduce you to specific exam techniques, like using the on-screen calculator efficiently. Once you are strong with the approach you’d like to use to tackle questions you can start with practice questions.
Describe your experience of preparing for the interviews, what was difficult and what helped?
The interviews were genuinely one of the best parts of the application because they go beyond a profile of you on paper. The interviews are you as you want to present yourself. This was the opportunity I seized to further harness my individuality and showcase what I have to offer the profession.
Being different meant I was able to present the case of Muslim specific intersectionality that directly impacts healthcare outcomes. Being different meant I was in a position to discuss the first hand impact of socioeconomic healthcare disparities and how members of my community were unable to receive the medical care they seeked because of it. Being different meant I could offer perspective on having a disability yet being more than able to function and excel beyond mere function. Being different meant I could unapologetically be me and show its merits.
I would like to note that unlike what most people think – being different is not a bad thing. It might be uncomfortable but it holds the potential for a lot. And in the same way that being alone is not the same as being lonely, I see this difference and this standing out as an opportunity for exploration, discovery and growth.
Describe your experience of preparing for school exams, what was difficult and what helped?
School exams can be stressful. It is really important to have something to help you manage your stress and adopt as a cathartic coping mechanism. This ensures you are able to maintain your health during the turbulent time that is exam season. For me, my religion was and is so so central in my everyday life. Exams or not – it was always something I had and gave me an unmatched level of peace and contentment I can only fail to put into words. I am so grateful for it and hope that you, the reader, can discover what you need to support yourself as an applicant, a Medical student and generally.
And of course, for practical exam advice – past papers. Everyone says it and that’s because it shouldn’t go unnoticed! Complete papers, mark them, review and analyse your results. Make a plan to revise your weak areas and then have at it again. Keep going until you’re at a mark you are happy with.
And please take care of yourself!
Why did you choose to apply for the scholarship programme?
At Medical School, pretty much everyone has a similar academic profile to you. I wanted to seek something beyond and take the opportunity to become a well rounded medical student. The scholarship programme offered at MM proposed exactly that.
Additionally, being so well acquainted with MM given my previous experiences with them just served as icing on top of the cake. I am now approaching the end of my first year as a Scholar and it has been a fabulous experience! We really are our own little community and everyone supports everyone as best we can.
Special mention to our Chief Mentors who appear to seamlessly arrange the ins and outs of the programme for us. All the while being so approachable and welcoming to each and every one of us. The MM scholarship community has fostered a thriving environment characterised by the diversity of its members and the individual skill sets they have to offer.
How have you found being a medical student?
If I had to summarise my first year at the University of Oxford in one word it would be ‘unfamiliar’.
Being in such a new environment where my learning was suddenly a lot more independent than what I was used to was quite a shock to my usual academic regime. At university I was largely expected to make the most of the resources given to me but with the caveat that is at the use of my own discretion. I found that this posed a challenge for me given my usual tendency to just follow whatever advice I am given by a teacher. However, this has proven a great learning experience for me and enabled me to equip the relevant tools needed for further efficient and interesting study engagement. I have learnt that I am able to take the reigns in my own learning which was previously a role assumed by my subject teachers. This gives me more room to exercise autonomy in what I learn and makes the process a lot more viable because it doesn’t feel like a chore – instead it really is something that I am interested in!
As expected, the workload at medical school is something that a 17 year old UCAS applying Nazifa would not have anticipated. I think one of the best ways I can put it is the workload of A Level biology doubled, at three times speed … and on steroids. Nonetheless, I would like to highlight that I would not change my decision to study here. The content we cover is a lot more appealing to me than previous teaching during A Levels where I would sometimes fail to see the point behind rote learning (*cue the Calvin cycle*). We also had a few GP placements in our first year where I got to observe patient-doctor interactions and put into practice my scientific learning. For me, this is particularly important because Oxford operates a pre-clinical/ clinical split whereby we have very little clinical experience in the first three years of the course. This helped me in staying connected to my initial ‘why medicine’ and not lose touch of the clinical aspect of Medicine.
Do you have any advice for Parents/ Teachers?
Parents and teachers! Please support your students in all domains. That means academically, pastorally and whatever more a student may need. A common pitfall is to only offer A Level or UCAS support and neglect pastoral need.
The Medicine application can be excruciating for some and alongside exams it runs the risk of declining mental and physical health. Every student requires holistic support. Please do not neglect the dire importance of the applicant’s own health. After all, a student can’t be expected to care for others if they cannot care for themself first.
