Quick Introduction
Hey guys! I hope you’re all well. My name is Sarayu and I’m a second year medical student at Keele University. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and hopefully you may take away a thing or two to help you on your application journey. I went to an all through state school (from reception to sixth form) so I’m not your typical grammar or private school student, and I’m sure there are lots of you like me out there too! So, I hope this post gives you some motivation and some tips to encourage you to keep going and grab that dream place at medical school.
My Medic Mentor (MM) journey began just before the COVID-19 lockdown in Feb/March 2020 where I attend a Get Into Medicine (GIM) conference with my family. My sixth form teacher forwarded me an email about this free conference which I signed up to straight away. Now that I have been part of the MM family for a while and have partaken in numerous experiences with them, it truly feels wonderful to give back and learn more through my time as a scholar; it is quite a special team to be in.
Applying to medical school is a big step and it is something you should be so proud of! I feared rejection, BIG TIME! It is such a common feeling to have, as medicine is a competitive course; it’s a waiting game for those offers/interviews to come through. But even getting one offer is such a BIG achievement, so don’t forget that! The period of waiting for those interviews and offers during my application cycle really impacted me as it was difficult to see people from other courses around me getting their offers so quickly, and I was still waiting (despite being one of the first to apply). But you just have to hold onto the hope that you have done the best you can and try and focus your energy and attention onto things that could benefit you further – such as school mock exams or interview practice so you are locked and loaded when that interview invite come through! I also want to emphasise here the importance of having a support group around you – parents, friends, teachers etc. that you can talk to about your feelings, ideas and thoughts. It’s so important to discuss these things with people you trust as it can provide you with different perspectives and take some of the weight off you that you could be feeling.
My Medic Mentor experiences as an applying student
As mentioned before, the GIM was my family’s first exposure to the field of Medicine. We came out the conference with SO much information, and our heads were buzzing! However, it gave us more direction on our journey and was a really motivating day. I would recommend going as it such a fabulous starting point to help you and your family get on the same page when it comes to starting the application journey. To get the most out of this experience, it is really important to engage with the questions and activities that are asked by our Chief Mentors. Also, remember to ask the presenters (some of whom will be scholars like me) any questions you have! Remember, we were all in the same position as you so it’s beneficial learning from the experience of others.
The awards programme for me was a great initiative which gave me guidance/direction to undertake a variety of opportunities to support my application. This was something I joined directly after being told about it at the GIM. I personally enjoyed completing my awards programme as it allowed me to ensure I was making my application the best it could be and provided me with the opportunity to try out lots of new activities – some which put me out of my comfort zone and therefore benefitted my personal development. Try to score the top band in each activity by looking carefully at the marking criteria and ensuring you follow all the listed steps.
Summer school is definitely one of my core memories with Medic Mentor so far – as I’m sure many scholars would agree. It was a fun experience of living independently, meeting new people in the same boat as you but also making some great progress with regards to your medicine application. A particular stand out memory for me was the mock interview circuits which was my first experience to the great medicine interview – slightly nerve-wracking but was so valuable and enjoyable in the end! My experience of summer school has inspired me to provide my support as a scholar at the medicine summer school in the summer of 2023, and give back by mentoring the next generation of aspiring medical students. If you are planning to join us this summer in London, then I’m looking forward meeting some of you there!
The Medicine Application
Let’s talk personal statements. Whenever I read my personal statement, I must admit I do sometimes well up a little! For me, it is the purest and best piece of written work I have done and has such important significance. It details my passion behind why medicine is for me and reminds me of where I started! It is difficult to specifically select what experiences you want to highlight as you want to showcase absolutely everything! But multiple efforts of filtering through experiences, discussions with parents and teachers, and lots of drafts are a must when it comes to producing the best personal statement. Ultimately, you will produce an amazing piece writing which details your journey and the steps you have taken which is so wholesome to read at the end. The biggest tip regarding personal statements for me is to ensure you are constantly reflecting about what you learnt from a particular experience and importantly, how that will help you become a good doctor. Reflection is KEY!
Moving onto the admissions tests. These require some good quality preparation using the right resources. MM do an excellent job of analysing and promoting the best resources for admissions tests prep each year, so make sure to be on the look out for those when the time arrives. Essentially practice makes perfect. Ensure to practice under timed conditions as soon as you have mastered the basic techniques and question types you will come across and remember to have confidence in yourself when it come to test day. Follow the normal test day etiquette as you would do with any other exam to ensure you are extra prepared.
This may sound slightly cringy, but I loved medicine interviews. They were my favourite part of the application process because you can show representatives of your dream medical school your actual personality, rather than the grades and academic record they have seen so far. Just like admissions test, you need to practice articulating your answers to many people. I used to practice with my parents in the living room on random evenings and every instance of practice and feedback really pays off! Remember to organise lots of mock interviews and get a variety of feedback from different people. Note that people that interview you could just be members of the lay public as well so any practice you get is useful. I found that having a large bank of interview questions that I collated really helped me as I could randomly select a few for practice.
The final hurdle to cross before you can confirm your place is of course smashing those A-Levels. Preparing for exams can have different impacts on each person. I found that one way that allowed me to do well in school exams is through planning. For me, it is through timetabling and blocking out periods of time to complete certain tasks, and also scheduling in other non-academic activities too (e.g. going to the gym, cooking dinner etc.) It is difficult to start, but a top tip would be to plan your day the night before with all the tasks you want to complete and what specific times you will do them. That way, you will be mentally inclined to stick to a schedule and complete your tasks! It is difficult to start with but becomes so helpful when you get going. I still find that planning your revision, exam practice etc. provides structure to your routine and ensures you can cover all bases to the best of your ability. A-Levels can seem very overwhelming at first, but with the right approach to exams, it is very manageable. Easier said than done I know, but it’s possible! I still use a lot of the revision techniques I used at A-Level today at medical school too.
Before I started medical school, I applied for MM’s scholarship programme. The reason I applied for this was because I still wanted to continue my journey with MM and find ways to develop my skills whilst at medical school. It also gives me the opportunity to mentor aspiring students which I find really enjoyable. Do take up the opportunity if you are interested! You also get to meet and work with scholars at different universities too, and this is another aspect which I love about the programme.
Where I am at now and some final tips!
Medical school has been so amazing so far. Yes, it has been tough at points, but I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and can’t wait for Year 2! It has been great meeting so many new friends and living the life that I dreamt of as an applying student (corny but true!). It has only been one year, but I have learnt so much already and I’m excited to further develop my knowledge in the coming years. University life has also been enjoyable and has allowed me to try lots of new experiences too.
Finally, some words of advice for parents and teachers. My advice for parents and teachers is to ensure that you are involved in your child or student’s journey as much as possible. Ask them how they are feeling and try to understand what’s involved in the application so you can all be on the same page. That way, it feels like you are going through this together as a team. My parents and school teachers were a big support during my application and I found that because we were all on the same level, it became easier to communicate thoughts and ideas between us.
Thank you for reading once again!
