I'm in the process of applying to medicine and I've heard that it is important to do some extra-curricular reading. I've done some extra-reading on the immune system for example with online courses to put in my personal statement. For school I also am doing a project on ecosystems such as Galapagos. However I was wondering though what more could I and should I do to help me with my personal statement? For interviews I'm aware that they can ask questions about your understanding of current medical issues etc. so what would be the best thing to do to prepare for this?
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Jul 27, 2020
· Edited: Jul 27, 2020How much extra reading should be done to successfully apply for medicine ( for interviews and personal statement)?
How much extra reading should be done to successfully apply for medicine ( for interviews and personal statement)?
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Hey- firstly I want to say it is really great you are thinking about all these things- really shows your commitment towards medicine. My first piece of advice I would say is take everything step-by-step- focus first on the UCAT, then the personal statement, interviews and the offer. Because it is so easy to lose track of everything, and it becomes less daunting :).
But to answer your question, the extra-reading you have done on the immune system is brilliant because it shows your interests outside of the the scope of the curriculum and shows your enthusiasm towards the course- something which is great to show in your personal statement and interviews.
Nevertheless, it is essentially not about what you do, but what you have gained and learnt from each experience. You don't to have volunteered in some far flung place or did work experience in fancy laboratory. Medical schools want to find students that have the skills and traits that show they have the capabilities to become a successful medical student. So, think about what you believe makes a good medical student- what traits should a good med-student and future doctor possess. This could be from being empathetic, resilience or being a good listener: there are so many. Then go away and reflect upon what experiences you have, that best demonstrate that. This takes time, but is truly, so worthwhile. For instance , your project on the Galapagos shows your scientific curiosity, or your written communication skills- important attribute with a life-long learning degree like medicine.
Yeah I do agree with Hithin. its brilliant to see that you have taken the initiative to go beyond the syllabus taught in school. However, when it comes to interviews, while medical schools are concerned with what you have done, they also want to know more about what you have learnt from these experiences. I would suggest having a word document where you could write key takeaways you’ve learnt from your experiences. This would be an invaluable resource when it comes closer to your interview.
With the current medical issues- deffo recommend reading BBC News Health Section and Student BMJ consistently- this will help you understand the hot topics of the year in the NHS.
Definitely agree- in addition I tried to read up on the current situation with Junior doctors and the main principles of medicine (autonomy, beneficence, justice and non-maleficence) because I heard they could come up as questions in interviews.
For interviews, it's great to be aware of the recent changes to the NHS and general medical headlines
What I did was I downloaded news apps to my phone, the BBC News app(health section) is great likewise Medscape is a really good app too, it has the latest UK medical stories and changes to NHS guidelines as well as coverage on clinical trials amongst many other things.
I would also recommend
- NHS England news (Website) and Student BMJ
Hi. That's a great question and I definitely agree with everyone else, it sounds like you're doing a great job taking your learning beyond the classroom. Keep this going. If you're looking for anything extra then I'd recommend making the most of all the webinars and online talks happening these days. The British Society of Immunology have got some webinars coming up if you're enjoying your immunology reading. And the Royal Society of Medicine have got some webinars have some coming up as well. So keep an eye out for anything that you think you might be interested in. I think that's the main thing - read whatever you think you'll enjoy and want to learn about (could be talks, podcasts, books, articles etc.) Just show that your enthusiastic about Medicine and you enjoy learning.
Hi! A little late to the party but I'll still chime in!
In terms of research articles, I think a really good topic for you to focus on are the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine trials or the use of epidemiology in contact tracing. This can demonstrate both an understanding of medical research and how to evaluate research sources sources (important for evidence based medicine). It's also a relevant issue worldwide!
Thanks for replying that seems good I could have a look at that. If I were to look into vaccine trials etc regarding Covid-19 would that be useful to put in my personal statement or is it more for medical interviews?
I would say both! It shows your genuine interest in other areas of medicine such as research and also shows that you're keeping up to date with current events. If you decide to add it in your personal statement remember that you shouldn't be writing facts but how medical research has inspired you personally to apply to study medicine
I recommend reading that pushes you to consider topics from alternative viewpoints, it doesn’t necessarily have to be about current medical issues, but they’ll help your analysis and ability to think outside the box! One such book that did this for me is When Breath Becomes Air :)
The extra reading you have done so far is really good it shows scientific interest
I think it is definitely a nice addition to a personal statement, to write about any extra reading you’ve done whether that’s books, magazines, journals, articles, research papers, it can help you stand out.
Make sure to reflect on the extra reading you choose to write about in your personal statement, explain what you learnt, or what in particular stood out for you.