1. Be honest with yourself It is so important to be honest with yourself and realistic in terms of the goals you set. For example; if you know you are a procrastinator, set yourself a deadline before the real deadline, this in turn prompts you to get started much earlier and relieve stress in the long run. Identify where you’re wasting time and try not to multitask when you have to focus, complete one task at a time and be realistic in terms of the time you set to each task; some tasks require quality completion rather than speedy completion. 2. Work smarter, not harder Rather than being rigid in how you approach tasks, try and be thoughtful and always ask yourself if something can be done more efficiently or eliminated altogether and try to find more solutions. Managing your time isn’t about squeezing as many tasks into your day as possible. It’s about simplifying how you work, doing things faster, and relieving stress – essentially it is being more productive! There really are enough hours in a day for everything you’d like to do, but it may take a bit of rearranging and re-imagining to find them. 3. Prioritise Try to sort tasks by must, should and want meaning things you must do, things you should do and things you want to do. The musts are crucial to complete so do those first. Another good way of organising tasks that need to be done is by categorising them into: Important and urgent Important but not urgent Urgent but not important Not urgent and not important 4. Learn to say no Your time is precious. Don’t waste it on people and projects that don’t align with your mission and goals. If you value your own time, others will learn to value it to. Don’t take on more than you can handle. For the distractions that come in when you’re doing other things, give a firm no. Or defer it to a later period. 5. Avoid Distractions What’s distracting you? Messages? Phone ringing? Flatmates? Try turning your phone over, giving to a friend to look after or switching it off altogether. Calls during this time are recorded and you can easily contact them afterwards if it’s something important and this will help you to concentrate better. Close the apps you aren’t using. Close the tabs in your browser that are taking away your attention. Focus solely on what you’re doing. You’ll be more efficient that way. If your friends are distracting you, try going to the library silent area. 6. Give yourself time limits This means restricting your work to X amount of time, this provides a greater amount of structure as well as prevents you from overworking yourself. By setting time constraints for these items, you will focus more and work more efficiently. Aim to complete tasks early. When you target to be on time, you’ll either be on time or late. Most of the times you’ll be late. However, if you target to be early, you’ll most likely be on time. For appointments, strive to be early. For your deadlines, submit them earlier than required. To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. To be late is to be unacceptable. 7. Plan Ahead Try and plan the night before or the morning after to give you a clear idea of what needs to be done. Writing a To-Do List is a great way to make progress visible for yourself, once completed this establishes the feeling of accomplishment. Revisit your accomplishments from the tasks previously set and congratulate yourself on your successes. This review period will increase your confidence and help you create the next to-do list. To-do Lists also direct your focus and make you aware of what you are working towards, they also provide a challenge. 8. Take breaks The human brain can only focus for about 90-minutes at a time. Schedule a break at least every 90 minutes to avoid burnout and maintain high productivity throughout your day. Taking regular breaks allows you to recharge and replenish your energy, it also gives you time to reflect, what has worked well and what hasn’t gone quite so well giving you the opportunity to either change your approach or technique. Breaks give you time to relax and zone out as well as reward yourself. 9. Plan for the unexpected Sometimes things can come up that you may not have planned for so it is key to have contingency time. This could be an hour of your day that can be used to complete extra tasks that need to be done, if you have nothing extra to do then use it as a break. Additionally, try not to pack everything closely together. Leave a 5-10 minute buffer time in between each tasks. This helps you wrap up the previous task and start off on the next one. 10. Turn routine tasks into habits Routine tasks become habitual because they are manageable. Due to the fact that you are so used to doing particular tasks everyday or weekend you will rarely break this routine. Because of this, my mind is in the habit of doing the tasks and has the tendency to become quite natural and enjoyable. For most people, creating and following a routine lets them get right down to the tasks of the day rather than frittering away time getting started.

Have you ever been unable to sleep because you’re so motivated to achieve your goals but suddenly a grey cloud of doubt creeps in? The struggle to stay motivated is something I believe has confronted all of us in one way or another. In reality it is a constant battle; choosing to overcome complacency and continuously adopting the drive to achieve your goals is something we must all do to become successful. No matter what stage we are at in life, whether you work 9-5 days or have 3 lectures a week, we all need to be motivated. OUR TIPS FOR STAYING MOTIVATED Visualise your end goal/ Think of the bigger Picture What I like to do is remind myself of what I’m working towards by using visual aids. Vision Boards work for some people; posting pictures of things you aspire to attain in life and putting it in a visible place to draw inspiration and motivation for the day. A lot of my time is spent on my phone, so I use my wallpaper as my source of motivation. Because I run ‘Melanin Medics’ I use the logo as my background, it then reminds me of all I want to achieve in terms of graduating from Medical School and excelling in my career as well as my desire to impact people along the way, all of which I know can’t be done by being average and doing the bare minimum to get by. Seeing the logo constantly reminds me that I need to continuously work hard. Plan Write it down your goals, what you have to do to achieve them and when you plan to achieve them. A lot of the time we keep our To do List in our heads however it is easy to forget something or simply let something slide. Writing down what you need to do almost presents a challenge and allows you to recognise your achievements as well as makes you accountable to yourself and reevaluate your decisions. Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible People with written goals are 50% more likely to achieve than people without goals Celebrate the small victories With each completed goal whether big or small comes the motivation to achieve the next. Appreciating the result of your own efforts is important, a lot of goals go unaccomplished so take some time out to recognise your achievements and reward yourself. Have you ever taken a moment to realise that some of the goals you’ve previously achieved have set the foundation for where you are now? Remember why you started If you can remember why you started, then you will know why you must continue. When the going gets tough and life gets hard it’s so easy to want to quit. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people work through those down days. They don’t quit. Where do they get the motivation to keep going, even when it seems like their efforts are nonproductive? Your passion tends to be the reason you started which becomes your drive to reach your goals. Despite all odds then, you were able to start and despite all odds now, you’re able to keep going. Surround yourself with people that motivate you The type of people you keep around you is extremely important. On my down days I call one of my sister’s or one of my friends and I know they will be a source of motivation for me. Most of the time they don’t give me advice that I don’t already know within myself but what they help me to do is remind me of my goals, they divert my focus back to what I am working towards and do not allow me to stay down for too long. They also remind me of what I am capable of. Sharing your goals with a close ‘confide’ is proven to increase the chances of you achieving your goal Embrace Positivity Negative conversations will have you focused on all the wrong things and may take your focus off of your goals. Seek out positivity and don’t engage in negative conversations. Speak positive affirmations. Words have a creative force. Regardless of what is going on around you, speak out loud what you want to happen.  Read and listen to positive information. If you fill your mind with uplifting and inspiring information, it will keep you motivated. Learn from your mistakes Look back on your journey, remember the trials and tribulations you faced to get to the point you are at now. Every mistake has moulded you and subsequently influenced every decision you’ve made from that point onward. Conduct regular self-evaluations and examine how you handled situations and what you could do differently next time. We live, we learn and we move forward. Having the right company in place to help you is crucial to your success. Adopt an attitude of Expectancy Ever heard of the law of attraction? The Laws of Attraction means that the thoughts you focus on most and the emotions behind them draw more of the same to you. The thoughts and feelings that we have around our goals have everything to do with making them a reality. Expect Success, Attain Success! Trust yourself Too many people harbour the attitude that by not trying at all, they can totally eliminate the possibility of failure or disappointment. After all, if you don’t believe that you can succeed at something, what’s the point in trying? Lack of self-belief is arguably the biggest motivation killer of all. You are more than capable. If you have achieved goals before, there is nothing stopping you from achieving them again. The truth is even with all of these tips to help you stay motivated, the true source of motivation is really within yourself. You hold the key to success and have to choose to push through on those down days. Motivation is subjective and you need to find what works for you.

As you make the monumental transition from classroom years to clinical years, we wanted to make sure you are prepared, by equipping you with all the knowledge needed to thrive within this next stage of your studies. You’re at a time where you will experience a drastic change in learning style and will practically be working a full time job only for you to be paid in terms of experience. You will be challenged with more responsibility and will have the opportunity to treat real patients, where many of the cases you witness very rarely go by the book. The two main purposes of clinical training are to learn how to actually take care of patients by putting into practise all you’ve been taught thus far and to help you develop your professional identity as a doctor. So get ready for this great learning curve to say the least as you’re one step closer to becoming a doctor.  Here is a list of all our tips and advice: Be Proactive If there are specific things you want to achieve, make your interests known, be vocal. This is your opportunity to experience multiple specialities so make the most of it. Be confident and do not be afraid to ask questions. Take the opportunities presented to you and use them as a chance to practise necessary skills. Interact with patients It is incredibly important for you to build rapport with your patients, patient interaction is a large component of medicine and it is better you develop this skill sooner rather than later. Spending extra time with your patients to learn something new or valuable about them is essential in understanding how to interact with different types of personalities and more about the patients condition. Each patient interaction provides you with the ability to learn something new, if you pay attention and make the most of any free time you may have. Interact with healthcare professionals & show respect Building good relationships with your seniors is crucial, Foundation Year 1 doctors tend to be really helpful as they are fresh out of medical school and have a good idea of what standard you should be at and are a great source of tips and advice. Be sure to ask for regular feedback, your strengths, areas you need to improve and suggestions on how can improve yourself. Building rapport with senior doctors can also provide you with many opportunities in research or placements and you additionally ask for letters of recommendation/ references. Strike a good balance between passing exams and “learning to be a doctor”, as well as book work and ward work. Your workload is set to increase so it is extremely important not to neglect your book work. Equally do not neglect your clinical skills, hence why it is important to find the right balance to ensure you excel in each aspect. Keep both the immediacy of your exams and your future job as a doctor when you’re deciding what to learn. Listen and take notes We strongly suggest that you carry a small notebook and a pen with you to record things that interest you. Make notes on things you’ve seen in clinical situations, preferably some time during the same week; medical facts stick in your mind easier when you can link them to a real human being that you’ve seen. Write down your experiences, any questions you may have or extra knowledge regarding your learning outcomes. By recording a variety of things, you can look back in the future and acknowledge and appreciate your professional and personal growth. Know your goals It is highly beneficial to know what you’re working towards, find out exactly what you need to have done/ achieved by the end of the placement. Knowing what is expected and how you will be assessed is very important and means that there are no distasteful surprises further down the line. Moreover, ensure you have determined what you personally want to gain from the placement, e.g: becoming better at taking histories or becoming more confident at a skill for example; taking bloods. Once you have established your own personal goals, think about how you can achieve these goals and then go for it! Read around cases you witness/ your patients conditions This is a great way for you to impress your senior colleagues, consolidate your knowledge and feel more confident when on ward rounds. Even after a long, busy day aim to study at least an hour a day; set a reading goal/ daily reading assignment and establish an organised structure of topics you need to cover. Reading around cases you encounter will enable you to answer any questions asked by your senior and when presenting your patients’ cases be clear, concise and precise. Read your patients  medical histories, physician notes and review labs and other diagnostics tests. Do not expect every doctor to be a teacher or to teach you well Remember you are working in a high stress, fast-paced environment so not every doctor will be able to fully explain every situation to you or answer your questions immediately. Not every doctor is trained to teach so learn to be self-sufficient. It is also important to read your environment, try not to get in the way at the wrong time and help where you can;  you may be dealing with a life or death situation and you do not want to obstruct and slow the team down. Keep a balanced life Make sure your entire life does not revolve around medicine, do not neglect any stress-relieving activities you have developed over the years, enjoying life is equally as important as enjoying medicine. Life can become a whirlwind and get very busy but make sure that you make time for the important people in your life and your hobbies. Having non-medic friends is beneficial as they can keep you in the real world, help take your mind of medicine for a period of time and make your life more well-rounded as a whole. This will help you maintain your sanity during the most stressful times and is a very important skill to hone so you can carry it with you into your future career. Be aware of your abilities As important as it is to be confident in your abilities and trust that your medical school’s curriculum will have prepared you for your clinical training do not overestimate your abilities. Understand your strengths and limitations because overestimating your abilities may potentially put the patient in danger, which is what we intend to avoid at all costs. It is perfectly acceptable to let your supervisors know what you don’t understand, feel free to ask questions and request for help with things you are unsure about or don’t know. Your teachers and supervisors are aware of how early you are into training and that different students progress at different rates. Be interested in all aspects of Medicine It’s easy to have your heart set on one aspect on Medicine, you may already know what speciality you want to pursue but this shouldn’t mean that you act uninterested or less enthusiastic to certain fields of medicine. The more interested and consistent you are and the more willing you are do tasks assigned to you, the more opportunities you’ll most likely have to perform or watch procedures. This will give you the chance to increase your confidence and your skills, so make the most of your varied experience. Remember, as a future doctor you will care for patients with illnesses not confined to one discipline. The more open you are to learning, the better doctor you will become and the more you put into something, the more you will get out of it. Always be on hand to help View every situation as an opportunity to learn so don’t just stand back and watch, get involved. Volunteer to do more, put yourself forward and ask how you can help frequently; if your supervisors see how enthusiastic you are they will be more likely to allow you to do procedures and invite you to do them more often. Do not hide in the back during a procedure or a patient exam. Take every opportunity presented to perform procedures, assist where you can and learn from each experience. Know what is expected of you by speaking to older years or your senior Medical students who have already completed their clinical rotations will have invaluable advice.  Write down and ask them every question you might have and set up a time to learn the ins-and-outs of rotations. Sometimes hearing too many people’s opinions of  what materials to use and how you can succeed in the rotation may be a little overwhelming but do not let this intimidate you. Remember to be early, this can give you the chance to review charts, get some extra studying done and organise your day, showing your dedication to the job. In Addition, do not forget to be professional at all times, conveying a professional attitude is important for a medical student as you will be viewed as an expert in the eyes of the patients. Dress professionally, always be neat and avoid using your phone. Lastly, be prepared, always carry pens and review your patients’ charts thoroughly. Don’t be too hard on yourself/ Don’t be scared You are not expected to know everything or get everything right as a medical student, now is the time to learn. Mistakes will be made, when a mistake is made, it is your supervisors responsibility to provide you with constructive criticism , correct you and explain how such mistakes can be avoided in the future. It is part of the learning process. Don’t take too many things personally. When you start to feel stressed, keep in mind that rotations last a short time and may take some getting used to. You will find that each discipline of medicine has its own way of doing things.

Rewarding. As a doctor you have the opportunity to witness your direct impact on people’s lives and how the outcomes of decision you have taken have a significant difference to an individual’s quality of life. Throughout your studies and further career you’ll meet a selection of people from different walks of life, some will be your colleagues or mentors, others might be seriously ill patients and their families. As a doctor you are able to form meaningful relationships with patients and satisfy your sense of duty by giving back to society. Being a doctor is a life-changing career as you are an a privileged position to make a change and the great amount of responsibility you are entrusted with is humbling. Lifelong learning. The end of medical studies does not mean the end of learning. Quite the opposite, with your college providing you with basics for further knowledge and skill development.,  medicine is a unique example of constant professional perfecting. The medical industry is quickly advancing as more and more discoveries are made. As a medical student you have the opportunity to learn from so many different sources in structured and non-structured environments. Clinical exposure and human interaction means no two experiences are the same, as different situations require different responses. Medicine is Universal. All over the world, there is a great uniformity of medical science knowledge and practice. A doctors role in society is highly necessary, until people stop having accidents the world needs more doctors. In most cases, medicine students get a job immediately after they graduate. No matter where you go, doctors are held in high esteem and your acquisition of universal medical knowledge means that wherever you go you ca be of great help to those around you and save lives. Medicine is a Privilege. As a doctor you get to witness best and worst parts of life, from lives being born to live being lost, it is a pretty bitter sweet experience. This aspect may be particularly challenging especially seeing people when they’re most vulnerable however this can lead to you gaining a different perspective of life itself. It is a roller coaster journey that consists of highs and lows, with everyday presenting a new challenge. With each difficult situation, greater lessons are learned that shape your character for the better. Great Opportunities.  Medicine provides countless opportunities for professional and personal growth. It is a diverse field and provides a great platform to diversify, you can choose to work in hospitals, science institutes, public health care providers or be part of the medical department of some other professional field.  The field of medicine is ever changing as more and more research governs the way leading to a greater understanding of the human body. Respected Profession. Pursuing a career in the medical field is greatly admired, doctors hold a significant position in society because of their invaluable contribution to the sustenance of humanity.  Due to the demanding, challenging nature of the profession and the length of training, Medicine tends to attract the best of the best. Doctors are seen as a symbol of morality, responsibility and service towards the community and the public are aware of their hardworking nature and sacrifices made on their journey. Intellectual Challenge. Science makes up a large part of Medicine, it is an exciting and fascinating field. The human body is composed of numerous intricate systems and a lifetime of building on this knowledge is one of the key reasons people choose to pursue a career in Medicine. This knowledge can be used to aid one’s ability to alleviate pain, there may not necessarily be a cure for every case presented but more importantly one is provided with an improved quality of life. The process to studying Medicine is extremely difficult therefore is able to short list well-suited applicants and the rigour of the course means that students are required to be highly academic possessing characteristics such as tenacity resulting in one being constantly pushed to achieve greatness. Every one will have different reasons why they want to study medicine, do not allow the negatives to put you off and remember the negatives are outweighed by the positives. We would love to hear what interests you the most about Medicine and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

Firstly, we’d like to begin by congratulating our upcoming Medical Students, welcome to the family. We understand that right now you’re probably experiencing a whirlwind of emotions; excited to begin your dream course, worried about leaving home and anxious realising that it’s all real, you will become a doctor. We get a lot of questions asking about what you can do to prepare and so we’ve come up with a list of points and hope that this blog post can be of help to you. If you’re not sure of what to take to University then check out our University Checklist blog post too. 1. Check your emails and keep up to date. From the day you receive your offer your emails become your best friend, this is how the majority of information you’re given will be communicated. Get into the habit of checking your emails at least twice a day, in the morning before you leave your accommodation and also in the afternoon. Once you receive your university email address try and set up the account as part of your phone mail so that your emails are easily accessible and all in one place. 2. Join Facebook group chats There should be Facebook chats set up for year 1 Medics 2017/18 Medics, this may be different to the offer holders chat as not every offer holder will have got in to your medical school. The group chats give you the opportunity to socialise as well as ask any questions you may have. Normally the chat will have been set up by a member of the med Soc committee (an older medical student) so they are on hand to answers any enquiries and offer encouragement and support as you prepare for Medical School. 3. Organisation Make sure you have Folders to organise your work sheets or handwritten notes and also make use of dividers to section each topic. Create folders on your laptop to make it easier for you to easily access previous work. Also ensure you have a memory stick to back up your work onto as you do not want to be stranded if your laptop crashes. 4. Keep a diary/journal Cultivate the habit of writing things down, e.g. Deadlines, pre-reading, to do lists etc. Keeping a diary gives you the time to pre plan your day and reflect, if you write your plans down you’re more likely to do it. Whether it be on your phone or a physical copy keeping a diary is extremely beneficial. You can note your experiences if you’ve had an interesting day at placement for example, keeping a diary/ journal is helpful in the long run as when you look back on what you’ve previously written you can recognise and appreciate your growth and your journey. 5. Establish your note taking strategy early on Decide whether you will be taking your notes on your laptop, by handwriting them or using a tablet. If you feel like one of these strategies is not working for you do not hesitate to change your strategy quickly. The quality of your notetaking determines how much revision you have to do. 6. Have a suitable device to record lectures Some medical schools do not record the lectures for students but we would recommend you take this into your own hands by recording the lectures yourself anyway. Recording lectures is great especially towards exam season, it allows you to go over and fill in gaps in your notes from lectures and also it is good to have it available until you understand. We would recommend that you create a file (e.g. Google drive) to put all your titled lecture recordings. 7.  Do not buy textbooks before you start You will be given your reading list fairly soon but we advise that you stay away from making any purchases prematurely. Medical textbooks are extremely expensive as you’ll soon come to realise and the worst thing is buying a super expensive textbook you only need once during the entire year. Once you start university, request and borrow the books you need and see whether you like them before purchasing your own copy. Also ask older medical students what books they would recommend you buy and don’t buy as they would know what is useful. 8. Don’t pre-read before you start After finishing your A-Levels, summer is that well deserved break needed after all that hard work so don’t ruin it by stressing out about pre-reading. It is not necessary for you to get ahead, most medical schools go over the basics in the first few weeks anyway because they know that many people took different subjects and also you would have had 3 months away from education so they ensure every one is brought up to the same level. They will teach you all the medicine you will need in a more organized and structured format and remember you will be learning medicine for the rest of your career so enjoy your summer now, you deserve it! 9. Join societies Freshers fair is a great opportunity for you to see what the university has to offer. We recommend you join at least one society other than Med Soc. Societies are a great way for you to meet new people, socialise and develop new or existing skills and hobbies. Due to the hectic nature of Medics’ timetable there tends to be Medic versions of particular societies e.g. Medics Netball, Medic Rugby etc. Also if you know what aspect of Medicine you’d like to specialise in join that society or if it doesn’t exist create one; these societies are a great way to get involved as well as network with doctors and gain experience. 10. Create a timetable once you get your official one Create a timetable of how you will distribute your time outside of lectures and tutorials etc. Make sure it is realistic and you give yourself time to rest, socialise but also sufficient time to study. You have to be disciplined enough to stick to it. Also try and sync your University timetable to your phone Calender, it is very helpful to know what you’ve got coming up whilst on the go and if it is synced and changes are made to your timetable it tends to change automatically. 11. Make Friends Try and get talking to people who are going to the same university as you. Even though it is easier to be friends with just medics because of how intense the timetables are, do not restrict yourself to being friends with only medics but make friends on other courses to maintain your sanity. Don’t worry if you’re concerned about making friends as you tend to become friends with your flatmates and subsequently their course mates too. 12. Set realistic academic & non-academic goals for yourself To brace yourself for the difficult year ahead it is important to set yourself goals academically and also outside of medicine so that they can act as motivation on you down days. Know what you’re working towards and how you intend to achieve it. It’s important to maintain your dreams and ambitions, don’t let your career define you and know that you are much more than Medicine alone. 13. Talk to current med students (year 2’s most helpful) A few medical schools have mentorship programs in place where a second year medical student mentors the first year medical student. Second year medical students are extremely helpful and help you to ease into Medical School life as they have very recently gone through what you are about to go through therefore they can offer great advice and tips as well as support and encouragement. If your medical school does not have a mentorship program in place then do not hesitate to make contact with second year Medics yourself. 14. Full force from day 1 After induction talks, the first day of proper class is intense as you know you are expected to learn a huge volume of material in a short span of time. From day one, the material matters and, from day one, it is voluminous. If you get behind, it’s really hard to catch up. Make sure you have everything you need. PREPARING FOR THE FIRST DAY > What to pack Notebook Highlighter Pen ID Laptop Dictaphone Diary Mobile Phone Purse/ Wallet Water Tissues > Plan your journey the night before and give yourself enough time in the morning to also navigate your way around the building and make sure you get there early. > Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and also bear in mind that your likely to have a long day (9-5) so make sure you have something to eat. You’d hate for your stomach to rumble in a silent lecture theatre, not the best way to make a first impression. > Reach out to other Medics in your accommodation. If you don’t already have a  group chat with Medics in your accommodation the night before your first day then make one so you can all walk to your first couple of lectures together. We hope this has helped ease your nerves and prepare you for the year ahead. Current Medics if you have other preparation advice, comment below. Feel free to Contact Us or ask questions, we’re always on hand to answer.

It seems like only yesterday I started my first year of Medical School, time literally flew. Despite the ups and downs and everything in between, I’m pleased to say that first year was everything I though it would be and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learnt so much about myself as a person and also about those around me, lessons that will genuinely last a lifetime, so I thought I’d share some with you. 1. BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN ABILITY. You’ll be around a lot of intelligent people, just know you’re capable of more than you think you are. It’s okay not to be top of the class. You’re going to be a doctor either way. You’re there for a reason, don’t doubt your abilities because you wouldn’t have been here if you were not capable enough 2. YOU DETERMINE WHAT SUCCESS MEANS, IT’S SUBJECTIVE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL. Success develops a different meaning in Medical School. You were probably one of the top in your class during sixth form/ college but now you’re hit with the harsh reality that you will not know everything and for some that can be a difficult pill to swallow. Medical School is difficult that’s why it is important that you set your own realistic goals in terms of what you want to achieve. 3. FIND YOUR PEOPLE. Having friends who are study buddies is key as they become your support system, together we’re stronger. Your friends in medical tend to become your friends for life because you end up spending a great amount of time together. 4. YOU HAVE TO FIND THE BALANCE AND MAINTAIN IT! Time management is extremely important! You are bombarded with a great amount of content so you need to distribute your time according to the amount of work you need to do as well as balancing your social life to maintain you sanity. 5. IT’S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP! Don’t deprive yourself of knowledge and understanding by not asking questions. Take each moment as a learning opportunity and if you’re too shy to ask questions in person email your lecturers. 6. KNOW HOW YOU LEARN BEST. With so much content to learn in such a short space of time, the quicker you determine your most effective study technique the better. Also remember that different topics require different study techniques. 7. PRIORITISE! Due to the demanding nature of the course you may feel like you’re missing out on a lot but just know this is a sacrifice. Studying Medicine is the reason you are at university, therefore this should take up most of your time, so stay focused and avoid anything that can have a negative impact on your studies. 8. BE PROACTIVE! Medicine is already competitive so apply for roles in societies, make contacts with doctors & put yourself out there! Do all you can to get involved with activities in your university as they can add to you CV. 9. YOUR HEALTH COMES 1ST. Don’t compromise your health to try and be top of the class. Without a sound body or mind, your efforts are pointless 10. CONTINUOUSLY REMIND YOURSELF OF WHY YOU CHOSE MEDICINE I know that I chose the right course because I genuinely couldn’t see myself doing anything else & never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. We’d love to know what Medical School has taught our current Medics & Doctors so far, feel free to comment down below.

Writing your personal statement is one of the first of many hurdles you face when applying to Medical School. Your personal statement is what stands between your UCAS application and your medical school interviews which precede your offers. It is your opportunity to show the admissions staff who you are, why you would be a good addition to their medical school as well as a good doctor in the long run. You only have 4000 characters with spaces, this is much harder than it seems. It’s is easy not to know where to start when writing your personal statement and it is process characterised by continuous refining and patience. Good things take time. This blog post will give you advice and tips that I was told or realised along my journey and also features aspects of my own personal statement too, which earned me 3 Medical School interviews. WHERE DO I BEGIN? I would suggest creating a notes page full of personal statement ideas, by having it on your phone you can also add things to it when you’re on the go or when you receive inspiration and use it as a reflective diary based on your experiences. This is a great way to gather ideas whilst not under pressure. I would then advise you create a mind map categorising your motivation, work experience & volunteering, character traits, hobbies, interests and extracurricular activities, important characteristics of doctors and aspirations, this will help you to remember what to include and also help you with the structure. I would recommend that you then use your notes page and mind map to create a first draft, without considering character count just let it be free flowing. Let this first draft serve as a starting point, you can make changes later. HOW DO I STRUCTURE IT? A medical personal statement should reflect 3 main themes: 1. Motivation — Why do you want to study Medicine? 2. Exploration — What have you done to learn about it? 3. Suitability — Why are you a great fit for it? Introduction  – Why your chosen subject 2nd paragraph – Clinical Work Experience 3rd paragraph – Voluntary Work 4th paragraph – A Level subjects, degrees, courses (study) & Wider Reading 5th paragraph – Hobbies & Interests (Extra-curricular Activities) 6th paragraph – Achievements (Optional) Closing paragraph – What you look forward to, Why they should pick you & Motivation TIPS & ADVICE Individuality Make it personal to you They want to see your perspective of your desired course, why do you want to study it, what are your ambitions and why higher education Let your opening and closing phrase be memorable e.g. quote or personal experience They want to hear your voice come through If you’ve had any personal experiences of health services, you might want to include them. Be original and memorable! Reflection Relate everything you’ve learnt to why it will be good for your chosen course and future career Remember to reflect on any experience you’ve included Show your commitment to medicine by including approximate dates e.g. ‘for the past year’ Character Traits Show you are a critical thinker, independent and analytical Show why you’re a good student and professional (skills, experience and achievements) Display your knowledge of different aspects of the course Emphasise transferable skills Elaborate on your strengths, your enthusiasm for the course and talk positively about yourself. If you’ve got an specific path in mind show them your long term goals Show your motivation Structure Take your time Do not rush to find the perfect opening sentence, it takes time and sets the tone Do not use abbreviations, be formal Try not to repeat adjectives (use a thesaurus but ensure you know the exact meaning of the alternative word) Do not add things for the sake of it (e.g. use a quote that relates to your personal statement) Only include relevant content Avoid rambling Only talk about the specific course not the university Know what the universities you applied to are looking for Be concise and structured Get straight to the point from line one Read it out to yourself Talk about any ideas or concepts that you think are significant or relevant. Make sure it is reviewed Be honest, do not lie (they tend to ask you about your personal statement in the interview) Do not read your friends as it is easy to keep a particular sentence in mind or get discouraged Extra-curricular Do not just show your academic side alone, show you are a well-rounded individual Do not mention your extra-curricular pursuits if you cannot link it with your course choice Only pick key extra-curricular activities and think about the skills they give you and feed that into what you are doing – do not pick too many as it could lead the university to question your dedication to a particular subject Write about unique experiences e.g mission trips MY PERSONAL STATEMENT This is only to be used as an example, please do not copy any aspect of it as they are excerpts from my original statement and you will be caught by UCAS Copy Catch making your application will be made void. From my personal statement I received 3 interviews even without including medical work experience. …many of the doctors I encountered left a lasting impression on me. I was captivated by their intricate knowledge of the human body and their ability to alleviate pain despite not necessarily providing a cure; they provided a new lease of life. I long for a career that is able to satisfy my urge to care for others as well as heighten my knowledge of the human body and provide me with the opportunity to contribute to the sustenance of humanity through scientific advances. This paragraph was taken from my introduction, it straight away lets the reader know of my motivation,  my interests and my perspective. It showcases an element of intellectual curiosity and engagement and also plays on various strands of medicine not just a one dimensional view e.g. a doctor’s knowledge, a doctor as a healer, a doctor as a carer and a doctor as a scientist. It also discretely lets them know of my nature as it let’s them know that I am caring, inquisitive as well as scholarly. It is also personal, as it indicates that it is a topic of interest that was heightened through my experiences and is a decision that has been well thought about. Over the past 5 years I have volunteered extensively with my local church, I sang at care homes and volunteered at the homeless shelter and at a local Red Cross charity shop. Volunteering has increased my confidence and helped me develop strong interpersonal skills. Working in the shop I encountered people from various walks of life which taught me to define people by their character rather than by their set circumstances. I wish to carry this non-judgemental attitude forward into my future career. When talking about my experience/ voluntary work I used a clear cut structure which can be seen mirrored throughout my whole personal statement. What you did/ your role What you learnt/ traits you developed How it relates to you as a medical student or future doctor This paragraph also shows empathy as it displays the fact a menial task was not taken for granted and had a positive and lasting effect on not just myself but those I also encountered. It also shows maturity and an understanding of Medicine as a whole as you will be dealing with a variety of situations but your role is always to provide high quality healthcare. … I work with some of the children who have ADHD and autism; I have learnt to support them in terms of their individual needs providing them with achievable goals. This has taught me to become observant, adaptable and patient which are important qualities for a doctor since they often deal with unpredictable situations. My personal statement was different because I lacked medical work experience and so I could only elaborate on my volunteer work. However, this paragraph demonstrates dealing with medical conditions in a non-medical environment, as a doctor your job is not restricted to the walls of a hospital, it extends far beyond this. It gives evidence of analytical skills, strategy as well as capacity for intense work with little resources and knowledge and is then related back to your future profession. I study Chemistry, Biology and Psychology at A level; this has enabled me to develop skills such as; time management, perseverance and tenacity which are all necessary for successful completion of an academically challenging course like medicine. This aspect could be easily excluded however I wanted to show my appreciation of my A Level subjects as they are undeniably difficult and success in such subjects is attained only by students of a certain calibre and conveys enthusiasm and curiosity in science. This paragraph focused largely on the successful completion of the course and so the characteristics identified feed into this theme displaying why you are more likely to succeed in your academics. I enjoy photography, blogging and teaching dance. I play Netball and participate in Athletics and my involvement has taught me to become self-motivated and independent. I wish to continue to partake in sporting activities to represent the university. The reader wants to know what you will contribute to the university as a whole, how will your admission make a difference and add value. It displays a well-rounded character and life outside studying; also each activity requires a different skill and shows different characteristics as they are not all individual activities or team activities. The character traits identified show how you view your involvement for example; Netball is a team sport and each individual has a responsibility to fulfil their position in order to collectively achieve success. Photography demonstrates creativity, blogging demonstrates a reflective nature as well as stress outlet and teaching dance shows your willingness to give back to others. Again, the characteristics identified must be essential to you as a medical student or as a future doctor e.g. self-motivation is key as you work hard it is your drive that keeps you going. When I was elected deputy head girl, part of my role involved mentoring new pupils; I encouraged new pupils to be confident and I was also the chair of the Student Voice Committee. I believe approachability is a very important attribute of a doctor because patients need to be comfortable speaking to you knowing you have the desire to help and that you are there to listen in order for their opinions to be heard. This paragraph gives light to some of my achievements within school. I do not only just mention my achievement, I explain my role and elaborate on aspects that can manifest themselves in my future career by explaining why they are important. Again, it shows my capacity for sustained responsibility as well as my ability to fulfil two roles at the same time and exemplifies aspects of leadership. I am aware that the journey to becoming a doctor is not easy, the emotional and physical challenge it presents are some of the many hurdles I am willing to face. Through my endeavours I have been able to develop and refine essential qualities necessary in the world of medicine. This was included in the closing paragraph and displays a realistic perspectice of medicine, it shows that the decision to study Medicine has been subject to serious deliberation demonstrating the negatives as well as a willingness to overcome them; leading to the decision the Medicine is the right choice. It also highlights the importance of all my experiences thus far and a constant process of refining essential traits. I want to be a doctor because a lifetime of acquiring medical scientific knowledge excites me; I know that wherever I go I will be able to make a positive and substantial impact on society. This was taken from the closing paragraph and reaffirms my motivation for Medicine and why the university should pick me. It shows the selflessness of such a career path as doctors are instruments of change. I concluded my personal statement by stating the attributes I deemed as most important as made me suitable to study such a course. Please remember that your personal statement is unique to you and there is no single template for success; by sharing aspects of my personal statement I hoped to give you an example of a successful entry and pull out important points. Your personal statement tends to provide the basis of your interview, so do not lie and make sure you can account for anything mentioned in it. Your personal statement is only one aspect when your admission to Medical School is being considered alongside your academic record, references, admissions tests scores and interview performance. If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to contact us! Like & Comment!

So this post is a bit of a personal one, to say the past year has been a smooth journey would be far from the truth. This post initially started as my first day of Medical School which soon became my first week of Medical School and now it’ll finally be posted as my first year of Medical School, I honestly don’t know where the time has gone. It has been an interesting year to say the least. I remember being bombarded with introductory talks during my first week, every day that week was a 9-5 and please bear in mind this was also fresher’s week. I’ll never forget those who were falling asleep during these talks being called out by one of our lecturers and I think at that moment it was just starting to dawn on all of us new students what we were getting ourselves into. I didn’t really have any expectations of Medical School, I had no idea what it would be like and I think it was because I never allowed myself to get attached to the prospect of being a medical student so that I wouldn’t be too disappointed if I didn’t get in but I also think this perspective affected me in the long run. Our course structure began with us learning the basics in the first half of the year called Platform for Clinical Science which covered Anatomy, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Imaging, Immunology, Micro-anatomy, Numeracy, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology and Social Sciences. This would be described as the worst part of the year for many as we got thrown into the deep end from the get-go and the level of knowledge we had to attain was extremely high. Case Based Learning took place in the other half of the year, this involved each case group being given a scenario from which they would derive learning outcomes. During the week they would read around these learning outcomes as well as research before presenting what they’ve learnt to each other in the next session. Each case lasted 2 weeks and was made up of 3 sessions and covered a particular topic area either the Musculoskeletal system, Contraception and UTI, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract, Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System and Cognitive Health. Alongside the group case sessions we also had lectures, placements, clincal skills sessions and anatomy sessions related to the particular case. At the start of the year I dreaded lectures, especially those that started at 9am. I particularly struggled with note taking as I was hand writing my notes so it was very hard to keep up and as soon as i’d missed some important points I would get discouraged and just give up. With such a large year group sitting at the back of the lecture theatre was probably the worst decision I could have ever made as it is so easy to get distracted or just zone out but as the year progressed I switched to taking notes on my laptop and sitting right at the front and my life changed.  I strongly recommend recording lectures as you can consolidate your knowledge by re-listening to them and filling gaps in your notes. I’ll move on to a more interesting aspect of medical school, human dissection. I’ll admit this took me by surprise and nothing could have prepared me for it. It is incredibly important for you to research what is offered by different universities as I had never realised my medical school offered full body human dissection. Meeting the cadaver was a weird experience to say the least and this happened on our 2nd day, I felt scared as it was my first time seeing a dead body in such close proximity, I was also a bit excited as I would get to see the human body like never before, witness the intricate detail and gain a greater sense of appreciation for the individual and medicine as a whole; however I could not ignore the feeling of guilt. Dissection is a perplexing process and you’re constantly plagued with the fear of becoming desensitised but I’m grateful for the premature exposure as it prompts unanticipated negative experiences as well as positive outcomes which shape your Medicine journey. Dissection is emotionally taxing but it is a great representation of Medicine and encourages us to overcome our fears and learn how to deal with them quickly as well as develop an in-depth understanding of the human body.  I was privileged to have done my Literature Review (one of our assignments) on Cadaver Dissection and find it particularly interesting. Medical Students also had 3 hour long tutorials, these are the worst especially when they are at the end of a 9-5 day and you’re extremely tired and lacking motivation. Tutorials are like group work, so a class of about 30 or more are split into smaller groups and work together to answer a booklet full of questions using textbooks and the internet. One thing I do wish I’d done was spoken up more, I’m very quiet when working with other people and prefer to just listen but at the same time this meant I’d left some of the sessions without understanding certain parts and had been too shy to ask questions. Medical school is difficult as everybody is smart in their own right but some still feel the need to compete but you have to consent with acknowledging the fact that you may not be the smartest but it does not make you any less qualified and you don’t lose anything by helping or supporting those around you. During my first year we had weekly clinical skills sessions which I really enjoyed as we had to wear placement clothes and had the opportunity of being really hands-on and going over essential skill e.g. how to use an AED, practising injections, using an ECG, different types of examinations and manual handling. We also got the opportunity to practise our consultation skills with actors and actresses continuously throughout the year which was amazing as over time we were able to see our progress and how much more comfortable we became when in those situations. As my medical schools teaching style is integrated, we began weekly placements in January; this involved 2 and a half hour sessions in General Practises, Physiotherapy Units and Hospital Wards. As someone who had never done any medical work experience I was extremely excited to just see how everyone worked together to provide a high level of care. I got to meet some amazing doctors and also while on placement at the GP surgery we got to go on home visits on our own in pairs, this was so shocking to me at first and also a bit nerve-wracking as you never really knew the type of people you were going to meet. Some of my friends had bad encounters as they faced racist remarks which is unfortunately one of the fears ethnic minority students face. But overall, placements were an eye opening experience and the early patient contact really gives you a taste of your future. We had January exams and May/ June exams. When I tell people they are Single-Best Answer Exams (SBA’s) people automatically assume they’re multiple choice exams and therefore easy but do not be deceived. Single-best answer means that there may be more than one correct answer in the options given but you have to use your knowledge to decide which is most correct therefore making it difficult. Our exams are 3 hours long and made up of 120 SBA’s and you need 50% to pass. I think the most difficult concept to grasp is the fact that you are so used to doing extremely well academically before medical school  e.g. getting 80-90% in exams but this changes drastically to around 50-70% in medical school and can be difficult to cope with. In terms of the workload, I would say it remained consistently high throughout the year. Initially you’re bound to be shocked with amount of pre-reading you’re assigned to do, sometimes you’re assigned about 30 pages or more pre-reading to do for just one session. Our pre-reading involved reading from various textbooks as well as watching some YouTube videos so it was very important to manage our time wisely. As Medics, we had a lot less free time than those on other courses as the majority of our days were 9-5’s, this meant that a lot of our friends tend to be medics on our course just because we end up spending so much time together. It is important to have a good group of friends as they will make your 5 year journey a lot easier, I was privileged to have met some amazing friends at the start of the course and we’ve grown closer throughout the year. Although a lot of our conversations are medical which low-key puts other people off, when it comes to exams having a group of friends to revise with sometimes is great as you can identify gaps in your knowledge and a lot of the time you can your different techniques when it comes to learning particular things e.g. to learn the Cranial Nerves we learnt a song. Despite the lack of free time, we still had time to join societies and my Medical School also set up the Afro-Caribbean Medics Association (ACMA) which enabled first years to interact with medics from different year groups as well as Black Doctors from local hospitals and specialities. ACMA also matches students up with doctors already in a field they’re interested in and has been a great source of advice for us first years. This past year has been a roller coaster of emotions, some days i’d be elated to be studying my dream course and on other days I’d be down and feeling as though I didn’t deserve to be there but at the end of it all I know I wouldn’t rather do anything else and I get to genuinely enjoy learning about Medicine. I’ve learnt so much which may make it into another blog post but I hope that this post has given an insight to the thoughts and experience of a first year medical student.

There are 33 med schools and you only have 4 UCAS choices. When choosing a med school there are so many things to consider; so I thought I’d put them all in 1 place to make life a bit easier. University League Tables for Medicine http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings http://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2016/may/23/university-guide-2017-league-table-for-medicine Russell Group Universities The Russell Group universities are often described as “elite”. The 24 institutions – which include Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Manchester and Warwick – carry out some of the most highly rated research in the world and have a reputation for academic excellence. Russell Group universities have higher than average student satisfaction and lower than average drop-out rates, according to Wendy Piatt, its director. University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge Cardiff University Durham University University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow Imperial College London King’s College London University of Leeds University of Liverpool London School of Economics and Political Science University of Manchester Newcastle University University of Nottingham University of Oxford Queen Mary University of London Queen’s University Belfast University of Sheffield University of Southampton University College London University of Warwick University of York UKCAT, BMAT & GAMSAT thresholds These are admissions tests used by medical schools as part of their entry requirements. 25 Medical Schools use the UKCAT, 7 use the BMAT and 7 use the GAMSAT. UKCAT and BMATs are the tests used for undergraduate medicine courses and GAMSAT are the tests used fro graduate medicine courses. The UKCAT and GAMSAT must be sat before the UCAS applications are made (as scores are noted in the application) wherease you must register to sit the BMAT before sending in your application but it will be sat after the application deadline. Each medical school has a different threshold for their chosen admissions test, these thresholds are good to know. Entry Requirements/ Required Subjects Know the grades you are working towards depending on whether you’re applying for standard Medicine or Medicine with a Foundation Year. Be aware of the necessary subjects required for course entry. Location: City, Campus Your experience in a campus in uni is very different to your experience in a city based university. CAMPUS Pros: + Safety + Quieter lifestyle + Community feel. Cons: – Limiting – Not much transport – Less independence CITY Pros: + Alot of choice and variety + Great atmosphere + More independence Cons: – Lack of community – Less safe – Fewer opportunities to make friends Course/ Teaching Style: Intergrated, Traditional, PBL https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Teaching%20styles%20at%20medical%20school.pdf Problem Based Learning: Student-centred approach. Learn in context of realistic problems. Work in teams to examine different clinical case scenarios. Students undertake private study and then discuss in seminars Traditional: Lectures and tutorials in scientific theories (including lab work) during first two or three years. After this, teaching takes place mainly in clinical settings. Intergrated: Lectures take place alongside clinical attachments from the start of the course. Intercalated year Intercalated degrees give you a chance to study a particular area of medicine in depth, whether you’ve already covered it on your medical course or want to study something new. Intercalation is not for every student, as only a small number of students are able to do so, so it’s worth taking the time to weigh up the pros and cons before making your decision. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/career/studying-medicine/intercalated-degrees Facilities All universities will have a library dedicated to health science courses, a sports centre, a health service, a careers service etc. However, if there is something that is particularly important for you it is worth checking it out before you apply. https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/universities/choosing-the-right-university/the-facilities/ Cost of Living Certain cities are more expensive to live than others, this is necessary for the future especially when it comes to accommodation. Admissions Success Ratio I think it is also helpful to look at the number of people who apply and the number of places, this can be found in prospectuses. Attend Open Days Try to attend as many open days as possible especially the strong contenders so you can get a feel of the city, facilities, accommodation etc. It is never too early to start attending open days. Dissection Some universities offer full body dissection whereas others only offer prosection to teach anatomy. If you are someone who is looking to go into surgery full body dissection is very useful and an eye opening experience.

WORK HARD FROM THE START It’s a few months of your life for what may give you a better future. You won’t look back when you’re much older and regret not watching that TV programme and not going for that single day trip out with friends, however, you may regret not studying your hardest for your exams and subsequently missing out on the opportunity to do something you may love with your life. UNDERSTAND THE LESSON CONTENT ON THE DAY/ LEARN ALONG THE WAY (DON’T FALL BEHIND) If you don’t understand in the lesson don’t be afraid to ask your teacher questions because once you understand it makes revision easier and quicker as you are not spending time re-learning content. So pay attention in class. USE THE SPECIFICATION A lot of the time your teachers may go into more detail than what is needed which may end up confusing you. The spec is the content you’ll be asked about in the exam so use it to organise and aid your revision. Make sure you learn the entire syllabus for a subject, there is no use in cutting corners because a certain topic never comes up in the exam or it came up in the last exam. Knowing what an examiner wants is always beneficial and will help you loads! CREATE A REVISION TIMETABLE Try not to neglect some subjects in favour of others which you prefer. Stick to your revision timetable and assign a suitable amount of hours to each subject and also make some parts of the timetable flexible to focus on subjects that need extra attention. CREATE PERSONAL TARGET GRADES AND STICK THEM WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM Let this be your motivation. Knowing what you’re working towards can spur you on when the days are looking tough. WHEN EXAMS ARE APPROACHING DO AS MANY PAST PAPERS AS POSSIBLE Do past exam papers for practice, and actually pay attention to what it says in the mark scheme. Doing the papers is always good for getting exam technique etc, but the mark scheme is important to make sure you’re hitting the marks because often it’s just a matter of phrasing that people lose marks on.Do every single past paper a minimum of 3 times. GIVE ALL HOMEWORK IN ON TIME AND STAY MOTIVATED For homework, class tests, practice essays and practice exam papers always do your best. If you try your hardest throughout, you will succeed and improve and class assessments are a good way of measuring your performance throughout the year and evaluating your work and what you need to improve on CULTIVATE YOUR REVISION TECHNIQUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Know the way you learn and make sure you use an organised revision system. Choosing your revision techniques makes it easier to revise closer to exam time and prevents you wasting your time. Whether your technique is watching YouTube videos, Revision Cards, Mind Maps or rewriting revision notes, pick and choose your favourite. MAKE USE OF YOUR FREE PERIODS Use your frees to your advantage. This is your opportunity to complete your homework and coursework in school time as a result, which means you have time for work, college and also a social life. It also gives you time to make revision notes ready for exams before  study leave. MAKE REVISION NOTES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR This may not work for everyone but making revision notes is probably the most time-consuming part of revision. It takes a long time to make proper notes that have all the information on them and are in a good format. If you do these before you need to start hardcore revision you’ll be ahead of the game! Making them as well also drums some information into your head; they’re very worthwhile! DON’T LEAVE THINGS TO THE LAST-MINUTE This will almost inevitably happen, but try to avoid it if you can. The relief that comes with it is so so good and you’ll feel much better for it. Being able to take your time over things as well is useful, and you can concentrate more on what you need and what you don’t! DO HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE! Don’t just sit around studying all day. Studying is good and I’m certainly not telling you to not do it! But you need a balance of will just end up being drained and friendless. You need friends there to celebrate with you or commiserate with you at the end. Sixth form and going out with friends also made me develop a lot more as a person; confidence wise and with social skills. PARTICIPATE IN THINGS WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL/COLLEGE. Don’t just sit on the side. Participating in activities, becoming a prefect, mentor, sports captain or anything like that will help you as a person, and will also improve your personal statement and reference! Melanin Medic xo If you’d like to know the resources I used to revise for my subjects (Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology), then comment below and I’ll write a blog post on it.

I remember when I was in year 6 and my sisters friend asked me what I wanted to be. I said I wanted to be a neurosurgeon and she laughed at me; at that moment I knew medicine was definitely what I wanted to study. By the age of 11 I had fully researched everything I needed to do to become a doctor and stuck it on my bedroom wall; eventhough most of it was wrong. Throughout High School, I was very actively involved in pretty much every sport e.g. football, netball, basketball, table tennis, badminton and hockey. I ran my own Gospel Choir, was in the Student Voice, a peer mentor and Deputy Head Girl and continued to work extremely hard. I got the 3rd highest grades in my year group and came out with 7 A*’s, 3 A’s and 1 B in my GCSE’s so I decided to continue to pursue medicine. Then came A-Levels, I moved to a different 6th Form in a different town which was quite a big adjustment socially. Little did I know that studying for your A-Levels does not compare to GCSE’s at all; it’s a completely different ball game and I began to doubt myself. I thought I wasn’t going to get the grades I needed to even apply for Medicine. I studied Chemistry, Biology, Psychology and Maths which as you know aren’t easy subjects. I doubted myself so much that I started looking to pursue pharmacology or cognitive neuroscience and psychology and I felt that I couldn’t do Medicine. I was never the smartest in my class and my teachers overlooked me and categorised me as one of the overambitious black girls in my 6th form. I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to study and I would change my mind like every other week but deep down Medicine was always my passion. This whole while I struggled to find any medical work experience but I told myself if I get good AS grades I would still apply. AS results day came and I was pleased with my grades; Maths – A, Biology – A, Psychology – A, Chemistry – B. My next obstacle was the UKCAT, I started revising very last minute as I had only decided that I was going to apply for Medicine on results day and had booked the test for the 1st of September, 2 days before the start of year 13. I used KAPLAN books burrowed from the library to revise but they were quite old and so I paid for MEDIFY which I highly recommend. My UKCAT score was quite low but apparently average (638) so I was quite disheartened. So I really researched Medical School’s in terms of their entry requirements and UKCAT threshold to see if I had the chance to be shortlisted for an interview. The next obstacle came when my school gave me my predicted grades, Biology – A, Psychology – A, Chemistry – B. Most medical schools entry requirements are AAA at least so a B in Chemistry meant that I wouldn’t be shortlisted for any interviews. After my parents spoke to my head of 6th form and me crying in her office, she eventually changed my grade and I could apply for Medicine. Around this time I met my mentor who was an established General Practitioner and she was the greatest blessing. She helped me with my personal statement which was redrafted about 17 times, yes 17! But as I redrafted my personal statement I was always very down because I had no medical work experience but my mentor continued to encourage me. I applied for BioMedical Science at King’s College London and Medicine at Hull York Medical School, Queen’s Belfast, University of Bristol and Cardiff University. I got into KCL and was shortlisted for interviews at Queen’s Belfast, University of Bristol and Cardiff University. (I’ll take about my interviews in another post). Lucky for me my mentor and school organised practise interviews but I still felt that I wasn’t good enough and cried after each one. Eventually I got an offer from Cardiff and Bristol which were placed as my firm and insurance. Exam season for me was so stressful as I am heavily involved in my church and I sing in several choirs, some days I would get hope after 12am on the day of my exam. I struggled in my exams and to be honest I thought I had failed and whenever people asked me what I wanted to study I never fully confidently claimed that I wanted to study medicine, I always avoided the subject when asked. But now I can boldly say I study Medicine. On results day I remember checking UCAS track first because if I saw my grades first I probably would have freaked out. I ended up getting a B in Biology (4 UMS off an A) and A’s in Chemistry and Pyschology. But I got into Medical School. Applying for medicine is a very tedious process and at many times along the way I felt to quit. But you should never settle! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to email me: melaninmedics@gmail.com