How to go to medical school in UK? Steps explained

How to go to medical school in UK? Sure, if you want to become a doctor, you need to know how go to medical school (yes, lame statement) and finish your medicine course. A medical school (or med school, speaking the doc’s term) is an educational and training platform for you to learn all the theories and practical aspects of medicine and the science of it. If you’re lucky, you get to work with your first corpse even before holding your scroll.

When you finish medical school and undergo the necessary training, then you officially become a practicing doctor. Your future will be bright. There will be a wide variety of options should you decide to go for specialization. In the US, it has been proven that the medical field offers the highest paying jobs around.

Being in a medical school can take you long years, depending on the college you go, the country you are in, and the prep (pre-med) you have gone through. Roughly, obtaining a medical degree can take up between 4 and 6 years. If you perform below than averages in your studies, then expect to stay longer (repeat exams are quite normal for a medical student). Really, life in a med school can be quite tough and you need a strong stomach to cross the finishing line.

UK, among many other countries, has always been the choice of many students due to its worldwide reputation, great facilities, and some say, cozy study environment. Many of the established schools provide excellent facilities and leverage experienced teaching staff to render expertise to its students. And of course, you just don’t want to go to any med school. You want to be in the top medical schools in UK.

Applying for a medical place in UK can be challenging, as generally, there are between 3 and 5 applicants competing for every 2 available places. As per norm, application for entering UK universities would require you to fill up the University & Colleges Admission Service form, or more commonly known as UCAS form. UCAS is a charitable organization primarily responsible to manage applications for undergraduate degree programs in UK universities and colleges.

To get a better chance of getting into a well established medical school, you may want to gain some experience in the medical field. Get some temporary or part time jobs while you are on school breaks e.g. on Easter or summer holidays. That being said, any extra work or engagement, be in the medical or other field, would give you some edge over other candidates who are without the extra experience. Also, do not forget to draft a winning personal statement, which is used as part of the evaluation of admission.

Most medical schools in UK accept local and international students. A brown envelop delivers to your mailbox usually means an invitation for admission interview. No need to be too nervous (some interview practicing needed though). Not all questions will be technical in nature. Just take this interview opportunity to talk to the school reps and assess by your own if the school suits your taste and desire. Final decision for acceptance is normally made after the interview process is done.

For those needing financial assistance to support their medical schooling, a number of universities offer some sort of bursaries and scholarships. Additionally, there are also third parties that offer scholarship, such as the British Medical Association. On top of that, certain banks are available to approach for study loan.

For local students, yearly tuition fees range in the thousands, while for international students, the fees can be quite substantial. Often, it is in the tenth of thousands. Not many international students can afford the relatively high fees for UK medical courses unless their parents drill oils or own the Yankees. A lot of them enter the med schools with scholarships or convertible loans.

Currently, there are more than 20 universities (out of a total of 100 recognized universities) in UK offering places for medicine. It’s up to you to make the choice of your university. When applying, make the prospectus of the respective schools your best friend to get the idea of the detail academic programs, environment, cultural diversity and so on.

Each of the med school in UK offers different values and likes. Every one of them is unique in their own way. Some students prefer the nice environment and the cold scenery Edinburgh University offers, even though it’s far from the city of happenings, London. Some prefer otherwise, choosing the likes of Queen’s Mary, UCL, Imperial College and so on. A few have the life long dream of getting into top schools Oxford and Cambridge. Trust your taste.

Good luck getting into a med school of your choice.