Conference for Teachers and Advisers: Medicine Dr Austen Spruce - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Conference for Teachers and Advisers: Medicine

Dr Austen Spruce

What Makes a Good Doctor?

 www.medschools.ac.uk - Resources for students and teachers  Motivation to study medicine and genuine interest in the medical profession  Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses  The ability to reflect on your own work  Personal organisation  Academic ability  Problem solving  Ability to deal with uncertainty  Risk management and an ability to deal effectively with problems  Honesty  Ability to take responsibility for your own actions  Conscientiousness  Insight into your own health  Effective communication, including reading, writing, listening and speaking  Teamwork  Ability to treat people with respect  Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations  Empathy and the ability to care for others.

Studying Medicine

 Two different degree programmes

– 5-year

 360 places; 2500 applicants; 1250 interviews

– Graduate entry (4-year)

 Life science degree  40 places; 800 applicants; 100 interviews

Phase 2: Acquiring & utilising clinical information Phase 3: Broadening the professional base Phase 4: Managing the patient, sick and well Year 1 Year 5 Year 4 Year 3 Phase 1: Building, synthesising and applying the medical knowledge base Year 2

MBChB Curriculum

What is special about Birmingham?

Undertake outstanding community based learning Be exposed to, and inspired by advances in research Excellence in prescribing skills training Exposure to world class clinical facilities

5-Year: Selection for Interview

 Applications are scored (website), based on:

• Academic (GCSE) results (70%)
• Overall UKCAT score (30%)

 Personal statement: Not scored or used for selection:

• Evidence of commitment to medicine
• Evidence of involvement in society

 Reference – Confirmation of aptitude; identification of

concerns or extenuating circumstances

 School contextual information

5-Year: Academic Requirements

 AS-levels – not used.  A2-levels:

• Predictions: AAA
• Standard offer: A*AA (including Chemistry and

Biology) – three subjects in Year 13

• A* in any subject

 International Baccalaureate

• 32 pts in total
• 766 at Higher Level, including, Biology and Chemistry

5-Year: UKCAT

 UKCAT scoring:

• No threshold requirement
• Total UKCAT scores (excl. SJT band score) of

applicants segregated into deciles

• Top 10% will receive our maximum score
• Expect that each component of UKCAT will have

equal weighting

• Band score for Situational Judgment Test will be

considered at the interview stage for applicants with threshold interview scores

Guidance on Application Score

 Website has on-line calculator to allow someone to

receive an estimate of the score they will receive

 It is not possible to predict the threshold score for a

future cycle

 Data from the previous admissions cycles suggests that

an application score of at least 7.5 (out of 10) must be achieved

5-Year: Widening Participation

School contextual data

 Used to identify fixed proportion (c.20%) of interviewees

• Where GCSE school performance meets threshold
• Attainment 8:- ≤ 55 (probably)
• Threshold application score will be lower (by at least
• ne point – i.e.  6.5, we estimate)

 If the school contextual data also meets the A Level

threshold (≤ 35 pts per A Level entry), the offer is AAA

Work experience and Interviews

Development of Personal Qualities

 Commitment to a “public servant” role

• Health care experience:
• Active (advised); Long-term
• Paid work

 Extracurricular activities

• Significant roles with responsibility

 Investigate medical practice in the UK

• Health stories in the news media

Relevant Experience

 Evidence of commitment to a “public servant” role

• Health care experience (recent; on-going) – amount

must be specified

• Caring for vulnerable people (not family)
• Direct clinical observation not required
• Paid work also relevant

 Extracurricular activities

• Responsible roles involving significant interactions on

a routine basis

 Investigate medical practice in the UK (media)

Preparation – For the Interview

 See guidance on Medical Schools Council website

• https://www.medschools.ac.uk/

 Develop understanding from experiences and reading

• What is inspiring, interesting, disturbing, challenging?

Why?

• What facilitates/impairs good healthcare?
• Reflect (critically) on your own abilities
• Form your own opinions (don’t be dogmatic!)

 Mock interviews – friends, family, teachers

• Ensure that your views are challenged

The Interview

 Multiple Mini-Interviews: 7 x 1-to-1 discussions (6 min each)  Format (typical)

• Hypothetical situation (described or role play)
• Asked to describe past behaviour in certain situations

 Assessed Characteristics, including:

• Communication
• Commitment to healthcare practice
• Empathy/Perspective taking
• Resilience and honesty
• Rational decision making

Decisions

 Interviews held from late November – end February  Pre-Xmas interviews: Early communication of decisions

to those with interview scores at high and low ends of distribution

 Candidates with mid-range scores will be held in reserve

until after completion of all interviews

Email: MDS-MedAdmissions@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Medicine websites 5-year programme: www.birmingham.ac.uk/medicine Graduate entry programme: ww.birmingham.ac.uk/graduatemedicine