Day 3: Reflection on the InvestIN Young Doctor Internship

Day three of the internship consisted of application assistance with sessions on UKCAT/BMAT training, personal statements, how to choose a medical school, interview practice and types of work experience. I found this day the most fascinating since it cleared my doubts on the admissions process and helped refine my goals.

Firstly, they introduced the day by discussing how to choose the right medical school. Prior to the internship I thought that choosing a school meant solely reviewing course-work and professors; I thought that the prestige of the school would influence my job opportunities in the future, like with most undergraduate programs. Dr Lucy Macconick explained that choosing a medical school comprises of getting a holistic understanding of the school:

• The campus/location: For instance, I learned that I would prefer a large college campus where I’m able to socialize easily and become more accustomed to living in England (alone), since I currently live in India (with my family).

• The extracurriculars: I don’t think I need to participate in extracurricular activities but I would want my university to offer opportunities for me to communicate with other international students.

• The type of medicine course: I now understand that I prefer an integrated course or PBL course compared to a traditional medicine course because I would learn better outside a lecture hall. Dr Lucy explained that prestigious universities like Oxbridge would offer traditional medicine with the first 3 years of schooling conducted through lectures, often with other science students. I understand that I require a focus on medicine with a patient facing course so I grow accustomed to working in healthcare spaces, meaning I would be able to deliver better care.

• The competitive ratios/entry requirements: I knew that this would be a factor in deciding my university but with help of Dr Lucy and a medical student (who was invited to present their opinion) I now know that certain universities want specific focus on certain areas. For example, King's college would want long-term work experience to show dedication, and Oxford would look for academically orientated students.

Overall, instead of believing that I need to impress universities, I now understand that I need to find universities that cater to my needs. When I play to my strengths, I’m likely to succeed in that environment. The session piqued my interest in Edinburgh University, University College London, Newcastle and Manchester because these universities offer integrated and PBL courses. Moreover, the tutors explained that the university you attend for medicine would not reflect on your CV when applying for jobs. Every graduate gets into the foundation program where they can discover their specific interests after medical school.

Next, Dr Lucy transitioned her teaching to personal statements. Students create a personal statement detailing themselves and their interests; it is sent to every university the student applies to through UCAT. At first I thought that the personal statement was intimidating since I struggle in keeping my language concise and I often resort to repetition. Through the session however, I discovered that the process of creation is similar to that of the personal project report that I did last year in MYP5. Both texts demand specifications, a student's own personality, have narrow word counts, and conceptual subjects. This realization calmed me.

The main concepts taught on personal statements are; keep it concise, introduce why medicine, assure you are realistic, and then adopt the three pillar method. The three pillar method consists of describing an extracurricular activity, explaining its impact, and mentioning how this helped you acquire the right skills to be a doctor. Be cautious when discussing personal anecdotes because this romanticizes the profession.

Dr David Bloomfeild held a session on the BMAT and UCAT; assessments aspiring medical students take to illustrate their potential contribution to the field/university. The UCAT is the University Clinical Aptitude Tests that most universities list as a requirement. This test cannot be ‘revised’ for, and each university uses this differently (different weightage). It had five categories:

• Verbal reasoning

• Decision making: answering quickly, paying attention to information

• Quantitative reasoning

• Abstract reasoning: identifying patterns and relationships

• Situational judgement

The main difficulty of this test is the time limit; it is designed in a way where the test is almost too long for the given time limit. Therefore, I need to constantly practice my test-taking skills and challenge myself to work efficiently, faster.

The BMAT is the biomedical admissions test that tests students based on a syllabus. It has three categories:

1. Thinking

2. Scientific knowledge

3. Written task

At a glance, I think that I need to work most on essay writing because I find that I take copious amounts of time when writing about academic subjects. Dr Bloomfield advised the class to mention both sides of the argument for the given prompt. To work on this skill, I will write practice essays within a given time limit.

Next, the interview portion of the day surprised me since I learned alot about the types of interviews universities offer. The interview tasks, types of questions and format surprised me the most. I knew about MMIs (multiple mini interviews) prior though the topics these questions would be on were new; these questions would discuss the personal statement, the NHS, recent healthcare topics, extracurriculars, and academic reading. For instance they could ask questions like, “Could you explain an instance where you showed leadership skills?” Additionally, they talked about how asking obvious questions to the interviewers could discourage them since they want their students to be informed about the university.

The star approach was a structure best for formulating interview responses:

Eg. Give me an example of when you showed communications skills.

1. Situation: set the scene

2. Task: what was the issue?

3. Action: what you did

4. Result: impact of your action

5. Reflect: how does this make you a good doctor?

To give good responses, practice is required and the student needs holistic knowledge on their life and the medical community. I plan to take this information forward and practice interviews, possibly collaborating with other pre-health students.

In conclusion, day three helped define my goals. I know now that I require communication and leadership experience with in-person work experience. Currently, I have applied for a leadership position in my school’s science club and joined the MUN club to improve my knowledge on world news. I plan to make more plans and take risks in the next two years of highschool.