Studying Medicine in the United Kingdom SMSUK JC TALKS 2012

Transcription

1 Studying Medicine in the United Kingdom SMSUK JC TALKS 2012

2 Session Contents A. Brief Introduction to SMSUK B. Studying Medicine in the UK An Overview UK medical schools and course structure Why study medicine in the UK? Other important issues Cost of living and sources of funding National service and deferred entry C. Applying to UK Medical Schools General procedures in applying to the UK Medical school admissions procedures and pre-requisites Medical school interviews and admissions tests D. Applying to UK Dental Schools E. QnA Session F. Contact Details

3 Singapore Medical Society of the United Kingdom (SMSUK) Non-profit medical society established by students for students Members: Students studying medicine, dentistry, and allied health sciences in the UK Aims: Represent interests and enhance members welfare Offer information and links regarding education and careers in UK & Singapore Link between medical and scientific organizations in Singapore (MOHH, SingHeath, NHG, A*STAR, etc.)

4 Events organised by SMSUK Booth at British Council Pre-departure Fair Singhealth Student Engagement Dinner Freshers and Members Gathering Orientation Camp Charity Run Annual Weekend Trip Annual Day Trip Annual Dinner

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7 Why are we here? To help you make an informed decision when deciding which medical schools to apply to To give you an idea of what it is like to study medicine in the UK To prepare you for the medical school admissions process To answer any queries you might have with regard to studying medicine in the UK

8 Studying Medicine in the UK - An Overview

9 UK Medical Schools As of 2009, there are 25 UK Medical Schools offering degrees that are recognised in Singapore

10 UK Medical Schools LONDON (5) Imperial, UCL, King s, Bart s (Queen Mary), St George s ENGLAND (Outside London) (13) Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Bristol, Southampton, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Durham SCOTLAND (5) Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, St Andrew s WALES (2) Wales, Cardiff Visit MOHH Website for full list Wales Scotland London England

11 General Course Structure 5-year or 6-year MBBS Programme 2 years Pre-Clinical 3 years Clinical 1 year Intercalated BSc Optional/Compulsory (depending on the school) Usually undertaken in Year 3 or 4 Teaching Methods Lectures Tutorials and Workshops PBL (Problem-Based Learning) Clinical Skills Teaching Patient Interaction Dissection/Prosections

12 Why study medicine in the UK? Multicultural experience Cosmopolitan Society People from all over the world Broaden your horizons Rich historical and cultural heritage Many world-famous sites of interest Free entry to many museums Rich medical history (BMA, RCS, etc)

13 Why study medicine in the UK? Student-friendly environment Vibrant student life Wealth of clubs and societies Discounts on food, transport, etc Varied social life Arts (Musicals, Concerts, Art Exhibitions, Plays) Sports (Football, Tennis) Nightlife (Pubs, Clubs) Something for everyone

14 Why study medicine in the UK? State-of-the-art facilities Self-contained campuses out of London City campuses within easy reach of everything you need World-famous hospitals High quality of teaching Passionate educators World leaders in their fields Learn anatomy by dissection (some schools) Dedicated clinical skills centres

15 Why study medicine in the UK? Personal growth and development Probably first time living on your own New meaning to independence

16 Why study medicine in the UK? Practical considerations Decreased costs 10-yr Exchange Rate Graph SGD vs GBP SGD has been appreciating vs GBP 1 GBP 1.99 SGD (June 2012) Becoming cheaper to study medicine in UK vs Aus (based on June 2012 exchange rates) KCL, UK (MBBS 5 years) SGD 270k Monash, Aus (MBBS 5 years) SGD 385k Source: United States Federal Reserve Bank of New York

17 Why study medicine in the UK? Practical considerations Need for overseas doctors

18 Why study medicine in the UK? Practical considerations Need for overseas doctors Singapore needs more doctors due to ageing population Spaces in NUS medicine are limited (300 a year) Spaces at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine are limited as well (50 for inaugural batch) Increasing efforts to attract foreign-trained doctors (e.g. Pre-Employment Grant) UK medical schools are viable alternatives Consider: UK as a first choice above Singapore?

19 Why study medicine in the UK? Singapore vs UK Medicine A major factor that influenced my decision was the encouragement of several doctors whose opinions I consulted. From their experience, while graduates from Yong Loo Lin have more knowledge (in terms of the hard facts) and are aware of local disease patterns, graduates from reputable British medical schools are stronger in the basic concepts and better at working from first principles (while NUS graduates tend to depend more on memorization). Furthermore, there is a greater emphasis on patient care and communication in the UK, though YLL might be starting to pay more attention to this as well, and an additional advantage for the UK graduate is more flexibility in employment the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore etc. As the doctors who advised me concluded: if there are no personal or financial issues that require you to be in Singapore, studying abroad is exciting and can be a real eye-opener! - 1 st year Singaporean medical student UCL Medical School

20 Other Important Issues Cost of Living Current Exchange Rate : 1 GBP 1.99 SGD (June 2012) Tuition Fees (Pre-clinical) and (Clinical) Costs vary with different universities London colleges generally more expensive Accommodation (London) per week (catered) per week (self-catered) per week (private) Cheaper out of London

21 Other Important Issues Cost of Living Annual Living Expenses Accommodation + Transport + Shopping + Food Depends on your lifestyle Generally cheaper outside of London Estimated Total Expenditure (Living Expenses + Course Fees for 5-yr MBBS) = S$ (minimum) Depends on location, course length and lifestyle Slight increases in course fees over the years

22 Other Important Issues Sources of Funding Supplementing living expenses (NOT a source to fund all your expenses) Getting a job Max 20 hours during term-time, no limit during holidays Taking part in paid experiments Usually about 7-10 pounds per hour Scholarships from the universities/colleges Usually a few hundred or thousand pounds, generally insufficient to cover your tuition fees Exam Prizes Usually a few hundred pounds if you attain one of the top positions in your cohort

23 Other Important Issues Sources of Funding Full Scholarships (Very Few) PSC President s Scholarship A*STAR MBBS-PhD Scholarship Graduate in 8-9 years with BSc, MBBS and PhD 6 year bond with A*STAR Jardine Matheson Scholarship Only for selected colleges in Oxford and Cambridge Loke Cheng Kim Scholarship However focus not on medicine MOH Health Science Scholarship Allied health professions speech therapy, physiotherapy

24 Other Important Issues National Service Issues Disruption from NS not allowed for overseas medicine Must finish NS commitment before embarking on medical studies in the UK Can apply for deferred entry at end of 1 st year of NS Meaning the school will hold your place for 1 year Unlikely that they will hold it for 2 years Most will allow deferred entry for 1 year, but check individual school websites/prospectuses

25 Applying to UK Medical Schools

26 General Procedures in Applying to the UK Application via UCAS, deadline 15 th Oct UKCAT/BMAT OFF TO UK! A Level Examinations Application of visa and paperwork Offers/Interviews by schools Release of A Level Results

27 Medical School Admissions Procedures and Prerequisites UCAS Choices A level subject requirements References Personal Statement Preparing for Interviews

28 Admissions Prerequisites Application through UCAS 5 Choices, 4 medical schools max Minimum A -level requirements AAA at H2 Level, Chemistry (essential), Biology (most require at least at H1 level E.g. Imperial, Barts, Edinburgh)

29 Admissions Prerequisites References and personal statements Perfect your personal statement Get a good reference Interviews Universities and Course Structures Read up on the prospectuses of medical schools Anything in your personal statement can be asked, so be familiar with it! General medical updates or recent breakthrough research Medical ethics

30 Medical Interviews 1) Why do you want to be a doctor? 2) What qualities do you think patients appreciate in a doctor? 3) What qualities do you think colleagues appreciate in a doctor? 4) What qualities do you possess that will make you a good doctor? 5) Do you think/why is research is important? 6) What are the benefits/limitations of research? 7) Can you give an example of how medical research has been beneficial? 8) Tell us about something medically related that you have read in the press? 9) Describe a situation you have been in which was stressful. 10) How do you deal with stress?

31 11) What do you think the benefits of PBL (problem-based learning) are? 12) What are the disadvantages of PBL? 13) What do you think you will find most difficult about a career in medicine? 14) Tell us about your work experience 15) What did you learn about yourself from your work experience? 16) What did you learn from the doctors and nurses from your work experience? 17) Research has shown that "Integrity" is an important quality in a doctor. What do you think is meant by this and can you give an example of a situation in which acting with integrity might be important? 18) Give an example of when you have worked in a team. 19) How can you contribute to the University? 20) Is there anything else that you'd like to add? 21) Why do you choose to study medicine here? What do you like about the course we have here?

32 Medical School Interviews Highly Recommended (Except for Oxbridge Interviews)

33 Medical School Admissions Tests UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test) All other universities BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL Different schools use the tests differently Some use it to shortlist candidates for interview, after that test results not considered Others place greater weight on the test results

34 UKCAT University University of Aberdeen Brighton and Sussex Medical School Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry Cardiff University University of Dundee University of Durham University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow Hull York Medical School Keele University King's College London Imperial College London Graduate Entry University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Manchester University of Newcastle University of Nottingham University of Oxford Graduate Entry Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry Queen's University Belfast University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of St Andrews St George's, University of London Warwick University Graduate Entry UCAS Course Code A100, A201 A100 A100, A101, A200, A201 A100, A104, A200, A204 A100, A104, A200, A204 A100 A100, A104 A100 A100, A200 A100 A100, A104 A100, A101, A102, A202, A205 A101 A100 A100, A101 A104, A106, A204, A206 A100, A101, A206 A100, A108 A101 A100 A100, A200 A100, A104, A200 A100, A101, A102 A100, A990, B900 A100 A101

35 Format of UKCAT The test is delivered in 2 hours. Each subtest is in MCQ format and separately timed Section Time (mins) Items Verbal Reasoning Quantitative Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Decision Analysis Non-Cognitive Analysis 27 varies depending upon the version section taken

36 UKCAT Sections Verbal reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to think logically about written information and to arrive at a reasoned conclusion. Quantitative reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to solve numerical problems. Abstract reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking. Decision analysis - assesses candidates' ability to deal with various forms of information, to infer relationships, to make informed judgements, and to decide on an appropriate response, in situations of complexity and ambiguity. Non-cognitive analysis - identifies the attributes and characteristics of robustness, empathy and integrity that may contribute to successful health professional practice. Taken from:

37 UKCAT-Abstract Reasoning Answer: Set B All shapes in set A with four sides are shaded, whereas in set B all shapes without four sides are shaded

38 UKCAT-Decision Analysis 3: Man C: Opposite 12: See C12: Can t See? 13: Warm C13: Opposite warm=cold C13(4): Cold Sheep? Answer: D D13: Change warm? D1 (13): change water (warm) E(CG): small female EG: big female Answer: E

39 UKCAT Key Dates Date Remark 1 May 2012 Registration Opens 3 July 2012 Testing begins 21 September 2012 Registration deadline, bursary application deadline and exemption application deadline 5 October 2012 Last testing date Test fees: 65 EU(July-August), 80 EU (September October) / 100 Non EU More info:

40 Practice Books (These books are available at Kino)

41 Format of BMAT 2 hour pen and paper test Section Time (mins) Items Aptitude and Skills multiple choice or short answer Scientific Knowledge and Application multiple choice or short answer Writing Task 30 1 essay question from a choice of 4 Test taken at British Council, Singapore Date of Exam: Wednesday, 7 November 2012, 9am GMT Cost: 1st September 1st October (standard) 2nd October 15th October (late registration) Taken from:

42 BMAT Key Dates Date Remark 1 September 2012 Entries Extranet Opens 14 September 2012 Last date for requests for modified question papers (eg. Braille or enlarged) 1 October 2012 (BST 5pm) Standard entry closing date. Entries after this will be charged a late fee. 15 October 2012 Last date for BMAT entry. 15 October 2012 Last date for requests for reimbursement of BMAT fees 7 November 2012 BMAT 21 November 2012 BMAT results released 28 November 2012 Last date for BMAT result enquiry submissions

43 Practice Books More info:

44 Applying to UK Dental Schools

45 UK Dental Schools: 1. University of Birmingham B.D.S. 2. University of Bristol B.D.S. 3. University of Leeds B.Ch.D. 4. University of Liverpool B.D.S. 5. University of London B.D.S. - King s College London - Bart s and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry 6. University of Manchester B.D.S. 7. University of Newcastle upon Tyne B.D.S. 8. University of Sheffield B.D.S. 9. Queen s University of Belfast B.D.S. 10. University of Dundee B.D.S. 11. University of Edinburgh B.D.S. 12. University of Glasgow B.D.S. 13. University of Wales B.D.S. Ireland Dental Schools: 1.National University of Ireland 2. University of Dublin Taken from

46 Dental School Admissions Procedures and Prerequisites Application opens before the sitting of A levels/ib UCAS deadline same as for medicine 15 th October You would need reference letter from a teacher, and their sealed predicted grades For dentistry, a minimum of 2A and 1B is required, in which the A must be for Biology, and either Mathematics or Chemistry must be an A

47 Advice Personal statement is very important, do try to make it sound interesting and fluent Having some clinical experiences/observation to include would be great King s College London being the biggest dental school in the UK (140 spaces), probably offers the highest chance of entering About spaces are offered to International students, as opposed to 3-5 spaces in other smaller dental schools

48 Advice The downside to KCL is the higher cost of the tuition fees (about 30K GBP=60K SGD per year) and cost of living Interviews are held after A levels in between Jan- April They can be held in Singapore or in the UK Bart s Interview: Singapore British Council KCL Interview: in London Some universities do offer Skype Interviews

49 Q&A Session

50 Who to contact? 18 th SMSUK Committee us at Visit our website at (Powerpoint slides and brochure available on the website)

51 The End Good luck for A s and we hope to see you in the UK!