Which UK school consider ECs?

[JackW]

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Can someone tell me which graduate entry medical program in the UK considers ECs and one's academic CV?

I am a Canadian currently studying in a Canadian university wanting to apply to UK med schools. I have e-mailed some schools and it seems that all of them only consider school/university grades and public exams (UKCAT, BMAT etc) results. I feel that EC (research, awards, work, volunteering etc) is my strength and want to use it to my advantage.

Thanks.

 

[neuralgal]

Can someone tell me which graduate entry medical program in the UK considers ECs and one's academic CV?

I am a Canadian currently studying in a Canadian university wanting to apply to UK med schools. I have e-mailed some schools and it seems that all of them only consider school/university grades and public exams (UKCAT, BMAT etc) results. I feel that EC (research, awards, work, volunteering etc) is my strength and want to use it to my advantage.

Thanks.

All of the schools look at ECs but, like here, they differ in how much they weigh them in making interview and admission decisions. Their websites should have how they select for interview and how they select for admission. Grad entry programs are limited in number and space, so grades are used more heavily in the process. If you look at 5 year programs, it's more of a balance but some do favor one over the other. Bristol, for example, puts 70% on your ECs, making them the most important part of your application for interview.

 

[JackW]

All of the schools look at ECs but, like here, they differ in how much they weigh them in making interview and admission decisions. Their websites should have how they select for interview and how they select for admission. Grad entry programs are limited in number and space, so grades are used more heavily in the process. If you look at 5 year programs, it's more of a balance but some do favor one over the other. Bristol, for example, puts 70% on your ECs, making them the most important part of your application for interview.

Thanks for the response. Bristol is nice but they only have 4 spots for international students. East Anglia and Plymouth, for example, both told me they don't look at ECs.

 

[neuralgal]

Thanks for the response. Bristol is nice but they only have 4 spots for international students. East Anglia and Plymouth, for example, both told me they don't look at ECs.

I haven't looked at those specifically, but most places I researched wanted at least evidence that you had some medically related experiences. They didn't particularly care what it was and it really varied if those ECs played a role in interview/admission decisions.

As I mentioned earlier, because grad programs are so limited, grades do play a large role in determining who gets an interview. For a grad entry-type program with not much emphasis on grades, the only place I can think of is Buckingham. They'll give you an interview if you meet their minimum requirements and their program is 4.5 years long. They're a private school, so there's no cap on internationals, but they're not yet accredited by the General Medical Council (graduates get an accredited medical degree from another UK medical school).

 

[neuralgal]

Also, did you check with the universities what degree classification (first, 2.1, 2.2) you would get with your current marks? If it's a first or a 2.1, then you're already in a competitive place with university grades and would just need a decent UKCAT/BMAT score.

 

[JackW]

Also, did you check with the universities what degree classification (first, 2.1, 2.2) you would get with your current marks? If it's a first or a 2.1, then you're already in a competitive place with university grades and would just need a decent UKCAT/BMAT score.

Neuralgal: thanks for all the responses, they are all very helpful. I am so ignorant, what is a 2.1 or 2.2? I currently have a GPA of around 3.8 with a Canadian university, and I expect to graduate with a similar GPA. My Bachelor's degree will be an honours degree with a research project component. Is it considered a 2.1 or 2.2?

 

[neuralgal]

Neuralgal: thanks for all the responses, they are all very helpful. I am so ignorant, what is a 2.1 or 2.2? I currently have a GPA of around 3.8 with a Canadian university, and I expect to graduate with a similar GPA. My Bachelor's degree will be an honours degree with a research project component. Is it considered a 2.1 or 2.2?

So instead of looking at the specific percentage or GPA, British schools classify degrees into 4 categories; highest to lowest are a first, a second (divided into upper second or 2.1 and a lower second or 2.2), and a third. All British medical schools want degrees to be a first or a 2.1 but some will consider a 2.2 if you have a Masters degree. What I found is that once you have that first or 2.1, then the playing field levels in terms of university grades. Someone with a first won't necessarily have an advantage over someone with a 2.1. Every school has a different percentage/letter grade/GPA requirement for a degree to be considered a 2.1 or higher, so you should check with all the ones you're interested in.

I had a GPA of 3.5-3.6 and that put me in the 2.1 category for all the schools I applied to. A 3.8 will definitely get you a 2.1, maybe even a first.

 

[Medstart108]

St George University of London really looks into ECs.

 

[JackW]

Are international students/graduates from Buckingham and St George eligible for local UK internships as in other programs?

 

[neuralgal]

Are international students/graduates from Buckingham and St George eligible for local UK internships as in other programs?

Yes, they are. There are only two medical programs in the UK that don't allow an international to get a local UK post and that's the St. Andrews program and INTO St. George program (4 and 6 year options I think). This is because the final years of these two happen outside of the UK, so you wouldn't be eligible to get a visa for internship.

 

[Medstart108]

Yes, they are. There are only two medical programs in the UK that don't allow an international to get a local UK post and that's the St. Andrews program and INTO St. George program (4 and 6 year options I think). This is because the final years of these two happen outside of the UK, so you wouldn't be eligible to get a visa for internship.

The St Andrews program itself is all in the UK but they specifically say that you won't be eligible for the foundation years. As of what I know, they hold true to that promise. Instead, students spend 4 months in their 5th year in Canada doing electives, which is really beneficial for those who want to match back home.

 

[OxToCA]

After hearing back from the Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training (PMST) program today, which is an accredited, business oriented specialty, thought I'd add that obtaining a UK work visa for some pretty interesting positions (e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry, with regulatory authorities, or at a CRO) that pay well/are enjoyable is possible with the right preparation, such as by tailoring your ECs to admissions criteria or increasing your candidacy through other means. The same can be said for some other specialties, too.