The Student Room Group

'Easiest' medical schools to get into?!

Hello all I applied to medical schools last year but only got two interviews (east anglia and exeter) but was unsuccesful after these. I have now finished my adv highers and got 3 A's- which are scottish equivalent of a levels btw :P I wondered if people thought this put me in a better position than last yr (with AAABB in highers) Also which are honestly the 'easier' schools to get into, i know they're all hard lol! I hated the interview technique of exeter so i guess im also wondering which med schools have nicer techniques. responses mucho appreciated :smile:

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Reply 1
As you said, no med schools are easy to get into - just apply where you would actually want to study.

In terms of interview, I personally thought Newcastle had quite a "soft" interview. From talking to frinds, UCL and St George's seem to have very soft interviews as well. One friend's interview at St George's was for the most part, a 15 minute football discussion.

Perhaps try avoiding the med schools which have highly structured interviews e.g. Bart's and the London, UEA
Reply 2
I found Birmingham the easiest interview, total of 9 minutes long and the only challenging question they asked was what's the career path to becoming a consultant which I am sure you can find online!

My advice to you howeevr would be to forget about which med schools are easiest and work on your interview technique..perhaps get some feedback from uea and find out where you went wrong..and take it from there.
Reply 3
For interviews, I would suggest you are able to back up every single (and I mean every single!) claim/statement in your personal statement. Think of all the possible questions they could ask you, based on your PS.
Other than that, just be generally aware of topical issues etc.

I don't think it's possible to divide medical schools based on 'easy' or 'hard' interviews. You will always hear different stories from different people. For instance, I found the ICMS interview the least challenging.
Reply 4
Flange School of Medicine.
Reply 5
Manchester attempted to rip my genitals off at times and were like mates having a good discussion at others. Three person panel which was spread out around a table making it challenging to speak to all of them and they really went for the kill if they thought I was struggling, at one point I thought the guy was going to roll back his eyes like a great white shark and bite my legs off.

Glasgow was much more informal and friendly, plus a higher percentage of applications make it through to the interview.
Reply 6
Eskamo, I found it the opposite! Glasgow were pretty mean to me, continually prodding me to talk more. I swore I messed it up and was really shocked (but delighted :biggrin:) to get in! I'm heading there in 3 weeks. :biggrin:

I'd heard horror stories about interrogations at Manchester but I thought they were really friendly, although I agree that it was pretty hard to try and talk to all three people at once.

Liverpool was the most laid-back of my interviews. It was more like a casual chat at one point the two interviewers started their own conversation in the middle of it. :p:

OP, maybe a few mock interviews would help? If you know anyone that's in business (or better still, medicine) that's used to interviewing people, ask them if they could help you out. I had a mock interview with my careers teacher at school and it definitely helped to boost my confidence.

As for which is the easiest place to get into, unfortunately there isn't one...
Peninsula, by far.
Reply 8
Probably Barts and the Queen Mary School of Medicine.
Reply 9
Nah, Muse - I think you're confusing it with the "West Country School of Medicine and Scrumpy at Brissol" :wink: :tongue:
Reply 10
peninsula's grade requirements are very low
Reply 11
Are international students interviewed as well?
Reply 12
aSian_cUtY
I found Birmingham the easiest interview, total of 9 minutes long and the only challenging question they asked was what's the career path to becoming a consultant which I am sure you can find online!


but I think that depends on the student...personally, I think not everybody's interview is like that...anyways >< lucky lucky u!!
Reply 13
Yeah, not Glasgow. One of my interviewers laughed and scoffed at everything I said, through the entire interview. The system they have there is the fairest, though - they interview everyone who meets the minimum entry requirements. Last year I believe it was roughly 2000 people with something like 350-400 being given offers. Of course, the intake there is very high, roughly 250.
Persuasion
Yeah, not Glasgow. One of my interviewers laughed and scoffed at everything I said, through the entire interview. The system they have there is the fairest, though - they interview everyone who meets the minimum entry requirements. Last year I believe it was roughly 2000 people with something like 350-400 being given offers. Of course, the intake there is very high, roughly 250.


Is this true??? Really?

Also, I found the Keele interview panel particularly menacing. They really pressed you for answers, and contradicted your EVERY statement. And I was unsuccessful, haha.
Reply 15
Yup, they interview all those who meet the grades.
Their interviews go right through from November until Mid-March, I believe.
Reply 16
J-Curve
Are international students interviewed as well?

Yes.
liverpool's interview was nice :smile: laid back, but be aware tht it is PBL there if u apply, because they grill you on how PBL works !

leeds was the scariest of my interviews :frown: very intimidating, they don't look at you, until u cant answer something, or struggle with it, then they stare, plus there were 3 on the panel.

but tbh i think u shud jus apply to schools you'd be happy with going to ! and prepare well for the interviews
Reply 18
Wow thanks for all the help =) I think ive got a clearer idea of which schools to apply to if i go for it again. Its nice to know other people found applying a very difficult and sometimes scary process!! xxx
Reply 19
Fluffy
Nah, Muse - I think you're confusing it with the "West Country School of Medicine and Scrumpy at Brissol" :wink: :tongue:


I'm missing Brizzle and Scrumy, just finishing up at Ealing and it has to be one of the most architecturally displeasing hospitals in London!