St. Andrews Medical School Applicants 2012

sorry what do you mean by spiral structure? I've just started looking up stuff for my interview today (got it on the 15th) but hadn't come across this

Also, what would be good things to say about why st andrews is better than the other medical schools? So far I've got: being able to learn anatomy through dissection, and stuff about the traditional teaching style

Spiral structure - you go through the same subject many times, at different levels - i.e. nerves - simple stuff in first year, then you go again through nerves structure when you study lets say the back and so on... you don't just learn something in year 1 and then never hear of it again for the rest of the university.

St andrews has great facillities - new dissection room, a nice ARC- anatomy resource centre, and the uni spends loads of money on out education - i.e. free access to Anatomy TV and other online resources that are otherwise quite exepensive.

Here you get a good knowledge based. we do a lot more anatomy than other university so it is worth mentioning that you understand how science is the base of clinical practice and your aim is to be a good doctor, not just a doctor bla bla...

Also you get to go to 2 different unis in the end - so you can mention how happy you are to experience 2 different environments and teaching styles and you think this will help you become more open to new styles of working (very important for doctors that actually get to work in different environements with different people).

Can't think of anything else right now... but i think that is enough to bamble for 10 minutes. Please ask if you have any other questions

I know I wasn't the one who asked the question in the first place, but thank you for that ^
The more I look up St. Andrews, the more I fall in love with it. Let's hope I don't muck up the interview


One quick question, is the article science-based; ie, should I revise stuff I've done at A-Level? I can't really find anything conclusive online, so I'll do that anyway to cover all bases. I had a mock interview with a doctor yesterday, and afterwards we discussed St. Andrews. He didn't have any knowledge of St. A itself, but did mention that the article could be a scientific study and we could evaluate how it's good / bad / its limitations?

I wouldn't revise anything. I lost loads of precious time reading scientific articles for my interview and it didn't help at all. The article is quite simple, nothing too fancy. They don't expect you to know most of the things - not because you don't know them, but because there are so many international students applying that they can never know what sort of schools the applicants went to (in fact, in the first semester we do basic stuff just to make sure that all the students are at the same level by the second semester). The article will be something you would read in a smart news paper. You will be able to understand everything and if you don't, don't be afraid to say that you never really encountered something. But they focus on other stuff, such as sumarise the article, say what is your opinion about this article, say if you would change your clinical practice (as a doctor) after reading this article, what tests would you do to confirm the data in the article and so on. Basic stuff. Don't worry too much about it. Just try to think it through and read it very well.

Just Saying : LOL instead of flooding the forum with why st andrews or course details, go search it up. Eventually everyone will be giving the same reasons and your interview calibre goes down the drain. Plus members of staff regularly read these forums, so they'll prolly know what you were about to say. :P

ahm... there are only a few reasons someone can give: facilities, course structure, university reputation... i am pretty sure that people will give same reasons because there are too little reasons to give ! pretty sure this will not affect their interview performance.

there are other good reasons T

Just Saying : LOL instead of flooding the forum with why st andrews or course details, go search it up. Eventually everyone will be giving the same reasons and your interview calibre goes down the drain. Plus members of staff regularly read these forums, so they'll prolly know what you were about to say. :P

This is a very good point. Anyone who actually bothered to attend the open day would know the reasons for choosing the course. The lecture I attended covered everything, therefore little need to actually ask questions in tsr

This is a very good point. Anyone who actually bothered to attend the open day would know the reasons for choosing the course. The lecture I attended covered everything, therefore little need to actually ask questions in tsr

when do you think will be the next round of interviews given out? i am waiting desperately....:/

Just got back to my home town Derby. The interviewers were really nice and friendly and I thought I would take the time to thank 'teafil' and 'no future' as well as the students I met at St Andrews you were all really helpful
If St Andrews were going to reject you would they wait till March or do it soon after your interview?

I can't remember the names of my interviewers (too nervous :L)
I got a UKCAT of 717.5 average or 2870 overall
I was in 2:25 group so I don't know if I had you polldoll I remember I had an international student called sam and then we also had two more students, one in year two and one in year three

I was a bit worried about the fact 50% is academic and I only got 6A*s what did you get (students that are already at St Andrews please)

Just got back to my home town Derby. The interviewers were really nice and friendly and I thought I would take the time to thank 'teafil' and 'no future' as well as the students I met at St Andrews you were all really helpful
If St Andrews were going to reject you would they wait till March or do it soon after your interview?