Have I done enough to get into med?

So I've been predicted A*s in chem and bio and possibly in maths too (the minimum would be an A though, I haven't got the predicted grade for maths yet).
I've done work experience in the ENT department at the hospital (was in the OT one day, shadowed a junior doctor in the A&E the next day and followed around an ENT consultant and maxillofacial consultant the next day), the psychiatry department in the hospital, volunteered at a care home and am currently in the process of arranging some work experience with a GP.
I'm also planning on doing the bio olympiad and I've done around 7 years of classical dance and I'm running medsoc at my school, I've also volunteered to do dissections multiple times during open days and science festivals, but I'm worried that in comparison to everyone else, it's not enough. I'm planning on applying to UCL, imperial (not too sure about this one actually), UEA and ARU for med.
Should I be doing an EPQ? Would that help?
I really have no idea if I've done enough and if not, what more can I do?

So I've been predicted A*s in chem and bio and possibly in maths too (the minimum would be an A though, I haven't got the predicted grade for maths yet).
I've done work experience in the ENT department at the hospital (was in the OT one day, shadowed a junior doctor in the A&E the next day and followed around an ENT consultant and maxillofacial consultant the next day), the psychiatry department in the hospital, volunteered at a care home and am currently in the process of arranging some work experience with a GP.
I'm also planning on doing the bio olympiad and I've done around 7 years of classical dance and I'm running medsoc at my school, I've also volunteered to do dissections multiple times during open days and science festivals, but I'm worried that in comparison to everyone else, it's not enough. I'm planning on applying to UCL, imperial (not too sure about this one actually), UEA and ARU for med.
Should I be doing an EPQ? Would that help?
I really have no idea if I've done enough and if not, what more can I do?

You really have no idea if you've done enough? Really?

You’ve done enough. I’d say that if your personal statement gets you an interview and you’re able to discuss current affairs relating to medicine (like NHS strikes and the reasons for them), then you’d be a strong applicant.

So I've been predicted A*s in chem and bio and possibly in maths too (the minimum would be an A though, I haven't got the predicted grade for maths yet).
I've done work experience in the ENT department at the hospital (was in the OT one day, shadowed a junior doctor in the A&E the next day and followed around an ENT consultant and maxillofacial consultant the next day), the psychiatry department in the hospital, volunteered at a care home and am currently in the process of arranging some work experience with a GP.
I'm also planning on doing the bio olympiad and I've done around 7 years of classical dance and I'm running medsoc at my school, I've also volunteered to do dissections multiple times during open days and science festivals, but I'm worried that in comparison to everyone else, it's not enough. I'm planning on applying to UCL, imperial (not too sure about this one actually), UEA and ARU for med.
Should I be doing an EPQ? Would that help?
I know loads of people at my school who've done certain courses online and have lots of certificates and certifications and I'm constantly worrying about not being "as good" as them and not being as strong of an applicant as them.
I really have no idea if I've done enough and if not, what more can I do?

A lot will be based off of your BMAT and/or UCAT score too, once you have those scores you can roughly gauge where to apply to

A lot will be based off of your BMAT and/or UCAT score too, once you have those scores you can roughly gauge where to apply to

This is really important.

Do not narrow your application too much by picking schools / colleges now. You will need to attain strong ucat / bmat scores and that takes a bit of focus and the outcome of the UCAT in particular will help you be strategic. So preferably aim for an earlier date and know what your strategic choices for UCAT are. For the BMAT unis if you will def apply to them perhaps go to the open days this summer. Its pot luck as you wont know your bmat score.

It does sound as though you have had the opportunity to do a good range of med experience. But bear in mind that very very few unis really look at the PS in depth to select for interview. Its more about how you REFLECT on what you have seen that is important.

Finding some public facing work over the summer working in a restaurant /shop /waitressing would help boost the people skills for reflection. Again its what you learn from it for your interviews rather than a box ticking exercise for the application itself.

Good luck.

My teachers keep telling me to pick one BMAT and three UCAT unis because the BMAT testing date is after we submit our UCAS application, is that a reasonable thing to do?

My teachers keep telling me to pick one BMAT and three UCAT unis because the BMAT testing date is after we submit our UCAS application, is that a reasonable thing to do?

My teachers keep telling me to pick one BMAT and three UCAT unis because the BMAT testing date is after we submit our UCAS application, is that a reasonable thing to do?

Personally i think it is extremely important to be strategic.

You cannot be very strategic with BMAT applications as you sit the exam after you apply. There are nuances with application policies and some tactical stuff that others can advise on. But i certainly think it would be a bold choice to put all eggs in that basket without UCAT to fall back on.

If you prep well and do well in your UCAT that helps you be much more strategic with your application.

If you get a high UCAT score then you can be moderately confident if you apply that you might get an interview if you are strategic so you could be more confident in taking the "risk" of putting a BMAT uni down.

If someone gets a low UCAT score that is unlikely to meet the application thresholds and make it harder to be successfully strategic (and UCAT blips do happen), then they might think oh I've got nothing to lose and push all 4 BMATs.

Its why it helps (in my view) if you can do your UCAT early cos then you can take advice on the what uni megathread on what your next steps might be and you can then decide how much focus you need to give to BMAT revision.

2 and 2 is an option. But only you can decide this, and i would suggest, ideally, in the context of your UCAT score.

Also, go, find and read the application policy for your (megathread suggested) choices and see what emphasis if any they put on PS, (most seem to ignore it at selection for interview) but those that do use it may like to see specific things.

Long ramble but hopefully may be useful.

So I've been predicted A*s in chem and bio and possibly in maths too (the minimum would be an A though, I haven't got the predicted grade for maths yet).
I've done work experience in the ENT department at the hospital (was in the OT one day, shadowed a junior doctor in the A&E the next day and followed around an ENT consultant and maxillofacial consultant the next day), the psychiatry department in the hospital, volunteered at a care home and am currently in the process of arranging some work experience with a GP.
I'm also planning on doing the bio olympiad and I've done around 7 years of classical dance and I'm running medsoc at my school, I've also volunteered to do dissections multiple times during open days and science festivals, but I'm worried that in comparison to everyone else, it's not enough. I'm planning on applying to UCL, imperial (not too sure about this one actually), UEA and ARU for med.
Should I be doing an EPQ? Would that help?
I know loads of people at my school who've done certain courses online and have lots of certificates and certifications and I'm constantly worrying about not being "as good" as them and not being as strong of an applicant as them.
I really have no idea if I've done enough and if not, what more can I do?

Mate your CV looks awesome!

Coming from a private school background, I felt really mediocre in your position as well. Don't let this get you down, though - I was in a dire situation compared to my mates around GCSEs and I pulled it back to get into UCLMS somehow!

But as everyone else has said, the BMAT, UCAT, and how you actually do in your A-Levels are really important.

There are different priorities that universities give to different things, so do some research into those and apply strategically! Any specific advice would probably be quite useless now, since I applied around a good few years ago, but I did quite well in my UCAT, so I applied to 2 unis that prioritised the UCAT more over any other attributes, and 2 BMAT unis just to give myself an even chance.

You've got yourself an amazing foundation to be an excellent candidate, just focus on doing well on UCAT and BMAT (though some of that is random luck in my experience), and writing a banger PS (not hard with your credentials). Interview practice is really really important too, for the different interview systems, but that's for after you get interviews.

Good luck, you can do it!

So I've been predicted A*s in chem and bio and possibly in maths too (the minimum would be an A though, I haven't got the predicted grade for maths yet).
I've done work experience in the ENT department at the hospital (was in the OT one day, shadowed a junior doctor in the A&E the next day and followed around an ENT consultant and maxillofacial consultant the next day), the psychiatry department in the hospital, volunteered at a care home and am currently in the process of arranging some work experience with a GP.
I'm also planning on doing the bio olympiad and I've done around 7 years of classical dance and I'm running medsoc at my school, I've also volunteered to do dissections multiple times during open days and science festivals, but I'm worried that in comparison to everyone else, it's not enough. I'm planning on applying to UCL, imperial (not too sure about this one actually), UEA and ARU for med.
Should I be doing an EPQ? Would that help?
I know loads of people at my school who've done certain courses online and have lots of certificates and certifications and I'm constantly worrying about not being "as good" as them and not being as strong of an applicant as them.
I really have no idea if I've done enough and if not, what more can I do?

Hi Hya!

I'm one of the current MBBS students at UCLan.
It looks like you have had some amazing work experience so far, well done! The point of a lot of the work experience is to be able to take what you have learnt from it and during your interviews and personal statement, be able to reflect on how this is going to make you a good medical student and reflect on what you have learnt so far and how this will influence you in the future. I've linked here our applicant guide, which explains what our university looks for in each bit of your application.

I hope this helps you and if you have any other questions, let me know below !

Rebecca - 3rd Year MBBS