The Student Room Group

Aberdeen Medical School Entry 2018

Hi guys,

I'm a bit early on the go, but I have a deferred offer for entry to Aberdeen Med School for September 2018.

If anyone has any questions about Aberdeen's applicant process, or is generally thinking about applying etc feel free to chat and get involved :smile: x

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Reply 1
Think I'm going to applying to Aberdeen this year ! How did you find the process?
Original post by AdamCW
Think I'm going to applying to Aberdeen this year ! How did you find the process?


Hey :smile:

From submitting my UCAS application last October to getting an offer it was quite an experience. I was initially rejected in November, but then received an email Jan/Feb offering an interview. Out of the two universities I applied to who interviewed via MMI, I'd defo say Aberdeen was the most difficult interview purely based on I couldn't hear the questions that well with multiple students in each room, and also questions slightly throwing me but it was typical standard medical school interview questions. Dundee are known for having difficult MMI's but I was well prepared for that interview.

I would definetley recommend going to the Open Day, there wasn't an offer holders day. I received an offer in March/April and safe to say I was shocked considering I was initially rejected. My tips are go to the open day as each medical school has a different "feel" and atmosphere, know the special features of Aberdeen's course pretty well i.e remote and rural, and prepare well for the interview if you decide to apply and get an interview offer.
Reply 3
Original post by MedicPaeds05
Hey :smile:

From submitting my UCAS application last October to getting an offer it was quite an experience. I was initially rejected in November, but then received an email Jan/Feb offering an interview. Out of the two universities I applied to who interviewed via MMI, I'd defo say Aberdeen was the most difficult interview purely based on I couldn't hear the questions that well with multiple students in each room, and also questions slightly throwing me but it was typical standard medical school interview questions. Dundee are known for having difficult MMI's but I was well prepared for that interview.

I would definetley recommend going to the Open Day, there wasn't an offer holders day. I received an offer in March/April and safe to say I was shocked considering I was initially rejected. My tips are go to the open day as each medical school has a different "feel" and atmosphere, know the special features of Aberdeen's course pretty well i.e remote and rural, and prepare well for the interview if you decide to apply and get an interview offer.


Sorry for the delay in replying.

Very interesting response though. Definitely a rollercoaster of emotion anyway but at least you're in.

I actually had 2 interviews last year but clearly wasn't good enough to get in which was a massive shame. Still, It's only reaffirmed my desire for a career in medicine.
Original post by AdamCW
Sorry for the delay in replying.

Very interesting response though. Definitely a rollercoaster of emotion anyway but at least you're in.

I actually had 2 interviews last year but clearly wasn't good enough to get in which was a massive shame. Still, It's only reaffirmed my desire for a career in medicine.



Defo don't give up. I applied as a school leaver and got rejected, and this time I was applying as a graduate in my final year and felt so much more prepared. Did loads more work experience, volunteer work etc and it all helped in the end as well as giving loads to talk about at interview.

I really don't think it's a case that you weren't good enough so keep your head up! Medicine is such a competitive course to get into with so many applicants from school leavers to mature students, and having had that interview experience you now know what to expect. My UKCAT was not all that great, but I made sure to make my personal statement stand out and didn't rehearse my interview questions too much so they didn't sound artificial. The universities you applied to should be able to give you feedback on your applications if you ask :smile:
Hi guys, I'm a graduate with a 1st in Pharmacology (student from England). My UKCAT was disappointing, average of 627.5 (630 VR if that counts for anything). A Levels of BCC... Is it worth applying to Aberdeen or a university in Scotland for 5 year med?
Original post by ElliotGibsonJ
Hi guys, I'm a graduate with a 1st in Pharmacology (student from England). My UKCAT was disappointing, average of 627.5 (630 VR if that counts for anything). A Levels of BCC... Is it worth applying to Aberdeen or a university in Scotland for 5 year med?


Hey :smile: Well done on the 1st! My UKCAT was around the same as your score but VR was my best and AR my worst but thankfully got a band 1 in SJ. I'm not sure what the unis in Scotland look for in terms of a level results but Aberdeen for grads is usually a 2.1 plus some form of chemistry. I wouldn't bother with Glasgow because they are heavy on UKCAT scores, and I think Edinburgh looks at grad classification and school results. Not entirely sure about Dundee but I got an offer for there too, and they just went on my degree.

There is a grad course meant to be starting at St. Andrews but I'm not sure if it's open to all, or just Scottish grads (might be worth a look though!)

I think Aberdeen is defo a good shout, and if you've done work experience, volunteer work etc defo mention it in your personal statement :smile:
Original post by MedicPaeds05
Hey :smile: Well done on the 1st! My UKCAT was around the same as your score but VR was my best and AR my worst but thankfully got a band 1 in SJ. I'm not sure what the unis in Scotland look for in terms of a level results but Aberdeen for grads is usually a 2.1 plus some form of chemistry. I wouldn't bother with Glasgow because they are heavy on UKCAT scores, and I think Edinburgh looks at grad classification and school results. Not entirely sure about Dundee but I got an offer for there too, and they just went on my degree.

There is a grad course meant to be starting at St. Andrews but I'm not sure if it's open to all, or just Scottish grads (might be worth a look though!)

I think Aberdeen is defo a good shout, and if you've done work experience, volunteer work etc defo mention it in your personal statement :smile:


Thank you for the response!😁 Are you currently a med student? Also band 1 is amazing, I only managed band 2!

My experience is quite decent, currently a HCA on a mental health ward (6 months) and volunteered in a hospice for 5 months. Also had the opportunity to shadow a cardiac surgeon.
Original post by ElliotGibsonJ
Thank you for the response!😁 Are you currently a med student? Also band 1 is amazing, I only managed band 2!

My experience is quite decent, currently a HCA on a mental health ward (6 months) and volunteered in a hospice for 5 months. Also had the opportunity to shadow a cardiac surgeon.


No, I have a deferred offer for next year at Aberdeen so if you apply and get an offer I'll be there :smile: Oh wow lots of experience! At interview I spoke a lot about the psychosocial side (my degree is psychology) and that seemed to go down well
Thought it might be useful to post my stats for those applying.
Highers: English, Psych, Sociology, Business and Geography
2.1 Bsc Hons Psychology degree
Work experience: 2 weeks Doctors at Work, 1 week Paediatrics, random days in departments. 4 years Personal trainer. 2 years ward visitor, 2 years cardiac volunteer. 4 years paediatric volunteer.
UKCAT: I think I averaged around 620, (only 3 sections scored) but still not a great ukcat.

I've never done chemistry, so was a bit surprised to get any offer. My personal statement focused on remote and rural medicine which Aberdeen seemed to like :smile: Also for people without straight a's, I didn't get straight a's in my highers so getting in is still possible!
Hey :smile: Did you apply for Dundee medicine or pre-med? I'm doing MA (Hons) Psychology (so undergrad) and wasn't sure if Dundee counted psychology as 'science-y' enough. Annoyingly i've found that most med schools in Scotland have a strong preference for people with Biomed degrees:/

Thanks!
Original post by ella_mai
Hey :smile: Did you apply for Dundee medicine or pre-med? I'm doing MA (Hons) Psychology (so undergrad) and wasn't sure if Dundee counted psychology as 'science-y' enough. Annoyingly i've found that most med schools in Scotland have a strong preference for people with Biomed degrees:/

Thanks!


Hey :smile:

For Dundee I originally applied to pre med, but they contacted me and switched it to the standard course. I was worried to that psychology wasn't sciencey enough but my undergrad was a Bsc Hons with a few modules in things like Anatomy and Physiology etc.

I know of quite a few applicants who applied for Aberdeen for entry 2017, who have degrees and didn't do any chemistry in school or undergrad and still got offers :smile: I do know what you mean about biomed, but I know Aberdeen in particular do humanities in 3rd/4th year and do have a lot of interest in Psychosocial Med, so having a psych degree looks really good. There was quite a few applicants with degrees like English etc who also got offers :smile:
Reply 12
Hey :smile:

I'm considering applying for Aberdeen this year too! I was just checking out their admissions data and it looks like they interview a considerably higher number of Scottish students. I was wondering if that matters at all (student from England here)?

I managed to get a 695 average for my UKCAT but I only have a 2:1 Biomed degree and it seems they place slightly more emphasis on academics so I'm not sure if I should apply. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
Original post by sei17
Hey :smile:

I'm considering applying for Aberdeen this year too! I was just checking out their admissions data and it looks like they interview a considerably higher number of Scottish students. I was wondering if that matters at all (student from England here)?

I managed to get a 695 average for my UKCAT but I only have a 2:1 Biomed degree and it seems they place slightly more emphasis on academics so I'm not sure if I should apply. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated!


I wouldn’t place too much focus on admissions stats. I know many English applicants (school leavers, grads and mature) who got offers, I really think it just depends on quality of applications each year etc. A 2.1 bio med degree is amazing, don’t down it! Aberdeen typically ask for a 2.1 degree plus chem for grads, I myself don’t have chem and still got an offer (I deferred mine to Entry Sep 2018) but I know of many applicants without chem who got offers.


I think Aberdeen are looking more at the all round application now, my academics weren’t great but I do have a 2.1 degree, but I did a lot of voluntary work and work experience to try and make my application as competitive as possible and it seemed to pay off. In terms of special features with Aberdeen that it might be worth mentioning Aberdeen place emphasis on Remote and Rural Medicine (can do 4th & 5th year entirely on R&R Placements), patient contact is fairly early and if you choose to intercalate, because of being a grad can do a masters.

Some potential advice, if you can before the UCAS deadline defo try and do a rural placement eg rural gp (good thing to mention on PS), at interview Aberdeen seemed to really like the amount of rural placements I’d done. I highly recommend Aberdeen Uni for Medicine just on knowledge so far– the med school is quite a tight knit community with it being all on the ARI site, King’s campus is beautiful and it feels like there’s a lot of support there if needed. Student accommodation is not the cheapest in Aberdeen, but it depends what you’d be looked for. Also Aberdeen seem to be taking more grads generally now, so there's more in the same boat of doing a 2nd + degree



Any other questions feel free to ask 😊 I’ve been to the open day, live fairly close to the R&R Base, did the DAW Grampian placement which included lectures in Suttie, gone through the MMI process etc 😊
Reply 14
Original post by MedicPaeds05
I wouldn’t place too much focus on admissions stats. I know many English applicants (school leavers, grads and mature) who got offers, I really think it just depends on quality of applications each year etc. A 2.1 bio med degree is amazing, don’t down it! Aberdeen typically ask for a 2.1 degree plus chem for grads, I myself don’t have chem and still got an offer (I deferred mine to Entry Sep 2018) but I know of many applicants without chem who got offers.


I think Aberdeen are looking more at the all round application now, my academics weren’t great but I do have a 2.1 degree, but I did a lot of voluntary work and work experience to try and make my application as competitive as possible and it seemed to pay off. In terms of special features with Aberdeen that it might be worth mentioning Aberdeen place emphasis on Remote and Rural Medicine (can do 4th & 5th year entirely on R&R Placements), patient contact is fairly early and if you choose to intercalate, because of being a grad can do a masters.

Some potential advice, if you can before the UCAS deadline defo try and do a rural placement eg rural gp (good thing to mention on PS), at interview Aberdeen seemed to really like the amount of rural placements I’d done. I highly recommend Aberdeen Uni for Medicine just on knowledge so far– the med school is quite a tight knit community with it being all on the ARI site, King’s campus is beautiful and it feels like there’s a lot of support there if needed. Student accommodation is not the cheapest in Aberdeen, but it depends what you’d be looked for. Also Aberdeen seem to be taking more grads generally now, so there's more in the same boat of doing a 2nd + degree



Any other questions feel free to ask 😊 I’ve been to the open day, live fairly close to the R&R Base, did the DAW Grampian placement which included lectures in Suttie, gone through the MMI process etc 😊


Wow thank you for such a detailed reply! It seems you have a lot of relevant work experience. I have GP placements, hospital work experience, as well as long term volunteering at a hospital and a shadowing experience abroad... but I'm not sure if I can get a rural placement before the deadline (as I'm in London). Also, I'm worried a lot of my experience may seem 'out-dated' as many were done when I was in sixth form. :/ Do they check the dates of placements? Although, I am about to start work as a HCA next month and start volunteering in a care home so maybe that'd make up for the other experiences...

The fact that they take quite a few grads sounds encouraging though! One of my concerns (amongst many) for reapplying for a five-year course is the fact that there may not be many others in a similar position. If I decide to apply, I'm sure I'd have many more questions but thanks for your help so far! :smile:
Original post by sei17
Wow thank you for such a detailed reply! It seems you have a lot of relevant work experience. I have GP placements, hospital work experience, as well as long term volunteering at a hospital and a shadowing experience abroad... but I'm not sure if I can get a rural placement before the deadline (as I'm in London). Also, I'm worried a lot of my experience may seem 'out-dated' as many were done when I was in sixth form. :/ Do they check the dates of placements? Although, I am about to start work as a HCA next month and start volunteering in a care home so maybe that'd make up for the other experiences...

The fact that they take quite a few grads sounds encouraging though! One of my concerns (amongst many) for reapplying for a five-year course is the fact that there may not be many others in a similar position. If I decide to apply, I'm sure I'd have many more questions but thanks for your help so far! :smile:


I prefer sending more detailed responses, as that was what I was looking for when I was applying! It sounds like you have a lot of great experience, I'd talk heavily about your experiences in NHS Medicine because especially with shortages of certain specialties across the UK, I imagine the med schools will want most students to stay within UK Med! Also don't worry about the rural placement, it was just a suggestion.

So with Aberdeen they ask you to take a form along with you to MMI Interview saying where you did each work experience, what it was etc - it's more to check people aren't lying as many do make it up. I don't know if they actually check though. Also defo do mention your new experiences too.

Good luck with your application, and again any other questions feel free to ask.
hi guys, im from the uk and currently doing A-levels. i am thinking of applying to aberdeen but apparently its really competitive and not many uk students get in?
my gcses are 7A* and 5A's, and my ukcat was 615
does anyone think i stand a chance?
Original post by Luckycharm1
hi guys, im from the uk and currently doing A-levels. i am thinking of applying to aberdeen but apparently its really competitive and not many uk students get in?
my gcses are 7A* and 5A's, and my ukcat was 615
does anyone think i stand a chance?


Hey :smile: your gcse grades sound great but I think it's a levels they would go on. Have you done work experience/voluntary work as all Med schools really like to see that?

I know a lot of uk students at Aberdeen and going to Aberdeen. I'm a Scottish student myself :smile: There is a large number of U.K. Students who receive offers.
Original post by MedicPaeds05
Hey :smile: your gcse grades sound great but I think it's a levels they would go on. Have you done work experience/voluntary work as all Med schools really like to see that?

I know a lot of uk students at Aberdeen and going to Aberdeen. I'm a Scottish student myself :smile: There is a large number of U.K. Students who receive offers.


well my predicted grades are A*AA but i am yet to do my exams next year.
i have tons of work experience so that is fine:smile:
oh thats good! i was worried i wouldnt stand a chance as i am from uk.
also, which medical school is more harder to get into, aberdeen or dundee? thanks!!
i am thinking of applying to one but i need to apply strageically where i think i have a chance of getting in
Original post by Luckycharm1
well my predicted grades are A*AA but i am yet to do my exams next year.
i have tons of work experience so that is fine:smile:
oh thats good! i was worried i wouldnt stand a chance as i am from uk.
also, which medical school is more harder to get into, aberdeen or dundee? thanks!!
i am thinking of applying to one but i need to apply strageically where i think i have a chance of getting in


Sounds like you have a good chance at both :smile: Remember it's the all round application that's important so grades, ukcat, personal statement, reference and interview.

I'm not sure where it says uk applicants aren't typically accepted? I'd say both are equally hard, but maybe have a look on the entry requirements pages of both. Also because you'll be at whichever uni for 5 years look at the type of course, facilities, costs etc as that makes up a large part of the uni experience.

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