Study Medicine in Top Universities

Study Medicine in Top Universities

Studying Medicine is one of the most desired career goals that most students have, even before reaching high school.

Medicine is also a versatile field that one can study anywhere in the world, so it is important to have choices at your disposal. However, since it’s a decision that might have a huge impact on your life, it needs to be planned well in advance.

To make the decision easy for you we have collated some World University Rankings 2020 from Times Higher Education and QS Rankings by Subject 2020: Medicine from Top Universities.

Medicine Entry Requirements

Below are some points required for Medicine Admissions.

• Deciding on a career in medicine
• GCSE and A-Levels required for medicine
• Choosing a medical school
• Considering studying medicine abroad
• Medical work experience
• UCAT and BMAT examinations
• Personal statement for medicine
• Medical school interviews
• Deciding on a career in medicine

GCSE and A-Levels required for medicine

It is important that you achieve the best grades even for your GCSEs. While at the end the grades you get at A-levels will be considered first, this does not mean that your GCSEs are not important.  Most medical schools look at the overall picture when it comes to shortlisting prospective students.  

Choosing a medical school

Since Medicine is highly competitive, that is the reason students are allowed to make 4 choices of medical school on their UCAS applications with a 5th choice allowing for another course just in case. 

Considering studying medicine abroad

Studying overseas has become an increasingly popular choice among students with respect to increasing tuition fees and fierce competition for places at universities domestically.

While quality, cost, of overseas study vary greatly depending on region or institution, there are many places in Central and Eastern Europe, such as Czechia, Latvia, and Bulgaria, that teach medicine in English. 

Medical work experience

Acquiring a relevant medical work experience can be one of the difficult tasks faced by a prospective medical student. They can be  faced with rejections or being asked to complete lots of forms for the chance to be part of a hospital work experience program which often consists of 20 places per year for those lucky students that are accepted, so the chances of getting work experience in hospitals are often very remote. This is becuase to 3 main factors.

The UCAT and the BMAT

The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) and BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) are two standardized tests that are basic requirements for United Kingdom entry criteria for a medical qualification. 

Medicine is ultra-competitive and amongst the various admission demands are the UCAT and BMAT tests. These are by far the most popular choices of admission tests amongst medical schools across the UK and are designed to test various areas of your thinking skills, medical knowledge, and clinical aptitude.

Personal statement for medicine

A personal statement can support the application if exam results are slightly below expectations or can enhance a strong set of grades for the best chance of acceptance.

UCAS is the admissions service for universities in the UK,  which describes a personal statement as “ opportunity to sell yourself to your prospective school, college or training provider." Students are given a 4,000 character limit (which roughly equates to 500 words) in which to show off their appeal to the institutions they choose. 

Medical School Interviews

Due to the high volume of applications that Universities receive, it's an achievement in itself to be called in for an interview.

Interviews are considered by admissions staff as a important way of getting undergraduates to expand on their qualifications and personal statement while looking into their communicative skills and aptitude.

Cost of Studying Medicine

For international students, the average cost of a medicine degree can be as high as £38,000 per year, depending on the medical school.

Financial support for medical students

All UK medical schools offer a variety of scholarships for students who may require financial support during their course of studies.

• Tuition fee loan
• University scholarships and bursaries
• NHS bursary
• Maintenance loan (living costs)
• Private scholarships and bursaries
• Professional studies loan
• Study Visa Process

International Medical Graduates who seek entry into U.S. programs of Graduate Medical Education (GME) must obtain a visa that makes them eligible for clinical training to provide medical services.

Obtaining a J-1 visa

The most common visa international medical graduates use to participate in U.S. GME programs is the J-1 visa.

To apply for a J-1 visa, one  must meet the following criteria:

It is important to Pass USMLE® step 1 and step 2 CK (or equivalent).

One needs a valid ECFMG Certificate.

One needs to provide a statement of need from the Ministry of Health of the country of last legal permanent residence (LPR) regardless of country of citizenship.

Two-year home-country physical presence requirement

Once Training is done in the U.S., J-1 visa holders must return to their home country for a period of 2 years to transmit the knowledge they gained in the U.S.

One must fulfill this obligation before being eligible for a change or adjustment of visa status to certain types of U.S. visas. These visa types include:

• H–Temporary worker
• L–Intra-company transferee
• U.S.–Permanent resident
• J-1 visa waivers

As per the law,  the below 3 circumstances can provide a waiver of the 2-year residency requirement:

The waiver applicant can demonstrate that he or she will suffer from persecution in his or her home country or country of last legal permanent residence.

Fulfillment of the residency requirement would bring proven exceptional hardship to the applicant's spouse and/or children who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The applicant is sponsored by an Interested Governmental Agency (IGA) that is interested in the physician’s continued employment in the United States.

The following governmental agencies have sponsored waivers for international medical graduates:

• The Department of Health and Human Services
• The Department of Veterans Affairs
• The Appalachian Regional Commission
• The Department of Agriculture
• The  Department of Housing and Urban Development

Read about U.S. visa requirements.

Other visa types

The H-1B visa is for temporary workers in specialty occupations who hold professional-level degrees. It has no 2-year home residence requirement. 

The H-1B visa is available to graduates of foreign medical schools who have cleared the necessary requirements, , have a license or other authorization required by the state of practice, and have an unrestricted license to practice medicine or have graduated from a foreign or U.S. medical school.

Learn more about visas and immigration at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

An immigrant visa (also known as a green card or permanent resident status) authorizes a foreign citizen to permanently remain in the U.S.

A lawful permanent resident (LPR) has the right to become a naturalized U.S. citizen after living in the United States for 3 to 5 years.

The applicant must not fall into any of the categories deemed inadmissible by law:

• Criminality
• Mental defect
• Communist party affiliation
• Drug trafficking
• Terrorism

Read about the AMA's efforts:

Addressing Restricting Admission of Certain Foreign Nationals

Addressing Restricting Admission of Certain Foreign Nationals and DACA

Addressing Travel Ban

Top Universities to Study Medicine

Here are the best medical schools in the UK, according to QS Rankings 2021 by Subject Medicine:

• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• University College London
• Imperial College London
• King’s College London
• The University of Edinburgh
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• The University of Manchester
• University of Glasgow
• Queen Mary University of London

Europe :

• Karolinska Institute, Sweden
• Heidelberg University, Germany
• University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
• University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• LMU Munich, Germany
• Sorbonne University, France
• KU Leuven, Belgium
• Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
• University of Zurich, Switzerland

USA :

• Stanford University
• Harvard University
• California Institute of Technology
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• University of California, Berkeley
• Yale University
• Princeton University
• University of Chicago
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of California, Los Angeles

Canada :

• University of Toronto
• McMaster University
• McGill University
• University of British Columbia
• University of Montreal
• University of Ottawa
• University of Alberta
• University of Calgary
• Western University

Australia :

• University of Melbourne
• Monash University
• University of Sydney
• The University of Queensland
• UNSW Sydney
• Australian National University
• University of Adelaide
• University of Canberra
• The University of Western Australia
• La Trobe University

France :

• Paris
• École Polytechnique
• Sorbonne University
• University of Paris
• Paris-Saclay University 
• Télécom Paris
• École Normale Supérieure de Lyon

Standardized Tests Requirements for Medical Schools in Top Universities

How to apply through UCAS?

UCAS Undergraduate Apply 2021  is live- so you can start filling in your application to the universities in September. It may seem like your application deadline ages away, it’s worth registering as early as possible to save any last-minute dramas. Before you can start your application you need to register on the UCAS portal. 

Multi Mini Interview Preparation for Medical Schools.

The most common type of Medicine interview is the MMI, and interview preparation should definitely include this.

MMIs are important because they help interviewers to assess many different soft skills, and get a better picture of you as a candidate. 

Which Medical Schools Use MMIs?

The following Medical Schools will use MMIs in 2021:

• Aberdeen
• Anglia Ruskin
• Aston
• Brighton and Sussex
• Buckingham
• Brunel
• Cardiff
• Edge Hill
• Edinburgh
• Exeter
• Hull York
• Imperial
• Kent & Medway
• Lancaster
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Manchester
• Norwich
• Plymouth
• Queen's University Belfast
• St. Andrews
• St George’s
• Sunderland
• Warwick

MMI interviews are about showing your interviewer the capabilities that you own. It’s a chance for you to prove  that you’ve got what it takes to be a medical student and not only you have the grades but also you have a  know-how, & the right attitude and skills as well.

Prepare For My MMI Interview

These tips will help you to prepare for your MMI interview:

• Use your work experience. 
• It is important to know what it takes to be a good doctor. 
• It is important to Practice in the eight-minute presentations in response to common MMI interview questions. It helps with time management on the day.
• It is important to understand key ethical concepts relating to medicine.

Work while studying medicine

• Medically related part-time and vacation work
• Hospital auxiliary
• Healthcare assistant or care worker (you can often obtain this work from a nurse bank or agency)
• Medical secretary
• Theatre technician
• Laboratory work in a hospital
• Research scholarship
• Where to find work

There are lots of places to find temporary and part-time work for students. Good places to start are your Students’ Union, your University’s Careers Service, and Faculty notice boards and emails. For temporary or part-time work with the NHS, use the NHS Professionals website. For other temporary work, there are many different high street employment agencies that specialize in providing temporary staff. There are also numerous websites dedicated to student jobs.

Internship opportunities for international medical students

One can see a healthcare system totally different from your own, and get experience with conditions and practices you’ve never seen before.

One can choose the departments you want to rotate through — oncology, surgical, pediatrics, the ED…. It’s completely customizable.

Benefits of a Medical Internship Abroad

On our internships for medical students, you’ll:

• Expand your clinical knowledge and skillset
• Develop your confidence and resourcefulness
• Build your personal and professional network
• Sharpen your verbal and non-verbal communication
• Become more attractive to employers

The best part is that your placement runs from Monday to Friday. So, evenings and weekends are free to explore a beautiful country you might never again get the chance to visit.

REQUIREMENTS

One can also travel if one is already graduated. However, please note that placements are educational in their nature and designed to give experience abroad in a low-resource hospital setting under the supervision of local qualified professionals. Read more about professional placements. 

Placement for international medical students

The International and Global Health Office is responsible for international placements for all learners of the Faculty, to ensure an educational experience that is enriching and safe for learners as well as ensuring that there is a benefit to the host communities in hosting the student.

International electives allow medical learners the opportunity to participate in a clinical or research experience that will expose participants to diverse medical environments and provide them with hands on learning opportunities.

Each elective placement usually spans from two to six weeks.

Once the placement has been approved, it is possible to revoke this decision and the placement can be cancelled due to a change in conditions in the country, loss of in-country supervisor, OR arising academic or professional concerns on the part of the learner.

Warning: Countries with an advisory of ‘Avoid all travel’ or ‘Avoid non-essential travel’ will not be approved.

Usually, travel dates for first and second year UGME students are during the summer, and upper year UGME students from September to February.

Travel dates for PGME residents depends on their rotation schedule and must be approved by the program director.

Advantages of participating in international electives include:

Developing a better understanding of international health;

Learning about health-care in lower technology societies;

Becoming involved in a cultural exchange;

Using the knowledge gained about other cultures in order to develop a better understanding of Canada's multicultural population;

Developing technical skills;

Encouraging contemplation of a career in International Health.

How We Help 

Our experienced consultants will guide you throughout your journey in pursuit of higher education and admissions into your dream universities/colleges. In specific but not limited to, following areas of assistance is provided by our consultants:

• Complete Profile Evaluation
• Guidance on curriculum and subject selection for high school (A levels, IB, IGCSE etc)
• STEM Coaching - Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Business, Maths, Economics, English and many other subjects
• Preparation of different standardized tests - Undergraduate and Postgraduate
• Helping you to build your profile by guiding you on leadership skills, co-curricular activities, internship, online courses etc.
• Shortlist and finalize the best-fit college / university
• Research the right programs / courses for students
• Craft academic CV
• Brainstorm ideas for essays and personal statements
• Draft pointers for recommendation letters
• Scholarship and Financial Aid guidance
• MMI and Panel Interview Preparation
• Submission of the application form
• Follow up with the universities and updating the status of the applications
• Visa assistance and guidance
• Assistance on safe accommodation options
• Pre-Departure Guidance