Your Essential Guide to UK Medical School Applications: UCAT, UCAS, Interviews & Beyond
Welcome to the Blue Peanut Medical School Blog—your trusted resource for navigating the challenging and competitive journey into medicine. Whether you're in sixth form preparing your UCAS personal statement, studying for the UCAT, or gearing up for interviews such as MMIs or panel formats, our blog provides expert guidance at every stage.
Created by practising NHS General Practitioners and experienced medical educators, each article distils practical strategies, up-to-date insights, and insider knowledge to help you achieve your dream of securing a place at a UK medical school.
Medical School Interview Hot Topics - Doctors and social media
Guidance has been released by the General Medical Council and also the medical defence organisations which cover how doctors should approach the use of social media. This topic is now being assessment in medical school interviews.
Medical School Interview Hot Topics – BREXIT
In 2016 the United Kingdom held a referendum in which the majority of the electorate voted to leave the European Union. We look at how medical schools can ask questions relating to Brexit in medical school interviews.
How to choose A-levels for medicine
We look at which A-levels you should choose if you want to apply for medicine and if there is any scope for humanities based A-levels.
Work experience for Medicine - GP Practice
A placement in a GP surgery is an excellent way to learn about what life is like being a doctor in the community as well as gaining experience that will help you in your medical school application.
Should you attend a medical school interview course?
Whilst learning from a book – providing it is not outdated – will give you a good background knowledge of what can be asked in interviews, we believe the best way to prepare for this is to be taught, just like at sixth form, and practice with live feedback from medical school tutors. It’s also the most enjoyable way to prepare!
UCAS Personal Statement Tips - Motivation for medicine
Lets go over motivation for medicine. We discuss some of the reasons in our experience candidates list as motivating factors for choosing medicine and how to write these on your UCAS personal statement.
UCAS Personal Statement Tips - Motivation for medicine
Lets go over motivation for medicine. We discuss some of the reasons in our experience candidates list as motivating factors for choosing medicine and how to write these on your UCAS personal statement.
Actors in MMI Interview Stations - Some tips
Some students have been asking us about the actors that are used in MMI stations. They can simulate any third party, for example a patient, a friend or even a stranger. The subject of the station might not even be medical. Remember St Georges have indicated on their website they have a station involving you speaking to your neighbour having run over her cat.
Actors in MMI Interview Stations - Some tips
Some students have been asking us about the actors that are used in MMI stations. They can simulate any third party, for example a patient, a friend or even a stranger. The subject of the station might not even be medical. Remember St Georges have indicated on their website they have a station involving you speaking to your neighbour having run over her cat.
Writing your personal statement 2019 Entry - Start here!
How to write your personal statement for medical school applications
The St George's Medical School Interview – MMI STATIONS REVISION
Got an Interview at St George's medical school? Going through UCAS Clearing? We go through how to prepare for this MMI Interview.
International applications to study medicine in the UK
International candidates can come from different educational, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and this raises some challenges, mainly in medical school interviews.
APPLICATION TO OXBRIDGE TIP
You can almost take it for granted that an Oxbridge applicant will have the relevant predicted grades and work experience. As for the actual college, if you decide to indicate a preference, make sure you have done some research and ideally visited the university, as you are highly likely to be asked about your choice in the interview.
Medicine through UCAS Clearing – Which medical schools may have places?
A-level results are going to be released in a few days time. Last year on results day students reported to us not being able to get through on medical school clearing lines in the morning, and reported applications had been closed in some universities by the afternoon due to the sheer number of applicants
UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT - Example Exercise
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Do you think this is a well-written or poor personal statement? Why?
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What is the motivation for this student’s reason for applying for medicine? Do you think it is reasonable?
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Do you think this student has demonstrated adequate work experience?
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Do you think this student has demonstrated that he or she has some of the qualities and skills that would be useful as a medical student?
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Can this personal statement be improved and how?