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.

Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

UCAS Applications to Medicine Statistics 2023

UCAS has now released data on medical school applications in the UK for 2023 entry. We look at these statistics and look at what they mean for students applying for medicine.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Your next steps after UCAT and BMAT

Now that the UCAT, BMAT and UCAS personal statement are out of the way, the next step is for you to start preparing for your medical school interviews.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

21 Medical School Interview Questions

We have created a further question bank for you to start your interview preparation. These are all likely to be topics that come up on medical school interviews for 2023 entry.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

UCAT Scores and Where to Apply

We will look at which medical schools require the UCAT, how they use your score in the admissions process and offer some recommendations on where you apply with high or low UCAT scores.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Student Bank Accounts & Overdrafts for Medical Students

Student bank accounts are simply current accounts that let you pay money in and out, set up direct debits and offer additional benefits such as an overdraft. We look at why you need to have one as a medical student

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

How to Prepare for the First Year of Medical School

Congratulations on getting the grades that you need for medical school. Your journey to become a doctor has now started and you are ready for at least five years of tough academic study. Here is our guide on how to get ready for your first year at medical school

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Medicine Clearing Guide through UCAS

If you have not received any offers for medicine, you may have a further chance at securing a medical school place for 2022 entry through UCAS clearing. Here is our guide for getting into medicine through UCAS clearing 2022 entry.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Where to apply with a low UCAT score 2025 entry

Did you score low in your UCAT exam? This does not mean an end to your application to medical school. Your choice of universities will be restricted, and you will need to apply to those that place a less emphasis on your UCAT score.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Oxford university cheating medical students

Medical students at the prestigious University of Oxford medical medical school will have to resit some of their exams due to allegations of teaching.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Trainee Doctors Leaving the NHS

Burnout amongst junior doctors is at an all-time high. NHS backlogs are threatening the wellbeing and health of doctors, who are leaving the NHS.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

23 Tips for getting medicine work experience

It has become increasingly difficult to get clinical work experience during the pandemic, but there are still several non-clinical avenues that you can explore to help you in your application to medical school. Here we bring you 23 tips on how to secure work experience for your application to medical school.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeships

It may be possible to train to be as a doctor through the apprenticeship route rather than through medical school. We look at the options.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Requirements for medicine work experience

Medical school vary in their requirements for work experience for prospective medical students. You need to check very carefully for each medical school what their requirements for work experience are.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

Why do you need medical work experience?

This is your chance as a prospective medical student to gain an insight in what it is like to actually work as a doctor in the NHS. Not only do you get an insight into what the good points are about being a doctor but also some of the bad points.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

How to get medicine work experience

Medical work experience is still a critical part of an application to medical school. Medical schools are aware that we are currently in the COVID-19 pandemic and traditional medical work experience opportunities have been severely limited. However many will still request that you have a period of relevant work experience so that you have an insight into what it is like working as a doctor. This requires you to be innovative into avenues that you can explore to demonstrate some of the qualities of a doctor.

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Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB Dr Imran Khan, MBChB, and Dr Abdul Mannan, MBChB

What are the 6Cs in healthcare?

So what are the ‘6 Cs’ and how can they be used to improve patient care?

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