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

Medical School Interviews: MMI vs Panel vs Zoom

Panel and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) are two different formats of medical school interviews. They are designed to assess a candidate's suitability for medical school and potential as a future doctor. Here are the key differences between these two interview formats

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

Why do students fail the UCAT?

Although this exam does not have a specific ‘fail’ mark, a low score may mean your application is rejected outright, or you don’t get an offer after your interview. Here are some significant reasons why we feel students get low scores in the UCAT exam.

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

Medical School Interview Questions 2023

Medical schools do expect you know about what it is like working as a doctor and some of the challenges facing the NHS.

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

BMAT cancelled from 2024

Cambridge assessment states they will no longer administer the BMAT admission test from 2024/2025. This means for students applying next year in 2023 (for 2024 entry) will be the last cohort that will sit the BMAT test.

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

Medical School Interview Tips 2023

During our courses, we give specific and individual feedback to students, but we will share come of the general comments the examiners made during the mock circuits.

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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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