This student applied in the 2019/20 application cycle and therefore the selection process at Keele may have changed since then. You should read all the information a University sends you about the selection process to get the most up to date details!
Remember to check out the glossary at the bottom of the page for our explanations of all the jargon we medical students like to use!
More about this student
Sometimes students share information with us about their demographics, which may help put their application experience into a bit more perspective.
This student identifies as a Tamil Eelam woman who went to a comprehensive school that does regularly send students to study medicine. They received free school meals.
Our Summary
Course: Standard undergraduate entry
In-person MMI interview
Admissions Tests: UCAT
Best advice:
Trust your gut. Be strategic about where you apply. Be true to yourself! The interviewers want to get to know you so talk about your passions and hobbies and what drives you. Make the most of the opportunities coming your way and if you have any questions definitely contact the university to clarify their requirements before you apply. Best of luck!
Before I made my application…
Choosing to apply
When did you decide you wanted to apply to medicine?
In Year 9/10
How did you choose what medical schools to apply to?
I performed not as well as expected in my exams so I had to go by which universities would accept me based on my grades and UCAT. Keele was always my first choice. The others had to change. I also never planned on taking my fifth choice.
Completing work experience
What types of work experience did you do?
Hospital shadowing, Care work (e.g. in residential care), Other healthcare setting e.g pharmacy, physiotherapy, Online work experience, I volunteered at Douglas MacMillan Hospice as a ward volunteer.
How much work experience did you do?
1 year? 6 months minimum. Hospital shadowing was 2 weeks. I would recommend 6 months – 1 year (*this is just one student’s opinino!)
How did you find your work experience opportunities?
Through a formal scheme or work experience placement, On the NHS website 2-3 months in advance which was a lot easier pre-Covid
During the application process…
Admissions tests
What admissions test did you sit?
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT): https://www.ucat.ac.uk/
How did you prepare for your admissions test?
I only started properly preparing a month before my UCAT exam. I purchased Medify and aimed to do a certain number of practice questions a day and a mock test every few days. It tells you which sections you can improve on and then you can choose to practice a specific style. It also has videos and tips on how to approach the questions – very valuable and definitely worth it.
Interviews
What type of interview did you do?
MMI: Multiple Mini Interview. This type of interview usually includes several short interviews or ‘stations’ which may involve different types of questions and scenarios. This is different compared to a panel interview, which may cover the same scenarios/types of questions but be a more ‘traditional’ sit-down interview.
How did you prepare for your interview?
I was lucky enough to be involved in MedPath, a student led initiative that provided mock interview stations and advice on applying to medical school for students from local schools wanting to apply to medicine. I also used The Medic Portal which also had articles about how to prepare for MMIs.
What happened during your interview?
It was very relaxed! The examiners at Keele were lovely and met me with a smile. Even with the ones that didn’t, I could tell that they were interested in what I had to say and gave encouraging nods. In the moment, all your anxiety goes away because you are sooo focused on the task ahead of you. And to be honest, it was kind of fun. Practice with your peers and be confident. It will be fine!
Glossary
Clinical work experience: Not every student will complete clinical work experience before they apply to medical school. Don’t worry, this is not required to be able to apply. You can use non-clinical work experience (e.g. a caring role, like in a care home) or even reflect on paid work you’ve done (e.g. in customer service) in a productive way.
Medify: Medify is a popular website which provides resources for helping you prepare your medicine application. Medify has some free resources online but some are paid-for. There are good, free alternatives for preparation available online, so check out our subject guides and the university websites for details.
The Medic Portal: The Medic Portal is a popular website that provides resources to help you prepare your medicine application. The Medic Portal has some free resources online but some are paid-for. There are good, free alternatives for preparation available online, so check out our guides and the university websites for details.
