This student applied in the 2019/20 application cycle and therefore the selection process at Southampton 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 an African woman who went to a comprehensive school in the UK that doesn’t regularly send students to medical school.
Our Summary
Course: Standard undergraduate entry
In-person MMI interview
Admissions Tests: UCAT
Best advice: Be smart about which universities you apply to, if your UCAT score isn’t good apply to universities who don’t focus on it.
Before I made my application…
Choosing to apply
When did you decide you wanted to apply to medicine?
Year 9
How did you choose what medical schools to apply to?
I chose universities in close proximity to my home city
Completing work experience
What types of work experience did you do?
Hospital shadowing
How much work experience did you do?
Approx – 10 hours
How did you find your work experience opportunities?
Through a formal scheme or work experience placement
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 did a lot of online practice questions, but really did find it a challenge!
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 watched a lot of YouTube videos and tried to prepare answer from common questions shared on The Student Room
What happened during your interview?
I was asked to talk about my hobbies and extracurriculars. I was given a source to read and was asked about ethical dilemmas, I tried to answer with the 4 pillars of medical ethics I had heard about. Another station was all about communication with empathy and was a role play with an upset individual, but I felt a little awkward because I wasn’t sure how professional I needed to be. Another station asked me to explain a task to some students.
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.
YouTube: There are many current and recent medical students who create videos on YouTube about their experience and advice about applying. Remember that their experience is personal and individual, and may not reflect yours. They might provide some useful advice but remember that they might be advertising paid for services. Take their advice as part of a more holistic approach alongside moderated advice such as ours, and official advice from universities and test providers.
Online forums: Online forums can be great spaces to find advice and first-hand knowledge, but remember that it may not always be the most trustworthy source of information. Take what you read with a pinch of salt.
Four pillars of medical ethics: These four pillars guide ideas about medical ethics. Knowing and understanding them can help you prepare for your interview and how you answer questions. Four Pillars
Role Play: some interviews or interview stations may require you to engage in a bit of role play. You might have to act out being in a scenario where you might have to deliver bad news or a clinical decision.
