The IvyPrep Difference
About Medical School
Admissions timeline
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs; or GPA
Standardized Testing
Either the SAT or the ACT.
Recommendations
You need two teacher recommendations and one non-academic recommendation.
Academic Honors
Applications require at least a few accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research).
Non-academic requirements
Extra-Curricular Activities
You should have at least ten meaningful extra curricular activities from Grade 9 onwards. These should demonstrate your interests and accomplishments outside the classroom.
Leadership
Universities look for mature, driven students who will go on to become leaders in their fields. You should try to showcase instances of you taking initiative and showing leadership in and outside of school.
Community Engagement
Universities want to know that you have made an impact in your community. You should demonstrate how your community (school or otherwise) have benefited from your actions.
Essays
Your college essays should give admissions counsellors insight into who you are, what experiences have shaped you, and why you are the best fit for the university you are applying to.
For the confirmed BMAT and UCAT test schedules and IvyPrep strategies on how to prepare for the tests, do drop us an enquiry.
Medical Shadowing
Getting a medical internship can significantly improve your medical school application, as these experiences demonstrate proactiveness and interest in the medical field. Here are some tips to help you get a medical internship.
Figure out your speciality of interest
Think about the medical speciality which you are interested in: be it cardiology, radiology, or oncology. You can start by reflecting on which area of the human body you are most interested in, and searching for opportunities in that field.
Talk to your peers
Start a network with your other friends who are also interested in applying to medical school. Through this network, you can coordinate opportunities to intern at various medical institutions. Working together with your peers at a medical institution can also make the internship a lot more interesting!
Look for mentors
Mentors can guide you through the complicated process of applying for a medical internship, and give you valuable tips and advice for your medical school application journey.
Don’t overlook the mundane
Often, an internship with your general practitioner can be just as valuable as an internship with a high-profile doctor in a hospital. Medical schools want students who are not just attracted by the most glamorous aspects of medicine, but can also handle the prosaic day-to-day work that doctors undergo.
Don’t just do, think
Reflecting upon what you want to get out of your medical internship is often much more valuable than the experience you get out of the internship. Keeping a journal of your reflections about your experiences not only allows you to learn more about yourself and what you want out of medicine, but can also provide you with a valuable starting point for your UCAS personal statements.
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs; or GPA
Standardized Testing
Either the SAT or the ACT.
Recommendations
You need two teacher recommendations and one non-academic recommendation.
Academic Honors
Applications require at least a few accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research).
Non-academic requirements
Extra-Curricular Activities
You should have at least ten meaningful extra curricular activities from Grade 9 onwards. These should demonstrate your interests and accomplishments outside the classroom.
Leadership
Universities look for mature, driven students who will go on to become leaders in their fields. You should try to showcase instances of you taking initiative and showing leadership in and outside of school.
Community Engagement
Universities want to know that you have made an impact in your community. You should demonstrate how your community (school or otherwise) have benefited from your actions.
Essays
Your college essays should give admissions counsellors insight into who you are, what experiences have shaped you, and why you are the best fit for the university you are applying to.
Medical Interviews
How Do You Prepare For Them?
Why do Universities conduct medical interviews?
While your academics and personal statements give the universities some insights into your ability to succeed in university, they do not paint a complete picture. By conducting interviews, medical schools can gain a better insight into whether you are suited to become a doctor.
How do I get a medical interview?
Most medical schools receive far more applicants than they can actually interview — let alone admit! As such, your academic results (i.e. your A Levels, IB, or equivalent) and your standardised test scores (i.e. BMAT or UCAT) are often the first benchmark universities use to select whom to invite for an interview. It is thus paramount that you do well in your academics! You can contact IvyPrep to learn more about preparing for the BMAT and the UCAT.
What formats of medical interviews are there?
Medical school interviews have two main formats.
Panel interviews
In this format of interview, you are given 15-30 minutes to speak with a panel of interviewers. The interviewers you face can range from admission tutors, professors, to even current medical students.
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
As the name suggests, this format of interview consists of multiple stations (around 6-10), and you are only given a short amount of time at each station (typically around 5 minutes). You will be given a variety of tasks at each station, ranging from answering simple interview questions, role-playing, or even conducting a physical demonstration.
Traditionally, these interviews were conducted in-person in the UK, meaning that candidates had to fly to the UK to complete the interview. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities have now switched to remote online interviews. For the most updated information, refer to the university website.
Medical school interview details
The following list is restricted to the Singapore Medical Council approved universities, and is accurate for the 2020 admissions cycle. Information about the 2022 admissions cycle will be included when more information is available.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all UK medical schools conducted interviews remotely for the 2021 admissions cycle. As the COVID-19 pandemic situation continues to evolve, we recommend that you check the university website for the most updated information.
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs; or GPA
Standardized Testing
Either the SAT or the ACT.
Recommendations
You need two teacher recommendations and one non-academic recommendation.
Academic Honors
Applications require at least a few accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research).
Non-academic requirements
Extra-Curricular Activities
You should have at least ten meaningful extra curricular activities from Grade 9 onwards. These should demonstrate your interests and accomplishments outside the classroom.
Leadership
Universities look for mature, driven students who will go on to become leaders in their fields. You should try to showcase instances of you taking initiative and showing leadership in and outside of school.
Community Engagement
Universities want to know that you have made an impact in your community. You should demonstrate how your community (school or otherwise) have benefited from your actions.
Essays
Your college essays should give admissions counsellors insight into who you are, what experiences have shaped you, and why you are the best fit for the university you are applying to.
University
Interview format
University of Birmingham
MMI
University of Bristol
Panel
University of Cambridge
Panel
University of Dundee
Panel
University of Edinburgh
MMI
University of Glasgow
Panel
University of Leicester
MMI
University of Liverpool
Panel
King’s College London
Panel
Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Panel
University College London
Panel
St George’s University of London
MMI
The University of Manchester
MMI
University of Nottingham
Panel
University of Oxford
Panel
The University of Sheffield
Panel
University of Southampton
Panel
Imperial College London
MMI
Cardiff University
MMI
Medical interview strategy General interview tips
Dress well
A good first impression is paramount for a good interview performance. Regardless of whether the interview is conducted online or in-person, dress as you would if you were a doctor – that is, business casual at the minimum.
Know the interview format
This is a no-brainer. Don’t prepare for an MMI when the school you are interviewing for conducts panel interviews! Make sure to keep abreast with the latest information about the interview format. Check the interview invitation email or the school website to find out more.
Know what will be asked
Some universities release information about the questions that will be asked in the interview, either on their website or in the interview invitation email that they send out. Take the time to prepare for these questions before your interview.
Know your school
Since the UCAS personal statement is general to all the medical schools you apply to, the medical interview is the only opportunity for the university to ask school-specific questions. Make sure to read up about the university you are applying for!
Know the type of questions you may be asked
Try to systematically cover all the different types of questions that can be asked in an medical school interview, as well as the answering strategies for each type of question.
Practice, practice, practice
Polish your interview skills and answer questions confidently!
Online interview tips
With the travel restrictions associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly likely that universities will continue with remote online interviews, at least for international applicants. Here are some tips specifically for online interviews.
Familiarise yourself with the program being used for your interview
There are a litany of video-conferencing platforms available: Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc. In your interview invitation letter, your university should give you information about which platform they will be using. Take the time to get acquainted with the platform being used so that you are not fumbling around on the day of your interview.
Use a wired connection if possible
Wired LAN connections are less prone to disruptions than wireless connections. Try to acquire a LAN cable to connect to your computer to reduce the possibility of laggy connections.
Know what will be asked
A room with a plain background is best, although any background that is not too distracting is fine. Avoid using virtual backgrounds, as these can be distracting. Make sure to also have the interview in a quiet location to minimise possible disruptions.
Overview
What is the BMAT?
The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is a standardised test used for admissions into several UK medical schools and NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Singapore.
What is tested on the BMAT?
Who needs the BMAT?
Applicants to the medical schools of the following universities are required to sit for the BMAT.
Singapore Medical Council approved UK universities
Imperial College London
University College London
University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
Singapore universities
Nanyang Technological University – Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
Other UK universities
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Keele University
Lancaster University
University of Leeds
When should I take the BMAT?
Registration
Where should I register for the BMAT?
Students who are currently attending or have recently graduated from a local school, college, or polytechnic should register for the BMAT via the Regional Language Centre (RELC) and sit for the BMAT at their respective schools.
All other students should register for the BMAT via the British Council and sit for the BMAT at one of British Council’s centres.
Registering for the BMAT via RELC
1
Make payment via an AXS station or at the RELC EB office (only from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on October 1, 2021). Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 362, while registration before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 482. Click here for a guide on how to pay via AXS.
2
Complete the registration form on the RELC website, which will be made available on September 1, 2021. Click here for a guide on how to register via the RELC website.
3
Provide your full name and other identifying information — this must be exactly the same as seen on your photo ID — as well as the schools you are applying to.
4
Receive RELC notification email, which will tell you your testing venue and time of test.
5
Print out the RELC notification email. Make sure to bring the notification email and your photo ID on the test day!
Registering for the BMAT via British Council
1
Fill up the BMAT registration form.
2
Provide your full name and other identifying information — this must be exactly the same as seen on your photo ID — as well as the schools you are applying to.
3
Make payment via bank transfer to the British Council (bank account details can be found in the registration form). To facilitate tracking of your payment, quote your name and the examination you are taking (i.e. BMAT) in the comments section of your transaction. Then, email the registration form to this email address.
Alternatively, you may register and pay in-person at the British Council Napier Road Centre. Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 365, while registering before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 445.
4
Receive your confirmation email, which will tell you your testing venue and time of test.
5
Print out the confirmation email. Make sure to bring the confirmation email and your photo ID on the test day!
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs; or GPA
Standardized Testing
Either the SAT or the ACT.
Recommendations
You need two teacher recommendations and one non-academic recommendation.
Academic Honors
Applications require at least a few accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research).
Non-academic requirements
Extra-Curricular Activities
You should have at least ten meaningful extra curricular activities from Grade 9 onwards. These should demonstrate your interests and accomplishments outside the classroom.
Leadership
Universities look for mature, driven students who will go on to become leaders in their fields. You should try to showcase instances of you taking initiative and showing leadership in and outside of school.
Community Engagement
Universities want to know that you have made an impact in your community. You should demonstrate how your community (school or otherwise) have benefited from your actions.
Essays
Your college essays should give admissions counsellors insight into who you are, what experiences have shaped you, and why you are the best fit for the university you are applying to.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs / SATs; or GPA
Reference Letter
You will need one teacher recommendation that speaks to your academic abilities. This would ideally be someone who has taught you recently (JC1 / JC2 or Grade 11 / 12).
Academic Honors
Applications require accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research Experiences).
Testing
Some courses (Law / Medicine / Oxbridge applicants) will require special admissions tests such as the LNAT or BMAT / UCAT.
Non-academic requirements
Super-curricular Accomplishments
These activities demonstrate to universities that you are exploring your chosen subject outside of the classroom with genuine passion and curiosity.
UCAS Personal Statement
This is a short essay of roughly 500 words. This essay will require you to state your intended course of study at university, why you wish to pursue this interest, and how you have already meaningfully engaged with this subject previously.
Section Percentile
BMAT Percentiles
Each year, the BMAT releases the distribution of scores for each of the three sections in the test: Thinking Skills, Scientific Knowledge & Applications, and Writing Task — the Writing Task scores are further divided into scores for Quality of Content and Quality of Language.
In general, we recommend that students score at least 6.5 for Thinking Skills and Scientific Knowledge & Applications, and at least 4A for the Writing Task.
The 2021 test breakdown can be found here.
Which courses should I apply to?
1
Make payment via an AXS station or at the RELC EB office (only from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on October 1, 2021). Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 362, while registration before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 482. Click here for a guide on how to pay via AXS.
2
Oxford University and Cambridge University will only accept one application to either university. You cannot apply to both.
Courses in the veterinary science, medicine or dentistry fields which limit you to four courses on the UCAS, instead of the usual five.
Deciding on a course of study
There are over 50,000 undergraduate courses at more than 395 providers in the UK, so it’s important you do your research. What would you like to study? What would you like to achieve after university? Is being located in central London important to you? These are some important questions to ask as you decide which courses to apply to. To learn more:
Look at the UCAS subject guides to understand what the different subject areas have to offer — including graduate destinations, entry requirements, and personal statement tips.
Browse the UCAS search tool for inspiration on the types of courses you can study — you can use the subject filters to narrow your search.
BMAT Strategies
Thinking Skills
Familiarise yourself with all the question types in this section, and the strategies required to solve each question type. IvyPrep’s classes will systematically break down every single question type and how to tackle each one of them.
Scientific Knowledge & Applications
Know the required scientific knowledge for all four sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics), especially for the popular topics that come out in the BMAT every year.
IvyPrep’s classes will break down the topics for each of the four sciences, filling core gaps in your knowledge and showing you how to tackle the BMAT style of science questions.
Writing Task
Be well-versed in the rubric, and know how to write an essay that fits the requirements for the highest score. IvyPrep’s classes will show you how to write a concise yet effective essay that meets all of the exam requirements.
Practice, practice, practice
IvyPrep’s proprietary online learning platform contains hundreds of practice questions, as well as full-length practice tests.
Overview
What is the UCAT?
The University Clinical Admissions Test (UCAT) is a standardised test used for admissions into several UK medical schools.
What is tested on the UCAT?
Who needs the UCAT?
Applicants to the medical schools from the following universities are required to sit for the UCAT.
When should I take the UCAT?
The UCAT can be taken any time during the testing window.
We recommend registering for the test as early as possible to secure a testing slot.
Registration
How do I register for the UCAT?
1
Register for or sign in to your free Pearson VUE account.
2
Provide your full name and other identifying information — this must be exactly the same as seen on your photo ID — as well as the schools you are applying to.
3
Select your test centre, test date, and test timeslot.
4
Make payment, and check out.
5
Receive the appointment confirmation email from Pearson VUE.
6
Print out the confirmation email. Make sure to bring the confirmation email and your photo ID on the test day!
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs; or GPA
Standardized Testing
Either the SAT or the ACT.
Recommendations
You need two teacher recommendations and one non-academic recommendation.
Academic Honors
Applications require at least a few accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research).
Non-academic requirements
Extra-Curricular Activities
You should have at least ten meaningful extra curricular activities from Grade 9 onwards. These should demonstrate your interests and accomplishments outside the classroom.
Leadership
Universities look for mature, driven students who will go on to become leaders in their fields. You should try to showcase instances of you taking initiative and showing leadership in and outside of school.
Community Engagement
Universities want to know that you have made an impact in your community. You should demonstrate how your community (school or otherwise) have benefited from your actions.
Essays
Your college essays should give admissions counsellors insight into who you are, what experiences have shaped you, and why you are the best fit for the university you are applying to.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs / SATs; or GPA
Reference Letter
You will need one teacher recommendation that speaks to your academic abilities. This would ideally be someone who has taught you recently (JC1 / JC2 or Grade 11 / 12).
Academic Honors
Applications require accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research Experiences).
Testing
Some courses (Law / Medicine / Oxbridge applicants) will require special admissions tests such as the LNAT or BMAT / UCAT.
Non-academic requirements
Super-curricular Accomplishments
These activities demonstrate to universities that you are exploring your chosen subject outside of the classroom with genuine passion and curiosity.
UCAS Personal Statement
This is a short essay of roughly 500 words. This essay will require you to state your intended course of study at university, why you wish to pursue this interest, and how you have already meaningfully engaged with this subject previously.
Where can I take the UCAT in 2022?
Here are the UCAT testing centres in Singapore. Note that not all test centres are available for all dates.
Click here for the latest information.
Pearson Professional
Centers-Singapore
51 Cuppage Road,
#05-02/03/04, Singapore 229469
Ingram Micro
Asia Ltd
205, Kallang Bahru,
#02-00, Singapore 339341
NTUC LearningHub
Pte Ltd
NTUC Trade Union House, 73 Bras Basah Road, Level 3, Room 3J, Singapore 189556
Section Percentile
UCAT Percentiles
The UCAT gives you a percentile ranking for your composite score (out of 3600), excluding Situational Judgement. Your percentile rank tells you how you did on the UCAT compared to other test-takers.
For example, if you have a percentile ranking of 90, it means that you scored higher than 90% of other students who took that test. Your exact percentile ranking can be found using the percentile lookup tool here.
These are the results from the 2021 UCAT administration.
Percentile ranking
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Composite score (excluding situational judgement)
2850
2730
2640
2570
2500
2430
2360
2270
2150
In general, we recommend that students score at least 2700, and at least Band 2 for Situational Judgement.
UCAT Strategies
Verbal Reasoning
Know how to read the passages strategically and answer the questions efficiently. IvyPrep’s classes will teach you how to effectively look for verbal information in the passage using our tried-and-tested strategy.
Decision Making
Familiarise yourself with all the question types in this section, and the strategies required to solve each question type. IvyPrep’s classes will systematically break down every single question type and how to tackle each one of them.
Quantitative Reasoning
Make accurate mathematical calculations and answer questions efficiently. IvyPrep’s classes will teach you the required mathematical knowledge and show you how to find the correct answer in the shortest amount of time.
Abstract Reasoning
Cut through the overwhelming visual noise and spot the relevant patterns and sequences effectively. IvyPrep’s classes will show you how to efficiently sort through the visual information in this section, helping you to get the most number of correct answers in the limited amount of time allocated for this section.
Situational Judgement
Familiarise yourself with the code of ethics required for doctors and medical students. Through realistic scenarios, IvyPrep’s classes will help you understand the thought processes medical personnel undergo when faced with difficult situations on an everyday basis, and the appropriate actions to take when faced with these situations.
Practice, practice, practice
IvyPrep’s proprietary online learning platform contains hundreds of practice questions, as well as full-length practice tests.
