Oxford received somewhat more than 2000 applications in 2020. Of these, 23% were shortlisted for interview. Oxford looks at the BMAT and GCSE in particular during their ranking process. When looking at GCSE, they look at the proportion and number of A* grades. Any candidates who do not make the initial shortlist are re-reviewed in case there is a particular area that is not representative of the rest of the candidate’s performance. For the 2020 cohort, 149 quota offers were made alongside 8 open offers. Therefore the overall success rate for female applicants was 8%, and for male applicants it was 9.2%.
Each applicant will be seen at two colleges, including the college that they have applied to. There are 425 applicants invited to interview.
Cambridge received 1584 applications in 2019, with 323 receiving an offer. Unlike Oxford, Cambridge grants interviews to the majority of applicants – around 80%. Medicine is the third most competitive course at Cambridge, behind Engineering and Natural Sciences. BMAT scores on average are 5.5 for section 1, 6.1 for section 2 and 3.5 for section 3. Two thirds of students are predicted 3A*s at A Level. Average offer holders for Medicine will have 9A*s, and the average applicant holds 7 A* GCSEs.
At Cambridge there are normally two interviews, although certain colleges may interview applicants three times. Interviews are normally structured as one Biology or Chemistry (or combination) interview, and one Medicine & Personal Qualities interview. You should look into the college that you are applying to in order to learn more.
Overall in terms of admissions, Oxford seems to have the edge in terms of competitiveness. However, both universities are incredibly competitive and these numbers will shift slightly over time. As it stands, you should consider that Oxford is a better selection for those who are very confident in their BMAT and GCSE scores, whereas Cambridge is a better bet for those who believe that the interview will be their best chance of success, as Cambridge invites so many more students to interview, and relies less on the BMAT and GCSE when determining who those students are.