If you’re wondering what the overall likelihood of getting an offer is based on getting an interview, you’re probably also wondering how difficult it is to get into medical school in the UK overall – and what factors are likely to impact the likelihood of you getting an interview in the first place. Here we’ll look at some of the most pertinent data regarding interviews, offers, and applications to UK medical schools.
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In the most recent available data, 23,710 different people applied to study Medicine in the UK. There were 7500 places available, meaning that 31.6% of applicants would have been accepted. This is a relatively low chance of being admitted – and you must frame this number in context. That means realising that the vast majority of those applying to medical school are high-achieving students with great grades and a realistic and pragmatic approach to the process. Therefore you will need to be in the top third of a strong group of applicants – not just in the top third of a broader spectrum of students.
On average, around 50% of applicants to UK medical schools will be invited to interview. However, this will vary widely. On one end of the scale is the University of East Anglia, which invites more than 80% of its applicants to interview, whilst other schools will invite less than 25% to interview. Schools will generally not change the proportion that they interview from year to year, despite fluctuations in grades or slight fluctuations in the number of applicants.
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The easiest UK medical school to get into is Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences – the acceptance rate here is 38.3%. However, the easiest university to secure an interview at is the University of East Anglia, which interviewed 81% of applicants in the most recent data – a total of 937 interviews. Note that the university did have fewer applicants than most other schools.
You need to see the application process as a marathon, rather than a sprint. That means selecting your GCSEs wisely and working hard to achieve excellent GCSE results. It means working diligently to secure work experience and charity or volunteering work experience from your GCSE years and onwards as well. You must then choose appropriate A Levels, and secure excellent AS levels and predicted grades. Ensure that you are aware of the different requirements from medical school to medical school – Chemistry is always required, and Biology typically required. Some will require a third Science. You might also wish to offer four A Levels rather than the typical three. With these core considerations in place, you need to ensure that you excel in either the UCAT, BMAT or both – and that you then dedicate sufficient time to preparing for the interviews themselves that you are able to secure your spot.
