This entry for International Insights was written in 2020/21, hence the format of this post is different to the other upcoming posts on International Insights.
Please keep this in mind when reading - enjoy!
This entry was written by Haya, an international medical student in her 2nd year of Medicine at UCLan at the time. Haya is from Lebanon but grew up in Saudi Arabia. She is on Instagram @thetrendmedic and discusses her experiences applying to UK medical schools and studying at UCLan in this post!
Hello, my name is Haya. I’m from Lebanon but I grew up in Saudi Arabia. I’m in the second year of the MBBS course in UCLan. When I was applying for Med School, I applied to Kings College, Cardiff, St. Andrews, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and UCLan.
I decided to choose UCLan because of the early patient contact it offers and the large population of international students on the MBBS course. My university offers an Integrated spiral curriculum. We basically learn all the scientific subjects (Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, etc) through all the human systems in the first year and we revisit the same subjects in the second year for the diseased human. I find that approach very helpful as it gives you the chance to study through spatial repetition which is helpful for retaining information on the long run. We also have an Evidence Informed Practice of Medicine module where we learn about Public Health, Psychology, Medical Law, and Biostatistics. In addition, we have a “Medical Skills and Quality Care” module whereby we learn clinical and communication skills. This is one of the most fun classes as we get to practice examinations on simulated patients and practise of OSCEs. In phase two, which are the last three years of our course, we are taught through Case Based Learning.
One of the special features of our university, is that we get early patient contact and that improves our communication skills. On placements, you often find us relaxed and excited to converse with patients because of the early patient contact we get. I have been on a GP, community, and secondary hospital placement and they have all been very exciting. The multi-disciplinary team is always keen to teach you and you often are allowed to practice the skills you have learned. Although going on placement early in your degree is a blessing, one of the cons of the course is that we often have to travel around 90 minutes to reach the destination which can be difficult through public transport.
UCLan’s interview is an MMI interview. The questions ranged from ethics, to work experience, and NHS hot topics. The interview is not difficult as long as you prepare and it can be a fun experience. My most important tips would be to smile, learn the pillars of ethics, and answer questions relevant to your work experience. I have a whole YouTube Video on my channel “TheTrendMedic” talking all about the interview so give it a watch if you’re interested. For my interview, I did it in England however the university offers the MMIs in Dubai. If you had the chance to do it in Preston, I would definitely advice visiting Avenham Park. Preston is a tiny city much smaller than the city I grew up in but it creates a sense of community. I lived in both university accommodation and private accommodation but I much prefer private accommodation. Preston is a student city and so I didn’t have any difficulties settling in. My favourite restaurant in Preston would be a Caribbean restaurant called Coco’s. I also like to study in one of the Café Nero’s which used to be Charles Dickens’ apartment. For grocery shopping, Asia continental offers middle easters and Asian products which help me when I’m cooking some traditional dishes.
I am involved in a lot of extracurriculars outside the Medical school however in regards to Med School I am the Vice President of Students for Global Health and I am also a Research Assistant in the Medical School. Nonetheless, I am a course representative for the OBs/Gyn society and a member of several medical societies.
I think one of the most important things to do when your applying for med school is “don’t doubt yourself” and if you didn’t get in the first time, there are other ways. Also, it is very important that you are completely honest in your application as honesty is one of the most important attributes of being a doctor.
My tips for first years would definitely be to have a to do list, sleep well, and make friends. It is very easy to get burned out from the amount of work and depth of the information so make sure to have fun!
If you guys have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out on my Instagram @thetrendmedic and also check out my YouTube channel where I answer a lot of these questions in depth.
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