1. GeMS course
Our flagship full-day GeMS course has been designed to give you a thorough understanding of the UK medical school application and short-listing process, and to teach you those methods and techniques that can most effectively further your goals. With long established careers in medicine, your tutors are the ideal people to help you understand what short-listers are looking for, and—perhaps more important still—what they are not looking for. For further information on the GeMS course, see the GeMS course programme on the next page.
In addition to the year-round GeMS course, Get into Medical School also hosts a seasonal UKCAT course, BMAT course, interview skills workshop, and Oxford Summer School. For further information on these, scroll down.
Feedback from previous GeMS courses
I am the only person at my school applying for medicine, so the course gave me an invaluable opportunity to meet other prospective applicants.
A very helpful day run by people with an in-depth knowledge of the application process.
No vague talk, no gimmicks—did exactly what it says on the tin, and then some.
I had my interview at X a few days ago and it went very well... One of the interviewers phoned me back a few hours later to offer me an unconditional place. She also complimented me on my interview performance, which I feel I owe to your excellent teaching.
My only regret is that I did not come the first time round.
...definitely the best investment I'll ever make.
2. UKCAT course
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is required by most medical schools in the UK, be it for undergraduate or post-graduate admission. In our experience, the right practice and preparation can make a big difference to your test score. The intensive one-day UKCAT course includes tuition on each of the four components of the test, namely, verbal reasoning, decision analysis, quantitative analysis, and abstract reasoning. For each component, you are taught various methods and techniques (and tips and tricks) for arriving at the correct answers. You are then given a large number of mock questions on which to practice what you have learned, with the tutors constantly at hand to iron out any remaining weaknesses. The next UKCAT courses will be held on 1 July and 2 September and as a part of the Oxford Summer School. Please note: previous editions of our UKCAT course have been so successful as to inspire a textbook, UKCAT for Dummies, written by our tutors and published in Spring 2012. For further information on the UKCAT course, see the UKCAT course programme.
3. BMAT course
The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is especially challenging, and so presents well-prepared candidates with an ideal opportunity to stand out from the competition. It is a crucial component of the selection process at the medical schools that require it. The full-day BMAT course covers all areas examined, including problem solving, understanding argument, data analysis and inference, scientific knowledge, and essay writing. The tutors aim to cover as much material as possible in one day, and to illustrate theory with worked through BMAT-style questions. Coverage of physics, for example, includes a review of waves, electrical circuits, radioactivity, velocity and acceleration, momentum and collisions, projectile motion, and turning forces, amongst others. At the end of the day, you are given a full-length mock test under exam conditions. This enables you both to get a good feel for the test and to pinpoint any remaining areas of difficulty. The next BMAT course will be held on 21 October and as a part of the Oxford Summer School. For further information on the BMAT course, see the BMAT course programme.
4. Interview skills workshop
The interview skills workshop is a 5-hour workshop for applicants who expect to be, or have been, invited for interview. The taught part of the workshop covers background information and interview theory, including types of question asked and how best to tackle them. Each participant is then given a full-length mock interview followed by detailed feedback on his or her performance, with due attention paid to body language and 'paralanguage'. As the mock interviews are carried out in small groups of four to five, participants are able to experience a full-range of question types, build up their confidence, and learn from each others' strengths and weaknesses. The next interview skills workshops will be held on 18 November and 9 December and as a part of the Oxford Summer School. For further information on the interview skills workshop, see the interview skills workshop programme.
Oxford Summer School
Aimed at both international and UK students, the Oxford Summer School is an intensive four-day long residential programme which combines all four of our courses, namely, the GeMS course, UKCAT course, BMAT course, and interview skills workshop (students who do not need the BMAT instead attend an applications workshop). The Summer School takes place and students are lodged at Exeter College, overlooking the Radcliffe Camera in the very heart of Oxford. The cost of the programme includes all meals and a full social and entertainment programme, but excludes transport to and from Oxford. In 2012, the dates for the Summer School are Tuesday 28th August through to Friday 31st August.
One-to-one coaching
On request, our tutors are able to provide tailored one-to-one coaching (normally in Oxford). The most common reasons for this are general advice, UKCAT preparation, BMAT preparation, and interview skills training. Advice and teaching are tailored to the student's specific needs; in our experience, many problem areas can be usefully addressed in as little as a couple of hours. Please contact us with a brief description of your requirements and we will be happy to provide you with a quotation.
