Academic Strength

So what should I include when talking about my academic interests?

EPQs or academic projects are a great thing to mention in your statement. It shows that you’ve gone beyond to challenge your knowledge on a medicine related topic. Academic awards such as school prizes or scientific competitions also show that you have not only pursued an interest in a chosen topic, but you’ve also done well in it! If you regularly read a journal such as the student BMJ, any scientific books that may be on universities reading lists, or talks/exhibitions that have interested and inspired you.

How should I write about these?

It’s all good and well that you’ve read books and attended talks, but there is no way a reader can know you really have done this. (make sure you do read anything you’ve mentioned in you statement before the interview as you will be asked on it!!) So, include particular chapters, or sections that especially interested you and give reasoning! Maybe you loved reading about the pharmacokinetics of a drug, so mention that you’re excited to learn more about this at medical school.

If you mention that you read the student BMJ, again do read at least a handful of varying recent papers that you can talk about in your interview as you do not want to get caught out! Instead of listing any academic achievements, expand on what you researched or read, and how that might link to medicine. Perhaps explain a key concept in your EPQ, but remember the character limit!

So moving onto some examples:

“I have read seven medical journals, set up my school medical society and have attended many debates on scientific advancements.”

Although this shows the candidate has done a lot, it is just listing and doesn’t show any insight into what the candidate learnt. Try to pick one and focus on this by describing your academic achievements in it, such as the next example.

“Setting up our school medical society has given me a platform to debate and research a diverse range of topics, such as the implications of the development of resistance in cancer cells to chemotherapy.”

In this example the candidate has stuck to talking just about their medical society and how this has meant they have done extra reading to debate with peers, such as their example of the development of resistance in cancer cells to chemotherapy. This is a great choice, as it is medically relevant, beyond their curriculum and also shows knowledge and understanding of current healthcare issues.