medicine personal statement cardiff

The Aspiring Medics

Cardiff medicine personal statement (emilia).

In this series, medical students and medicine offer holders share and explain their personal statement so that you can learn from our experiences and reflections. Emilia is an undergraduate medical student studying at Cardiff University

Disclaimer: Please do NOT be tempted to use our personal statements as a model/foundation/plan. UCAS is very strict about plagiarism, more information can be found here .

Please remember that there is no such thing as a model personal statement. By definition, it is supposed to be unique and there is no "golden formula".

When it was finally time to begin writing my personal statement, I had no idea about where to start or how to structure it. All I knew is that I wanted to include all the activities I’d taken part in in order to show I was prepared for a life in medical school as well as show the personal qualities I had gained from doing them.

Therefore, I began by writing a list of everything I had done over the years. Then, I found a list of qualities that a doctor should have on the Medical Schools Council website which I have pasted below:

· Motivation to study medicine and genuine interest in the medical profession

· Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses

· Personal organisation

· Academic ability

· Problem solving

· Dealing with uncertainty

· Managing risk and deal effectively with problems

· Conscientiousness

· Ability to treat people with respect

· Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations

· Empathy and the ability to care for others

Then I simply began pairing up some of the skills on the list with the activities I had taken part in – this was the foundation of my personal statement.

Many times have I heard the phrase ‘you don’t realise how lucky you are to be healthy’. Once I began volunteering at a disabled children’s play scheme (CHIPS), I saw the reality of this statement. These children will never be able to have the life experiences that many of us take for granted. Over a year, I understood each child’s unique healthcare needs, improving my ability to care for them. I developed communication skills with a different group of people with whom I was able to empathize and having this insight triggered a personal interest to seek a career in medicine.

As you can see in the introduction to my personal statement, I paired my volunteering for a disabled children’s play scheme with empathy. Please note that simply writing the word ‘empathy’ will not be enough. You need to show that you know what it means. So, looking back at my personal statement, I have written, ‘These children will never be able to have the life experiences that many of us take for granted’. This shows that I can understand what it means to have a disability and how it can affect the lives of these children.

Moving on to how to write an introductory paragraph, the main thing to consider is making it unique. You want your personal statement to stand out from other candidates. The most important thing to consider is the opening sentence. You don’t want it to sound too cliché – for example, in 2015, the most common opening for a medical personal statement was ‘From a young age, I have (always) been [interested in/fascinated by]…’ which was used by 1779 people! It will probably be the most difficult part of your personal statement, but please spend some time on how you can open your personal statement to make it sound different to others.

I continued practising the skills I had learnt at CHIPS by becoming a personal assistant for a disabled girl. My work with Susannah encourages me to use my initiative to seek what she needs and I have also learnt about the challenging life of families with disabled children.

Looking at the middle bulk of my personal statement, I wrote all about my major experiences and what I learnt from them. However, remember that you only have 47 lines of text – everything must straight to the point. Resist the urge to use lots of adjectives! This is difficult – you may have spent ages carrying out a certain activity and only be allowed to write a few sentences about it, but if you explain the skills you learnt concisely, this will be appreciated more by admissions tutors than waffle. Take a look at my second paragraph – I had a job looking after a 21-year-old woman with Down’s syndrome and autism for 2 years, but I wrote about it in 2 sentences to allow space for my other experiences. This was especially frustrating because looking after Susannah was an amazing experience and I wanted to write all about what looking after her required (for example, the difficulties I faced when I had to sit through a tantrum or when she wet herself, which was regular), however I just portrayed that looking after her showed I had initiative (or, ‘problem solving skills’). I certainly had to use my initiative when I had to figure out how to stop her tantrums!

For a week at a GP Surgery, I explored patient life. Having been given the task to write the patient newsletter, I had to make the information relevant by critically analysing sources of information and write in a style that could be understood by all patients - a skill I was already developing by tutoring younger students. Furthermore, I joined the Patient Forum Group; issues within the surgery as well as in the NHS were discussed, helping me to learn more about the career ahead of me.

Being in a hospital for a week enabled me to learn about the spectrum of healthcare specialists and I witnessed the value of good team work in MDT meetings. Producing YouTube videos on diverse and enjoyable medical topics such as telomeres with a fellow student allowed me to develop this skill and further my learning. I also witnessed the need for problem solving skills to identify concealed mental illnesses in patients, as I observed a doctor using the Geriatric Depression Scale. With mental illnesses becoming more common, it is important for doctors to have ways to recognise and diagnose them, and mentoring younger students has enabled me to develop this ability.

Another skill I used in my personal statement was identifying the skills portrayed by doctors I shadowed and showing that I was already practising those skills. It also showed that I knew these particular skills were important as I’d already seen healthcare professionals using them. Take a look at the above paragraph where there are 2 examples of this – the first is where I witnessed good team work in the MDT meetings. For those who don’t know, MDT meetings are special meetings where doctors, nurses, physiotherapists etc discuss each patient in a ward, and make a group decision on the next step. I then immediately wrote about how I was using team working skills to create medical themed YouTube videos. Furthermore, I wrote about how I witnessed a junior doctor using problem solving skills on a geriatric patient, followed by how I used problem solving skills on my mentee. Very different situations and settings, but again, the same skills were used.

Work experience for a week at GSK increased my intellectual curiosity as I learnt about the life cycle of drugs, allowing me to appreciate what happens before medicine can be prescribed. Shadowing a pathologist allowed me to explore disease microscopically and I was taught a range of lab skills.

By volunteering at an elderly care home, I advanced my non-verbal communication skills while residents told sensitive stories of the past. It revealed the importance of having a compassionate nature, as it helped me to bond with the residents. I observed that the workers need to be patient and collected, especially with the residents with dementia, as they take longer to comprehend information.

Selflessness is a key trait to have in healthcare as the patient always comes first. To raise money to fight cancer, I cut 11 inches of my hair and took part in a Race for Life; knowing it would benefit many people helped me to persevere in my training. I also help lead an Amnesty International youth group, enabling me to practise my organisational skills. I’ve increased my ethical awareness by spreading the word of human rights with my team. Additionally, dedication to ballet and drama from a young age has encouraged time management as I have balanced my work life with my hobbies. A key skill that I have matured from my hobbies is resilience; failing to accomplish a particular step or being nervous is frustrating but it’s vital to stay motivated and complete the task to the best of your abilities.

I used my second to last paragraph to portray activities I was taking part in in my spare time and how these also showed that I was suited to medicine. It’s very important that you include your hobbies in your personal statement – they want to see that you’re not totally academic because everyone needs a good work life balance! For example, I took part in the Amnesty International youth group because I enjoyed doing it, but even though it is completely unrelated to medicine, I still used it to show that I was organised. Also, writing about my favourite hobbies ballet and drama showed I had resilience. This is an important skill as a doctor as there will be tough times – a lack of perseverance could be life threatening to the patients.

This resembles the challenge of being a doctor; I understand that, likewise, there are many tough times for which I will need to be prepared. Undoubtedly, however, my commitment to medicine has been confirmed through the many experiences I have had, allowing me to further my understanding of the medical world and develop the required skills. I am equipped and motivated to continue my journey into a medical degree.

Finally, the final paragraph. This must be a summary of your whole personal statement and what it shows about you as a person – don’t include anything new here! As I described with the introductory paragraph, don’t make it cringey or cliché. Be confident and show that you are ready for medical school.

• 📝Personal Statement

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Advice for Students ,  Application Process ,  Application Process ,  Applying to University ,  Jobs and work experience ,  Medic Tips ,  Top Tips ,  UCAS Application

Preparing for your medicine application – what do you need to do?

• applying to medicine
• preparation

Every year, the UCAS deadline for submitting an application for medicine is 15 October. So what should you be doing to meet this deadline? This blog is going to talk through the key elements of the application process and give some tips to highlight how you can start preparing!

So what is UCAS ? This is the platform where you apply to the medical schools that you have chosen , it officially shows the decisions of offers or rejections, then after hearing back from all of them, you choose your final 2 choices – firm and insurance (check out the links to my previous blogs on these!)

As a very quick overview, the key elements of the your UCAS application are:

• Your personal details – this includes some questions about finance and contextual information
• Course choices (remember only 4 for medicine + 1 can be backup or left blank)
• Full education history – all qualifications must be listed from secondary education – these can also include other achievements (e.g. I listed my music grades & diploma). You must also list the qualifications that you are awaiting results on – i.e. if you have not done your A levels yet, you still have to list your subjects that you are studying.
• Employment history – for paid jobs only
• Personal statement
• Reference – usually written by a teacher or a personal tutor at the end of the application when you send it off to them to review

Is there anything else you need to do?

For medicine, you will also be required to do an admission test – for Cardiff, they require the UCAT for undergraduates . Although there is a section to add in UCAT scores on UCAS form, your test scores are officially sent to the medical schools which is the data that they will use for accuracy.

I have done a detailed blog on All things UCAT , which goes through my process of preparation and some of my top tips; plus also links some other useful resources!

For graduates, you are required to do the GAMSAT . Although I haven’t done this exam myself, I am delighted to say that I have done a short blog about it with further advice in collaboration with AcerGAMSAT ! Read here ! I’ve provided some further detail about them below with some useful links to their services!

• Access to the courses are granted at the end of each month. Students will receive an email with instructions on how to access the courses nearer the time.
• Free GAMSAT courses will be available in the next couple of months: look out for them shortly here !
• Further GAMSAT resources: find here !

For each medical school that you apply to, ensure that you have read the admissions criteria thoroughly to check that you have the right qualifications and to have an understanding of their selection process. Often, the criteria will give guidance on what they are looking for which will be a great help for when starting your personal statement!

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I started planning my personal statement in August and ensured I had completed my first draft (out of 10!) before we started back in September so that I had a core to work on with my tutors. If you’ve just started thinking about applying to medicine, or perhaps haven’t even thought about choosing your medical schools yet, you may be thinking that I’ve skipped far too ahead to be talking about personal statement now. But actually I think it’s incredibly important that you have an understanding of your end goal, so that you start your preparation early !

Have a read of this summary checklist for elements to speak about on your personal statement – do you have answers for all of these? Chances are if you’ve just started thinking about medicine, you haven’t and that’s okay! I will speak on the last 3 questions to highlight how you can prepare to make sure you can tick all these boxes!

EXPERIENCE It is important that you have “an insight into a career in Medicine” and have “evidence of experience and reflection in a caring environment”. These quotes are from Cardiff’s admission criteria, which hopefully you will have seen when reading it thoroughly (!), but actually this will apply to every medical school that you apply to. However, what may differ is that some medical schools may specify what experience that they want you to have , so please make sure that you check this with your other options. Please note that the AND/OR that I have put in the checklist, because I understand how hard it can be to get work experience nowadays, in the sense of being able to do a clinical observations with a doctor. If you’ve read my journey, you will remember that I said that I applied for work experience at the start of Year 12. I actually had the placement 8 months later, which goes to show, with even my mum helping me to be proactive, there was still a massive delay. With that being said, do not give up in trying into get a clinical observation . Even if it means that you have it after you submit your UCAS application, you can still mention it on your personal statement saying that you have it arranged. You could indicate what you are expecting to see and can easily throw in some buzz words -e.g. looking forward to seeing “interdisciplinary communication” firsthand. Voluntary experience is incredibly useful as well, because it is usually easier and quicker to arrange, plus by doing it long term, you can demonstrate commitment. Often you get to do more in volunteering and develop more skills from it. I volunteered in a local hospice, which also gave me the opportunity to do free courses with them, which I spoke about in my personal statement as well. I’ve added some ideas below as to where to look for experience, but I can appreciate these opportunities may vary where you live and other aspects to consider such as commuting to places, but if you start looking early, you will find something!

Finally, I just want to say about experience – it is not about the quantity, but the quality of your reflections from it. For example, it is all very well saying you managed to watch a surgery, but you have to dig deeper. What did you actually learn from it? Perseverance of long working hours; communication between operating staff etc.

UPDATE: If you are reading this during COVID-19, please do not worry there are some virtual options for experience to consider – check out this blog about opportunities you can achieve from home!

ACADEMIC DRIVE There is no doubt that medicine is a challenge – are you ready to rise up to that? Is there anything in your subjects that has fascinated you that you have gone out your way to do more reading on it? I encourage you to develop an intellectual curiosity! Have a think about 1 or 2 topics from your A levels (or other qualifications) and see if there’s anything you can read which is more challenging for example a scientific paper, but take the time to understand it! There is no point quoting something you have read which a) you don’t understand & b) you didn’t actually find interesting – don’t do it just for the sake of it!

If you are also applying to traditional courses, they love to see that you enjoy reading – check out my reading recommendations blog – see if any of these give you some inspiration as well! They are great conversation points for interviews, however one thing I would say is keep some notes on what you have learnt about them.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES At least one paragraph of your personal statement will be on extra-curricular activities – again just to stress don’t do them just for the sake of a medicine application. Many of you may already have activities that you have done for years and that’s great, another opportunity to show your commitment and determination! Here are some examples what they may entail, but there are many more:

• Sports teams
• Music – play an instrument, part of ensembles
• Other teamwork opportunities – D of E, other clubs/societies
• Leadership activities – prefect, NCS wave leader
• Other: paid job – customer service experience- great for communication skills!

I’ve also mentioned work-life balance, because some of these activities you don’t necessarily do to rest! Have a think about what you do like to do to rest, because it is so important that you understand to prevent burnout!

I hope that this has been useful, but I want to encourage you to check out other great websites to get as much advice as you can for all aspects of the process. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me via  UniBuddy  where I am more than happy to answer any other questions you have!

Please check out my follow up blogs where I go into more detail on how I prepared and give some useful tips!

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Section A: The Application Process for Medicine at Cardiff University

1. what qualities in a student does cardiff university look for.

Cardiff University looks for the following qualities in your personal statement, academic referee's statement and at interview:

• Being able to think on your feet.
• Insight into the life of a doctor and a career in medicine.
• Insight into the Welsh NHS.
• Insight into some of the issues that are important to the profession.
• Knowledge of medical ethics (e.g. 4 Pillars of Medical Ethics, Consent).
• Understanding of the course structure and unique aspects of teaching at Cardiff University (e.g. full body dissection, CBL, early patient contact, spiral curriculum, placements across Wales).
• Able to critically appraise information.
• Communicating ideas effectively.
• Experience and reflection in a caring environment.
• Taking personal responsibility/leadership and reflecting on this.
• A balanced approach to life.
• Driven and able to undertake self-directed learning.
• The qualities of being a good doctor (based up on the GMC Good Medical Practice guidance) : caring for patients as your first concern, taking prompt action if patient safety is compromised, honesty, empathy, acting with integrity, time-management, problem-solving, leadership, trust and maintaining good team working skills with colleagues and other healthcare professionals (think of occasions where you have demonstrated each of these qualities).

This information can be found at the following links:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/medicine-mbbch

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/2548861/MEDIC-School-level-Admissions-Policy-2022.pdf

https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/good-medical-practice

2.What elements of your application does Cardiff university value most?

GCSE grades and the interview are the main elements used to rank applications at Cardiff University. Saying this, your personal statement is read by the application team, to look for the appropriate qualities mentioned above. However, this is not factored into the formal processes of ranking applicants for interview places.

Cardiff receives ~3000 applications per year, interviewing ~1200 applicants for ~300 places on the course. This means that ranking highly from your GCSE results is crucial for obtaining an interview. Once the interview stage is in progress, offers are made exclusively based on your performance in the interview.

Admissions test results are less important. UCAT is the entrance exam that applicants are required to sit to apply to Cardiff University School of Medicine. UCAT is only used to discriminate between 2 equal candidates at the time of giving out offers when all other attributes between them are equal. Otherwise, it is not used! Therefore, Cardiff accepts people with a range of UCAT scores.

3. How important is the UCAT score at Cardiff?

UCAT is the entrance exam that applicants are required to sit to apply to Cardiff University School of Medicine. The BMAT exam is not required in your application.

As mentioned above, very little importance is placed on your UCAT at Cardiff University School of Medicine. There is no minimum UCAT score that must be achieved: in both the main sections and the SJT.

The average score of a successful applicant in 2020 was 2589. The average score of interviewed applicants was 2620. But, as mentioned previously, the UCAT will be used to discriminate between 2 equal candidates at the time of giving out offers, when all other attributes between them are equal.

4. How important are the grades you ultimately achieve for Medicine at Cardiff University?

Your predicted grades for your courses are not included in the ranking process for an interview, as only qualifications already achieved (e.g. GCSE, completed A levels, etc.) are included.

For admission onto the course, the following grades must be achieved:

A Levels: AAA

• Must include Biology and Chemistry
• Does NOT include Further Mathematics / Critical Thinking / General studies
• Must pass the practical component of these courses
• Resits of these qualifications are NOT accepted

GCSEs: 8 GCSEs at grade B/6 including Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Maths

• 66 (BB) in Double Science or 66 (BB) in Biology and Chemistry

‍ Welsh Baccalaureate: Welsh Baccalaureate accepted in place of 3rd A Level

International Baccalaureate: 36 points

• 7, 6, 6 required at Higher level
• Must include grade 6 in HL Biology or Chemistry AND grade 6 in one other HL science from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, or Statistics.
• Must also include grade 7 in SL Biology or Chemistry if not taken at HL
• Resists of these qualifications are NOT accepted.
• Advanced Highers: AA (must include Chemistry and Biology)
• Scottish Highers: AAAAA (must include Chemistry and Biology)

BTEC: Distinction overall and distinction in all modules in the Higher National Diploma

For graduate applicants, you must have achieved BBB/ABC at A-level, 32 points overall in the IB or other equivalent scores and be working towards a 2:1 in your degree.

The above information can be found here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/medicine-mbbch.

Cardiff University School of Medicine does not admit students who have not achieved the conditions of their offer (e.g. AAA at A level) and does not accept qualifications that were resat. There are some alternative courses alongside the A100 5-year course:

‍ A104 (6-year course with a preliminary year) - for applicants with high academic performance but who have not taken science-related subjects at A-level (or equivalent qualifications) or who only took 1 of either Biology or Chemistry. A104 is not intended for applicants who have taken science subjects at A level (or equivalent) but failed to achieve the grade requirements of their offer. After 1 year of science teaching, these students enter Year 1 of the A100 (traditional) medicine course.

‍ A101/A102 (Graduate-entry 4 year course) - the graduate-entry medical course at Cardiff University School of Medicine is only available to applicants enrolled on 1 of the 4 'feeder stream' courses. Other graduates can apply to the A100 5-year course or A104 6-year course. The 4 'Feeder' courses are:

• BSc (Hons) Medical Pharmacology Degree, School of Medicine, Cardiff University (B210)
• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences Degree, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University (BC97)
• BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences Degree, University of South Wales (B901)
• BMedSci (Hons) Medical Sciences Degree, University of Bangor (B100)

5. What other requirements does Cardiff have for Medicine?

The Cardiff University School of Medicine application process relies heavily on your GCSE grades when ranking applicants for the interview! You will be given points for your achieved qualifications. Points are awarded for your 9 highest graded GCSE subjects. Biology, Chemistry, English Language, and Maths are 4 GCSEs that will always be included in this total. Achieved A-level grades and honours degrees can give you additional points.

• 9, 8, A* = 3 points
• 7, A = 2 points
• 6, B = 1 point
• A* = 3 points
• A = 2 points

The maximum number of points you can achieve is 27 , and the cut off for an interview varies each year.

You must also have 8 GCSEs at grade B/6 or above including Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Maths (or 66 (BB) in Double Science or 66 (BB) in Biology and Chemistry)

Cardiff University School of Medicine does not use UCAS points to rank applicants for an interview unless it includes achieved qualifications. Predicted grades do not factor into the application, as long as you are expected to meet the minimum requirements of the course (e.g. AAA at A level, including Biology and Chemistry).

6. What should I put in my personal statement for Medicine at Cardiff University?

Qualities to demonstrate in your personal statement:

• ‍ Insight into the work of a doctor (what do you understand as the role of a doctor?).
• ‍ Time-management, problem-solving & empathy (explain a situation where empathy has been valuable to an encounter from work experience, volunteering or extra-curricular activities).
• ‍ Driven and able to undertake self-directed learning (any extra reading or courses you have undertaken outside of your main studies?).
• ‍ A balanced approach to life (hobbies/activities undertaken outside of your studies and the benefits this brings you).

Applicants need to demonstrate 'experience and reflection in a clinical environment'. Cardiff University School of Medicine recognises that opportunities for certain types of work experience (e.g. in a hospital or GP practice) vary between individuals' social circumstances. No specified amount of work experience hours must be completed. Use all experiences in clinical environments to reflect upon in your personal statement and at the interview (e.g. care homes, residential homes, volunteering groups, etc.).

It is important to include extra-curricular activities in your personal statement and have some examples for theinterview as Cardiff University School of Medicine likes to see that their applicants have a 'balanced approach to life' and have interests other than Medicine! These do not need to be competitive sports or national achievements (although do mention these if they apply to you!), you can mention anything you enjoy outside of your studies that helps you to relax and take time away from your studies!

7. What is the structure of the Medicine interview at Cardiff university?

The interview invitations are sent in November of the application cycle. Interviews take place between December-February of the application cycle. The interview is MMI-style, consisting of 9 stations, each lasting 6 minutes with 2 minute reading time between. There is 1 interviewer at each station - this could be anyone from a student, lecturer, tutor, etc.

‍ Here is an overview of what to expect on interview day:

• Dress Code: Suits / Smart Clothes
• Time: after signing in, you will have a clinical skills introduction (a small talk from one of the clinical leads at the medical school about the skills you will learn in your 1st year at medical school, very helpful for calming nerves!!). Following this, the MMI interview takes place. This lasts ~2 hours.
• Room: 1 large room, with 2 circuits in the room, separated by a wall. A bell rings when you start the station, halfway through, when there is 1 minute left and at the end of a station.
• Format: outside of each station is a board with the 2 questions you will be asked at that station written on it. There are 2 minutes reading time before each station, except the maths station where you can start instantly. The questions are also written on a sheet of paper placed on the table. There are 2 questions at each station; you should aim to spend about 2.5-3 minutes answering each. At 3 minutes (halfway) through the station, they will round up your point and move you onto the 2nd question. Often examiners will ask you at the end of speaking "is there anything else you would like to add?" - do not get thrown off by this, they will ask this whether you give a good, full answer or not! They just want to tease as many thoughts/ideas out of you as possible!
• What should you bring: you do not need to bring anything with you however you are allowed to bring a bottle of water should you wish to do so.

8. What does Cardiff University look for in a Medicine interview?

Qualities to demonstrate at the interview:

• ‍ Insight into the Welsh NHS (knowledge of its structure and issues)
• ‍ Insight into the work as a doctor (what do you understand as the role of a doctor?)
• ‍ Time-management, problem-solving & empathy (explain a situation where empathy has been valuable to an encounter from work experience, volunteering or extra-curricular activities)
• ‍ Understanding of the course structure and unique aspects of teaching at Cardiff University , e.g. full body dissection, case-based learning (CBL), early patient contact, spiral curriculum, placements across Wales. Explain how these benefit your style of learning and why they will make you a better future doctor.
• ‍ Driven & able to undertake self-directed learning (any extra reading or courses you have undertaken outside of your main studies?).
• ‍ A balanced approach to life (hobbies/activities undertaken outside of your studies and the benefits this brings you). Both academic and non-academic extra-curricular interests should be mentioned.

Common Question Topics at Interview:

• Insight into Cardiff University and the course structure
• Insight into a career in medicine (the good and the bad!)
• Management of stress (i.e. extra-curricular activities, balanced approach to life)
• Demonstration of the qualities of a doctor - empathy, teamwork, following your instinct, prioritisation, etc.
• 1 maths station - dosage calculations, moles calculations etc.

9. What are my chances of getting into Cardiff medical school?

Cardiff receives ~3000 applications per year, with 1200 applicants interviewed (40%) for ~300 places on the course. About 500-700 offers are made.

Overall offer rate of applicants: 1 in 4 / 1 in 6.

Overall success rate: 1 in 10 / 1 in 11.

10. What are the entry requirements for Cardiff medical school?

The full entry requirements for Cardiff can be found here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/medicine-mbbch.

Section B: What is Medicine at Cardiff university really like?

1. what types of medicine courses are available at cardiff university.

A100 (Undergraduate 5 year course) - split into 3 phases:

Phase 1 (Years 1 & 2) - learn the core science of medicine.

• Phase 1a - Platform for Clinical Sciences (1st term of Year 1)
• Phase 1b - Case-Based Learning (2nd term of Year 1 - end of Year 2)

Phase 2 (Year 3 & 4) - clinical placements.

Phase 3 (Year 5) - harmonisation year (consolidating knowledge and skills to prepare you for work as a doctor in the NHS, ensuring your smooth transition from student to Foundation Doctor).

This information can be found here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/medicine-mbbch.

A104 (6-year course with preliminary year) - for applicants with high academic performance but who have not taken science-related subject at A-level (or equivalent qualifications) or who only took 1 of either Biology or Chemistry. A104 is not intended for applicants who have taken science subjects at A level (or equivalent) but failed to achieve the grade requirements of their offer. After 1 year of science teaching, these student enter Year 1 of the A100 (traditional) medicine course and follow the same structure.

A101/A102 (Graduate-entry 4 year course) - the graduate-entry medical course at Cardiff University School of Medicine is only available to applicants enrolled on 1 of the 4 'feeder stream' courses. Other graduates can apply to the A100 5-year course or A104 6-year course. These students enter the Year 2 cohort of the Undergraduate 5 year course, and remain with this year group for the rest of their studies. These students complete a 'summer school' the August before beginning this course, and then follow an identical course structure to the Undergraduate 5 year degree. The 4 'feeder' courses are:

• BMedSci (Hons) Medical Scheinces Degree, University of Bangor (B100)

For more information check out the following links:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/medicine-graduate-entry-mbbch

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/mbbch-north-wales

An extra (optional) intercalated BSc can be undertaken between the following years of each of the above courses, and adds 1 year to the course length:

• Between Years 3 & 4 or Year 4 & 5 of the Undergraduate 5 year course.
• Between Years 4 & 5 or Year 5 & 6 of the 6-year course with preliminary year.

2.What is the course structure for the 5 year medicine course?

The course structure is integrated .

Years 1 and 2 are the pre-clinical years. Patient Contact begins in Phase 1b (January of Year 1), with placement 1 day/week. In years 3 and 4 you progress to the clinical years. Year 5 is the harmonisation year. This is a year spent consolidating knowledge and skills to prepare you for work as a doctor in the NHS, ensuring your smooth transition from student to Foundation Doctor.

3. What is the teaching style?

The teaching style is case-based learning (CBL) .

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) Teaching:

• Lectures - 50 minutes x 5-7/week (not compulsory attendance, but recommended). Recordings can be viewed online after the lecture has been delivered in person. However, these are not usually available to watch for a few days/a week after the in-person lecture, so it is easy to become behind on your lectures using this method.
• Clinical skills - 3 hours x 1/week (compulsory attendance).
• Case-based learning session (Phase 1b) - 3 hours on Monday week 1 of the case, 3 hours on Monday week 2 of the case, 2 hours on Friday week 2 of the case. Therefore, the total time spent on each case is 8hrs over a 2 week period (compulsory attendance).
• Full-body dissection Anatomy Sessions (mainly in Phase 1a) - 3 hours x 2/week. We do some prosections at the end of Phase 1a instead of full-body dissection, but this is more uncommon (compulsory attendance).
• Tutorials (mainly in Phase 1a) - 2-3 hours x 1-2/week ( compulsory attendance).
• Practicals (mainly in Phase 1a) - 2-3 hours x 1/week (compulsory attendance).
• Placement (Phase 1b ) - 1 day/week (compulsory attendance).

Cardiff University School of Medicine has a spiral curriculum, so almost everything you learn about in Year 1, will continue to be visited multiple of times during the degree. Platform for Clinical Sciences (Phase 1a, aka PCS) can be very content-heavy and busy with teaching sessions, but you will be taught most of it again during Phase 1b of the course to consolidate this knowledge, and you will apply the information clinically in Phase 2 of the course.

4. What does an average day as a first year medical student at Cardiff university look like?

A typical Phase 1a (Year 1) timetable can be found below. The key is as follows:

• Black = Lecture
• Blue = Tutorial
• Red = Dissection / Practical
• Green = Clinical Skills

In Phase 1b (Year 1/2), you have a 2 week case based upon a system / presentation. This is a typical fortnight of CBL sessions:

• Monday Week 1: CBL (3 hours) + lecture (50 mins).
• Tuesday Week 1: nothing scheduled.
• Wednesday Week 1: 3 lectures (3 x 50 mins).
• Thursday Week 1: placement (9am-4pm).
• Friday Week 1: lecture (50 mins) + practical (2 hours).
• Monday Week 2: CBL (3 hours) + lecture (50 mins).
• Tuesday Week 2: practical / tutorial (2-3 hours).
• Wednesday Week 2: 3 lectures (3 x 50 mins).
• Thursday Week 2: placement (9am-4pm).
• Friday Week 2: CBL (2 hours) + 2 lectures (2 x 50 mins).

A typical Phase 2 (Years 3/4) timetable can be found below:

During Phase 2 you undertake 4 x 8 week placement blocks. In Year 3 the placements are as follows: Hospital Front Door, Chronic Disease 1, Oncology/Surgery and a Student Selected Component (SSC, a self-directed project). You will also cover Applied Clinical Sciences this year. This consists of 6 weeks throughout the calendar, between the placement blocks, covering basic clinical knowledge, e.g. Evidence-Based Medicine, Blood bottles, etc. In Year 4 the placements are as follows: Chronic Disease 2, Women Child and Family, Psychological Medicine/Clinical Neurology/Ophthalmology and a Student Selected Component (SSC, a self-directed project). The placements in your designated ward/hospital take place Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm (but this can change based upon your speciality rotation and how 'busy' the area is with pathologies you need to see).

5. How does the structure of your day-to-day life change as you progress through the different years of the course?

Phase 1a (PCS) is very busy, with 9am-5pm schedules on most days. This can be very tiring, and has less time allocated for self-study.

Phase 1b (CBL) has fewer timetabled sessions than PCS but requires more self-study between CBL sessions on a Monday and 2nd Friday.

Phase 2 is mainly filled by your placement blocks, which can be very tiring, and leave the evenings only for self-study. However, the timetable is more flexible in Phase 2, with it being your responsibility to attend placement and know when in the day there are no more patients for you to see, and self-study at home would be more useful for you.

6. Is an iBSc offered at this university?

Intercalated BScs (iBSc) are offered to students between Years 3 and 4 or Years 4 and 5 of the 5-year undergraduate course (years 4 and 5 or years 5 and 6 of the 6-year course with preliminary year). At Cardiff University they are an optional part of the medicine courses; you can choose to do it at Cardiff University or at another university.

The iBSc courses available at Cardiff University School of Medicine / School of Biosciences are as follows:

• Applied and Experimental Clinical Immunology (MSc)
• Biochemistry
• Cellular & Molecular Pathology
• Emergency, Pre-hospital and Immediate Care (EPIC)
• Genomic Medicine
• Medical Education
• Neuropsychology (Bangor)
• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Population Medicine
• Psychology & Medicine
• Sports Science (Bangor)

More information on the iBSc at Cardiff University can be found here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/medicine/courses/undergraduate/medicine/intercalate.

7. What is the typical cohort size and does this change as you progress through the course?

The average year group cohort size is ~300. Numbers do not change substantially as you progress through the course (as students who fail to progress the year and students who enter your year due to intercalation in the previous year often balance out).

8. Which hospitals are linked to Cardiff university?

In Phase 1b, placements take place at 1 of 5 locations in South Wales:

• University Hospital of Wales - found at Heath Park campus.
• University Hospital Llandough - 25 minute car/bus journey from Heath Park campus.

Abergavenny - Nevill Hall Hospital (45 mins drive from Cathays campus)

Bridgend - Princess of Wales Hospital (35 mins drive from Cathays campus)

Merthyr Tydfil - Prince Charles Hospital (40 mins drive from Cathays campus)

Newport - Royal Gwent Hospital (20 mins drive from Cathays campus)

Transport to Abergavenny, Brigend, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport placements in Phase 1 are organised by the medical school (a bus takes you to and from placement each week).

Transport to the 2 hospitals linked to placements in Cardiff must be organised by the student (UHW is walkable as it is on Heath Park campus and UHL is easily accessible on bus routes).

As a student at Cardiff University School of Medicine, our placements in Phase 2 are across Wales (ranging from 0 to 5 hours away from the Cardiff campus), and for each placement block, you will be placed in a different hospital / GP practice. This is amazing as it allows you to see a diverse variety of medical practice (rural vs urban, older vs younger populations, etc.).

In placement blocks outside of South Wales, students will live away from Cardiff in accommodation provided by the medical school (free). This is usually for 1-2 placement blocks per year. You can request to not have placement blocks outside of South Wales, and the best effort will be made to honour this.

Section C: University & Medical School Life

1. where is the university located.

Cardiff University School of Medicine is located in the heart of the capital city of Wales, Cardiff - a quieter and friendlier capital city! Cardiff is a beautiful, vibrant city, with a wide range of activities on offer within the city or close by. These range from hiking trails in the Brecon Beacons just north of Cardiff to pretty coastlines and beaches on the south of the city. The city itself contains everything you could ever need, with thousands of shops, numerous parks and open spaces, sports stadiums, museums, restaurants, coffee shops and other things to see and do! Cardiff also has great transport connections to other parts of the UK via buses, trains and planes. This is a "city-based" university, meaning there is no central campus that contains every university building, and the university buildings are located across the city.

There are 2 main collections of university buildings in 2 different areas of the city.

• ‍ Cathays campus - the main university area of the city. It contains the Student's union building & Centre for Student Life (contains study spaces, the Taf pub, restaurants, society rooms, gym, 10+ shops and a club for nights out). This area also contains the main libraries of the university (e.g. Science Library, Arts & Social Sciences Library, etc.) and the majority of teaching buildings for every subject at the university outside of the School of Medicine.
• ‍ Heath Park Campus (~20-25 mins walk north of Cathays campus) - this is the main School of Medicine campus for medical students, physiotherapy students, student nurses, midwifery students, occupational therapist students, etc. It is based around the University Hospital of Wales (UHW). This campus contains the majority of School of Medicine buildings (e.g. Cochrane building) for lectures, tutorials and clinical skills teaching in the specialised clinical skills centre. There is also a 24 hour library and a cafe.

Medical students in Phase 1 will spend the majority of their time on the Heath Park campus, with some teaching sessions taking place in the School of Biosciences buildings in the centre of the Cathays campus.

2. Are students encouraged to take part in societies?

Cardiff Students' Union (the #3 Student's Union in the UK!!) has over 200+ societies for students to join and over 65 sports clubs. With so much variety, there is something for everyone, and students are encouraged to take part in the societies throughout their time at medical school!

Across the Students Union, the societies are mainly based around activities, appreciation groups, culture, discussion/campaigning/awareness, political/ideological and performance groups. There are some societies that are course-based (usually at least 1 society for each course at the university), but these do not make up the majority of the societies on offer. Students have a wide range of societies to explore and join which are unrelated to their studies!

Currently, there are 44 societies specifically for School of Medicine students surrounding different specialities in medicine, wellbeing and revision teaching!

Benefits of separate societies for medical students:

• Medical students in the later years of the course can support and pass on their knowledge to the younger years through society events.
• Societies for each specialty in medicine allows medical students to begin exploring what areas of medicine interest them and get involved in opportunities surrounding this speciality (e.g. research, organising conferences, free access to events, teaching, etc.).
• Leadership opportunities for medical students passionate about a certain specialty or medical education.
• Creates a wonderful community of medical students studying in Cardiff.

Drawbacks of separate societies for medical students:

• Other students outside of the School of Medicine do not join these societies, which can increase the 'medic bubble' you may find yourself in if you do not join societies unrelated to medicine.

It is easy for medical students to integrate with non-medical students through societies, sports clubs and volunteering. Most societies are open to all students across the university, and these provide a great opportunity to meet a wide variety of students, who have similar interests to you! Also, the accommodation in 1st year is not split between medics and non-medical students, which allows you to meet with students outside of your course.

Examples of general societies at Cardiff Students' Union:

• A Cappella Society (Singing & Performance Group)
• Anime Society
• Asian Society
• Cardiff LINKS (St John Ambulance)
• Film Society
• Free running Society
• Meditation Society
• Political Society
• Sky diving Society
• Quiz Society
• Wet Dippers Wild Swimming Society
• Vegan & Veggie Society

Examples of medical societies at Cardiff Students' Union:

• MedSoc (Cardiff Medical Society)
• Cardiff Healthcare International Perspectives (CHIPS)
• Cardiff Medics First Responders
• Cardiff Pre-hospital and Emergency Medicine Society
• Cardiovascular Society
• Clinical Neuroscience Society
• Gastroenterology Society
• Cardiff University Medical Imaging Society (CUMIS)
• Surgical Society
• WeHeal (Wellbeing in Healthcare) Society
• Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Society
• Women's Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society

For a full list of societies see here: https://www.cardiffstudents.com/activities/societies/ .

3. What is the student satisfaction score for Cardiff university medical school?

The Student Satisfaction Score , obtained from the National Student Survey results, was found to be 82%.

Examples of positive comments received from students:

• Feeling part of a strong community of medical students in Cardiff.
• Staff are good at explaining the topics and making them interesting to learn.
• Many opportunities to apply what you learn to clinical practice.
• Easy to contact staff for support when required.
• Able to work with a diverse range of students during my time on the course.

Examples of negative comments received from students:

• Feedback from assessments is minimal, and not always timely (requires self-directed learning to understand your strengths and weaknesses, rather than receiving comments from your work)
• Not always clear how students' feedback on the course has been acted on.

4. How diverse is Cardiff University and in particular medical school?

At Cardiff University School of Medicine, there are many international students from a wide range of countries.

The demographics in 2017/18 were as follows:

• 65.9% female (one of the highest for any medical school in the UK).
• 8.3% had a declared disability.
• Ethnicity: 64.7% White British, 3.1% White Irish/Other, 12.2% Asian, 11.2% Black, 4.3% Mixed Race, 2.2% Other, 2.4% Not Stated.
• 79 graduate entrants were accepted (total = 1594 students, ~4.96% of students).

This information can be found here: https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/dc10772-evi-medical-school-annual-return-overall-student-numbers-and-demographics-2017-18-75891577.xlsx.

5. What bursaries are available at Cardiff University for medical students?

There are several bursaries available from Cardiff University:

• Cardiff University Bursary - eligible to full-time undergraduate students from lower income households who qualify for UK funding for living costs (£1,000 for first-year students, £500 in subsequent years).
• Cardiff University’s Financial Assistance Programme Award (FAPA) - eligible to students who are not able to cover living essentials as financial hardship support.
• Next Step Bursary - eligible to students who have participated in the University’s Widening Participation Scheme, and whose household income is below £35,000 (either a £1,000 Cardiff University residency fee discount or a £500 travel bursary in your first year).
• Young Adult Carers Bursary - eligible to student young-adult carers who are more likely to incur extra financial costs and greater challenges due to managing a caring role alongside their studies (£3,000 over the duration of your course).

Other bursaries exclusively available to medical students, but not exclusive to Cardiff University, include the NHS Bursary Scheme . From Year 5 of the course onwards, the NHS will take over as the main funding provider for your course (funding any preliminary year, intercalated years and Year 5). It does not need to be repaid and there is no contract with the NHS after you finish your course. A means-tested NHS bursary is available to help with living costs. This is assessed against household income and ranges from £0-£2,643.

The Bursaries, Scholarships and Money Team at Cardiff University offers free, impartial, confidential and practical advice on funding.

More information on funding and bursaries at Cardiff University can be found at these links:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/bursaries

https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/students/money/financial-assistance-and-support/financial-assistance-programme

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/funding-your-healthcare-course/full-time-medicine-dental-funding/year-five-onward

6. Are student support services readily available and easy to access?

'MyMedic' is a support service for all medical students at Cardiff University. This service accepts self-referrals and referrals from staff members in the School of Medicine. They support students with a wide range of queries including:

• Exam anxiety.
• Study skills.
• Work-life balance.
• Low mood or self-confidence.
• Lack of motivation.
• Language or communication issues.
• Situations that affect the enjoyment of student life or studies, such as family dynamics or relationships.

Other university support services include:

• Personal Tutors (every student receives a contact within their subject school, who they can contact at any time about any queries they have at university).
• Urgent/out of hours contact for support.
• Wellbeing Champions (students who have received health and wellbeing training so that they can provide peer support to fellow students).
• Counselling (drop-In and by appointment).
• Talk Campus (an app where you can talk anonymously about your worries and how you are really feeling any time of the day or night with students from all over the world).
• Chaplaincy team & quiet rooms (find a quiet room for contemplation, meditation and personal prayer).

Attendance of all students is monitored for progression through the course. However, if you need to take time off for health or personal reasons, this is accommodated for if you speak to your Head of Year or Personal Tutor.

The university is very supportive of students who require mitigating services for exams and helps students ensure any necessary adjustments are applied.

More information on the support services available at Cardiff University can be found here: https://intranet.cardiff.ac.uk/students/health-and-wellbeing/support-for-medicine-students.

7. What are the best food spots around this university?

Amazing Restaurants in Cardiff are easy to find, here are a few of my favourites:

• The Alchemist Restaurant/Bar.
• The Botanist Restaurant.
• The Ivy Restaurant.
• Let Them See Cake Cafe.
• Metchey's Cafe.
• Blossom Cafe.
• Brunch at the Early Bird, Woodville Road.
• Las Iguanas.

8. Is student accommodation available at Cardiff University?

Cardiff University has 17 sites for student accommodation linked to the university dotted around the city.

‍ Talybont (Gate, North, South and Court) is the largest and main site for accommodation, where the majority of students stay in their 1st year. This is ~25 mins walk to the Heath Park Campus, ~25 mins to Cathays Campus / Students Union and ~35 mins walk to Cardiff City Centre.

• Social/study space in the centre of the village.
• Large supermarkets (Tesco and Aldi) and fast food chains (KFC and McDonald's) can be found next to Talybont Gate/Talybont North (~2-3 mins away!).
• Cardiff University sports training village is in the centre of the village and has a fitness suite, sports halls which host the majority of indoor sports clubs at the university and a range of floodlit outdoor sports facilities (tennis courts, basketball courts and football pitches).
• Laundry sites throughout the village.
• Amazon lockers for deliveries.
• Bike sheds available.
• Equidistant between the 2 campuses
• Far away from the city centre (especially on rainy days!).
• Talybont North and South could be modernised.

Senghennydd Hall and Senghennydd Court is another major accommodation site in the South of Cardiff.

• Closer to the Student's Union and Cardiff City Centre (closer to the remaining student population and the city).
• Requires modernisation.
• Further away from the Heath Park Campus than other accommodation (~40 mins walk).

The accommodation fees are as follows:

More information about the 17 accommodation sites can be found at these links:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/accommodation/residences

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/156455/Revised_April_21_Cardiff-University-Residences-Guide-English.pdf

Other accommodation is available across Cardiff that is not linked to the university. These are available for 1st year students and beyond. A popular location for medical students is a private accommodation block called 'Unite Students - Clodien House' as it is only 5 mins walk from the Heath Park Campus!

In later years of the course, many medical students live in private rented accommodation in Heath, Maindy or around Cathays Terrace as these locations are about ~15-20 mins from Heath Park Campus and the Students Union/City Centre.

School of Medicine

Being a medical student at Cardiff University

We combine progressive healthcare education and patient care with world-class research and outstanding teaching facilities in order to help you to become the very best doctor you can be. But don't just take our word for it - find out from our students what it's really like to study here.

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Our engagement activities play a vital role in enhancing research, education and training within the school.

"One of my favourite aspects of the course at Cardiff is being able to have placements all around Wales. It's such a beautiful place, and it means you get to practice in such a wide variety of different communities - rural, inner city, massively deprived and very affluent. And being on away placements means that you make friends with peers that you otherwise might not have come into contact with, so by the end of the course everyone knows everyone, which makes it a really friendly environment to be in."

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Home » Resources » University of Cardiff Medical School Guide

Published on September 26, 2023

Reading Time: 6 min

University of Cardiff Medical School Guide

Academic requirements.

AAA. Must include Biology and Chemistry with a pass in the practical elements of the science A-Levels.

36 overall (excluding Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay) including 19 at HL. Must include grade 6 in Biology and Chemistry. They will accept a Grade 7 in SL Biology or Chemistry in place of HL Biology or Chemistry if you also have grade 6 in HL Maths, Physics, or Statistics.

English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (if you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements), and

GCSE Double Science at grades BB/66 (or grade B/6 in Biology and Chemistry separately), and

GCSE Maths grade B/6, and

five other GCSEs at grade B/6, or equivalent qualifications (level, subjects, and grade).

UCAT or BMAT for Cardiff Medical School?

UCAT is the admissions exam choice of Cardiff. Applicants must complete it before submitting their application. Currently, there is no minimum threshold, and your score may be a factor in the application process.

Graduate Entry

This course is only for those who have graduated with the following degrees:

• BSc (Hons) Medical Pharmacology Degree School of Medicine Cardiff University (B210)
• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences Degree School of Biosciences Cardiff University (BC97)
• BMedSci Degree from the University of Bangor (B100)
• BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences Degree from the University of South Wales (B901)

These applicants need the following:

• At least 2:1 In their undergraduate degree
• BBB/ABC at A-level or equivalent including Biology and Chemistry
• language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent. If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements
• 8 GCSEs including grade B/6 in GCSE Maths, Biology, and Chemistry, or equivalent qualifications (level, subjects, and grade).
• show an awareness of the healthcare system in the UK and the nature of the medical training in your personal statement.

Widening Participation

Cardiff use contextual admissions, which involves considering additional information about applicants’ performance and achievements to understand their potential to study an undergraduate degree program. Contextual information used includes household earnings, deprivation indexes, school performance data, free school meal rates, and more.

A weighted score is assigned to each indicator, creating an overall contextual score for applicants. Scores of 0-99 indicate no disadvantage, while scores of 100 or above suggest indicators of deprivation that may affect attainment and access. Based on these scores, different actions are taken during the admissions process, such as offering lower-grade offers or guaranteeing interviews for certain programs.

For Medicine (MBBCh) and Dentistry (BDS) programs, applicants with scores of 100 or above receive additional points in the scoring and selection process, influencing interview invitations and offers.

International Requirements

Course structure.

Throughout the course, you spend time with patients in clinical settings to provide context to what you are learning. As you progress, your exposure to patients increases along with the complexity of your clinical cases and your responsibilities for patients’ care.

Clinical placement teaching takes place at hospitals, community medical centres, and over 200 general practices across Wales. You develop skills and professional behaviours throughout the curriculum so that you are fully prepared for your Foundation Programme and postgraduate medical training when you graduate.

Years 1 and 2

In Years 1 and 2 you will meet patients with clinical problems you have been learning about. You will learn in hospitals and community settings across south-east Wales.

Years 3 and 4

During Years 3 and 4 you will spend time on extended clinical placements, all around Wales. Each Clinical Placement Block is eight weeks and will consist of bookend weeks led by Cardiff University. Teaching is delivered from either Heath Park Campus (UHW) or University Hospital Llandough (UHL).

Year 3 Placement:

• Oncology and Surgical Practice
• Hospital Front Door
• Chronic Disease 1, (includes Primary Care)

During Chronic Disease 1, you will spend dedicated time in a General Practice.

There is a CARER stream in Year 3, with a year-long placement in a GP surgery in West or North Wales. As well as learning from GP practice patients, you will spend time at your local hospital. Learning outcomes for the year are identical to students on the main program, but you will also have had a year as an important part of a valued primary care team.

Year 4 Placements:

• Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Ophthalmology.
• Women, Children and Family. Under the European Exchange Scheme, you may have the opportunity to do this placement at a partner university.
• Chronic Disease 2 (Geriatrics, Musculoskeletal and Dermatology).

C21 culminates in your final year, preparing you for your work in the NHS. The “Harmonisation” years (final year of C21 and first year of your Foundation Programme) will allow you to take your developed knowledge and skill and apply it in the clinical environment, under close supervision.

Final year placements:

• Junior Student Assistantship
• Primary Care Attachment
• Senior Student Assistantship

Intercalation is not compulsory at Cardiff University but there is an option to do so between 3 rd and 4 th year or between 4 th and 5 th year. There is an opportunity to intercalate at an external university but this requires permission.

Cardiff offers a multitude of BSc choices including EPIC; emergency, primary and immediate care (only available to those who have completed 4 th year), pharmacology, sports science, and psychology.

Selection Process

Cardiff have a selection process that allows people to be selected for interview. Your Academics in A levels and GCSEs play a role in this selection process.

GCSE Points:

The first set of points is awarded based on your performance in nine GCSE subjects, with specific emphasis on Biology, Chemistry, English (First) Language, and Mathematics or Numeracy. Here’s a breakdown of the points assigned for different grades:

9, 8, A*: 3 points

7, A: 2 points

6, B: 1 point

A-level Points:

Moving on to the A-level qualifications, additional points are allocated based on your grades. The points awarded for A-level grades are as follows:

A*: 3 points

A: 2 points

To be considered for admission, a minimum total of 27 points is typically required. This encompasses the points obtained from both GCSEs and A-levels. Achieving a higher score indicates a stronger academic background and may improve your chances of progressing to the next stage of the application process.

A degree gives 27 points in total.

Interview Process

It is important to note that the cut-off score for interview varies each year, contingent upon the competitiveness of all the applications received. This means that meeting the minimum 27-point requirement does not guarantee an interview invitation. The cut-off score acts as a benchmark, separating candidates who have met the initial criteria from those who have not. Therefore, striving to achieve a score above the cut-off will enhance your chances of securing an interview opportunity.

Scoring your application based on qualifications such as GCSEs and A-levels provides a structured evaluation process for educational programs. By understanding the point system and its associated requirements, you can gauge your eligibility for interview consideration. Remember, while a high score can increase your chances of success, it is also crucial to showcase your skills, experience, and personal qualities through other application components.

Qualities to Display at Interview

• Familiarity with the Welsh NHS: Demonstrate knowledge of the organization’s structure and current issues it faces.
• Understanding of the doctor’s role: Explain your perception of the responsibilities and duties associated with being a doctor.
• Time management, problem-solving, and empathy: Share an experience from your work, volunteering, or extracurricular activities where empathy played a valuable role, emphasizing your ability to manage time effectively and solve problems.
• Knowledge of Cardiff University’s course structure and unique teaching aspects: Discuss the benefits of full body dissection, case-based learning (CBL), early patient contact, spiral curriculum, and placements across Wales. Explain how these elements align with your learning style and contribute to your growth as a future doctor.
• Drive for self-directed learning: Highlight any additional readings or courses you have pursued outside of your regular studies to showcase your motivation and commitment to expanding your knowledge.
• A balanced approach to life: Mention hobbies or activities you engage in beyond your academic pursuits and emphasize the personal benefits they bring. Include both academic and non-academic extracurricular interests.

Common Interview Topics

• Understanding of Cardiff University and the course structure.
• Insight into the pros and cons of a career in medicine.
• Stress management techniques, such as involvement in extracurricular activities and maintaining a balanced approach to life.
• Demonstration of key qualities expected of a doctor, such as empathy, teamwork, following instincts, prioritization, and more.
• Additionally, be prepared for a math-related station that may involve dosage calculations, mole calculations, and similar mathematical concepts.

11 th – complete university guide

17 th – the guardian

• Cardiff Medical School gradually increases clinical exposure during the initial two years, which prepares students for placement blocks starting in Year 3. This approach facilitates the steady development of professionalism, history-taking skills, examination skills, and practical abilities.

• In the first year, anatomy learning involves both dissection and prosections. Dissection allows students to actively explore the human body, while prosections preserve crucial elements for effective learning.

• The curriculum employs a spiral approach, revisiting and building upon previous topics throughout the years. This cyclical method reinforces comprehension, making it particularly beneficial for those who may have initially struggled with certain concepts.

• Cardiff University offers the Jobshop, which provides well-paid work opportunities such as assisting on open days. This is especially advantageous for busy medical students seeking additional income without committing to a part-time job.

• First-year PCS: This is a demanding aspect during the first term, often disliked by most medical students. Many students do not know its intensity beforehand, but it’s relatively short-lived.
• Campus atmosphere: Medical and healthcare courses are primarily situated at the Heath campus, which is approximately a 30-minute walk from the Cathays campus. Heath campus has a more “professional” atmosphere, as it houses the main hospital and dental hospital, serving the general public.

• Inter-campus distance: During Years 1 and 2, you may frequently need to commute between campuses, as anatomy and lab-based practicals are held in Cathays. This could mean attending a lecture in Heath in the morning and then traveling to Cathays for an afternoon practical session, resulting in a time-consuming schedule.

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Have a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, Edinburgh, Dundee and Newcastle.

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Take a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for King's, Newcastle, Bristol and Sheffield.

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Cardiff University Personal Statements

These UCAS personal statements have been kindly provided by students applying to Cardiff University. You can click on one of the links below to view the entire statement and find out if the applicant was offered a place.

You can also view our entire collection of personal statements or view personal statements for application at other universities .

Politics & International Relations Personal Statement Example 1 I have always taken a keen interest in public affairs, always wanting to know what was happening in the world so studying politics and international relations is a natural attraction for me. I have been encouraged to pursue concentrated study due to my incredible fascination with the impact that political decision making has on humanity...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 6 It was the odd behavioural traits displayed by my uncle, who has Asperger’s syndrome that first generated from a young age my questioning about why he acted so ‘differently’ to the rest of us. This was part of what led to my interest of studying psychology, as it made me question how and why humans are so disparate from one another, and what part the brain plays in running our everyday lives...

Biology Personal Statement Example 5 Outside was always my favourite place as a child, splashing in puddles, inspecting insects under magnifying glasses and having snail races with my brothers. The living world fascinated me. My enthusiasm has only increased over the years and living by the sea has inspired me further...

French and Italian Personal Statement Example 1 I see speaking a foreign language as a key to a door opening up a new world of possibilities and opportunities. As a child my mother insisted I learned another language, she told me to grab any possible open window for a life beyond my own imagination...

German and English Literature Personal Statement Example Email correspondence with a friend in Berlin during the celebrations of the twentieth anniversary of the German reunification gave me an insight into the importance and relevance of Germany’s past both within the country itself, and throughout Europe...

Physics & Astrophysics Personal Statement Example I have always considered Physics to be a captivating area of study, whether it is a question of how aspects of it work, or indeed why they work. As such, I have found deep fascination in studying Physics, as it is able to provide answers (as well as evidence) to such queries...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 12 We know so much for certain about the human anatomy, but when it comes to Psychology even the line between the brain and the mind is blurred. Psychology interests me because nothing is ever certain. Even when it comes to the treatment of individual illnesses, there is no set way of treating a patient, and often it is only a mix of many approaches that can solve an issue entirely...

History Personal Statement Example 13 Until I began my A-levels last September, I had never been to school or followed a formal syllabus. My parents homeschooled me. They guided, encouraged, and fed my interests with books, documentaries and discussions...

Geography Personal Statement Example 4 All through my academic life I have found Geography extremely interesting because of the vast range of topics involved with it and how it relates to every subject in one way or another. I have a particular interest in the physical side of Geography and especially the topics of: climate change, coasts, hazards and the environment...

Religious Studies Personal Statement Example 1 I find it inspiring to be in the presence of other people who are seeking understanding of themselves, and the most intense experience I can remember is when I attended a Baptism where I witnessed the transformation people would undergo...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 43 The ever-evolving nature of medical science and the certainty that we will know more about the many different healthcare practices has inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. My dedication to studying medicine has been confirmed by the experience I have gained in different hospitals and practices and I look forward to the academic discipline and challenges that will arise...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 48 Since embarking on the A level course 16 months ago I have decided to devote my life to working in psychology. I am struck by the way Psychological research has impacted all areas of life, but also how much there is yet to understand...

Environmental Engineering Personal Statement Example Nowadays, Environmental Engineering plays a vital role in the world as the environment is being put under constantly increasing pressure. As I am fascinated by Science and Mathematics and feel that the environment is incredibly important, I decided to study this course...

Ancient/Medieval History Personal Statement Example My decision to study Medieval History at a higher level was never a difficult one. Having always been interested about the relationship between the past and the present, studying History at AS-Level only strengthened my decision...

Law and German Personal Statement Example I have always been fascinated by the structures of societies and how their laws are built. Due to the constant changes of the world, the ongoing conflicts, debates, and controversies, these laws are constantly evolving...

History and English Personal Statement Example Studying history and English concurrently has appealed to me ever since I recognised the inseparability of the two disciplines closest to my heart. Personally, I believe that the literary style of a piece of writing is as important as scholarly research and I try to make my essays as lively as possible whilst still grounded in solid historical or literary method, dulce et utile, following the example of writers such as Richard J Evans...

Biomedical Sciences Personal Statement Example 36 What I love about science is that it has yet to offer the 'best' way for anything. Man will always find ways to do things better than before, quote: "Wherever the knowledge takes us, it will empower us to do more...

Biomedical Science Personal Statement Example 14 How one mutation can cause a malignant tumour or change the genetic material which is then passed to the next generation interests me. The challenges which are within the human body and the diseases which can change it easily are also a fascination...

Law and French Personal Statement Example 5 According to the media, the United Kingdom has an extreme lack of female judges. This is made evident by the fact that Baroness Hale is the only woman justice to sit in the Supreme Court. This reality motivates me to embark upon legal study, as strong, able and powerful female...

Civil Engineering Personal Statement Example 18 Aged 4, my favourite question was "why?". This eventually developed into "Why is the sky blue", "Why does 2 plus 2 equal four", and after the first time I crossed the Severn Bridge, "Why does that stand up?"...

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Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – Cardiff (Eera)

Home » Application Guide » Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – Cardiff (Eera)

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Welcome to our collection of Dentistry Personal Statement Examples! We’ve searched far and wide to find personal statements from successful applicants all around the UK and asked them to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their work for your own inspiration. Today’s subject is from Eera, who studies Dentistry at Cardiff.

Eera applied to study Dentistry back in 2019 at four amazing UK Dental Schools, including Manchester and King’s College London . She received offers from three out of her four choices of which she chose to study at Cardiff.

Let’s read the personal statement that got her a place at Cardiff, or skip straight to her feedback to learn what made her personal statement a success!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

Cardiff Dentistry Personal Statement Example

Whole personal statement.

Teeth! When I think of dentistry, not just teeth come to mind but rather the blend of science, art and nurture, to improve overall oral health. Aged ten, my interest was ignited from seeing my dad’s relief from severe pain after his root canal treatment. Seeing the difference amazed me as to how dentistry could help and initiated my curiosity to know more. 

By spending time in NHS and private clinics, hospitals and a summer school run by King’s College dental students, I gained a clearer perspective of dentistry. My favourite seminar was on tooth carving and filling, illustrating the creative side of dentistry. Over five weeks, I saw fillings at a practice in Brighton, orthodontics, salivary gland surgery and more. My most inspirational memory was at Guy’s Hospital – a patient had sadly lost all his teeth from oropharyngeal cancer. Part of his definitive treatment plan was placing implants in his upper and lower palate requiring specialist intricacy from the surgeon. Post-surgery, I observed the patient’s relief and overwhelming happiness. With a now intact dentition, the patient was able to smile, improve his speech and ease in eating. This showed me that a well prepared and executed treatment plan can tackle multiple difficulties that may arise during dental treatment to improve quality of life.

As both a Chemistry Prefect and President of the Dental Society at my School, I have developed leadership, planning and commitment to engage other students. Seeing queues of students buying sugary drinks daily at my school, inspired me to write an article for my school newsletter, regarding their impact on caries and to raise awareness across the student body. As lead of DentSoc, I regularly give talks on various dental topics. My natural curiosity led to my participation in the Biology Olympiad and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, which allowed me to apply my understanding to unfamiliar ideas. I completed my EPQ on the management of dental anxiety – (something I witnessed frequently during work experience) it saliently showed the importance of patient trust. Observing patient apprehension and how dentists dealt with this fascinated me.

Volunteering at the Links Centre for those with Downs Syndrome for two years has taught me empathy and mindfulness of the vast requirements of different children. I learnt that patience and a calm tone best engages those with anxiety or complex learning needs. I enjoy helping the wider community though my involvement with several charities, including CRUK and feeding the homeless with SWAT, where I learnt the value of human compassion. Completing my Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition enriched my collaboration, preparing me for dentistry where teamwork is paramount when working alongside nurses and technicians. It has heightened my determination to discover innovative solutions, but the major lesson learnt was to never give up! My experiences as a tutor at Explore Learning, mentor at school and piano teacher enhance my ability to communicate, which is key in dentistry. I am adaptable and can tailor techniques to suit each pupil’s needs, encouraging them to achieve the best outcomes. I have great enthusiasm for music – playing piano at Diploma level. Performing in front of audiences requires confidence and handling pressure whilst maintaining control of hand movements – valuable skills for dentistry. I enjoy Bhangra dancing and performing at cultural events. On vacation I like to scuba dive.

I believe dentistry is the ideal career combining theoretical skills and scientific study, alongside my interpersonal skills from extra-curricular activities. This places me in a strong position to study dentistry. I love how a dentist can cherish the relationship they build with a patient over a long period of time, often with the reward of seeing the impact of their work immediately. I believe it will be a very fulfilling career and I am excited to play a key part in the future development of the profession.

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Cardiff Dentistry Personal Statement Example Analysis

Now, let’s go section by section and see what Malikha has to say about what she wrote:  

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

I tried to be unique with my introduction. I think it is all about giving the reader something that they have not seen before. I though slipping in a personal experience with Dentistry would show that I have taken a keen interest since a young age having had my curiosity piqued. 

It possibly could have been a bit more personal than what I was with my introduction. I could have gone into further detail as to what I did to develop this curiosity. As well, although I tried to be unique in my introduction looking back I possibly just played into cliché and countless of other applicants probably started their personal statements in the same way. 

Paragraph 1

Work experience is a major factor when applying for Dentistry, so I knew including that I had done some was essential to my personal statement. I tried to write it so that tone came across a story being narrated rather than just listing and stating things in a more boring manner. 

On reflection, I have mainly spoken about what I saw and memories I have when I should have mentioned the skills that I developed. It comes across like I am bragging about the experience and I have disregarded the value of doing work experience. 

Paragraph 2

This was my opportunity to show off to the universities of all the things I have done that would showcase me as a strong Dental applicant. By showing that I was the Chemistry Prefect – with Chemistry being a required A-Level subject by all Dental Schools – and President of the Dental Society shows that I have been taking an active interest in Dentistry and have been nurturing it during my schooling. 

Generally, I’m fairly happy with this paragraph as it gets the points that I’m wanting to make across effectively. If anything, I would say I could have changed some of the wording and grammar so that some of the sentences flowed better. 

Paragraph 3

I drew upon the volunteering and charity work I did to show my empathy skills – a skill essential to being a dentist! I also explained how it links to Dentistry to show that I understand this. I mentioned that I play the piano as manual dexterity skills are a must for being a dentist, and by playing piano, I have excellent hand control.  

I really should have made this paragraph shorter, or split into two with one discussing my charity and voluntary work and the other on my personal interests. I do feel it comes across as a bit clunky bit I struggled to cut it down. If I had spent more time on my personal statement I probably would have been able to achieve this. 

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The summary of my skills is positive here. As well, I have mentioned CPD (continuous professional development) which is one of the incredible opportunities you have as a dentist just reinforces my passion and interest in the profession. 

My conclusion really comes across as informal. Perhaps making it more heartfelt would have been better, I could have done this by allowing my personality to show. I could have linked it back to my introduction and the story about my father would have been a better way to close it out. 

Final Thoughts

Being able to talk about the work experience I have done and linking it to how it benefits a career in Dentistry is something I’m very proud of. I feel I can be quite proud of my personal statement overall, given that it helped me receive offers from King’s College London, the University of Birmingham and Cardiff (who I of course ultimately decided to study at) which is no easy feat given how competitive Dentistry is. 

I’m not really the biggest fan of my conclusion, as it just doesn’t feel personal enough. I reassure myself with the fact that despite getting three out of four offers, you will likely never be completely happy with your personal statement and feel that there was something you could’ve done differently. 

So there you have it! This personal statement helped Eera get 3/4 offers in her application.

Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Eera is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!  

Be sure to check out more Medicine Personal Statement Analyses to see advice from all different kinds of applicants, including Ali Abdaal himself! Or if you want to get started on your own statement, check out 6med’s Personal Statement Bundle for all the support and resources you’ll ever need! If you want full support on every part of your application and a guaranteed place at med school, the Complete Bundle will be perfect for you.  

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Health insurance giant Kaiser will notify millions of a data breach after sharing patients’ data with advertisers

U.S. health conglomerate Kaiser is notifying millions of current and former members of a data breach after confirming it shared patients’ information with third-party advertisers, including Google, Microsoft and X (formerly Twitter).

In a statement shared with TechCrunch, Kaiser said that it conducted an investigation that found “ certain online technologies, previously installed on its websites and mobile applications, may have transmitted personal information to third-party vendors.”

Kaiser said that the data shared with advertisers includes member names and IP addresses, as well as information that could indicate if members were signed into a Kaiser Permanente account or service and how members “interacted with and navigated through the website and mobile applications, and search terms used in the health encyclopedia.”

Kaiser said it subsequently removed the tracking code from its websites and mobile apps.

Kaiser is the latest healthcare organization to confirm it shared patients’ personal information with third-party advertisers by way of online tracking code , often embedded in web pages and mobile apps and designed to collect information about users’ online activity for analytics. Over the past year, telehealth startups Cerebral , Monument and Tempest have pulled tracking code from their apps that shared patients’ personal and health information with advertisers.

Kaiser spokesperson Diana Yee said that the organization would begin notifying 13.4 million affected current and former members and patients who accessed its websites and mobile apps. The notifications will start in May in all markets where Kaiser Permanente operates, the spokesperson said.

The health giant also filed a legally required notice with the U.S. government on April 12 but made public on Thursday confirming that 13.4 million residents had information exposed.

U.S. organizations covered under the health privacy law known as HIPAA are required to notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of data breaches involving protected health information, such as medical data and patient records. Kaiser also notified California’s attorney general of the data breach, but did not provide any further details.

The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan is the parent organization of several entities that make up Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States. The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan provides health insurance plans to employers and reported 12.5 million members as of the end of 2023.

The breach at Kaiser is listed on the Department of Health and Human Services’ website as the largest confirmed health-related data breach of 2024 so far.

To contact this reporter, get in touch on Signal and WhatsApp at +1 646-755-8849, or by email . You can also send files and documents via  SecureDrop .