Pre-Med
In several countries, such as the USA and Canada, you can only study medicine once you have completed an undergraduate degree. In those countries, some institutions offer a 'pre-med' path through undergraduate study. This may include ensuring you take specific subjects, or simply be an additional advising program you can be part of to help you prepare to make a strong application to Graduate School for Medicine.
Digging deeper into subject interests can help you in a number of ways:
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Confirm whether this is (or isn't) something you would be interested in enough to want to study it at university either as the focus of your degree or a minor/elective
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Give you some inspiration to use when creating your questions and topics for IA's (coursework) and your Extended Essay
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Provide you with content for your university application writing in the future, enabling you to reflect on the things you've been doing to explore your interests in a way that is academically relevant to the course or institution you are applying for.
Useful Resources
Talk Medicine from the British medical Journal | Podcast | Podcasts from the British Medical Journal and other specialist journals on a range of medicine and healthcare topics. | Click Here > | |
Cafe Scientifique Oxford - Archive 2021 | Recorded Lecture | The Archive of the 2021 Cafe Scientifique sessions - held on Zoom due to the pandemic | Click Here > | |
UCL Medical Sciences Lecture: 'One-shot' radiotherapy safer and as effective for treating breast cancer as longer course | Recorded Lecture | Hear about a pioneering breast cancer therapy that requires one shot of radiotherapy rather than conventional weeks-long treatment and the evolution of a patient-centred treatment from an idea to worldwide adoption. From October 2021 | Click Here > | |
Bench to Bedside | Video | An interactive video guide introducing you to different roles within healthcare including both practitioners and research scientists. This resource from King's College London takes you through the case study of one patient to explore how the different roles interact and support that patient. | Click Here > | |
Observe GP | Video | Observe GP provides is a free, online interactive video platform providing insights into general practice. | Click Here > | |
ExeTalks | Video | Recorded Lecture | ExeTalks are a chance to discover some of the fascinating research undertaken at the University of Exeter. | Click Here | |
British Heart Foundation Online Events | Webinar | Events | Recorded Lecture | The British Heart Foundation hold monthly online events talking about topics related to Cardiology and the heart. There is also a library of past sessions you can watch on demand. | Click Here > | |
Medical Schools Council | Website | The MSC is the representative body for UK medical schools. They have a helpful section on studying medicine. | Click Here > | |
Medics Portal | Website | A website full of resources to help you understand and prepare for the process of applying to medicine in the UK. | Click Here > | |
NHS: Find your health career | Website | Take the health career quiz, explore the roles within healthcare and find out about the different routes into these professions | Click Here > | |
HE+ | Website | Podcast | Blog | Video | The HE+ website has supercurricular resources created and written by Cambridge students and academics including challenging activities, engaging videos, reflective questions and much more. | Click Here > | |
Studying Healthcare | Website | Video | Blog | Webinar | A useful website for anyone interested in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy. Their resources section is particularly useful including videos of webinars, published guidance from key bodies and insights into individuals careers. | Click Here > | |
Springpod Virtual Work Experience | Work Experience | Virtual work experience Opportunities across a range of companies and sectors. Most of them are free. | Click Here > | |
Doctor's Live | Work Experience | Online Course | Run by a team of NHS Doctors, Doctors live run a variety of interactive virtual programs from anatomy club to surgery live offering certificated work experience and a chance to explore careers in medicine and healthcare. | Click Here > | |
WEXLibrary from Medic Family | Work Experience | Online Course | Online Courses from Your Medic Family, including Vet Mentor, Medic Mentor and Dental Mentor. Some have a fee but there are also free courses that are recordings of live broadcasted virtual work experience that took place during COVID | Click Here > | |
Zooniverse - Real Science Online | Work Experience | Website | Online Crowd Science Projects that you can contribute to | Click Here > |