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In Focus - Jamie McCluskey

Jamie McCluskey

Year of Study: Year 3

Jamie tells us about his experience of being a student at BSMS, how he prepared for interviews and what brought him to study medicine in Brighton. Read his answers in full below or watch his YouTube video here:

What made you want to study at BSMS?

I actually did my undergraduate degree in biomedical science at Brighton university. As partner school students we had a lot of overlap in lecturers between BSMS and Brighton, so I already knew the quality of teaching was very high. I was also given the chance to tour the medical school campus and even sit in on an anatomy and dissection session normally reserved for medical students and I was really impressed with the facilities.

Having been sold on the teaching and facilities available, I knew I would be happy in Brighton because I'd already lived here for 3 years. I really love the city and it feels like home now so it was nice to continue my studies without feeling like I'd have to uproot and move to a completely new place.

Finally, as a partner school student I was offered an interview for BSMS based on my biomed degree performance through their Guaranteed Interview Scheme, which really increased my chances of a successful application. I still had to pass the BMAT cut-off, but it took some stress off my shoulders knowing that I'd have an interview place even if my BMAT score wasn't the best.

What work experience did you undertake before applying to medicine? How was it beneficial?

As a mature student I had a few years of work experience by the time I applied, although none of it was healthcare related the main thing medical schools are looking for is reflection and understanding how the skills you gained through that work are transferrable skills that'll make you a better doctor.

For example, I worked as an English teacher in Japan for around 18 months. In my interview I was able to describe how this improved my communication skills and how to adapt my language depending on the knowledge of the person I'm talking to. It also made me comfortable in a leadership position, as I would have to direct and lead sessions for a full class of students. Finally, it made me more confident and showed that I am able to adapt to new and uncertain situations such as working in a foreign environment.

How did you prepare for the BMAT/UCAT?

I spent my summer break studying for both the BMAT and UCAT. I bought one of the question bank books for the UCAT and tried to work through it for around 1-2 hours a day. Then once I'd finished the question bank and had gotten the hang of how they ask the questions I started working on timing and did the mock UCAT questions under timed conditions available on the UCAT website.

I think timing is definitely key, as I was much slower than I needed to be originally, and sometimes you have to decide whether it's best to just guess on a hard question and come back to it, and then work through the exam to get to any easier ones that might be at the back of the paper. It's definitely the most time intensive exam I've done!

For the BMAT, on their website they have the specification and PDFs with all the teaching you're expected to know, I had to refresh my chemistry and physics as it had been several years since covering them at GCSE, so I just worked through the specification.

How did you prepare for your interview(s) for medical school?

BSMS sent out a video of an example station so I watched that and then just brushed up on topics I thought would likely come up such as medical ethics or healthcare relevant to Brighton specifically.

I also think it's important to keep an eye on current events and read any relevant scientific news, it might not directly come up in a question but if you can link an answer such as "I recently read/watched/heard that..." it'll come across as a genuine interest in science.

What’s your top tip for interviews?

Relax! When I practiced with friends they told me I came across as too calm and robotic because I was so nervous. It's important to come across as natural and just try turn it into a conversation as soon as possible instead of thinking of it as an interrogation.

Is there a piece of advice you wish you could have given your younger self when thinking about/applying to medicine?

Don't be so nervous/shy. Healthcare is full of people who are all really nice, it's kind of a job requirement. So all of your classmates are going to be lovely friendly people so be brave enough to introduce yourself and start a conversation.

How did you choose which medical schools to apply to?

I wanted medical schools where I could visit my parents without too much hassle, so anywhere with decent travel links to London would have been fine.

How did you find/ manage the transition to university?

I'd taken two gap years before starting university so I was slightly worried I'd be rusty and fall behind my classmates. But first year is there to get everyone up to the same level so the transition was definitely easier than I expected. I find university much easier than A-Levels because my time management is so much better now.

Which part of your course have you found the most interesting so far?

Dissection sessions! Such a unique and humbling experience. I'll never forget it.

What has been your BSMS highlight so far?

Celebrating the end of second year by going straight to a local pub for lunch and drinks with my classmates.

What is your favourite thing about studying and living in Brighton?

The city has everything I love, really good coffee shops and cheap and delicious food, all on a beach. It's easily my favourite place in the UK.

Do you have a favourite place to visit in Brighton?

Trading Post Coffee Roasters.

What is your top tip for prospective applicants applying to study medicine?

Have a realistic understanding of what working in healthcare is like. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy are a bit dramatised. I'd definitely recommend the book This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay for a funny, sometimes sad, account of what working for the NHS is actually like.