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In Focus - Jess Chambers

Jess Chambers

Year of Study: Year 1

Year 1 student Jess Chambers reveals what made her want to study at BSMS, her tips for managing the transition to university and any top tips for prospective students who are applying to study medicine. Read her answers in full below or watch her video here.

What made you want to study at BSMS?

Initially it was because of how much I loved Brighton. It was just my kind of place in every way, I loved being close to the seaside but also in a city with amazing shopping, culture and a long list of bars, clubs and cafes. However, the main reason I really wanted to study at BSMS was the atmosphere of the medical school. I felt like students at BSMS had the perfect work-life balance. It was academic but in a relaxed and fun way. I knew if I went here I would become an amazing doctor, but I would also have the best years of my life.

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

My official work experience was shadowing a Dermatology Consultant at my local hospital for three days. It was really fun and my favourite part was watching the minor ops clinic, but to be honest I think my unofficial work experience was way more beneficial. I had worked at the same local hospital since I was 16 part-time doing a mixture of admin, reception and filing patient records. This taught me so much more about the NHS and how doctors and hospitals really work, and I ended up talking about this much more in medicine interviews than my dermatology shadowing.

How did you prepare for the BMAT/UCAT?

I had no idea how to prepare for the UCAT or BMAT when I started out, so I watched some YouTube videos of how other people prepared for it. I came across Kharma Medic and his videos were so helpful for explaining everything. After that, it was just a lot of practice. Especially timed practice tests for the UCAT. For the BMAT, I also got a friend doing A-level physics to help me remember some GCSE physics, as that was where I was weakest.

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

I was lucky enough to have a practice interview with the same Dermatology Consultant I shadowed for work experience, and it was really useful. She told me about what the medical schools do actually care about, and what they don't. She also helped me realise that my answer to 'Why medicine?' was far too weak! I spent a really long time working on my answer to that question, so I knew I had it perfect. Other than that, I just tried not to stress too much.

What’s your top tip for interviews?

Be up-to-date on major news and know roughly what's going on in the NHS at that present time. For example, I was asked about the bed crisis in the NHS at one of my interviews, and knowing roughly what that is and why it's happening was really useful.

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

Don't let medicine be the only thing you have in life. Have more hobbies. And don't give up stuff because you have too much work to do, make work fit around your life and what makes you happy.

How did you choose which medical schools to apply to?

BSMS had been one of my favourites for a long time because I loved Brighton. I applied to another which had helped our school out with our EPQ, and it seemed nice so I applied there. I applied to another med school where I loved the placed but realised in hindsight that I wasn’t a huge fan of the medical school itself.

The final one I applied to I really regret. I was going to apply to one of my dream universities, but the day before it was submitted I panicked that I wouldn’t get the grades and put down the first med school I could think of. This was a big learning curve for me and I won’t make that mistake again.

How did you find/ manage the transition to university?

I actually loved the transition so much. It was different because most of it was online, but I was so ready for my first lecture and it just felt right. I love learning when I'm learning something I enjoy and so putting in the extra work compared to A-levels hasn't felt like extra work to me. I still have bad days when there's just too much to do and I don't know how I'm going to get through it all in time, but when I do catch up I'm ready for the next day.

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

Definitely the clinical practice workshops. Learning how to take histories and reach a diagnosis is what I imagined myself doing at medical school, and it's nice to feel like you’re learning actual clinical doctor stuff.

What has been your BSMS highlight so far?

Halloween. We went out to Brighton Town and it was such a fun night. Everyone dressed up which was amazing, and nights like those are so important especially at the moment with lockdown! I'm really glad I got to explore some of Brighton before everything closed again, and I can't wait for next year when there'll be loads more nights out.

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

Brighton has so many beautiful cafes and everywhere is really student friendly. Whenever I get bored of studying in my room or the library, I just go and do my lectures in a cafe and it's lovely.

Do you have a favourite place to visit in Brighton?

Best cafes to study in are Cafe Coho, the trading post, and Cafe Nero. Also, The Prince George does amazing vegan food (thank you to my medic parents).

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

Do not think you can't do it. If you work hard and get the grades, there's nothing stopping you. Do everything you can to make yourself look good on paper, like sports, volunteering, work experience, but at the end of the day the final decision they make is when they meet you at your interview, so be the best version of yourself, work hard and get the grades. If you do that, then nothing is stopping you.