Ok, these are the things I tend to say to people that ask me about applying for medicine.
Is it something you simply can not imagine not doing or is it something you want to do because it seems like a good idea? If its the first then you have a good chance of getting into uni if its the second then you probably wont.
Can you deal with the fact that at some point you will lose someone or have to tell someone that they are going to live in pain, they are terminally ill. Its not the hours, hard work or even politics that get to most Dr´s it having to deal with loss. Maybe because we missed something, maybe because they didn´t seek treatment or follow treatment etc. Could you look someone in the face and give them to worse news possible? If not then maybe medicine isn´t for you there are a LOT of similar disciplines that might be.
Could you treat someone that you hate with every ounce of your being? Could you treat someone that is known paedophile, terrorist, drug dealer etc. etc. because you probably will. Can you put aside your personal feelings and treat them the same as if they were an saint?
It is a career of hard work, long hours, extremes in everyway, heart break and the biggest joys that you will ever know. You will work anti social hours, have to deal with people in extreme distress, you will come across the most heart breaking situations both medically and in the lives of your patients. You will also deal with some exceptionally wonderful people that really touch you, You will deal with people that you don´t like both in the profession and as patients, families etc.
Obviously different specialties deal with different problems and callings. For example - I deal with split second decisions, running a department, organising a team, over seeing other doctors, teaching, I deal with trauma and accidents, dunks, overdoses, end of life, birth, the police, social services, abuse, rape, fights, and everything else in between. I don´t build long term relationships with patients and their families other specialties do. I am a generalist that is expect to have excellent multi disciplinary knowledge and skill. Other specialties are exactly that they are specialties. Some prospective doctors will have an idea of where they want to specialise sometimes this is right and sometimes this is wrong.
This is going to sound like a platitude medicine is no longer looking for JUST exceptional academic achievements, its looking for exceptional students. You need to have a life beyond studying and school but NOT at the expense of your grades. A few things you really need to be able to demonstrate.
Can you demonstrate team work, Maybe you are on a team, DofE etc.
Working under pressure,
Have you got work experience in a medical or care setting in more than one setting, I´m happy to help people with getting access to work experience if you finding it difficult eg. pointing you in possible directions etc.
Can you demonstrate a caring personality, Perhaps you have been a school mentor, or volunteer somewhere.
Can you show leadership skills maybe your a team captain
Can you deal with death etc, maybe volunteered at a hospice
Hobbies and interests are important how can you communicate and empathise with patients if all you have done is work your butt off to get good grades. Uni´s want you to have a life as well as studying
Can you demonstrate that you can take pressure? maybe you have entered a competition etc. etc.
Can you demonstrate that you have responsibilities? Maybe you have a part time job and have worked your way up to opening up etc. etc.
Have you been researching medicine as a career? READ READ and do more READING, talk to as many doctors as you can get near, talk to other disciplines eg physio or pharmacists etc. etc.
KNOW YOUR UNIVERSITIES and COLLEGES if appropriate. Find out everything you can about them, what makes you want to go there, what they are looking for, what sort of people have gone there and been successful, then think about what you can offer them.
IF this is the career for you then it is a wonderful thing, but getting into UNI is the easy bit, staying the course and dealing with the pressure whilst you there is harder. If you graduate you are in for a life time of studying, reading, researching etc. Financially yes if you graduate there are well paid jobs, but there are other well paid professions and studying medicine costs a fortune but if this is the career for you then there is nothing like it.
If anyone has any specific questions I am more than happy to try and answer them.
As a btw, I went to oxford, came from a working to middle class family, was the first person in my family to go to uni and I was one of 3 girls in my year. Just because you don´t come from the "right" background doesn't mean you will fall at the UNI hurdle.