University open day questions to ask about studying Medicine

If you’re applying to study Medicine you’ll know that you only have four choices you can make.

This means that it’s important to be sure that you’re applying for the right medical schools and that their courses are right for you. After all, you’ll be spending the next five or six years there, so you need to make the right choice.

There are 33 medical schools in the UK, so you have plenty to choose from, and one of the best ways to decide whether a university is right for you is to attend their open day.

Why go to a medical school open day?

An open day is your chance to find out more about a medical school, not just the information they have on their website or in the prospectus, and decide whether it’s right for you.

It’s important to remember that the website and prospectus have the same focus – to convince you that you should go to the university they’re marketing.

It’s easy to be dazzled by a modern website and glossy brochure but you won’t really get a feel for a place without visiting it. Try to make time on the day to also explore a bit of the local area if you’ll be moving some distance to university.

What happens at a medical school open day?

Each university has its own format for an open day but generally you’ll be given a tour of the campus, facilities, and accommodation, and have the opportunity to talk to staff and current students about their experience.

This is the time to ask questions about the course, the university, and anything else you can think of.

Many universities also arrange taster sessions, team building activities, and structured Q&A sessions with members of the faculty so you get the full picture of life as a student.

The biggest question is – what are the university open day questions to ask about studying Medicine?

Questions to ask about studying Medicine as your university open day

There really are an abundance of questions you could ask about studying Medicine and if you have a question – ask someone!

There are no stupid or boring questions and it’s important that you understand everything about the application process, curriculum, fees and finance, career options and anything else you can think of.

But to give you a nudge in the right direction, here are some questions we think you should ask at your medical school open day:

• How is the course delivered, and what is the balance between lecture contact time and clinical practice?
• Is the course lecture based or problem based learning?
• What clinical placement opportunities are on offer?
• Do I need to organise my own work experience or is this done by the university?
• How much time will I spend in a lab environment?
• Which books on the reading list are essential course materials?
• What clinical or medical background do the lecturers come from?
• What do you look for in a successful UCAS application?
• Will I need to sit an admissions or aptitude test as part of my application?
• If yes, is there any preparation advice you can give me?
• Will I need to attend an interview, and when will they be held?
• What can I expect during the interview?
• What social opportunities are there at this university?
• How is the course assessed? Is it a dissertation or research based project?
• What happens if I don’t meet the conditions of my offer? Am I able to re-take exams and reapply next year?
• What kind of jobs or areas of medicine are open to me after graduation?

You may find that many of these questions are answered throughout the day but it’s still important to make a note of them and ask university staff if they don’t answer them.

The university should also give you contact details of the admissions tutors so you can ask questions or clarify information after the open day.

We would definitely advise you to take a pen and paper with you to make notes throughout the day. You don’t want to forget a vital piece of information because you didn’t write it down!