Medicine at University of Aston Medical School & Interview Questions 2024
Overview of Aston Medical School
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The unique, patient-focused MBChB programme at Aston University’s Medical School will prepare you for a successful career in the medical profession and make a lasting impact on people’s lives. Aston Medical School will develop your core competencies in medicine, hone your team-working skills and give you an understanding of the internationally admired NHS (National Health Service).
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Course Structure of Aston University Medical School
Phase 1: Throughout phase 1, you will develop your clinical skills and knowledge in blocks, covering topics such as physiology, pharmacology, public and global health and the musculoskeletal system. You’ll be introduced to clinical practice, learning how to interact effectively with patients, carers, colleagues and other healthcare professionals, develop consultation skills as well as an introduction to diagnostic reasoning.
Phase 2: Much of your learning in phase two will take place in clinical environments, working with practising doctors and healthcare professionals. Your progress will be supplemented and supported with lectures, group work, workshops, independent study and other learning opportunities. The timetabling for these clinical years has to fit in with the availability of teaching staff at the hospitals and general practices and for this reason, we utilise a number of Wednesday afternoons for teaching.
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Aston Medical School Requirements
GCSE
6 GCSEs/IGCSEs at grade 6 (B) - must include English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Double Science (or international equivalent).
Scoring of GCSE grades
9/8/A* = 4 points
7/A = 3 points
6/B = 2 points
5/4/C = 1 point
The maximum score for GCSEs (or equivalent) will be 24 points.
Average GCSEs Results of An Offer Holder
2021: 22.5 points
2022: 23.8 points
A Levels
A*AA [new for 2024 entry]
The A* must be in Biology or Chemistry.
Average Predicted Grades For Offer Holders:
2021: Minimum: A*AA; Average A*AA
2022: Minimum: A*AB; Average A*AA
We do not consider AS grades in our academic scoring.
IB
37 (raised for 2024 entry)
(7,6,6 at Higher Level in three subjects which must include Chemistry (HL6) and Biology (HL6) and the rest from three subjects at Standard Level (SL) and Diploma Programme Core. The 7 must be in chemistry or biology.
Scottish Higher
-
Scottish Advanced
AAA
Must include Chemistry and Biology.
Degree (Graduates)
A minimum of an upper second class Honours degree (2:1) in any discipline - A Levels: Grades ABB to include Chemistry and Biology with either at grade A. - GCSE: Same requirements as above
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Admission Tests for Aston University Medical School
UCAT
Yes
How Does Aston Medical School Look At The UCAT?
Aston UCAT Cut-Off 2024 for 2025 Entry:
(2024 Entry) - there is no Aston Medical School UCAT cut-off score - it is used in conjunction with academics (see scoring below).
They look at Academics (24 points) + UCAT score (12 points) = Total of 36 points [see below how to score]
👉🏼 Aston Score Cut Offs
2023 Entry: 31.5/36 points (non-WP)
🏆 Aston UCAT Points Scoring Criteria (Max 12 points)
3500 - 3600 = 12 points
3400 - 3490 = 11.5 points
3300 - 3390 = 11 points
3200 - 3290 = 10.5 points
3100 - 3190 = 10 points
3000 - 3090 = 9.5 points
2900 - 2990 = 9 points
2800 - 2890 = 8.5 points
2700 - 2790 = 8 points
2600 - 2690 = 7.5 points
2500 - 2590 = 7 points
2400 - 2490 = 6.5 points
2300 - 2390 = 6 points
2200 - 2290 = 5.5 points
2100 - 2190 = 5 points
2000 - 2090 = 4.5 points
1900 - 1990 = 4 points
...and so on
✅ Aston GCSE & A-Level Scoring Criteria [Note it differs if predicted or completed A-Levels]
👉🏼 LOWEST academic scores INVITED TO INTERVIEW at Aston Medical School (2022 Entry):
Lowest = 22 points
Average = 23 points
Highest = 24 points
🏆 If NOT completed A-Levels - max = 24 points
Scoring of 6 GCSE grades (Maximum = 24 points)
9/8/A* = 4 points
7/A = 3 points
6/B = 2 points
5/4/C = 1 point
2022 entry: Average Points = 23.8
🏆 If HAVE completed A-Levels (need a minimum of A*AA) - max = 24 points
Scoring of 6 GCSE grades (Maximum = 12 points)
9/8/7/A*/A = 2 points
6/B = 1 points
5/4/C = 0 point
Scoring of 3 A Level grades (Maximum = 12 points)
A*/A = 4 points
👉🏼 LOWEST UCAT score INVITED TO INTERVIEW (Aston CUT OFF SCORES):
2024 Entry: 2600 (Non-WP)
2023 Entry: 2610 (non-WP), 2450 (International)
2022 entry: 2380 (Home), 2450 (WP), 2050 (International); note some places mentioned 2680 as their UCAT Cut-Off Score
2021 entry - 2150* note may include WP students; no data for non-WP students, but may be >2680.
2020 entry - 2110* note may include WP students
👉🏼 AVERAGE UCAT score INVITED TO INTERVIEW:
2024 Entry: 2502 (Home)
2023 Entry: 2788 (Home), 2625 (International)
2022 entry: 2631 (Home), 2657 (WP), 2496 (International)
👉🏼 LOWEST UCAT score GIVEN AN OFFER:
2022 entry: 2380 (Home), 2450 (WP), 2210 (International)
👉🏼 AVERAGE UCAT score GIVEN AN OFFER:
2023 Entry: 2821 (Home)
2022 entry: 2661 (Home), 2655 (WP), 2525 (International)
SJT is only used in borderline candidates (2023)
Aston Medical School Admission Process:
We rank all applicants based on their achieved qualifications which are normally GCSEs or equivalent international qualifications and total UCAT score. We do not consider the SJT banding in our ranking. The top-ranking applicants are then invited for an interview and re-ranked with the total score for their Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). Upon completion of the MMIs, the top-ranking applicants are offered a place to study in the MBChB programme at AMS. Applicants are divided into Home non-widening Participation (Home), Home Widening Participation (WP) and International and are ranked separately within their group.
For 2024 entry: Note that Aston aims for 40% of its UK places to be allocated for widening participation criteria
🏆 Aston Selection Post Interview
Aston add your interview score to your academic and ucat score
This is done as 25% of your total score
Ie total selection score = Academics (50%) + UCAT (25%) + Interview (25%)
📝 PS - Have your PS checked - 5⭐ Rated
🎙️ Interviews - 1-1 Online Medicine Interview (Panel & MMI) Tutoring & Mocks tailored to Aston - 5⭐ Rated
👉🏼 Latest UCAT Cut Off Scores Per Medical School (Updated for 2024 Entry)
👉🏼 Where to apply with a low UCAT score in 2024 (2025 Entry)
BMAT
No
GAMSAT
No
❓ Applying in 2024 for 2025 Entry?
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Course Information
Graduate Entry
No
Intercalation
Optional
After year 2/3
Applications : Place
Application Statistics (Home)
NA
Application Statistics (International)
NA
Applications : Interview
NA
NA
International Student Tuition Fee
The international student fee per year is £44550
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Work Experience for Aston University Medical School
No information available, however it is assumed to be preferred for the interview.
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Personal Statement for Aston Medicine
Read in conjunction with reference, but not scored.
Used to differentiate borderline candidates.
Personal statements are a mandatory component of the application form. During the first stage, they are not scored but read to ensure they have a suitable accompanying academic reference/s and that there are no ‘fitness to practice’ issues raised by either the statement or references.
Advice given by Aston Medical School re: personal statement
Below is a rough outline of what we would expect to find in your statement. This is not set in stone and should be used more as a guide.
Paragraph one: should be about you, why you want to study the course and perhaps what has inspired you.
Paragraphs two and three: should expand on your academic achievements and how they relate back to the course. If appropriate, you could also mention any work experience or something that you have read that has inspired you to want to progress your studies in this area.
Paragraph four: should relate to your extra-curricular activities.
Paragraph five: is your closing paragraph.
Paragraphs do not need to be of equal length, however, we do feel that paragraphs two and three should be the largest.
You may wish to think about looking for examples of the skills that doctors are expected to have (and what you will be tested upon during the application process and at medical school). This will include things like:
Teamwork (who are the doctors working with?)
Compassion (how are the doctors dealing with patients?)
Knowing limitations (what happens when a doctor realises that a problem is outside their expertise and they need to refer the patient to someone who specialises in that area?)
Dealing with a wide range of patients and illnesses (how does a doctor respond differently to someone cancer, compared to someone with a baby or someone who has come in to discuss a relative who has dementia?).
👉🏼 Ultimate Medicine Personal Statement Guide 2024
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Does This Medical School Have A Gateway or Foundation Year?
Website
Description
Aston University are committed to widening participation. For students living in Solihull & Black Country - they can apply for the pathway to healthcare programme.
If your high school qualification alone is not sufficient to gain entry, you will be required to complete a UK foundation programme. They accept:
Abbey College Manchester Medicine Foundation Programme: You must achieve a score of 75% overall with 75% or above in Chemistry and Biology
CATS Canterbury, Cambridge and London Medics Programme: You must achieve grades of AAA which must include Chemistry and Biology
Kings Advanced Level Foundation Course: You must achieve a score of 75% overall with at least 75% in Chemistry and Biology.
Criteria
All UK Home fee applicants, except those who have already graduated with a degree, will be asked to complete an online questionnaire to establish whether they fulfil one or more of our widening participation (WP) criteria listed below.
Live in a widening participation postcode area. This can be checked using the Office for Students (OfS) postcode checker
Come from a family where neither parent (or the one parent if in a single parent family) attended university in the UK or abroad
Currently be in receipt of a means-tested bursary (namely 16-19 Bursary or similar)
Been in receipt of free school meals any time over the last three years
Come from an underrepresented group (Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities, refugees, children of military families)
Are presently or have ever been in care.
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Aston Medical School Interview Questions 2024
Key Details
MMI Interview
Online (confirmed for 2024 entry), held on MS Teams
7-10 different stations, 6-8 minutes each
Interview Dates
Aston Medicine Interview Dates: December 2022 - March 2023
Key Aspects
🎓 Aston Medicine Interview Questions & Topics 2024
Aston Medical School is looking for qualities in its students such as:
Oral and written communication
Listening
Empathy, compassion, respect and dignity
Emotional intelligence
Problem solving
Motivation
Teamworking
Being able to lead as well as follow
Knowing your limitations and knowing when to ask for help
Roleplays
As such, these are likely to form the backbone of the domains tested at the MMI Medical School Interview.
You will not be tested on medical knowledge. When writing the scenarios for the MMIs, we take into consideration the typical age and experience of our applicants.
💯 Aston Medical Interview Questions Scoring in 2024
Each station will be scored individually, and an overall score then calculated
Therefore each station is scored independently from the other
❓Aston Medical Interview Interview Past Questions 2024
Please find below a list of suggested questions that could come up at your interview in 2024 based on the information provided by the university.
Motivation to study medicine
Why do you want to come to Aston to study medicine?
Why medicine?
Tell us about your work experience
What did you learn from your work experience?
What do you know about the Aston Medicine course? How is it taught?
Why do you think you will be well suited to this course?
Why medicine and not dentistry or nursing?
Tell us about your volunteering
What are your hobbies?
What are the negatives of a career in medicine?
Personal Insight
Why should patients trust you?
What are your best qualities?
How do you manage stress?
How do you relax outside of your studies?
Why do doctors need a good work-life balance?
Tell us about a time that you displayed empathy
Give us an example of a time when you demonstrated teamwork.
Give us an example of a time where you demonstrated good communication skills
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How would your friends describe you?
How do you motivate yourself? How do you remain motivated?
Tell us about a time where you have failed.
Tell us about an article that you have recently read.
Should doctors always tell the truth?
NHS & Local Area
What changes would you make to the NHS if you could?
How would you manage a public health campaign?
How would you improve the local A&E department?
If you had control of the NHS, what would you change?
What is it like to be a doctor?
How do you deal with overpopulation?
What do you know about the local area here in Aston?
What are the main challenges that face the NHS?
How has COVID changed the way the NHS operates?
What do you think are going to be the long-term consequences of COVID on the NHS?
How does the healthcare system differ here compared to other areas in the UK?
Ethical Scenarios
Understanding of the four ethical principles
Understanding of the GMC’s good medical practice
What is your understanding of the NHS values?
What is the debate surrounding euthanasia, should it be legalised?
Who would you give this organ to? [Prioritisation]
If you notice that a colleague has turned up to work drunk, what would you do?
Who can you escalate concerns to within a hospital?
When is it acceptable to break confidentiality?
Role Plays
Scenarios concerning dealing with argumentative people/friends/customers - appeasing them
Talking to strangers and getting to know them and understanding their attributes.
🗣️ Aston Medicine Interview Tips for 2024 entry
Know Your Medicine Personal Statement: The Aston Medical School website states that “Personal statements are required and may be used as part of the interview (MMI) process”. As a result, it is paramount that you know your personal statement inside out. Be prepared to talk about any aspect of your personal statement. E.g. if you mentioned the EPQ - make sure you can talk about this in some detail, be able to talk about what you learnt about and maybe even the implications of research on clinical medicine.
Practice Role Plays: Role plays are unique to medicine MMI interviews as they do not tend to occur in panel interviews. The only way to ace these stations is to practice! Aston often has two role play stations, so you must practice this! There are so many different medicine role-play scenarios that can come up, such as breaking bad news in the medicine interview, it is paramount that you read about tips for answering role-play scenarios and practice MMI calculation stations. You might want to also consider practising this with a medicine interview tutor, or booking a 1-1 online mock interview.
Have examples ready to use: many of the questions asked at Aston are example-based, ie, they require you to draw on certain examples from your personal life, medical work experience and medical volunteering to help make key points that the selectors are looking for. As such, it is paramount that you spend time learning about these examples and thinking about different scenarios that you can use at the interview. It is helpful if these scenarios are malleable and can be applied to a number of different questions e.g. being a football captain, deputy head girl or playing in the school orchestra.
Personal Attributes - Aston is very likely to ask you about personal attributes during the MMI interview. As such it is paramount that you go through and learn these. Check out our 200+ interview question and answer guide for dealing with such interview questions.
Know the doctor training pathway: this is useful to draw into answers to show awareness about the career in medicine - and demonstrates that you have a considered approach, fortunately, we have a guide to the NHS and the doctor’s training pathway in 2024 here.
Read the MMI instructions carefully - you get enough time to read the instructions provided before the MMI station. Make sure that you don’t miss anything from this. Try and plan how you will structure your answer thereafter in the reading time that you get. Therefore it is really important that you practice MMI questions and ensure that you think about your structure for as many questions as possible before your interview.
MMI Stations - remember that each MMI station at Aston is independent of the other. Therefore it is paramount that you try to treat them as such, if you have a bad station, try to forget about it and reset for the next station, this gives you the best chance of scoring well overall. Read our ultimate guide to preparing for medicine MMIs here.
Know the Aston Course - we would always recommend doing this for every university that you plan to apply to. It is paramount that you know about the different topics covered each year. How does this differ from other universities? What is their policy on intercalation? Have you any idea about what you would plan to intercalate in at Aston?
Know the local area - Aston is a diverse region of England, with a number of local factors and diseases that differentiate the Aston region from the rest of England. Ensure that you research both communicable and non-communicable diseases in the area. How might this impact healthcare provision in the area?
Reflect Well - the Aston Medicine selectors love reflection, make sure that you are good at not just stating what you have learnt, but also how this helped and what you benefitted from, and what you will carry forward about this at medical school and in clinical medicine. This is especially true when reflecting on your medical work experience during the medicine interview.
Don’t over-rehearse - this is a common theme amongst interview students and is very obvious to a trained examiner. As such, we would recommend focusing on the structure of your answer, and then naturally letting it flow when speaking to the answers, concentrating on the delivery of your interview answers. Read about our top tips for medicine interviews here. If you are struggling with this, consider booking sessions with an expert medicine interview tutor.
Learn Medical Ethics & NHS Hot Topics - it is extremely likely that you will be asked about medical ethics at a medicine interview at Aston, so there is no excuse not to brush up on your knowledge on these topics, especially the four pillars of medical ethics. Learn how to provide a balanced argument on this. Check out some of our free articles on NHS Hot Topics here. It is good if you have an opinion on them, as long as you present a balanced and well-reasoned argument, ultimately, which side you choose does not matter, but is helpful to have. Check out our bank of 200+ medicine interview questions.
Learn the NHS Core Values - This can be drawn into different answers about personal qualities or qualities of a doctor, which has formed a feature of stations in the past, and a good understanding of these core values will help you stand out against others. It is important to know about the NHS in general for your medical interviews - read our article here on this.
Good Medical Practice - Aston also puts emphasis on knowing the values and qualities of a good doctor, which can be found in this document and are likely to come up at the interview in the MMI stations. This is universal to many universities, and something that we always recommend students cover during their medicine interview preparation.
Learn about the non-academic societies at Aston - this is really important and might augment your Why Medicine question as well as help you formulate an answer to how you will contribute to life at Aston University. Spend time on their website, or looking at their instagram for ideas about societies that you could think about joining.
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Contact Details
Address: Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET
Telephone:+44 (0)121 204 3000
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