M E N T O R

clinical skills for medical students. I also mentored A-level students in Lincoln and assisted in running
mock interviews and tutorials that prepared students for medical school application. Furthermore, I
have featured in OSCE-style clinical skill videos as a mock patient as well as a medical student.
Demystifying MMIs
I took a very unusual route into medical school. After finishing high school, I started studying economics
at the university of my hometown in Hungary. However, I soon realised that it wasn’t a genuine
interest of mine and I moved to Paris where I have some family. I got a part-time job and I spent
my free time trying to figure out my next step in life which is when I came across medicine. I got some
work experience in France and in Hungary, and I started building my CV towards medicine. I was
working hard but I hadn’t left myself enough time to put together a strong UCAS application and I
started to lose faith by the time the application deadline had come. I ended up applying to only two
medicine courses and three pharmacology ones as this was (and still is) another interest of time. I got
into pharmacology at King’s College London but I was forced to quit after a year and a half due to
financial hardship. I spent the next year working full-time, volunteering, gaining work experience in
the UK, in Hungary, and in Gabon, taking private lessons, resitting high school exams, the IELTS
and the UKCAT. My hard work was eventually rewarded by three interviews followed
by three unconditional offers.
Do not make the mistake of leaving CV-building extra-curricular activities to the end of medical
school. Stick your head out and get involved early. There are countless opportunities to network and
collaborate with professors, doctors as well as other medical students. Take advantage of the fact that
you are in such an inspirational environment and focus on your personal and professional growth.
Oluwafunmilayo Nofisat Abari - Student Anthology Scholar
University of Leeds - second year
At present, I am quite interested in women’s health and holistic healing methods. As a Muslim, there
is a lot of emphasis in my religion on natural health and wellbeing practices, and I would really like
to explore this further; marrying my understanding of medicine and biological sciences with traditional
practices. I appreciate that my current interest in obstetrics and gynaecology may well change
throughout my time at medical school, though, with so many other specialities to venture in to.
Prior to working with Medic Mentor, I set up a social enterprise called TIMS - The Institute of Mad
Science. Through this organisation I set up projects to teach children aged 7-14 STEM subjects (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics) beyond the scope of the curriculum. I also provided
mentorship to college and secondary school students aspiring to study medicine. I applied for medicine
after college and was unsuccessful. I went on to study chemistry with biochemistry and
after graduating applied to study medicine. I worked for a year as the Curriculum Associate at The
Challenge, a charity committed to bringing different people together to develop their confidence and
skills and understanding in connecting with others, through designing and delivering programmes.
Medic Mentor is a safe haven. It is a family that is so welcoming and completely committed to supporting
everyone that is involved: current medical students, aspiring, doctors, volunteers and families!
I am so grateful to be a part of something so rich and so special.
I’m Angela,”
I smile, holding
out my hand
“Hi,
to the nervous-looking
year 13 student who has
just sat down in front of me. She
takes it.
“Hi,” she stutters. “I’m Clara.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Clara,” I
replied. “This is the communication
skills station, i.e. the roleplay scenario.”
I watch her face drop like her five
predecessors had done. “You are
the captain of your medical school’s
hockey team. I am your best friend.
Please tell me that I did not make it
onto the final team this year.”
She stares at me in response, frozen.
I decide to help her start.
“Hi Clara,” I relax back into my
seat, acting like we had just met up.
“How are you?”
“Hey Angela,” she mumbles back
awkwardly. “I’m OK. How are
you?”
“I’m still recovering from the hockey
try-outs last Wednesday,” I laugh.
“They were exhausting, weren’t
they?”
“Yeah,” she fidgets with her hands.
“Um, look Angela, I know we are
friends and all but I’m going to have
to tell you that you didn’t make it
onto the team.”
I pretend to act shocked. “What?” I
gasp, starting to look upset. “What
do you mean I haven’t made it onto
Angela Yan
the team? I’ve been on the team
for two years, you know how much
hockey means to me!”
The student cringes in response to
my outburst and for the next five
minutes I’m unable to get anything
else out of her apart from being
repeatedly told I hadn’t made the
hockey team.
This is a common performance by
a prospective medical school student
at this station which I have seen
more often than not during my past
year of volunteering for mock medical
school interviews. At first my initial
response had been one of sympathy;
these students remind me of
my 17-year-old self. Five years ago
when I had found myself in the same
position, I can recall the sinking feeling
in my stomach as I panicked over
what to say. I had no idea how to
break bad news to someone, or how
to talk about a sensitive topic like
weight-loss to an obese patient. All
the pre-reading I had done on my
personal statement, current medical
news and ethics had not been able to
help me in this situation.
It is only five years later that I really
understand what the interviewer
had been looking for in this scenario.
I had to show that I was empathetic,
that I could treat the actor
with respect and sensitivity. Sure, at
17 years old I was able to rattle on
about how communication skills are
an essential trait every good doctor
must have, integral for creating good
patient-doctor relationships and
therefore good patient care. I had
no doubt that Clara knew how important
communication skills were,
but how could I get her to be able
to use her knowledge and put it into
practice? It had earned me my first
rejection and it was only then that
I began to understand what the interviewers
were looking for. I didn’t
want Clara to make the same costly
sacrifice I had to.
“It’s OK,” I smile gently at Clara.
“Remember this is only a mock interview;
any experience, good or bad
will help you in the real thing. Now,
let’s change the scenario. Imagine
that you have just been told you got
rejected from your favourite medical
school. How would you feel?”
“Upset,” she replies, her face paling
at the mere thought. “I’d be really
upset.”
“Exactly,” I nod. “How would you
like to be treated if you found yourself
in that position? “I’d want someone
to comfort me,” she replies. “I’d
want someone to tell me it’s OK.”
“Anything else?” I press her. “From
the medical school perhaps?”
“Feedback,” she starts to realise what
I’m getting at. “I’d want to know
how I can improve.”
“Of course you would,” I reply.
“Now let’s apply it to this situation.
It’s never a good idea to just give
some bad news straightaway is it?”
She shakes her head. “You want to
broach the subject gently. Start by
talking about what she’s good at or
why she’s a good friend. She’s going
to be feeling very low after you break
the news to her so it’s important you
remind her of her other skills and
good qualities. When you tell her she
didn’t make the team, it’s important
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