Caitlin Golaup, Team Leader of the Student Engagement & Recruitment Team, tells us all about applying to study Medicine in the capital. 

Choosing a medical school, then getting a place, is not for the fainthearted.  As well as visiting Open Days, to see how you like the feel of the place, you also need to make a decision about what sort of medical school suits how you like to learn and the type of doctor you want to be.  As these are big decisions, good information matters.  Getting lots of detail all at once can be pretty overwhelming, though, and where do you start?

For any degree, an Open Day visit is essential.  What are the people like?  The Students’ Union?  Sports facilities?  Residences?  Social life?  A glossy brochure or website is all very well but nothing beats seeing it in person.  Planning ahead makes your visit easier, with more chance of cheaper train fares or accommodation.  Cardiff University has its next Open Days on Wednesday 27^th March and Friday 5^th July 2019, so book your place on www.cardiff.ac.uk.

Successful application to medical school requires more knowledge and understanding than most other subjects.  To help you decide whether Medicine is for you, and understand your next step, Cardiff University runs Medicine Taster Days (Friday 21^st and Saturday 22^nd June 2019.) Choose from either of two identical days packed with Medicine-related activities and talks, with one programme for students and another designed for a parent or teacher.

• Our full-day Student Programme explores key elements of becoming a doctor, with talks on our selection process, life as a doctor, funding your medical degree, Case Based Learning and a Q&A panel as well as workshops covering Clinical Skills, Simulation Suite, life as a medical student, Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) and writing your personal statement.
• Our separate, full-day Accompanying Person’s programme, designed for a parent, guardian, careers advisor or teacher, covers many of these subjects but from an angle that looks at the support they, and we, can provide over the next few years.

We also give you lunch and plenty of opportunity to talk to our students about what medical school is really like.

This popular event is free but everyone attending needs a ticket.  Students can come solo or also book a ticket for one Accompanying Person, and vice versa. Booking opens 1^st February 2019: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/medicine/courses/undergraduate/open-days

[NOTE TO TEACHERS: Please encourage your students to book early, as sometimes they do not appreciate the importance of reserving their place and places go quickly.]