How ScotGEM students are selected

The selection process for applicants to the Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine Programme (ScotGEM) includes an assessment of all information on the application form including:

academic performance and predicted grades
personal statement and reference
aptitude tests - The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) and The Situational Judgment Test for Admissions to Clinical Education (SJTace/ UKCAT SJT)

There will be a further assessment by interview for a limited number of applicants. To be considered for interview, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Submitted a full and complete UCAS application by the application deadline.
Meets or is predicted to meet the entry requirements.
Has a positive relevant reference.
Has relevent, medically related work experience (see qualities and experience on the entry requirements page).
Achieved a higher Band than Band 4 in the SJTace/UKCATSJT.
Completed the online questionnaire. The deadline for this is like to be late November. Applicants will be informed of the date once it has been finalised.

Applicants who have met the above criteria will then be ranked for interview on the basis of their GAMSAT scores. There are a limited number of interview places (around 120). Programme coordinators are unable to advise as to the likely GAMSAT scores that will required to be called for interview.

The interview process

Interviews will be held at the University of Dundee Medical School at Ninewells Hospital.

Interviews will follow the format of multiple mini interviews (MMI). This consists of a series of ‘stations’ each lasting seven minutes. You will rotate around the station circuit, going from one station to the next. Each person starts at a different station; it does not matter where you begin as each station is independent of the others.

Each station has a card with simple instructions that are designed to orientate you. Short (30-second) breaks between stations allow you to settle yourself and clear your head for the next station. You can expect to be asked about your motivation to study medicine, relevant work experience and personal attributes, and why you have applied to ScotGEM in particular.

For 2018 entry, the interview dates are:
- Wednesday 13 December 2017
- Thursday 14 December 2017
- Friday 15 December 2017.
For the second round of 2018 applications, the interview date is: Wednesday 20 June 2018.

At least one exam board is holding their Chemistry A-Level exam on this date. As this interview date has been set, the School will not be able to offer an alternative interview date if you affected by this clash. If you are thinking of applying for the second round and need to sit the Chemistry A-Level in order to meet entry requirements, please check exam dates with the relevant exam board. Anyone affected by this clash will not be able to apply for the second round of 2018 entry and will need to wait for 2019 entry instead.

Please be aware that if invited to interview, there will be limited opportunity to change the date or time of your interview slot.
Due to the large number of applicants, candidates are expected to accept the date offered for interview. The ScotGEM admissions team will try to offer another date if there is an exceptional reason for a candidate not being able to attend; for example, attending another interview, sitting an examination or due to ill health. However, this cannot always be guaranteed.

Health reasons
If a candidate becomes ill near to or on the interview date, they should let the ScotGEM admissions team know as soon as possible by emailing scotgem-admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk. The admissions team will endeavour to offer another date, but will only be able to do so if there are spaces on other interview dates that have been scheduled.

Mitigating circumstances
Any mitigating circumstances up to the day of the interview or during the interview that may have affected interview performance should be declared by the end of the interview day. Unfortunately, the admissions team cannot take into account any mitigating circumstances provided after the fact.

Decisions and feedback

Decisions to make offers will be based on the multiple mini interviews. Applicants will be notified of decisions via UCAS. Although some decisions may be made early on in the admissions cycle, the majority of decisions will not be made until mid-March.

The information on UCAS Track will include some feedback as to why an applicant was unsuccessful in their application. Applicants can request additional feedback in writing or by email. It is likely that the Medical Admissions Office will not be in a position to respond to feedback requests until all decisions have been made, which should be by the end of March. Requests for feedback must be received by the end of May; no response will be given to requests received after that deadline.

Enquiries should be submitted to:

Medical Admissions Officer
University of St Andrews
Admissions Application Centre
St Katherine’s West
The Scores
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9AX

Email: myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk

Please see the University’s Admissions Policy for information on the appeal process.

Courses archive

How ScotGEM students are selected

The interview process

Interview dates

What if I am unable to attend the interview?

Decisions and feedback