The transformative impact of UEA’s ‘Prep for Med’ pathway
By: Communications
The journey to medical school can be daunting, particularly for students with limited guidance on starting down this career path.
The University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Preparing for Medicine outreach programme is designed to provide transformative support for aspiring medical students, to equip them with essential skills, confidence, and clarity about their career path ahead.
Laura Flower and Imogen La Chapelle are two final-year Medicine students who previously participated in the programme. We spoke to them about how their residential experience supported their decision to study Medicine at UEA, as well as how the programme prepared them for the rigorous application process.
“I am continuously grateful for the support it gave me” – Laura
“I was certain that UEA was right for me” – Imogen
Now serving as mentors, they also reflect on the rewarding opportunity to guide future medical students on the same journey that shaped their own aspirations:
Was there a moment during the programme that gave you clarity and reinforced your ambition to pursue medicine?
Laura: “While I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, I wasn’t exactly sure what medical school would include or what would be expected of a medical student day-to-day, until I took part in the Preparing for Medicine residential.
“Through the residential specifically, I was able to experience first-hand some of the activities a medical student would get involved in – from anatomy and problem-based learning with small group teaching, to learning clinical skills like CPR and basic life support. I absolutely loved my time there, spending ‘a day in the life of a medical student’, so this really affirmed that medicine was for me!”
Imogen: “I think the whole experience just made me feel incredibly supported and motivated to study Medicine at UEA.
“Before the residential, I had done a lot of research into different medical schools and was still quite unsure about where I wanted to study yet after completing it, I was certain that UEA was right for me. Everyone was incredibly friendly throughout the experience, and I learnt so much.”
How did the programme equip you with the skills and confidence to progress onto studying medicine?
Laura: “As a first-generation university student and the only student to ever apply for medicine from my sixth form, I initially found the medicine application process terrifying. When I applied to the outreach programme, I was unaware of the entrance exam, scared of the interview process and intimidated by how competitive medicine was. In my mind, I didn’t believe I was good enough to apply.
“The programme myth busted the entire application process – making it clear, understandable and, more importantly for me, achievable. With the help and support of the Preparing for Medicine team, they helped me develop the essential skills and confidence for me to go on and apply for medicine.
“In fact, it equipped me so well that I gained a place at all four medical schools I applied to, something I am incredibly proud of. I truly believe that I owe my place to the programme, and I am continuously grateful for the support it gave me.”
Imogen: “I think it’s likely I would still be studying medicine – I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was a young child and have always been very motivated to get into medical school successfully. However, the programme gave me much more confidence in myself and in understanding the application process.
“It wasn’t just the residential itself, but also the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) study day, the mock interview, the personal statement activity. There was so much support throughout that getting into medical school felt much more achievable.”
Images: Participants from the 2024 Preparing for Medicine cohort in a workshop
Medicine is a demanding field – was there a specific challenge you faced during your studies that made you reflect on why you chose this path? How did you overcome it?
Laura: “You’re right – medicine is very demanding at times! In my fourth year at UEA, I completed a placement in oncology and palliative care medicine, and I found these specialties very emotionally challenging. For every patient that you can treat and help, there will be another where treatment hasn’t worked and then your care focuses on quality of life, as opposed to quantity of life.
“I often found myself speaking to close friends and family about how sad and helpless I felt, and I think sharing my emotions with others really helped me overcome how I was feeling. We also had reflection sessions at medical school, where we could discuss how we were feeling, and this gave us another chance to speak to a senior member of staff about what we had found challenging and how we could learn from what we experienced.
“I met some of the most incredible people whilst studying this module and their stories made me reflect on why medicine is such a beautiful career, but also what makes life so very precious.”
Imogen: “The biggest challenge I have faced in medical school has definitely been my recent experience of revising for finals. I’ve been trying to manage the stress of exams alongside placements and revision.
“I’ve found that the best way of overcoming stress and self-doubt is lots of communication with my partner and family, along with making sure to prioritise my mental health. If I am having a tough day and struggling with motivation, then I always try and take a step back to spend time on myself.”
You're now acting as a mentor for other Preparing for Medicine students. How have you found this experience?
Laura: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been a UEA mentor to other students for the past three years! As someone who has been through the programme myself, I find it very rewarding to further inspire future students to study medicine and give back to the programme that did so much for me as a student.
“The application process to even apply for a medicine degree is a minefield and I think having a UEA medical student mentor (like me) to help guide students through the process – from day one of the programme to the day they collect their A-level results – is an enormous help!”
Imogen: “I have loved mentoring over the last couple years for the programme – it has been an incredibly rewarding experience to help aspiring medics. so many years after I was in the same position.”