Beyond School
Pathways to med school The journey into medical school has become more convoluted in the last 20 years, with extra tests, submissions and interviews that can be overwhelming for students already busy with their final school exams. Dr Declan Gaynor, Academic Director of Admissions at RCSI Bahrain, breaks down the different selection methods students might encounter when applying to medical school
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Issue 8 | March 2020
Dr Declan (far right) with a number of RCSI Bahrain students following completion of the cross island run in Bahrain last December
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n the past, admission to medical school may have been based entirely on academic merit, and occasionally applicants would encounter a single person or panel interview. But the landscape has changed immensely in the 21st century. Almost all medical schools use multiple selection methods when making their admissions decisions. Academic achievement is still the most important consideration for the majority of medical schools. Applicants need to have a rigorous background knowledge in the sciences before they enter