Are you an aspiring medic who dreams of helping out the needy someday? Well then, continue reading! At the moment of writing this article, only 2 universities in HongKong offer the MBBS (bachelor of surgery, bachelor of medicine) course, Chinese university of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Hong Kong. The lion's crest have invited 2 KGV alumni who are currently in year 1 of the MBBS, both graduated in the class of 2020. We interviewed Gabriella Chan who is currently studying in CUHK and A (they would like to stay anonymous) is studying in HKU.
So why did both students decide to go into the field of medicine? Actually for both students, getting into medical school wasn’t their only ambition. Gabriella wanted to become a dentist or pursue something in the medical field. While A wanted to be a zoo keeper or a teacher. However both of them had the same passion, which was helping and serving others in need. Therefore both saw the medical sector as the best option in hopes of pursuing that dream. Furthermore, medicine was intriguing for A as it allowed them to get a deeper understanding of how we humans work. Why is it so easy to move only your index finger but so hard to move your ring fingers and pinky? For A, such questions could be answered through the medical course.
The MBBS course is greatly sought after in HongKong from both local and international school students. Moreover, the limited number of spots available only makes the admission process into the course more competitive. What exactly made both student’s applications stand out? Both Gabriella and A agree that grades are the most important in achieving a spot in the course. Both CUHK and HKU emphasise the importance of a strong PG (predicted grade) and final grade. For example in CUHK, the IBDP minimum requirement is 43 points. Even If you end up with a 42 or a 41 in the final exams, your application would most likely be denied a spot due to the competitiveness entering the course. On top of grades, both universities also want well rounded applicants. This means you must have extra curricular activities in order to help boost your application.
In the entry process, Universities require students to complete a short interview. What should students be prepared for in the interview? For starters, don’t memorise everything word for word in your prepared answers, but do keep mental notes of what you would like to say. The interviewers may ask you questions you didn’t prepare for so it's good to practise thinking on your feet. Secondly, you are probably going to be asked the million dollar question : why do you want to study medicine? Why this school in particular and not others? Try to not give a cliche answer, make sure you make your answer as unique as possible. In CUHK, the interview will tend to consist of current medical issues. For example in Garbriella’s interview she was asked whether or not final year medical students in the UK should be allowed to graduate a year early to help the medical sector during covid-19. As for A,the HKU interview takes place in 4 stations, each station requiring a different skill set from the applicant. In particular, one of the stations requires students to answer the questions in mandarin or in cantonese. So make sure you keep yourself updated on current medical news. Most importantly, don’t stress yourself out! Remember, the interviewers want to get to know more about you and who you are! The more nervous you are, the more it will affect your performance.
Lastly, here are some final top tips from Gabriella. Before applying to any university, ask yourself, why this subject? What makes it so unique? This will help you show personal interest and passion in the subject. Secondly, look at the course structure, what makes this course special at this certain university. What do they offer that other universities don’t?
Last but not least, grades. Know the university's grade requirements before making a decision. Some universities have very strict and high requirements, at times a 1 mark difference could be the determining factor. So find a university that best suits your ability so you can strike a good work-life balance.
Don’t let go of your dreams, work hard, play hard and keep striving to be the best you can be.
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