Leeds Guidance

8/2/2019 Leeds Guidance

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MBChB Student Admissions.

Guidance on Policy for 2012This document will form the basis of our Admissions Policy for entry in2012 but as the policy has not yet been formally approved by the Schoolor University, please use it for guidance only and contact the AdmissionDepartment if you have any uncertainty as to our processes. Our web sitewill be updated shortly with the official policy.

School of MedicineACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH


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MBChB Student Admissions. Guidance on Policy for 2012

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction

1.1 Principles

1.2 Context

1.3 Strategic Framework

1.4 Responsibilities

1.5 Operation of the Policy

2. Information for Applicants

2.1 Selection Principles

2.2 Intake

2.3 Competition for Places

2.4 Application Process2.4.1 UCAS Process

2.4.2 Widening Participation and Alternative Entry Schemes2.4.3 Foundation Programmes

2.4.4 Deferred Applications/Gap Year

2.4.5 Transfers

2.4.6 Applications from Minors and Vulnerable Persons

2.4.7 International/Overseas Students

2.4.8 Mature Students

2.4.9 Part-Time Applicants

2.4.10 Disabled Applicants

2.4.11 Applicants with a Health-Related issue or Other

Mitigating Circumstances

2.4.12. Cashed in AS levels

2.5 Entry Requirements2.5.1 Academic Requirements

2.5.2 Personal Statement

2.5.3 Personal Reference

2.6 Acknowledgement of Applications and Communication ofOutcome

2.7 Unsuccessful Applicants


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2.8 Complaints and Appeals

3. How Applications are Considered

3.1 Fair Admissions

3.2 The Selection Process

3.3 Interviews

3.4 Assessing Applications

3.5 Offers

3.6 Information for Applicants in Specific Circumstances3.6.1 Applicants who have faced exceptional circumstances

3.6.2 Resits/Reapplications

3.6.3 Withdrawal of an Application

3.7 Closing Dates

3.8 Other Conditions of Admission3.8.1 Health Requirements

3.8.2 Criminal Record Checks

3.9 Fraud, Omission and Plagiarism

4. Use of Applicant Data

5. Fees, Funding and Bursaries

6. University Open Days and Other Courses

7. Contact Details and Further Information

APPENDICES

Appendix A. Selection Process Timeline.


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1. Introduction

1.1. Principles

This document outlines the School of Medicine Admissions Policy for 2012 entry to the

MB ChB Medicine course programme. It incorporates the Universitys vision of developingoutstanding graduates, advancing and disseminating knowledge and making an impact

on global society, and is aligned with the admissions principles and policies of the

University as outlined in the Universitys Undergraduate Admissions Policy. See:www.leeds.ac.uk/admissionspolicy .

These include: The University of Leeds is a research-intensive institution that creates, advances

and disseminates knowledge. Our aim is to develop outstanding graduates andscholars who can make a major impact upon global society.

The University of Leeds is shaped by the values of academic excellence,

community, professionalism, integrity and inclusiveness. The setting of highadmissions standards plays a key role in maintaining academic excellence.

The University of Leeds is committed to providing a professional admissions service

and to provide clear, fair and consistently applied policies and procedures. TheUniversity aims to provide fair and equal access to all prospective students who

have the potential to benefit from and contribute to the academic life at a

research-intensive university.

The University recognizes that, in order to provide fair and equal access to all

prospective students, it may need to demonstrate a flexible approach and, whereappropriate make adjustments for individual applicants - for example, disabled

applicants or applicants who have faced exceptional circumstances.

1.2 Context

The Universitys admissions policies are consistent with the Quality Assurance AgencysCode of Practice on Recruitment and Admissions and comply with current law affecting

the admission of students. Admissions policies and practice are also guided by the

principles articulated within the Schwartz Report of the Admissions to Higher EducationSteering Group 2004 (available at www.admissions-review.org.uk/)

1.3 Strategic Framework

Admissions activities are undertaken as a partnership between various parties within theUniversity:

The central Undergraduate Admissions Office coordinates the admissions

process for students applying through UCAS and liaises directly with UCAS. The School of Medicine Undergraduate Admissions section.

Determines entry criteria and selection procedures. Provides accurate and relevant information for applicants and prospective

applicants.

Assesses applications and makes offers.

Communicates directly with applicants during the admissions process. Runs departmental, and participates in University wide, Open Days.


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Assists in reasonable local adjustments aimed at ensuring that applicants with

specific needs have full access to the admissions process and the course

programme. Monitors the Schools admissions procedures and practices.

Reports to the Schools Learning and Teaching Committee, the Faculty Widening

Participation Committee and the School of Medicine Executive Committee.

This policy has been formulated with specific attention to guidelines and advice for goodpractice as outlined by the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions (SPA), the Quality

Assurance Agency in Higher Education (QAA) and the Admissions to Higher Education

Steering Group report Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for goodpractice.

Every effort has been made to ensure this policy complies with the Universitys legal andstatutory obligations in relation to, amongst others, equality and diversity.

1.4 Responsibilities

The School of Medicine Admissions Section is responsible for the Policy and ensuring it isreviewed annually to best serve the University and applicants.

The School of Medicine Undergraduate Admissions Sections consists of:

Director of MBChB Admissions

Deputy Director of MBChB Admissions

Associate Sub-Deans for MBChB Admissions who have specific responsibility in thefollowing areas:

o Widening Participation

o International Foundation Year and International Office

o Mature/Graduate Applicants

o Admissions Administrator

o Admissions Support Staffo WAMS (Widening Admissions to Medical School) admin support

All members of the Admissions Section are required to be familiar with the Policy andwith other relevant University policies. We recognize that a competent, productive and

competent team requires adequate guidance, training and support; this is provided by

the School and University.

1.5 Operation of the Policy

The Director of MBChB Admissions is responsible for monitoring the day-to-day operation

of the policy. The Admissions section reports via the MBChB Sub-Committee of SSTEC(School Student Taught Education Committee, chaired by the School Director of Student

Education) to the School of Medicine Executive Committee, chaired by the Dean.

2. Information for applicants

2.1 Selection Principles

The University of Leeds endeavours to ensure that the selection process provides equal

consideration for applicants who apply by the relevant closing date. All selection decisions


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are made on the basis of merit and the ability of each applicant to meet the academic

and non-academic criteria for admission to the relevant programme of study. The

selection criteria will treat all students fairly and will not discriminate unlawfully becauseof marital or civil partnership status, gender, gender re-assignment or transsexual

status, race (including colour, nationality, national origin or ethnic origin) disability,

pregnancy and/or parental status, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief, political orother opinion, social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other

status.

2.2 Intake

Government (HEFCE and SIFT) funding currently allows an intake of 243 students. This is

comprised of: (i) 203 home students, including mature students and those from theEuropean Union; (ii) a government quota of 20 international student places. Students in

these places are required to pay the full fee rate; and (iii) 20 places that are available to

students transferring from the University of Bradford Foundation in Clinical Sciences and

the BSc in Clinical Sciences.

2.3 Competition for places

The MBChB course is very popular and for 2011 entry we received in excess of 3,600

applications (around 16 applications for each of the 243 places available). Most of ourapplicants have an excellent academic record, typically offering AAA at A2 Level and a

good range of subjects at GCSE.

2.4 Application process

2.4.1 UCAS process

All full time undergraduate applications must be made through the online Universities

and Colleges Admissions Service (www.ucas.com) by 15th October in the year precedingentry (for example for entry to the programme in September 2012, the UCAS deadline is

October 15th 2011).

The School of Medicine will not normally accept applications after the initial UCAS closing

date and does notnormally participate in the UCAS Extra scheme.

2.4.2 Widening Participation and Alternative Entry Schemes

We are committed to identifying all applicants who have the potential to succeed.

Applicants who have experienced disadvantage will be flagged to the Schools admissions

tutors through the Access to Leeds scheme, using a combination of educational context,social factors and personal circumstances. Admissions tutors can then assess the Access

to Leeds applicants potential using the contextual evidence, and, if approved, studentsthat receive an offer will receive an alternative offer alongside their standard offer. The

alternative offer will be the equivalent of two A Level grades below their standard offer,

conditional upon successfully completing the Access to Leeds module and making the

University of Leeds their firm choice. Access to Leeds students will be eligible for anAccess to Leeds offer if they meet the Universitys GCSE matriculation standard and, for

courses which require particular subject skills, have gained at least a grade C (or


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equivalent) in the requested subject area. For more information on Access to Leeds

please refer to www.leeds.ac.uk/ace/PS/A2L.html.

The University offers a range of financial support to able students from less affluent

backgrounds to ensure they are not deterred from progressing to higher education

because of financial reasons. We offer comprehensive financial support to help with thecosts of studying. Support from us does not have to be repaid. Further details can be

found on our website at www.leeds.ac.uk/yourfinances.

Apart from the Access to Leeds scheme, several other schemes do exist that endeavor to

support students from disadvantaged backgrounds: (i) Realising Opportunities scheme(www.realisingopportunities.ac.uk ) and (ii) the Sutton Trust Academic Routes (STAR) for

promising Year 11 student from low-income backgrounds. Students who apply to Leeds

and have successfully completed the course elements of both of these programmesreceive special consideration.

2.4.3 Foundation Programmes

The School offers two alternative entry routes for standard applications. Up to 20students are admitted via the University of Bradford course; Foundation in Clinical

Sciences (at the beginning of the first year), and 20 more from the Clinical Sciences BSc

course (at the beginning of second year). Further information on the Bradford coursescan be obtained from: Ms A Diston, Widening Access, Clinical Sciences, School of Life

Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, Email:

[email protected]; URL: www.brad.ac.uk/acad/lifesci/clinical/.

A separate Foundation Year is run at the University of Leeds as part of the

Interdisciplinary Science Foundation Programme (CFGO). This full time one-year course

enables students who may have been disadvantaged in their preparation for tertiaryeducation to prepare for degree level study and gain the necessary academic competencerequired for entry the to the degree programme. Students who successfully complete the

foundation year can progress to year 1 of a degree course. Applicants should apply

through UCAS. Admission to the MBChB is not guaranteed for students who havecompleted the foundation year and all candidates are selected through our normal

selection process. Further information is available from

www.leeds.ac.uk/lifelonglearningcentre/programmes/int_dis_science.html .

Note that applicants to the Foundation Year programme must apply directly to the

University (not through UCAS) and must choose Medicine as the undergraduate degreeprogramme they wish to join at the time of applying and cannot change during their

Foundation Year to Medicine as their choice. Further information about the InternationalFoundation Year and a downloadable application form can be found at

www.leeds.ac.uk/international/foundation.htm .Applications may also be made directly to

the University online at www.leeds.ac.uk/international/foundation_how_to_apply.htm .

2.4.4 Deferred Applications/Gap Year

The School of Medicine welcomes applications from students who wish to spend time

gaining experience of work, voluntary service or travel after leaving school or college. We

encourage such applicants to make use of the personal statement section of the UCASapplication form to explain their reasons for taking a Gap Year. Applicants who take a

Gap Year should be aware that they would still be required to attend an interview to be

admitted.


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2.4.5 Transfers

We accept transfers from other UK undergraduate medical degree courses only inexceptional circumstances. We review each on a case-by-case basis, both in relation to

the transfer and what level entry is permitted into the course. We do not consider

requests for transfers from students presently studying other degree courses with thesole exception of the entry route through the BSc in Clinical Sciences at University of

Bradford (a joint initiative between the Universities of Leeds and Bradford). Applications

from candidates who have transferred to the University of Bradford BSc in ClinicalSciences from another medical course will not be considered.

2.4.6 Applications from Minors and Vulnerable Persons

The University recognises that in some cases careful consideration may need to be given

to someones age or position as a vulnerable adult when applying for certain

programmes.The University of Leeds Undergraduate Admissions Policy details our policyon dealing with applications from minors and vulnerable persons.

2.4.7 International/Overseas Students

The School of Medicinewelcomes applications from applicants studying a range of Level 3qualifications where students have the potential to succeed on their chosen degree

course. Please seeSection 3 for the programme list of entry requirements and accepted

qualifications. All applications from international students are considered in line with ourstandard entrance requirements (expressed as English A-level qualifications) and we

would expect predicted grades to be of an equivalent level. Proof of English Language

proficiency will be required. For medicine we require at least English GCSE grade B orIELTS 7.5 (including 7.5 in spoken English). Further information for prospective

international applicants can be found on our website(http://www.leeds.ac.uk/international/).

2.4.8 Mature Students

The School of Medicine welcomes applications from mature applicants and support is

available through the Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC). This support includes pre-entryadvice and guidance for adults, matriculation tests, alternative entry schemes, and

preparatory programmes for adults, developing academic skills before entry, as well as

information on a range of issues relevant to such applicants. For further details, contact:[email protected], phone 0113 343 3212 or see

www.leeds.ac.uk/lifelonglearningcentre .

2.4.9 Part-Time Applicants

Due to the nature of the MBChB programme, we regret that we are unable to accept

applications from students wishing to study part-time.


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2.4.10 Disabled Applicants

The School of Medicine acknowledges that disabled people add value to the student bodyand the medical profession and welcomes applications from disabled people1. The

University will make reasonable adjustments to help ensure that disabled applicants have

full and equal access to our admissions procedures and courses. The judgment about anindividual applicants academic suitability will be kept separate from any consideration of

the applicants disability-related support requirements.

Applicants are invited to indicate their disability status on their application form and we

strongly encourage applicants to disclose any disability. Where candidates choose not todisclose their disability this may make it more difficult, or in some cases impossible, for

the University to make adjustments. Disabled applicants are also advised to contact the

Universitys Disability Team (part of the Universitys Equality Service) once an application

has been submitted through UCAS, to discuss any support requirements they may havein relation to the programme for which they have applied.

If any applicant feels that their disability has meant that they faced exceptional

circumstances that should be taken into account by the University when considering their

application, they should refer to section 4.12 of The Universitys Undergraduateadmissions policy (www.leeds.ac.uk/admissionspolicy ).

The admissions process is covered by the Universitys Policy on Equality and Diversity,

which is available from the University's Equality Service at www.equality.leeds.ac.uk . We

strive to adhere to the GMCs Gateways Guidance on this issue (www.gmc-uk.org/education/undergraduate/gateways_guidance.asp ).

2.4.11 Applicants with a health-related issue or other mitigatingcircumstances

The University of Leeds Undergraduate Admissions Policy details our policy concerning

applicants with a health related issue. The School sees health-related issues2 as being

distinct from disability-related issues, although, of course, in some cases, a disabledapplicant may also have a health-related issue.

Applicants with a health-related issue should contact the School as soon as possible iftheir health is likely to impact on their ability to engage with the admissions process.

If a candidate feels that their prior ill health or personal circumstances (for examplebereavement or other difficult home or family circumstances) may have affected their

pre-medical studies or the grades they received, we advise that they bring this to the

1 The University is committed to the social model of disability and in line with the definition underthe Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone with a physical or mental impairment

which is long-term (lasting 12 months or more) and which has a substantial impact of that personsability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The definition of disability includes long-term

medical conditions such as cancer (from the point of diagnosis), epilepsy, diabetes, Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome/ME and HIV/AIDS amongst others.

2 In contrast with disability issues, health issues are generally shorter-term (lasting less than 12months) and have a less significant impact on a persons ability to carry out normal day-to-day

activities.


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attention of their school or college. The school or college can then inform the appropriate

examinations board(s) to highlight these circumstances for consideration when awarding

the final grade of a qualification. On this basis, we expect that the examinations board(s)would already have taken into account mitigating circumstances when awarding grades

and hence any grades in a qualification would have already been moderated

appropriately.

Mitigating circumstances presented in retrospect after examinations have been taken willnot normally be considered. Any formal request for mitigating circumstances to be taken

into account in the admissions process should be supported by a full declaration about

the nature of the circumstances and whether or not these were declared to the examboard of the qualifications concerned. This declaration should be made either by a

verified statement in the initial UCAS application or by sending verified documentation

from the referee directly to Admissions.

2.4.12. Cashed in AS levels

AS level results are not considered as part of our selection process. However, the

University is encouraging applicants to declare their cashed in AS results to build up abank of data to use for further studies on the value of AS results in the selection process.

Thus, all applicants are encouraged to declare their cashed in AS results. Note that

failure to do so will not bias your application in any way.

2.5 Entry Requirements

2.5.1 Academic Requirements

For a full list of our up-to-date entry requirements and acceptable academic

qualifications, please see our web page at

www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/admissions/index.html .

All applicants must offer the following:

A. GCSE Subjects

We expect candidates to have obtained a substantial number of GCSE passes, at a high

standard. At least 6 grade Bs must be offered including the following:

English

Maths

Dual Science/Double Science, or Chemistry and Biology

B. A2 Subjects (or equivalent)

For School Leavers:

AAA including Chemistry.General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted. There is no other restriction on

subjects accepted.

Certain combinations are not acceptable. Specifically:

Chemistry with Biology and Human Biology Chemistry with Maths and Further Maths

Those taking a fourth A2 subject will not be at an advantage over those taking three.


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Other Qualifications considered in place of A2s:

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AdvancedDiploma

Grade A overall in Society, Health and Development plus a

minimum grade A in A2 Chemistry

BTEC Higher National Diploma in Science with high level of distinctions

Cambridge Pre-U

Three Distinctions (D3) in 3 Principal subjects, one of which mustbe Chemistry.

European

Baccalaureate

Total score of 85% with minimum of 8 in Chemistry.

InternationalBaccalaureate

Overall score of 36 points with a mark of 6 in 3 Higher Levelsubjects one of which must be Chemistry. Two subjects from

Biology, Maths and Physics must also be offered at either Higher orStandard Level if not offered at GCSE. If English not offered at

GCSE, this must be offered with a mark of at least 5 at Standard

level

Irish Leaving

Certificate

AAAAAA, including Chemistry, and two subjects from Biology,

Maths and Physics

ScottishHighers

AAAAB at Higher including Biology, and AB at Advanced Higher,including A in Chemistry

Welsh

Baccalaureate

Students should pass Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma

including Chemistry A2 plus one other A2 (excluding GeneralStudies and Critical Thinking) with grades of AA

Plus for Graduate/Mature Applicants:

Degrees A pass at 2i or higher in a science or medically related subjectis acceptable in place of A2 examinations.

Those graduates offering a non-science degree will needrelevant A levels as detailed above or an approved access to

medicine course (see under mature).

For applicants not offering Chemistry grade B at A2, evidence

must be provided that they have studied Chemistry to this

level. This can be: Approved courses from the Open University

A minimum of at least one year of university chemistry

An Access to Medicine Course

Dentists Entry to the 3rd year of the course may be possible for

dentists, who meet the following criteria when places are

available:

Have gained a registered qualification with the General

Dental Council

Have obtained Parts A and B of the Final part of theMFDS or Part 1 of the MJDF

Have been in an approved hospital post for at least oneyear

Non-graduate

matureapplicants or

graduates with

an Arts degree

A2s and GCSEs as given above or one of the following Access

courses with an overall mark of 70% with at least 70% inChemistry:

City College, Norwich

College of West Anglia, Kings Lynn Sussex Downs Adult College

Graduates who have undertaken Access to Medicine courses

would be expected to offer at least a 2i class of degree

A partly completed degree course is not acceptable in lieu of any of the above.


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Foundation courses accepted:

Foundation in Clinical Sciences, University of Bradford: Successful completion (entry intoYear 1).

Clinical Sciences BSc course, University of Bradford: Successful completion of Year 1(entry into Year 2).

Interdisciplinary Science Foundation Programme (CFGO): Successful completion of the

year with an overall score of at least 70% and a minimum score of 70% in Chemistry 1

and 2.

C. UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test)

Candidates applying to Medicine at Leeds will be required to take the UK Clinical AptitudeTest (UKCAT). The test must be taken between June September 2011 for applicants

applying for entry in October 2012. Further details are available on the UKCAT website

(www.ukcat.ac.uk). The scores will be scrutinised when selectors consider the rest of the

application alongside the personal statement, academic background and refereesstatement. There is no predetermined cut-off point.

Overseas applicants:Demonstration of proficiency in English is required for non-native English speakers.

Qualifications in lieu of GCSE English grade B can be one of the following:

Cambridge Proficiency

of English

Grade B

IELTS 7.5 including 7.5 in Spoken English

TOEFL Internet-based (iBT) minimum of 26 in each

component. Computer based 260. Paper based 620.

Entrance requirements may be reviewed and amended at the end of an admissions cyclebased on the performance of the previous years cohort.

2.5.2 Personal Statement

The Personal Statement in the UCAS form helps us to assess the nature of the applicantsinterest in the academic subject. It is an important part of the selection process and is

used not only during selection for interview but is likely to be explored during the

interview itself.

There are many sources of information to help you to write your personal statement,

these include:UCAS: www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/

Widening Access to Medical School: www.wanttobeadoctor.co.uk/main.php?page=6

The School of Medicine has also produced some guidance on writing a Personal

Statement. This is available at the Open Days and through the School of Medicine website.


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2.5.3 Personal Reference

We do take account of the personal reference given on the UCAS form when assessingapplicants. Please work with your referee when they are writing your reference to ensure

they include as much appropriate information as possible and direct them to the

guidance on the UCAS site (www.ucas.com/advisers/online/references ).

2.6 Acknowledgement of Applications and Communication ofOutcome

Formal responsibility for the acknowledgement of applications and communication of

results rests with UCAS. The volume of applications is such that it is not possible for theAdmissions Team to give any indication as to the outcome of individual applications prior

to receiving notification outside UCAS.Candidates should not be concerned if they do not

hear from the School of Medicine for some time, as the closing date for decisions to be

made by the University and given to UCAS is not until the end of March.

2.7 Unsuccessful Applicants

Applicants will receive an unsuccessful response if the School has decided not to

offer them a place on the programme. Applicants can be unsuccessful for many reasonsand should be aware that the MBChB receives far more applications than the number of

places available. Applicants who are unsuccessful in gaining a place on their chosenprogramme and wish to find out the reason for this should, in the first instance, refer to

the academic and non-academic entry requirements stated in this Admissions Policy.

Unsuccessful applicants may wish to request feedback on the reason for the outcome oftheir application. The candidate will only be given this on request and the feedback givenwill consist only of their scores according to the selection criteria and overall ranking

amongst applicants (i.e. where their score ranks them in percentile amongst the

applicants). It should be noted that we receive over 800 requests for feedback each yearand we do not have the staff capacity to enter into any correspondence once an applicant

is rejected. All requests for feedback must be made in writing by the candidate to the

Director of MBChB Admissions, School of Medicine, room 7.09, Level 7, Worsley Buildingand signed by the applicant, and must include a valid Email address to which the

information can be sent.

2.8 Complaints and Appeals

The School of Medicine will consider all applications fairly and effectively in line with the

procedures outlined in this document and in the University of Leeds UndergraduateAdmissions Policy.

Applicants who wish to challenge a decision to reject their application, if they feel theprocess has not been followed as indicated, should write to the Director of MBChB

Admissions, School of Medicine, Level 7, Worsley Building, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT,

detailing the nature of their complaint. Full details of the complaints procedure can befound in the University of Leeds Undergraduate Admissions Policy

(www.leeds.ac.uk/admissionspolicy ).

On receipt of a complaint, the Director of MBChB Admissions will review the decision to


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reject the applicant. Following review of this decision the Director or nominee will write to

the applicant giving grounds for their decision. Applicants who have complained to the

Director and remain dissatisfied may submit their complaint to the Universitys StudentComplaints Officer. This Officer will not review academic judgments that have been made

but will review matters relating to process. The Universitys Student Complaints Officer

will report the outcomes of any reviews s/he conducts to the Admissions and WideningParticipation Committee.

3. How Applications are Considered

3.1 Fair Admissions

The University recognizes that the admissions process must be fair and thus provide

equal opportunities for all applicants. Our selection process is designed to assess merit

and aims to recruit a diverse student body that reflects the wider community. We

support the principles set out in the Schwartz report 2004 Fair Admissions to HigherEducation: Draft Recommendations for Consultation. Specifically:

1. The selection process must be transparent.

2. The use of valid and reliable assessment methods.

3. Selection to include an assessment of the students likelihood of completing thecourse as judged by their achievements and potential.

4. Minimizing barriers for applicants.5. The selection process is professional in every respect and underpinned by

appropriate structures and policies.

3.2 The Selection Process

The selection process and timeline is summarised in Appendix A. All applications must be

made online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) at

www.ucas.com. Academic grades normally form only one part of the final decision andwe are looking for applicants who can demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge

and attributes that we believe will enable them to become a successful student in the

School of Medicine.

Applicants are scored on both academic (GCSE and A level grades or equivalent, and

UKCAT) and non-academic components (personal statement and reference). All scoresare collated and the applicants scoring the highest are invited for interview. The number

of applicants invited for interview is typically around 600. Those applicants not invited forinterview will be rejected at this stage.

3.3 Interviews

Applicants may be invited to interview as part of the selection procedure. Those

candidates short-listed for interview will receive a written invitation from the School toattend an interview on a specific time or date. A questionnaire will also be sent out at

this time asking for further details on work and voluntary placements including contactdetails. Applicants would be asked to let us know as soon as possible if they require an

alternative date using the contact details in the invitation letter. We will do our best to

accommodate such requests but this cannot be guaranteed.


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The interview allows us to further assess the non-academic criteria required, including

your communication skills, and allows us to validate the information on the personal

statement. On the day of interview, applicants will also have the opportunity to lookaround the School of Medicine and meet some of our students. Each applicant will receive

a similarly structured interview. The interview structure may vary as we are presently in

a transition phase from a standard to a multiple mini-interview (MMI) format so theapplicant could receive either of the above. However, all applicants will receive the same

interview type and will be advised in advanced of the format.

The questions and tasks in the interview are designed to gain further insight into

motivation to read medicine, the applicants social awareness, understanding ofresponsibility, and communication skills. Each member of the interview panel

independently scores the applicant based on their performance. The scores will be

collated to achieve an overall rating of the applicant.

3.4 Assessing Applications

The final selection of candidate is based on consideration of the following:

GCSE results or equivalent

A level grades or equivalent

UKCAT result Undergraduate performance where appropriate

Personal Statement

Reference

Interview performance

Performance in Access to Leeds module or other Widening Participation scheme ifapplicable

3.5 Offers

The top-ranked applicants based on our scoring of their UCAS forms are interviewed.

Those interviewees with the best-rated performance in the interview itself will be madean offer of a place. The number of offers made will be calculated in reference to previous

years intake statistics and conversion rates. Any offer is subject to the standardconditions (i.e. entry requirements) outlined in this policy document. Applicants who

narrowly fail to meet the requirements of the offer may still be considered for a place but

because the situation varies from year to year; it is not possible to forecast the likelyoutcome for an individual applicant. This will depend on the availability of places and the

grades actually achieved.

Conditional offer

A conditional offer means that the School of Medicine will offer an applicant a place

providing certain conditions are met. Usually conditions are based on the completion ofoutstanding qualifications e.g. A levels. If other conditions are to apply these will be

brought to the attention of applicants and will include criminal record and health checks.

Conditional offers may state the grades that must be achieved and/or specific grades innamed subjects.

Each offer is specific to an applicants individual qualifications and circumstances.

Applicants must typically meet the conditions set by the University by 31 August of the

application year.


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Unconditional offer

An unconditional offer means that an applicant has met the academic and non-academic

entry requirements but will still be required to meet the health and criminal recordchecks.

3.6 Information for Applicants in Specific Circumstances

3.6.1 Applicants who have faced exceptional circumstances

If any candidate feels that their prior ill-health or personal circumstance other than ill-

health (for example, bereavement, or other difficult home or family circumstances) mayhave affected their previous education, or grades received in past examinations, then

they are welcome to contact the School to discuss this further. Please see Section 2.4.11

for more detail on mitigating circumstances.

3.6.2 Resits/Reapplications

In most cases, we do not accept A levels retakes to improve grades. However, we

acknowledge that there are occasions where due to circumstances at the time the gradesachieved are not an accurate reflection of an applicants true abilities, and in such cases

we may accept the result from a resit of one A2 module for a candidate to whom we have

previously made an offer and who has failed to meet their offer by one A level grade(e.g. AAB instead of AAA). Prior agreement from Admissions is required in such cases.

We will also consider applications from individuals re-sitting exams where there are

exceptional circumstances. Well-supported documentary evidence of any extenuating

circumstances is required and you should use the UCAS form to explain this. This alsoapplies to students who sit their A-levels over 3 or more years (instead of the usual 2).

Again, you will need to provide details on the UCAS form of why you have sat the exams

over a longer period of time.

3.6.3 Withdrawal of an Application

An application may be withdrawn by the applicant or the University. In most cases if the

University withdraws an application the reason will be displayed on UCAS Track. TheUniversity reserves the right to withdraw an offer up to the point at which it has been

accepted by an applicant. In cases where candidates are required to attend an interview

as part of the application process applications may be withdrawn if a candidate fails toattend without making contact with the University, or if an applicant is unable to attend

and an alternative date cannot reasonably be found.

The above does not prejudice the Universitys right to rely upon published disclaimers

relating to delivery of programmes and services.

Applications withdrawn before an offer of interview is made will be considered as a non-

application. If a candidate withdraws twice or more before interview offer, then theAdmissions Committee will decide whether to consider any further applications from the

individual.

Any withdrawal after an offer of interview may result in a further application being

considered as a reapplication and the criteria in the section Applicants wishing to


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reapply would be applicable. If extenuating circumstances apply to such a withdrawal,

the candidate should write to the School outlining the situation.

3.7 Closing Dates

UCAS applications close on October 15th on the year preceding entry. UKCAT tests are

run on a regular basis and the test must be taken before October 7th 2011 for entry in

2012 or deferred entry in 2013. Please consult their website for more information at URL:www.ukcat.ac.uk.

3.8 Other Conditions of Admission

3.8.1 Health Requirements

Any offer of a place to study medicine is conditional upon a satisfactory confidentialoccupational health assessment, which will include a health questionnaire, and ifnecessary further telephone consultation and/or an appointment with an occupational

health clinician. Screening for serious communicable disease, (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C,

HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and a review of immunisation needs will also be arranged beforecommencement of medical studies. Prospective medical students are strongly

recommended to consult the following documents:

1. Medical Students Standards of medical fitness to train:

www.heops.org.uk/HEOPS_Medical_Students_fitness_standards_2011_v5.pdf

2. Department of Health recommendations for immunisation. See Chapter 12.

Immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff in:www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Immunisation/Greenbook/index.htm

3. Screening requirements for serious communicable diseases in: Medical and DentalStudents: Health clearance for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and Tuberculosis,

February 2008:

www.medschools.ac.uk/AboutUs/Projects/Documents/Web_Health%20clearance%20for%20medical%20and%20dental%20students.pdf

4. Medical students: professional values and fitness to practice, published by theGMC and the Medical Schools Council (revised in 2009):

www.medschools.ac.uk/Publications/Documents/GMC_MedicalStudents.pdf

The Medical School can arrange an occupational health specialist consultation if

prospective students require advice about the above before making an application. Theschool reserves the right to refuse admission to the medical course to a student on the

basis of health. Applicants should note that the health requirements may be subject to

change.

3.8.2 Criminal Record Checks

The University has a Policy statement on students with criminal records (URL:

www.leeds.ac.uk/AAandR/st_crim_rec.htm . This policy applies to applicants seekingadmission to the MBChB programme. It should be noted that if an applicant is required to

disclose a criminal offence and fails to do so this will generally be considered a veryserious matter and is likely to lead to their application being rejected or, if admitted, to


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their registration at the University being revoked. Having a prior criminal record will not

necessarily prevent an applicant from being offered a place; this may depend, for

example, on the nature, timing and relevance of the criminal offence in question. TheUniversity may request further information about the nature or context of an applicants

criminal record.

On the UCAS application form candidates are expected to indicate in the relevant box if

they have a relevant criminal conviction. All convictions must be disclosed and thisincludes convictions, cautions and fixed penalty notices.

As part of any offer, the School will need to verify whether you have a criminal recordand, if you do, to judge whether it is suitable for you to carry on with the course. For the

vast majority of students who are resident in the UK, the record will be checked via the

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). Enhanced disclosure will be sought at confirmation time(i.e. when you have met all conditions as stated in your offer). Further information on the

CRB is available on their website at URL: www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk. The cost for the

enhanced check is 44.3

Due to the nature of the course the University requires that applicants disclose all

information relating to your conviction(s). The University is entitled to this information inaccordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. No

convictions are to be regarded as spent. If anything revealed by the search is regardedas a potential problem, the School will review the matter in accordance with its policy. A

copy of the Schools policy on Criminal Record Checks can be obtained from the

Admissions Office, or is available on the Admissions website.

Any concealment of a criminal record including cautions and fixed penalty notices may

result in withdrawal of an offer or expulsion from the course.

The Medical Schools Council publication Medical Students; professional behaviour andfitness to practise March 2009 provides further guidance on fitness to practise and this isavailable to download at www.medschools.ac.uk/Publications/ .

It should be noted that the General Medical Council also considers criminal convictions in

relation to fitness to practice and the School has no control over this process. It is

possible that certain criminal convictions could pose difficulties at the point of provisionalregistration. See:

www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/registration_applications/declaration_of_ftp.asp .

International Students: The CRB check can only include background checks on your time

in the UK. If the student has been resident in the UK for less than 3 years, then a

criminal record check from your home country is required IN ADDITION TO the UK CRBcheck. This may be referred to as a Certificate of Good Conduct (CoGC) but the name

varies. It is completely at the discretion of the School of Medicine whether they wish toaccept this check.

3.9 Fraud, Omission and plagiarism

The University of Leeds follows the UCAS procedures on fraudulent statements and

omissions. Applicants should not omit any requested or relevant information, make anymisrepresentation (for example, through plagiarism) or give false or misleading

information at any point of the application process including after an offer is made.

3 Current charge by CRB in August 2011


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Should this occur the University reserves the right to dismiss an application, withdraw an

offer of a place and/or revoke registration.

The UCAS Similarity Detection Service processes all personal statements received in

support of an application in order to identify statements that show similarity. Both the

applicant and the University will receive notification from UCAS of any cases where asignificant amount of potentially plagiarized material is identified. At the discretion of the

University of Leeds, applicants who are identified by the UCAS Similarity DetectionService may be given the opportunity to submit a new personal statement in support of

their application.

4. Use of Applicant Data

After internal assessment, data is held on file for the purposes of (i) further applications

from an individual and (ii) internal analysis of selection performance. In the latter casedata is anonymized such that it cannot be linked to a named individual.

UCAS will be providing contextual data along with each application that includes:

1. School performance average of students achieving 5 A*-C GCSE.2. School performance average QCA point score for best 8 GCSEs.

3. School performance average QCA points per A level entry (or equivalent).

4. UCAS tariff point score per Scottish Highers entry.5. School performance average QCA points per A level student (or equivalent).

6. School performance average UCAS tariff points per Scottish Highers entry.

7. Percentage of students at the school entitled to free school meals.8. Percentage of students at the school registered for free school meals.

9. Percentage of students at the school entitled to the EMA.

10.Applicant lives in a low progression to higher education neighbourhood.

These data will not be used in the admissions process in 2012 but may be used forinternal analysis to improve future selection cycles.

5. Fees, Funding and Bursaries

The University of Leeds is committed to encouraging students from all backgrounds, and

we therefore have a comprehensive package of financial support that may also beavailable from us. We expect that one-in-three students will be eligible for financial help

from the University. For further information on Financial Support, please visit

www.leeds.ac.uk/yourfinances.

6. University Open Days and Other Courses

The University of Leeds Undergraduate Open Days are usually held in June andSeptember/October and are designed for prospective applicants rather than those who

have already been made an offer. Dates for these Open Days can be found at:www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30335/open_days .


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There are also courses and conferences held in the UK that offer advice and information

on a career in medicine. Please note that the University of Leeds is not associated with

the running of these courses; they also carry a cost that must be borne by the attendee.Examples of courses are:

Medsim: www.medlink-uk.com/medsim/faq.htm

Medisix: www.synergysolutions.org.uk/Medisix.html Medi-Quest: www.medi-quest.com/

M&D Experience: www.mdexperience.co.uk/ EPOC Careers & Training: www.epoc.org.uk/

Useful web sites:

General Medical Council:www.gmc-uk.org

Medical Schools Council:www.medschools.ac.uk

A Taste of Medicine: www.tasteofmedicine.co.uk So you want to be a doctor: www.wanttobeadoctor.co.uk. A web site designed by

medical students at the University of Leeds for sixth formers considering a career

in medicine.

7. Contact Details and Further Information

General pre-application enquiries

For general enquiries and information relating to courses and admission to the Universityof Leeds, applicants should contact the Course Enquiries Office at:

Course Enquiries, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JTTelephone: +44 (0) 113 343 2336

Email: [email protected]

URL: www.leeds.ac.uk/students .

Post-application enquiriesAdmissions enquiries specific to the School of Medicine should be addressed to:The Admissions Section

School of Medicine

Room 7.09, Level 7Worsley Building, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

Tel: +44 (0) 113 3434379/113 3437194

E-mail: [email protected] URL:www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine .


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Appendix A

Selection Process Timeline

UptoOctober15th:

UCASformsubmitted

UniversityofLeeds

CentralAdmissions

LateSeptemberonwards:

SchoolofMedicinereceivesUCASforms

AdmissionsOf@icecategorises

andsortsforms

Copiesofformssentto

assessors

Assessorsscorepersonaland

refereesstatements

AssessedformsreturnedtoAdmissionsandscorescheckedandrecorded

AcademicscoringandUKCATScorescollatedinAdmissions

Of@ice

AccesstoLeedsapplicantsassessedinconsultationwith

Sub-Dean

AdmissionsTeamcategoriseapplicationsas:

1.Interview

2.Reject

3.PendingDecision

November-March:

Letterssentoutinvitingtointerview

Rejectionletterssentout

December-March:

Interviewstakeplace

ScorescollatedinAdmissionsOf@ice

JanuaryFirstrejectionssentout

March-JuneLettersofOffersentout

August:

Finallistofstudents

Leeds Guidance

Documents

Transcript of Leeds Guidance