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In Focus - Caitlyn Foster

Caitlyn Foster

Year of Study: Year 3

This month, we caught up with Year 3 student and MedSoc social inclusivity rep, Caitlyn. In her interview, Caitlyn shares her words of wisdom for acing medical school interviews and the UCAT. She also tells us why she loves living in Brighton.

What made you want to study Medicine?

I felt like medicine was a super exciting career pathway and allows me to pursue something scientific and academic, whilst still feeling like I am able to make a difference to people directly.

How did you choose which medical schools to apply to?

The course structure and location were the most important to me – I picked schools in cities I could actually see myself living in, and courses with early clinical exposure and opportunities.

What made you want to study at BSMS?

The location! Brighton is an absolute dream city to live and study in. I also loved the structure of the course at BSMS, with early clinical exposure and cadaveric dissection.

Top tips for UCAT?

Practice little and often, you'll burn out if you run at 100% all the time. 20-30 mins of practice every day is more than enough, then increase it to a full practice paper every few days as you get closer to the exam. Also take advantage of Passmedicine - it's free! It has question banks and allows you to do timed practice.

How did you prepare for interview?

I did a lot of reading around areas of medicine I was interested in, which gave me something extra to talk about and give real world examples in response to questions. Also practice! There is a great charity called Zero Gravity which matches aspiring uni students up to current students for application help, my mentor was amazing and did lots of interview practice with me so I felt really prepared.

Any tips for interviews?

Breathe! Interviews are super nerve wracking, you're totally okay to take 30 seconds after the question has been asked to gather your thoughts and come up with a response that you can be happy with rather than panicked word vomit. Also remember to smile, be friendly, act like you want to be there and are interested in the discussions you're having – examiners want to see you be passionate and interested in the course.

If you could go back in time to give one piece of advice to younger self, what would it be?

Make time for yourself. It's easy to get caught up in your ambitions and working hard to achieve them, but make sure you take enough time to relax, reset, spend time with friends and loved ones so you can feel at your best when it really matters.

Any advice for managing the transition to university?

Try and do as much as possible! Join every society you think you'd like, speak to as many people as you can. The more opportunities you give yourself, the more likely you are to find your people/thing/place.

Are you involved in any sports or societies? If so, can you tell us a bit about them?

I'm part of MedSoc this year – the medical society! My role is social inclusivity rep, so I was in charge of planning the inclusive/non-drinking Freshers events this year, as well as socials throughout the year. It's been super fun and being part of MedSoc is a great way to meet new people and feel really at the heart of the medical school.

What has been your favourite part of the BSMS Medicine course?

I'm having such a great time on placement at the minute, the first two years were very academic and dense with content so it's nice to be out in hospitals practicing and learning what it's actually like to be a doctor. It's a really great feeling to be able to speak to patients and provide a level of care for them as part of a team in the hospital.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

What has been your BSMS highlight?

I loved the Winter Ball in first year, it was a really really lovely event for us all to celebrate getting into med school and starting our journey together.

What is your favourite thing about living in Brighton and Hove?

I honestly love everything about the city. It's really full of life, and has everything from a packed shopping centre and high street, plenty of green spaces, independent shops, and of course the beach! The city is also walkable and the buses are pretty reliable too.

Describe your medical school experience in three words.

Exciting, fulfilling, community.