Brighton and Sussex Medical School

BSMS is committed to offering accurate and detailed information, advice and guidance to those who require it.

Through outreach work with schools and sixth form colleges and nationally recognised widening participation programmes, prospective students are able to gain valuable insight into making a strong application to medical school.

Online resources

The Medical Schools Council has produced a significant number of informative online resources to support students in their applications to medical school. These resources have been produced in conjunction with admissions tutors from a number of UK medical schools, including BSMS.

Widening Participation criteria

BrightMed, BrightMed 12x3 and BrightIdeas are widening participation programmes aimed at supporting young people from non-traditional and disadvantaged backgrounds to make a competitive application to medicine.

While we would welcome applications from all students, BSMS prioritises students who meet specific widening participation criteria for these events and most students invited to attend will meet at least two of the below criteria:

• No immediate family history of higher education (excluding siblings)
• Currently in, or have been in, the care of a local authority
• Care for someone at home with a long-term illness or disability
• Have a registered disability
• Are eligible for free school meals or a 16-19 college bursary
• Are eligible for any other means tested benefit
• Likely to live in a low participation neighbourhood (POLAR3 data)
• Likely to live in a deprived neighbourhood according to Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data
• Likely to be from NS-SEC 4-7 groups
• Is attending or has attended an underperforming state school (GCSE national average)

In addition to the BSMS Widening Participation programmes, BSMS run careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) sessions with schools and colleges across the south east.
 
Primary Outreach

The BSMS Outreach team works with pupils in Year 5 and 6 in local state schools to drive educational attainment, raise future aspirations and form strong links between BSMS and the local community. We also support local community events, such as the Brighton Science Festival, held in February/March every year.

What Primary Outreach events are there?

School Visits:
BSMS Medical Students will travel to a local primary school and teach a class of pupils as part of a team. These school visits normally occur on Wednesday afternoons and cover different topics allied to the National Curriculum.

Campus Visits:
Facilitated by the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton, BSMS supports campus visits for primary school students. The sessions follow a similar format and cover the same topics as our school visits.
 
School Talks and Visits:
BSMS regularly visits schools and colleges across the country to deliver presentations on applying to medical school and to attend careers fairs at institutions where learners may be interested in applying to study medicine.

We can run sessions on demystifying the application process, writing personal statements, choosing the right medical school, the NHS, as well as interview practice. Depending on the dates and times, we may be able to bring current BSMS medical students to speak with students.

Hub Schools:
To increase the accessibility of medicine-specific careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to students & schools in the South East, the BSMS Outreach team are looking for schools across the region to act as 'Hub Schools' for BSMS Outreach initiatives.

A BSMS 'hub school' will be able to provide resources and organisation for regular visits from the BSMS Outreach Team, and will facilitate the attendance of learners at other schools & colleges at these sessions.

Sessions will cover a variety of topics, including medical admissions, medicine taster sessions, personal statement writing and practice interviews. Sessions be delivered by BSMS staff and a number of current students where required. If the school can facilitate it, we can welcome medical school applicants to BSMS for a mock Multiple Mini Interview.

International School Events - UK Medical School Experience:
For young people in schools overseas looking to apply to study medicine in the UK, BSMS runs the UK Medical School Experience (UKMSE), a three-day event for Year 11 and Year 12 students. Designed to highlight the specifics of applying to medicine in the UK, this event provides advice and guidance focusing on medicine and life as a medical student. Activities, run by BSMS staff and students will include taster lectures on anatomy and the human body, clinical skills, ethics, and more. Additional sessions will focus on the UCAS process and the requirements needed to submit a strong application to study medicine. Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in mock panel interviews and a mock Multiple Mini Interview.