Thaddeus
Thaddeus decided to pursue a career in Medicine much later than many students so he did not have a long track record of typical activities to boost his academic portfolio. Because he did not meet the academic requirements for Singapore and UK medical schools, he chose to apply to University of Western Australia and University of Adelaide. This also accounted for his lack of confidence and concern about how he measured up to other applicants.
01 Test Preparation
Despite his limited knowledge and experience with standardised tests, Thaddeus worked closely with his test preparation coaches to figure out what the different question types required, apply the strategies and tips taught, and manage his time properly. Despite his best effort, Thaddeus found out that he had scored poorly for ISAT before his UCAT ANZ test. This really shook his confidence and he needed a pep talk to focus on the test. Thaddeus was able to pull himself together and did well in four sections.
02 Admissions Preparation
When Thaddeus started working with his admissions coach, it was clear that he had a heart for people but, at first glance, he struggled to demonstrate an aptitude and passion for the sciences. His coach walked him through the personal branding process and examined his academic portfolio closely. With his coach’s guidance, Thaddeus developed a very strong sense of self which he articulated authentically and realised he actually possessed many transferable skills required to be a doctor.
03 Interview Preparation
In order to prepare for his interview, Thaddeus read widely about common controversial medical topics and the AMA code of ethics to get a broad understanding of ethical concerns. Initially, Thaddeus’s responses were details of events that were strung together, and black and white. With a better understanding of what interviewers looked for, he was able to think critically and reflectively, identify the concerns and issues, and structure his responses to show what he had learnt and how he intended to apply his transferable skills at medical school.
04 Results
Thaddeus’s journey with ICON culminated in an offer from University of Adelaide which he was extremely gratefully for because he what he had learnt was not limited to his university application.