Experience The Programme

The Medical, Dental and Veterinary professions demand the very highest standards from their students and it is not enough to get three A grades at A Level.  Nearly all medical and dental schools as well as one veterinary school  have now introduced their additional entrance tests – BMAT or UKCAT.  Moreover, Medical, Dental and Veterinary schools seek students who can demonstrate a full and rounded knowledge and experience of their chosen fields of study as well as exceptional academic performance. Therefore, appropriate work experience is vital for a successful application.

The Lansdowne Medic Programme is a well-established course with a reputation based upon first class teaching, excellent results and a high number of placements within a wide range of medical, dental, veterinary and related disciplines.

The aim of the course is to help each and every one of the prospective Medical / Dental / Veterinary students at Lansdowne meet the university requirements and fulfill their ambition of studying their chosen field. The two hurdles to be overcome are firstly convincing an admissions officer that the student is worthy of being offered a place and secondly meeting the examination targets that the university has set for entry.

Although success will ultimately depend on the student’s own performance both at the Medical / Dental / Veterinary school interview and in the A Level examinations, our programme prepares students so that they are able to maximise their potential and therefore, their chance of success.

University Courses

As well as Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science, the Medic Programme includes many other career paths such as Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, and Podiatry to name a few.  Regardless of their choice, students are assessed over their suitability for the chosen career path and alerted of all the requirements prior to the completion of the UCAS application. Student preparation takes place through many one-to-one sessions with the Director of Medical Programme at Lansdowne.

Process

As soon as a student enrolls at Lansdowne and joins the Medic Programme, their UCAS application is monitored closely.  Support and detailed advice is provided in every aspect of the application from writing the personal statement to choosing the best offer from the universities.  It is a common occurrence that the students are provided with ample knowledge and practice prior to each interview.  As a result, the care and attention extended to each student is unique and tailor-made to the individual’s needs.

• In the classroom: A high standard of teaching, which is examination board specific. Class sizes average no more than 8 students.
• Learning and study skills: Students are shown how to develop effective learning strategies to cover their study and examination needs.
• Tutorials: These tutorials enable the tutors to focus on the student’s individual needs or weaknesses.
• Emphasis on the examination technique: As well as having access to all relevant past papers (including mark schemes and solutions) tutors provide in-depth analysis of past papers and how they should be tackled. Examination practice periods and mock examinations help make students totally familiar with and confident about the examination process before they actually enter the examination hall.
• Help with the UCAS process: The Director of Medical Programmes has extensive experience of dealing with the university application procedure and she, with the assistance of experienced tutors, will help students with course and university choices as well as the all important personal statement. She will ensure that the application is made early and with the best possible references.
• Mock interviews: Each student is briefed fully before any university interview. Students are expected to attend at least one mock interview with The Director of Medical Programmes and another senior tutor.
• A full report on previous examinations: If the College feels it is appropriate, Lansdowne will contact the board for a report on previous examinations taken by each retake student. We can then concentrate on the student’s weaknesses identified by the report.
• Monitoring: The Director of Medical Programmes is normally the personal tutor for prospective medical/dental students and they meet on a regular basis to review the student’s progress. In the event that a student appears not to be measuring up to the required standard, an alteration to the programme may be advocated if this is deemed to be in the student’s best interest.

The Teachers

Led by the Director of Medical Programmes, all teachers are highly experienced in teaching the various lengths of courses including the short retake course format. Our teachers are both dedicated and committed to student success with exceptional teaching records in student motivation and examination results. In line with the Lansdowne philosophy, our teachers are not only selected for their professional expertise but also for their ability to relate to young people.

Director of Medical Programmes

Dr Pantea Etessami read for her first degree in Microbiology at University College, London. This was followed by a Masters degree in Biochemistry (Genetic Manipulation) at the University of Sussex. From there, Dr Etessami was awarded a scholarship by the John Innes Foundation to study for her Doctorate in Molecular Biology. After completing post-doctoral research, she moved to Imperial College where she taught and continued her research. Immediately before joining Lansdowne in 2008, Dr Etessami had worked on several research projects in the pharmaceutical sector and had held various teaching posts at Sixth Form level. She has also found time to complete another Masters degree in Decision Analysis at the London School of Economics.