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The MTAS Application Form Explained


Overview of the application form

There are 8 sections to the form:

  1. Personal Details
  2. Qualifications
  3. Clinical skills checklist – applicants tick the skills they think they will have achieved by the time they leave medical school – this is NOT marked, and will be used by the foundation trust to identify areas of knowledge/skills where the newly qualified doctors may need further training.
  4. Equal opportunities questions (gender, ethnicity, age, religion)
  5. 2x References – theses must be a senior clinicians (GPs, Consultants and Associated Specialists). (NB. You must ask referees permission before submitting their details).
  6. 7 questions (60 points available):
    • The 1st question will be on ‘academic achievements:
      8 points in total (5 for BSc/BA/MA/PhD; 3 for other achievements)
      5 points for a 1st BSc, BA, MA or PhD
      4 points for a 2.1
      3 points for a 2.2
    • Other achievements: 1 for national presentation, 1 for national prize, 1 for publication
    • The other 6 questions will be ‘reflective’, 4 or 5 will relate to clinical experiences and 1 or 2 will relate to non-academic/non-clinical experiences. (Plagiarism software will be used and plagiarism will not be tolerated).
    • Each of the questions will be marked by 2 separate markers, 1 of whom will be a clinician.
  7. Quartiles (academic ranking)
    1st quartile = 40 points
    2nd quartile = 38 points
    3rd quartile = 36 points
    4th quartile = 34 points
  8. Preferences of foundation schools – rank all schools in order of preference (1-27).

Other important information

  • Applications can be linked: 2 applicants can link their applications – to do this they must rank the foundation trusts in the same order. The forms will be marked individually and both students will be allocated to the foundation trust which the lowest scoring student is allocated to. (NB. Once linked, the application forms cannot be unlinked).
  • For an academic foundation programme, this system is not used – academic programmes are advertised individually in May/June. Students apply for these in their 4th year.

Sources of Information