For pupils considering careers in medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, or the allied health professions, preparation needs to go well beyond academic attainment. At Oundle, the Medical, Veterinary and Dental Society, known as MedSoc, plays a quietly significant role in helping pupils deepen their understanding of healthcare, prepare for competitive university applications, and connect with professionals working across these challenging yet rewarding fields.
MedSoc brings together pupils with a shared curiosity about healthcare and a willingness to engage seriously with its intellectual, ethical, and human challenges. Through a carefully structured programme of talks, seminars, and practical experiences, pupils are encouraged to explore the realities of medical and clinical careers while developing the confidence and clarity needed for highly competitive university applications.
A central feature of this preparation is Oundle’s annual mock Multiple Mini Interviews, or MMIs. Last term, Sixth Form pupils, alongside pupils from OPEN Learning Partnership schools, took part in an evening designed to mirror the intensity and pace of the real admissions process. For many, it was their first experience of being tested in this way.
Over the course of two hours, pupils rotated through a series of fast paced, five minute interview stations, each designed to assess a different skill essential to healthcare professions. These included ethical reasoning, communication and role-play scenarios, data interpretation, manual dexterity, and problem-solving tasks. The format is demanding by design. Pupils were challenged to think critically under time pressure, demonstrate empathy and compassion, apply medical ethics, and articulate structured reasoning—qualities vital for success in Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine.
What makes the experience particularly valuable is the breadth of professional insight involved. Interviewers included teachers from across OPEN Learning Partnership schools, Health Centre nurses, practising GPs and surgeons, dentists, vets, and other healthcare specialists. Their varied perspectives brought authenticity to the process and exposed pupils to the diversity of expectations they may encounter beyond school. In total, more than 200 individual interviews took place during the evening.
Crucially, the experience does not end when the interviews do. Each pupil receives detailed, personalised feedback, helping them understand both their strengths and the areas where further development is needed. Pupils frequently comment that this reflection is one of the most valuable aspects of the process. It demystifies the interview experience, builds confidence, and provides a clear sense of what medical schools are really looking for.
This year, there are nine pupils aiming to study Veterinary Science and Medicine, as well applications for Physiotherapy and Midwifery. Each pathway is different, but all share the same foundation of careful thought, sustained commitment, and an understanding that these professions demand passion, intellectual rigour and human sensitivity.
MedSoc reflects something deeply characteristic of Oundle. Preparation here is serious but not performative. Pupils are challenged, supported, and encouraged to engage honestly with demanding ambitions, gaining not just confidence for applications, but insight into the kind of professionals they may one day become.
