Target Medicine Mentoring Scheme - Volunteer Application - 2018-19

What is Target Medicine?

Target Medicine (TM) is UCL Medical School’s Widening Participation initiative aimed at raising attainment and aspirations of young people from underrepresented backgrounds into medicine and health care. All events are free of charge. Students who take part in Target Medicine programmes will be from non-selective state schools around Greater London who meet selected eligibility criteria as outlined by UCL’s Widening Participation Team.

Target Medicine currently comprises of several events and programmes, but the Target Medicine Mentoring Scheme is the largest. By becoming a Target Medicine Mentor Scheme volunteer, you will also have the opportunity to get involved in a range of other Target Medicine programmes and events such as our Year 11 Summer School and Year 9/10 BECOME event for young people from African and Caribbean backgrounds.

UCL is committed to widening participation to ensure those with the ability, regardless of their background, will have the opportunity to apply for and succeed in higher education. UCL Medical School also recognises the importance of a diverse NHS that better reflects patients and their needs. Through Target Medicine we aim break down barriers to Medical School, support, guide and empower young people from diverse backgrounds with the potential to study Medicine, and help create an NHS that is reflective and understanding of a changing national population.

To find out more about Target Medicine, please visit http://ucl.ac.uk/target-medicine. To learn more about Widening Participation at UCL, please visit http://ucl.ac.uk/wp.

What is the Target Medicine Mentoring Scheme?

The Target Medicine Mentoring Scheme matches over 230 sixth form pupils with 60 UCL medical students offering guided lessons and targeted support enabling pupils to become more competitive, well-informed, medical school applicants.

The programme recognises that although young people from underrepresented backgrounds may have the aspiration, desire and ability to study medicine, they may not receive the necessary support and guidance when making their applications. The TM Mentoring Scheme aims to rectify this. The work of volunteer mentors takes place to fit with the whole of the application process and therefore runs over a calendar year rather than an academic year.

As a volunteer mentor on the Mentoring Scheme you and your team would work with a small group of sixth form pupils to give them a better understanding of what is needed to be a successful applicant to medical school. You would provide structured support and guidance to them throughout the application process.

What roles can I apply for in the Target Medicine Mentoring Scheme?

The following application form will allow you to apply for two different roles within the Mentoring Scheme:

Mentor Team Member: responsible for mentoring a small group of sixth form students and working in your team of TM Mentors

Mentor Team Leader: responsible for mentoring a small group of sixth formers and leading a team of TM Mentors. Medical Students must have mentored for at least one year to apply for a Team Leader role.

Once you’ve become an experienced Mentor, in future years you will have the opportunity to apply for other roles such as Student Lead.

Want more information before applying? Why not attend our information evening on Tuesday 2nd October from 6-7pm in Meeting Room 1, Rockefeller Building, UCL Bloomsbury.

What training and support will I receive?

As a Target Medicine volunteer you will be fully trained in mentoring, presentation skills, child protection and safeguarding and group work. This training takes place on four or five Wednesday evenings during the autumn term. The scheme is structured to ensure every volunteer mentor is well supported by team leaders, peers and staff.

What’s in it for medical students?

• The opportunity to inspire and enable others to study medicine
• The satisfaction of contributing your personal experience with the next generation
• The opportunity to mentor school/college students
• Working with like-minded peers
• Training opportunities
• Gaining key transferable skills including team work, event organisation, teaching, presentation, project management, leadership and group work
• Priority for paid work opportunities within Target Medicine
• Recognition through the Volunteering Services Unit
• Supporting a worthy cause
• Fun!

Quotes from previous volunteers:

“Target Medicine has reminded me how privileged I am to be a medical student, and how much I want to help enable anybody who wants to be here to get here.”

“Target Medicine is a great opportunity to work with young people from backgrounds not well represented at medical school.”

“Knowing you are making the difference to students who otherwise would not have any support with their applications is a fulfilling and rewarding experience.”

“It’s been amazing to see the development of many of the students in Target Medicine and their progression over the year.”

“During my time with Target Medicine I have had the opportunity to mentor, teach and perform presentations, learning skills that will prove very useful throughout my medical career."

How do I apply?

To apply, please read the Application Guidelines and complete the following application form on Eventbrite by relevant deadline below.

Please note: different year groups will have different application deadlines due to varying university start dates.

SSC Applications: If you are applying as an SSC, you must indicate this on your application and email Targetmedicine@ucl.ac.uk with your full name to notify us of your application. Use the subject heading “TM Mentor Application – SSC Yr [insert year]” This is so that we can process your application before the Medical School SSC deadline.

Deadline to apply

Mentor Team Leader Applications

Y4 & Y5: 10am - Wednesday 12th September
Y2 & Y3: 10am - Monday 1st October

Mentor Team Member Applications

Y2 SSC: 5pm – Thursday 4th October.
All other applications (including Y1 SSC): 5pm - Sunday 7th October

Click here to go back to the main UCL Target Medicine volunteer website.

Target Medicine Mentor Scheme: Privacy Notice

Target Medicine Mentor Scheme Manager: Rupa Lakhani | Email: R.lakhani@ucl.ac.uk
Target Medicine Mentor Scheme Academic Lead: Shirley Cupit | Email: s.cupit@ucl.ac.uk
UCL Data Protection Officer: Lee Shailer | Email: l.shailer@ucl.ac.uk

The below application form will be collecting your personal data. The data collected here will be processed by University College London for the administration of your participation in UCL Widening Participation Programmes, including the Target Medicine Mentor Scheme. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to a copy of the data held about you by us. If you would like a copy of the data you have supplied to us please contact us on targetmedicine@ucl.ac.uk.

The data we collect will also be processed for monitoring, research and evaluation of UCL Widening Participation programmes and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 for an extended period of time.

You will have the option in the application form to select whether or not you would like to give us consent to collect and use your data for these purposes.