Engage. Erase. Equip.

The under-representation of medical school applicants and medical students from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds is an ongoing concern. Approximately 20% of secondary schools and colleges in the UK account for around 80% of medicine applicants. And around half of UK secondary schools and colleges did not provide any applicants to medicine over a three-year period (Medical Schools Council, 2014). The Aspiring Medic’s Support (TAMS) was consequently established in 2018 in response to this complex issue. TAMS is a registered community interest company led by medical students and doctors who have lived the reality of these dire statistics. With a particular focus on the city of London, TAMS was established with a mission to Engage, Erase and Equip.

Engage. Community engagement is at the forefront of our work as a company. At TAMS, we believe in the efficacy of directly engaging with teachers, parents and students in order to address the substantial knowledge gaps between students of different socioeconomic class. Our flagship event, ‘Aspiring Medic’s Days’, are borough-wide events aimed at directly engaging with schools that are less equipped to support their medical school applicants.

Erase. We also strive to erase the false preconceptions that students may have of the field of medicine. Many of the students we work with lack self-confidence in their ability to pursue a medical career due to their socioeconomic status. They often believe that medicine is a career for the elite and those with high levels of social capital. Therefore, through our community engagement programmes, we are able to take medical students from the university prospectus into the classroom. Students thus benefit from this exposure as they are able to relate to the common social and economic barriers that the TAMS team members had to overcome.

Equip. Finally, our vision to equip students in London from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds to apply to medical school is achieved through our mentoring programme. Following each ‘Aspiring Medics Day’, attendees are invited to apply to our 12-month intensive mentoring programme. The programme entails: assisting students to attain work experience placements, personal statement review, interview preparation and much more. Thus far, TAMS has successfully supported two students in securing their places at UK medical schools.

At TAMS, we do not view ourselves as the sole solution to this complex issue, but more so as a part of a cooperative effort to combat this problem. We are proud of our close links with governmental bodies, university-led schemes, researchers, schools and families to: Engage, Erase and Equip.

Our vision as a company is to thus support every aspiring and current medical student from socioeconomically disadvantaged background within the United Kingdom. We aim to build a future where these students are placed on an equal footing with their counterparts, no longer hindered by factors outside of their control.