Congratulations! You have been accepted into the University of Leeds to study medicine as a direct entrant to third year. Direct entrants have a ‘catch up’ lecture series with the head of third year a week before university is due to start. It will involve teaching sessions with various doctors on common medical topics – ECGs, physical examinations, chest x-ray interpretation etc. You can also practice some of these skills on suitable patients if time allows. It’s a really useful few days so I would advise you to plan ahead and make the most of it by brining any questions you may have.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) is renowned for its long and arduous pathway. There have historically been various routes into OMFS, with the second-degree often being considered by both dentistry- and medicine-first trainees as the biggest hurdle. With recent changes to specialty training, this guide aims to concisely delineate the pathways available to the Scottish applicant.