Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes

The Roman poet Juvenal, in his Satires, asked the question, “ Who watches the watchmen?” It would appear that it isn't completely clear to many of my medical colleagues what metrics are currently applied to admit students into the arts and inner mysteries of our medical schools. The admissions process, viewed across the United Kingdom, does exhibit significant variation. There is a long list of entry criteria: academic achievement, interviews, the personal statement, UKCAT examination, competitive interviews and OSCE’s are all used by some. The UKCAT examination, for example, is an evaluation process that is billed as not requiring advance preparation. There is however a plethora of preparation material available, and many sixth-form students approach it with the fervour of the convert. What this does for the subsequent result analysis is for expert interpretation, and not for me.