Sir, Your article regarding medical school admission for state school pupils (Dec 10) highlighted a great disparity between the state and private sector. The suggestions to increase state-school numbers were based around grade deflation. However, grades are just one aspect to applying to medical school. Relevant work experience and a plethora of extracurricular activities succinctly described in the personal statement are arguably as important as grades.
In my experience, because of poor careers advice, state-school pupils often fall down on these, leaving great holes in their CV. Improving careers advice in the state sector would mean their pupils selected appropriate subjects and were steered in the right direction, picking up valuable CV points, much as their privately educated colleagues are.
Dr Andrew Burgess
Great Warley,