Cambridge Graduate Entry Medical Student from a non-science background. I’ve helped every single one of my tutees — 100% — gain an offer for Graduate Entry Medicine.

Find out more about Freddie

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My interest in Graduate Entry Medicine applications grew directly from my own experience of going through the process. My first year of applying was unsuccessful, and rather than giving up, I used that setback as an opportunity to deeply analyse what hadn't worked and refine every aspect of my application. When I reapplied, that hard work paid off and I received offers from all four universities I applied to. That journey gave me an intimate understanding of what the process truly demands, and I realised I was in a unique position to help others navigate it. Tutoring felt like a natural extension of that, turning a personal challenge into something that could genuinely benefit others.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  Graduate Entry Medicine applications are wonderfully multifaceted. There is no single element that gets you in, but there are unfortunately single mistakes that can rule you out. I enjoy working with students across every stage of the cycle: from crafting a compelling personal statement, to preparing for the UCAT or GAMSAT, to sharpening interview technique. I find the interview preparation stage particularly rewarding, as it is where a student's personality and motivation really get to shine. If I am being honest, the more administrative aspects of the process, such as navigating UCAS deadlines, reference logistics and the like, are perhaps less thrilling, but I appreciate just how important they are and I make sure no student slips up on the details.

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  During my first year physiology module at Cambridge, I was taught by an FY2 doctor who had himself gone through the Graduate Medicine course there. He was brilliant. The way he wove his own experience of the course into his teaching gave me an insight and direction that I simply would not have found in a textbook. Hearing first hand from someone who had walked the same path I was hoping to walk was genuinely inspiring, and it set me off in the right direction not just for my studies, but for how I thought about the application process itself. I carry that spirit into my own tutoring today, because the value of lived experience, shared openly and generously, is something I never underestimate.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  Empathy sits at the top of my list. The GEM application process can be incredibly stressful and emotionally charged, and students need to feel genuinely understood and not just coached. Alongside that, I think honesty is essential. A good tutor tells you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear, and does so with kindness. Personal experience is also invaluable in this field. Having been through the process myself, including the lows of rejection and the highs of multiple offers, means I can offer guidance that is grounded in reality rather than theory. Finally, patience, because every applicant's journey is different and progress rarely moves in a straight line.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  The most powerful lesson I can share is actually my own story. When I first applied to Graduate Entry Medicine, I was unsuccessful. It was disappointing, but I refused to let it be the end of the road. I went back to the drawing board, revisiting my personal statement, reconsidering my test preparation, and really interrogating how I was presenting myself at the interview. The second time around, everything clicked, and I received offers from all four of my chosen universities. That experience taught me that failure in this process is rarely final and is almost always instructive. It is a lesson I come back to again and again with students who are applying for the second or third time.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  The make or break nature of certain stages of the process is something I think about a lot. The UCAT and GAMSAT are high stakes assessments that act as gatekeepers to interviews, and even the most prepared applicant can have an off day. That is a difficult reality to sit with, both as an applicant and as a tutor. I help students prepare as thoroughly as possible, but I also try to prepare them mentally for the unpredictability of it all and to build the resilience to keep going if things do not go to plan the first time. It is one of the reasons I place so much value on a holistic approach to the application, rather than pinning everything on a single test score.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  Within tutoring, my greatest passion is working with students who have faced setbacks, those who are applying for the second time or who have been told their chances are slim. Helping someone who previously did not get in finally receive that offer is an incredibly fulfilling experience, and it reflects my own journey in a way that feels very personal. Outside of tutoring, I am a keen rugby player and coach, and I think the values that drive me on the pitch, such as teamwork, resilience and a commitment to improvement, are not too different from those I bring to my tutoring sessions.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof?

  I have lived the experience my students are going through. I know what it feels like to receive a rejection, to pick yourself back up, and to come back stronger, because I have done exactly that. When I sat down to reapply, I did not just try harder; I tried smarter. That shift in approach is something I bring to every tutoring relationship. I also genuinely care about each student's outcome, and I invest in every stage of their journey and not just the headline moments. Whether it is refining a personal statement before a deadline or running a mock interview, I am in it with them. That combination of personal experience, genuine commitment, and a warm and honest approach is, I believe, what sets me apart.