Fresh new 'mum of a medicine applicant' thread.

[Mindgone]

I thought I would start a new one, as the last one went a bit 'off topic'! How's everyone getting on? Am so excited, and a bit nervous, as DS has two interviews coming up! How is everyone else's DCs preparing? Also, any tips from anyone who's been there?

Well done queenie and oyster DCs - what a successful offer thread we have

It's such a relief when they get an offer. Dd has two interviews this month - if she gets either they will be her insurance. Just hope she is not to blasè now

Hi, sorry for butting in...congratulations to the successful aspiring medics.
Several of DDs friends applied for medicine last year ( for 2014 entry) and two of them got their places confirmed with lower results than their offer ( i.e. with AAA instead of A*AA and one with AAB for a three A offer). I don't know whether the science exams last year threw up some anomalous results, but it seemed clear that, having gone through the whole interview process, the medical schools were prepared to accept slightly lower results (they were all very close to the grade boundaries) . This wasn't Oxford or cambridge, but it's worth bearing in mind and certainly worth putting a second university as an insurance even if the offer is at the same level....

Thanks duck, that's reassuring to hear.
Also just heard back from our lovely GP who days of course the hep b is free for future medics and has told the reception staff and practice nurses that this is the case.

Yes agree that that is useful to know. Fingers crossed dd gets an offer from Leeds or Cardiff as insurance though - she loved Leeds too. Do they have to put down an insurance - what if they only get one offer?

Thanks Duck, that is good to know!
No offers here yet, and none expected for some time! Anyone with offers at this stage is very fortunate.
Decorhate, I guess that's the point of the fifth choice, but if they have 'only' one offer (which would be fab!), then so be it!

Is anyone else still waiting to hear from Sheffield?

Sheffield rejection just came through this evening . DS is a bit sad but fine really. No one likes being rejected, but when applying for medicine, it's pretty inevitable somewhere along the line. Tough skins are required! Good luck to any others still waiting.

Sheffield seem so exacting! A fewof DSs friends rejected from there, all with great academics and PSs. It's a really tough time, and the rejection emails seem so blunt.
When is the Nottingham interview mind gone?

30th Jan, when is your DS's Leeds interview? And any news from Bristol yet?
I had to look back a few pages, I haven't got a remarkable memory! ;)

It's tomorrow - D h and DS are in the ibis hotel right now!
Pm me if you need anything on the 30th, I'm working in QMC in Nottingham that morning

Ooh, how exciting! Very best of luck for your DS for tomorrow! DS1 is at Leeds and really loves it! If your DS goes there, I'll be happy to help with any information you need. Thanks so much for your offer, the only help I can think of at the moment, is whether you have any advice on good parking?

Good Luck miniCarriemac!

Good luck to your ds Carrie. My dd had her interview at Cardiff yesterday. A long way to go for a 20 minute interview...
A panel interview. I suspect she found it harder than Oxford as it there were more "what do you think about" type questions rather than straight academic ones.
She liked Cardiff though (hadn't been on Open Day). But thinks the course is more PBL than she would like.

Mind gone you want car park 3 at QMC, it's closest to med school. There is a park and ride about a mile away ( south) either.

Thanks Carrie. How did the interview go?
Decorhate, hope it went well for your DD. We had the same with Durham, ie 3 hour journey each way for a 20 minute interview! He had been to an open day there and really liked it, so fingers crossed! DS not keen on PBL either.

Mindgone, apparently they call it something else at Cardiff (case based learning?) and kept saying it wasn't PBL but dd said it sounded exactly like PBL!

Decorhate, yes, I've heard the same!
I think Liverpool, who were PBL heavy, are pulling back on it a bit now, maybe it's going out of favour generally.

went well thanks everone . he loves Leeds so fingers crossed. rather worrying one of the MMI stations got his name wrong ( whilst reading information pertinent to him) so hope they scored him as the correct person !

My dd loved Leeds as well Carrie. She has her interview at the end of the month

Ds has pulled out of his Leeds i/v but really liked it when we visited. Know a first year medic there and he loves it and says the course is very good.

Is that because he already has two offers Queenie?

He wants to firm and insure the offers he has as those were always his first and second choices....

Glad it went well Carrie!
Queenie, two offers! Wow, must be a great feeling!

Just the small matter of getting the grades...!

Best of luck to everyone's dc with interviews coming up. Hope all goes well and fingers crossed for offers!

What a great position to be in Queenie - congratulations to your ds. The advantage of early offers. Dd has an offer but needs an insurance so has to carry on with interviews. Great to have them but it is time consuming with prep and missing school etc and she needs to focus on school work now which has taken a back seat in the last few weeks. Mind gone, hope you get good news soon.