Medicine 2018?

[Katisha]

Is there already a thread for medicine applications for 2018 entry?
If not can I start one?
Wondered if anyone knew about the Birmingham GCSE situation as DS has A stars and As at GCSE and likely to be predicted A stars at A level but is coming up on their offers calculator as unlikely to get an interview.
Is it pointless to apply to Birmingham if not all stars at GCSE? Didn't get a star in biology.

[swingofthings]

Hi JA, I read on the other thread that you said Bristol was basing its criteria for admission 50% on PS. Did they say this specifically at the open day?

If so it's a change they are introducing this year because until now, it's always been 70% PS, with 8% GCSE, 12% A levels and 10% UKCAT.

I can't find anything about them changing this criteria.

[JulyAphrodite]

Hi SOT -it is on their admissions statement and it was also mentioned by one of the admissions team at the open day.

GCSE 15% | A-level 15% | Personal statement 50% | UKCAT 20% this is copy and pasted from 2018 admissions statement

Hope that helps!

[swingofthings]

Found it! Yes, changed from last year, very interesting!

[JulyAphrodite]

DS really liked Bristol as he did the other 3 choices. He would be happy with one offer at any of them!

[swingofthings]

I think if DD could pick any, it would be Brighton but indeed, like your DS she would be over the moon with any offer!

[JulyAphrodite]

Hi my DS would like Brighton too as its our local one :) He would still live in but its only 10 minutes from us so it would suit me fine too!

[swingofthings]

Local to us too although another 20mns :)

[swingofthings]

Where is your DS doing his work experience?

[JulyAphrodite]

Worthing and Eastbourne

[adrinkofwater]

Swingofthings, I guess your daughter has her Ukcat in the next day or so? I hope she is feeling ok about it.

[swingofthings]

Thanks for remembering adrinkofwater. In the end, DD pushed the date to next Thursday as she's been battling with a cough for some weeks. She said she didn't feel too bad but since it was so easy to reschedule, it seemed for the best, especially as I think she was just about a week of practice shy of being as prepared as she'll ever be.

How's your DD practice going? Was she ok with the mock? She is off camping now isn't she? Sometimes a break from it all is not a bad thing. I think DD started to get more into it as the date approached. I try not to ask her too much about it as it will only stress and annoy her!

[Mistletoekids]

Sorry to hijac thread but as a current junior doctor (10 years since leaving med school) please please encourage your children to do anything other than medicine. It really is a terrible time to be a doctor.

[adrinkofwater]

Swingofthings, I hope your dd's cough gets better. Good that she was able to push her ukcat back.

Yes my DD is camping, due back tonight. I am hoping she doesn't get a cold as I think it has been raining for most of the time! Her mock went better than I expected, which made me feel better about her going camping. So hopefully she'll get back into practicing again once she'll recovered and is warm and dry!

[swingofthings]

I'm sure your DD had a great time regardless of the weather. At that age, it makes it even more fun and nice to come home! Glad her mock went ok.

DD has actually come to talk about her practicing and it became clear from what she said that she is giving it a lot attention! I think it must be that new generation blasé attitude!

Mistletoekids, myself, and my DD by proxy is fully aware of the current NHS situation and what it is to work for the NHS at the moment. However, doctors will always be needed and the health service might be totally different in 10 years time, as might be elsewhere.

DD is choosing to become a clinician because she truly believes that it is her vocation. She could pick studies more likely to yield a better remunerated, more fun, less stressful career, but that's not what interest her, she just wants to become a doctor, for the better or for the worse. I am proud that she has chosen this career and I don't think it is my place to discourage her.

I am sorry that you are going through a hard time and maybe even have regrets over your chosen path. I really hope things get better soon for all the doctors, nurses, managers who feel totally let down by the NHS and have a lost that sense of honour to be working for such an amazing organisation.

[PokemonGo]

Mistletoe

I totally understand your warning and I know there are plenty of reasons NOT to be a Doctor but having a medical degree doesn't mean you have to go on and be a doctor in the NHS for the rest of your life. My DC has recently graduated and is still as enthusiastic as ever. He has friends who have called it a day though and are heading off to do other things. If you find out it's not for you then it's not the end of road. You can still do other things. Some of DCs friends are planning to go into city grad jobs. 🤷🏻‍♀️

DC (F1) and their partner (F2) get £75K between them (cheap town) and have got rotations (or whatever they are called) that they seem excited about. It's ok for them at the moment.

[goodbyestranger]

Mistletoe my DS has just started his sixth year at med school and is also very enthusiastic still. He'd wanted to be a medic since he was pretty small, not sure why, and he often confirms that he hugely enjoys what he's doing.

[adrinkofwater]

Is anyone else thinking of going to some open days in September to help their dcs decide which are the best 4 med schools for them to apply to?

[bengalcat]

Two things , apply because at this moment in time Medicine is the career you are passionate about and having read entry requirements apply to those schools you feel most likely to get an offer from . Unlike some subjects there is no particular future advantage in the job market of a degree from one institution over another . I can sympathise with Mistletoe but the skills learnt are transferable and @20% young doctors do change career . Good luck to those of you whose kids are applying .

[watfordmummy]

Sitting on the side lines, DS done UKCat and is drafting personal statement. Not a medical family so lots or research he been done.

[adrinkofwater]

Hi Watfordmummy! Nice that your DS has done his UKCAT. I hope he was pleased with how it went. We are also not a medical family, so trying to find things out as we go along!

My DD has her UKCAT tomorrow. It will be nice to have it done, although it does seem to be a bit hit and miss as to how she does - her first mock was the best . Then on Thursday she gets 4 AS results, which I imagine will be used in deciding her predicted grades.

How is everyone else doing?

[LoniceraJaponica]

Can I join in?

After visiting a couple of universities DD changed her mind and decided that she didn't want to do biomed after all, but do medicine. So she has only actually looked at 2 universities for medicine.

As she is so young in her year she hasn't been able to get any kind of work experience because most of the options round here state minimum age 18, so she may well defer a year. She has been busy practising UKCAT most days this holiday and has her test next week. I have absolutely no idea what her predicted grades will be. Going on her GCSE score it was 4 As, but she has now dropped one A level after the AS exams.

My main concerns is that her school did 2 GCSEs at the end of year 10 and the rest in year 11. She achieved 5 As, 3 As and 2 Bs, but the the grade Bs were with the year 11 exams so she didn't achieve enough A/AS in one sitting for some universities.

This was the school's policy, and I had no idea that this might have negative implications later on.

[peteneras]

Loni, all that will count as one sitting. Loads of schools in the UK sit some GCSE subjects one year early and the rest the following year. Just tell your child to try to ace the UKCAT to compensate for the GCSE's. Good luck!

[SomersetS]

Please may I join you in this thread ladies? Dd applying for medicine 2018. UKCAT done. Result ok - not brill but good. She's not keen on BMAT though we have entered 9/9. Trying to work out best strategy using all results & strengths. Keen to avoid London.
Been to a few Open Days & found their admissions talks useful.
Think I'm more stressed about the whole process than her. Actually seems massive pressure to put in kids when we are crying out for Drs.

[watfordmummy]

Seems happy with his score, we've done 2 open days so far with another two in September. He's fitting doing his EPQ with some extra work experience this week, and then we're off on holiday for two weeks, but the books are coming with us.

Having lurked on previous year's threads can't believe that this is OUR year!! Agree I think I'm more stressed than he is.

I think I'll need this thread for my support rather than his! 😃 ladies we'll do this xx

[swingofthings]

Nice to see more mums here! How did it go yesterday adrinkofwater?

DD did her UKCAT last week and scored better than expected, not fantastic, but if compared to previous years, enough for most cuts off but.... totally failed the Situation Judgement which was the one part that she was totally confident about, got band 1 and 2 at every single mocks, so this came as a total shock (and upset).

She's picked herself up though as we looked at what that meant and although limiting even more choices, it doesn't closed all doors!

She is now in the midst of revising for the BMAT as she's taking it next month too. She feels more comfortable with it and two her preferred schools are BMAT, so crossing fingers for no more unexpected results!

Loni, DD's GCSEs are not great either, and like you, got 1 B for a GCSE she did in Y10 and the other was an additional one, first refused, then half year told she could do but with independent study. Annoyed with the school that she missed out on class work as this is what brought her grade down.

From what I read, there are a few schools that are still GCSEs heavy (mainly the Scottish ones, and I think Birmingham, Belfast), but most don't care that much. These grades are definitely good enough for most of them.

I too am more stressed about it than DD who is really going through it all like everything else she has done in her life so far! What helps is to realise that it doesn't have to be a one year process. If DD doesn't get in this year, there's next year! What matters most is determination. Many do it in in two years because they learn so much from the process first time round.