Medicine 2018 part 2

[LoniceraJaponica]

New thread here

mumsneedwine, teachers need MORE wine. I gave up teaching at Christmas - a number of factors (I have another job too), but I'm feeling your pain. 2B1Gmum, I think my screaming time will be when I walk the dog. Poor dog!!

2B1Gmum, an extension too! Now I think you need HELP.

The extension is turning into a saga, we have a leaking roof and all our appliances are breaking, the oven only works with the use of elastic bands! But our local council refused our original application - so we are starting again (first application went in last April). At least DD won't have builders round her feet for exams though... Walking with a friend and her dog tomorrow, she gave up working in a local Uni recently - on admin side and they don't offer medicine, but she is enjoying her free time at the moment. Her DD's flatshare was flooded and she has moved back home as she is at same local Uni - empty nest didn't last long for my friend!

2B1 you have hit the nail on the head re books not being up to scratch with the new specs. It is a particular problem with geography.

Mumsneedwine I think you are all doing a great job, DS & DD's teachers are dealing with new spec GCSE & A levels this year, my heart goes out to them - at parents evening wanted to slip them all large 's!
I'm hoping the uni's all get the impact of this change for the next few years cohorts- will take that swalk tomorrow and think of your extension work 2B1Gmum

Thanks Stevie3. I can assure you we are getting through a lot of 🍷& 🍸. The whole syllabus change is one thing but not getting resources sorted or exam structure finalised before getting us to teach it is criminal. I get angry when I think about it !!!!
Anyhow can see on TSR that Southampton are already giving offers to be people they interviewed last week ! At least one Uni it won't be a long wait to hear back from, one way or other. Still, might not be any places left by my DDs interview on 1st March

adrinkofwater, I did chuckle at your comment of 'unnecessarily stalking' on tsr! I seem to do a lot of that too! DD thinks I'm going mad.

We too have new gcse's to contend with this summer. I'm v relieved DS wants to do something relatively straightforward like history or accounting.

Chin up to you all, hopefully in a few weeks the whole interview/offer scenario will be over and done with. In the meantime, just off to have a small glass of wine, for medicinal purposes of course. My liver will certainly be relieved when it's all over..

Moving mountains, I really hope your son has a good interview at Liverpool and I can understand how nervous he must be. We are also waiting for Sheffield and Bristol (But tbh abandoning all hope of bristol). I heard one really useful bit of info from a dental school examiner, he said if you are asked to discuss something and you feel you've said enough, don't feel you have to fill the whole six minutes with incessant chat. Just say what you think is right, then if need be its fine to sit in silence for the rest of the station. Don't just make stuff up or repeat yourself. DD did that in Nottingham and sat in silence for 6 minutes of an 8 minute station which she was mortified about but didn't feel she could add anything to what she'd already said. Apparently that's ok!

Interesting how knowledgable we have all become!!

I'm pleased (I think) if we hear back from Southampton quickly. Still waiting to hear from St Andrews after interview it seems ages ago!!

5th choice not medicine

Ah Watfordmummy - 5th choice makes sense. I thought you'd found some magic way of getting 5 Med school choices - although not sure that would be a good thing !! It really is a ridiculous process.

Rejection from Newcastle. DD seems rather down about it although it wasn't unexpected. Her UKCAT score wasn't high enough.

So sorry to hear about Newcastle Lonicera, and really feel for your DD... 😔

Sending postive vibes to everyone here waiting for offers. My DS was lucky enough to receive an offer from Southampton yesterday, he saw them last Thurs so they are making them quickly (unlike some, I'm looking at you Bristol and E'boro!!). Maybe they will try and push them out over half term, let's hope so. Best wishes to all our DS and DDs and hope they get to have at least a little well deserved break over half term.

So sorry Lonicera. I'm sure DD will be disappointed - it's always worth hoping. There must be a better way to do this.

Thanks Specialted - will pass on the advice! Booface congratulations to your DS ( we regret not looking at Southampton - oversight on my part really as it favours strong UKCAT I think). LoniceraJaponica so sorry about the rejection - fingers crossed for the other. #justoneoffer everyone!
On a positive note. DS's first session with physics tutor went well so he is a little happier!

Sorry to hear about Newcastle lonicera and DD - hope Leicester goes well 😊 great news booface well done to DS - that was quick!!
Good luck and fingers crossed for everyone

Rejection always hurts, whether or not it's expected. Let's all brace ourselves for a half term of hugs, one way or another.

Congratulations to your DS Booface. Perhaps the advantage of being interviewed towards the end of the interview cycle is that they don’t have to wait long for a response! 😊

Sorry to hear this, Lonicera. Still early days for offers, though.

Booface— lovely news.

Thanks for the support. I know DD wont get a look in at the other university either. Part of the problem is that she decided that she wanted to do medicine after we had started going to open days looking at biomed. She decided she didn't want to do biomed, but medicine. We didn't have time to look tactically.

So she’ll hit the admissions process next year all guns blazing with excellent results and a knowledge of how it all works and be one of those very confident gap-year applicants. 🙂

Even if you apply tactically it can end with 4 rejections. DD applied to two Unis that matched her qualifications, UKCAT and work experience perfectly and she didn't even get an interview for those. I hope that they can justify why when she eventually gets feedback.

Congrats to your DS Booface - any more interviews or can he now focus on A levels?

Lonicera, I think this thread shows that maybe some schools are also better at advising than others, my nephew is 15 and has already been given a talk about the different courses, different selection criteria etc. and he hasn't even sat his GSCES. Keep positive for Leicester, it only takes one!

Advice please on Manchester - DD hasn't cancelled the interview yet, she must decide by this pm (she comes home early Friday) but I think school have told her to be 100% sure first and she isn't. We didn't visit, it was a choice out of 3 for her fourth option and chosen because of UKCAT, a fun city and integrated course. I said I would do a bit of research for her this am! The linked hospitals seem to be spread quite wide, including North Wales (beautiful and interesting) but does anyone know how this works in practice, how long the placements are and how accommodation etc. works. We know a bit more about this with HYMS and UEA and Liverpool hospitals are mostly very close with one or two further afield I think.

I am still learning about medicine, I only recently discovered when they finally get to apply for their full time doctor jobs, the application process shows medical exam scores but not where they studied. That seems like a good thing as it prevents certain schools being favoured over others - of course this doesn't apply if you apply for jobs outside UK.

So many questions that I could have asked and didn't at open days!

@Abra1de - I agree. A Gap Year is looking like a possibility here. I feel it could be beneficial for DD too and give her more time to look at other options within the medical area too.

Mini we were actually told to regard it as a quite likely two-year application process. As it turned out, it wasn’t for us. But there are definite benefits.