Medicine 2018 part 2

[LoniceraJaponica]

New thread here

I did some checking and it looks like fees can be charged pro rata - and paid the normal way - however I know two students who left within the first term with no fees, maybe they left very early on. They did have to pay accommodation according to their particular contract. Neither paid the full amount. Universities may vary. I am not encouraging it but as one left due to anxiety related illness, it is worth bearing in mind if ill or just really unhappy with their choice - as in second student I know. Fingers crossed it isn’t the case with any of our dcs. Thought I ought to correct a possible misleading statement.

all the medicine stress has made me forget about the ordinary stuff!

I think most medic- or aspirant-medic mothers have had similar problems! Small things like our own careers, other children, partners, friends seem sometimes to need to take second place to the process of supporting a highly stressed medical school applicant. Last year was one I won’t forget in a hurry.

There has been a lot going on for us all ! My DD reminded me . She spent last night trying to keep up with the Sheffield group chat which went mad. And allowed herself to finally get excited about going to Uni. Sheffield was always her favourite so now just those pesky grades to get.

Hadn't even thought about finance! Will look into that next week. Another thing on the list.
Am new to this so thanks for the info.
We can't choose until Liverpool offer/reject but hope to put that but to bed by 31/3. Then onto the hardcore revision.

Have to admit I have started a "bottom drawer" of bits & pieces. And started crocheting the Uni Blanket - it will probably take until September - never seem to have the energy in the evenings.

Lonicera & others I don't know if this will be of interest but my neice couldn't face the "medicine process" in sixth form, so she took a course at Swansea - Applied Medical Science. She has loved it and done so well. It is a fairly new course, with lowish numbers(60 intake for 2018). There are a number of pathways but if you keep up your grades & take the right options they guarantee you an interview for GEM at Swansea. She is just finishing 2nd year now and applying for GAMSAT & UKCAT to apply for GEM in September. We viewed the Uni & talked to the course director etc and liked it so much that it was DDs 5th choice. She had an AAB offer but I know they have accepted lower in the past. Depends where you live I guess, Swansea not for everyone but the beach is across the road! A surf or a swim between lectures! Accomodation also cheap.

Good luck in whatever your DDs chooses. I'm sure it will all come good.

SomersetS, I think “a bottom drawer of bits and pieces” is a lovely idea. I did knit a tea-cosy for my DD to take off to uni, but I never managed to get it sewn up! To crochet a uni blanket is such a nice idea, but I know what you mean about lack of energy in the evenings! Maybe it could be your summer project. You could sit out in the garden on the warm summer evenings, with a nice glass of wine and get it finished in time for the start of uni. Might also be therapeutic as you wait for results day.....😊

I love the uni blanket idea but fear my DS would not! Thats the trouble with DSs I guess. However I have started quilting a bed runner which may be ok - so will get it finished or may be evn go the whole hog and do a quilt. I know in America they do memory quilts from old clothes and quilt covers which I thought was such a lovely idea but think it might be beyond my crafting skills!

Movingmountains, I know exactly what you mean about DS’s!! I bought our daughter a soup maker when she moved out of halls, which she thinks is fab, cos she can have fresh soup made in 20 mins! But our DS has asked for a toastie-maker for when he moves into a student house in September - I think he plans to live on toasties and cereal bought from Aldi, because it’s less than a pound a box...!!! 😀

Muddlethrough, by results day I will be permanently sozzled rocking in the corner!

Me too Somerset. Going to Bristol with my youngest for a taster day at the Vet school on Saturday - have started the treadmill again !!!!!

Hahaha....I don’t think you’ll be the only mum who has become a tad unravelled by results day Somerset....! 😜

Mumsneedwine, Vet school is in Somerset really rather than Bristol - Langford - quite close to me. I have no idea where they usually live though. Very popular with locals for getting their animals treated & farmers in my village borrow students during lambing!

oh crikey, not even given student finance a thought! Thanks for the prompts everyone! Will investigate it this weekend. Think there was a talk on it at careers night for DD but it clashed with the talk on medicine so we missed it.

Thanks Somerset (clue in the name !). It's a long way south of Bristol I see so leaving nice and early as bit of a trek. And special it's v easy to apply - took about 10 minutes ! Then parents have to do their bit from last P60 (had to find mine 😳).
I feel like I can breathe again this week. Ridiculous how anxious I was for DD. But felt like after 4 interviews if she got no offers it would be devastating as they'd be rejecting her personally. Relief is a wonderful thing.

Got really lovely feedback from Edinburgh, think he was very close but no cigar, strangely I think it's made him feel better about it.

That's lovely Watford. Think sometimes they just need to know they did ok. Rejection is horrid for anyone

Edinburgh sometimes have places in clearing - they don't always make it onto the clearing lists. I can't remember if your boy got another offer.
If he didn't it is deffo worth ringing Edinburgh on results day.
My ward group buddy got in this way and was an academic superstar all the way through and now has a fairly glittery career as an intensivist.

Watfordmummy, I’m glad Edinburgh have given your DS some positive feedback, although I have to admit to being a bit baffled by their ‘no interview admissions process’.
If your DS intends to firm St.Andrews and has chosen to do his clinical years via the Scottish route (Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen & Edinburgh), he can state a preference to do his clinical years at Edinburgh. I think they have to state their preferred uni at the end of the first semester in year 2, but your DS might well be aware of this...

Edinburgh's no interview policy is a little out of sync with the caring/sharing high EQ model of medicine being touted.

However, the current cohort of trainees nationally recruited through that method are leaving the profession in droves. Is the selection method choosing people who struggle to cope with the fairly brutal NHS emvironment?

Edinburgh grads perform well compared to their peers in professional exams and I know because I work a long way from there our training is well regarded at recruitment time.

bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-6-5

Thank you, he chose no preference at St Andrews and has been given the English hospitals which he is happy about.

We have also been a bit confused by Edinburgh's 'no waiting list' comments. They definitely have in the past! DD now has a BioMed offer as a consolation prize from Cardiff - AAB - which she will hold onto; however she has decided that if she gets AAA or above she will take a gap year and reapply. I have mixed feelings. Anyway, as she has no medicine offers she could have asked to be added to Edinburgh's list. She will be making on of those phone calls on 16 Aug!

Very interesting report, opinionated. Thanks for posting link.

while the chat has been about Edinburgh....can I ask what is probably a bit of silly question, but just want to check. If you have an undergraduate degree in medicine from a Scottish university, you are equally qualified to go onto the next level (is that F!?) in England if you want to?

Yes, not a problem at all