Medicine 2018 part 2

[LoniceraJaponica]

New thread here

Mumsneedwine, I'd say not necessary if you've already been to Open Day & Interview - only if you need reassurance, reminding or struggling to decide. Useful on a weekend but prob not necessary to miss lessons? Sheffield are doing webinars for students who can't make it!

And best of luck tomorrow mumsneedwine. If it's cancelled again I vote they just make you an offer. 🍀

Mumsneedwine. She could read this instead:

thetab.com/guides/guide/nottingham/

Some of the others are quite funny as well.

swingofthings
Manchester asks for their own personal statement and even though it is the same theme, you couldn't just copy and paste the PS. Again, no real indication that it had been read before interview (might have helped for offers? Not sure)

Manchester screens the form to make sure certain criteria have been addressed before letting the application go forward to UKCAT ranking: it's perfectly possibe to be rejected on the non-academic information form without the UKCAT score even being looked at. This year I think they're also bringing some applicants who haven't met the usual UKCAT requirement to interview on the basis of other criteria, including the non-academic information form. The information asked for on the non-academic information form (and Keele's roles & responsibilities form, and UCLan's transferrable skills form) is all stuff that should have been in the personal statement anyway. The reason they introduced those forms is because candidates consistently refused to include information that had been explicitly requested on the medical schools' web sites in their personal statements.

Thanks so much everyone ! That link is fab Herodshelper - somehow she has to chose regardless of what happens tomorrow. Nottingham & Sheffield have such similar courses and are quite similar cities so it's not easy. She did a spreadsheet of all the important bits and it was a dead heat, so no help at all !!
Still snowing here but DD leaving early to get to 9.20 interview so fingers crossed M3 behaves itself. And I agree, a nice offer if they postpone again 😁. We could rent her out to ski resorts if they don't have enough snow 😂

mumsneedwine

Nottingham & Sheffield might be similar cities (I don't know Sheffield well, so I can't really comment on that) but the universities are a little different. Nottingham is a large, self-contained campus out on the edge of the city with the big teaching hospital straight across the road, albeit a very busy road. Sheffield University is much more a part of the inner city (like Manchester), with the hospital & medical school a little bit further out. I think it's probably easier to mix with students on other courses at Nottingham than it is at Sheffield; the other side of that coin is that you're further away from the city centre at Nottingham, although the bus service is superb. The Nottingham campus is lovely when the weather's nice. Like most campus universities, however, it's on a hill and very exposed when the wind blows.

I work with someone who studied medicine at Nottingham and someone else whose son is currently studying medicine at Sheffield. Both sound very good, although the Nottingham students who completed the National Student Survey last year clearly had some kind of beef. I used to work in the medical school at Southampton but it was long enough ago for me not to feel qualified to comment on the school or course. My cousin's daughter is currently studying there, though, and she loves it.

Sorry, none of that helps with decision-making. If it's any consolation, another colleague's daughter had offers for medicine at Sheffield and Manchester and chose the latter because it was pouring with rain the day she went to Sheffield for her interview (as if it never rained in Manchester). I really don't think it made any difference: she would have enjoyed - and been sucesseful at - either. Sometimes you have to stop trying to be rational: if there's something making you prefer one, even if you can't put into words what it is, it can be worth just following that.

This is all quite easy for me. Neither of my children is interested in medicine, or in anything to do with science.

Thank you. I've suggested pulling name out of a hat - seems as good a way as any

Mumsneedwine

How about just choosing the one that's easiest to get to and from?

How lovely to have a choice 😊

I know she's so v lucky. Hasn't actually been rejected yet which is bit bizarre. If you knew her you'd know why I'm so very proud of her. Was always so quiet and struggled with self confidence - but has blossomed last few years.

Good point about ease of transport, although as we live quite near London nowhere is hard. If it wasn't for Notts accommodation policy she could put off decision for a while. And putting things off is her forte. 😁

Tricky. Both great. Both nice.
Is the course structure & method of teaching the same?
Otherwise campus setting v more city layout?
Sports & interests catered for at both?
I'd expect living costs to be similar.

V similar courses Somerset. Both do dissection, both early patient contact and CBL. Why she chose them (but never expected to get both). Both nice cities and Notts has fab campus but Sheffield has fab accommodation. If she gets Southampton and Liverpool too I think she might implode - decision making is not her strong point. Not helped by my brother who says she needs to chose the one with the best beer. Helpful !!

Lol. We still waiting on Liverpool too.

Discovered yesterday the bar in the student village at Leic only has terrible draft cider. No Thatchers Gold. It would be a deal breaker for me!

That's a deal breaker for me too !! Maybe my brother is on to something. 🍺

A few of us waiting on Liverpool which had pros and cons too IF offers made. I know a little about Nottingham Uni but for engineering for DS1, he was happy there - rented in Lenton after first year - lots of student houses in the area which is near to Uni and hospital. First year accommodation seemed fine to me - views of trees, functional en suite, communal bar area etc.

You might find GMC reports on both worth a skim read.

It is great to have choices and a confidence boost but difficult too. Whichever she decides, she will become loyal to and won’t look back.

The tab guides are funny, haven’t read them for a while😀

Mumsneedwine - a very lucky decision to have. Wish Liverpool would hurry up - my DS is now agonising over decisions but without that one it is difficult to make them.
No Thatchers -😂. Apparently Sheffield is famous for having best beer! I can definitely vouch for the gin!

I know it seems like a wonderful dilemma to be in to have to decide between choices, it certainly is, but the thought that they are going to be there for 5 years then kicks in and the pressure to make the right choice.

Thank you very much skilltan for your posts. The main issue with DD is that all three choices are quite different and there are some positives in all 3. Her heart was set on SGUL initially, mainly because she really liked the idea that it was right in the hospital, so finding herself in the middle of it which is what she wanted, but after going to the offer holder day, she realised that the school is small and the opportunities limited compared to other places. I have reservation mainly because of London prices.

DD knows BSMS very well and knows she'd be happy there, but it's local and she wants to turn the page and discover another life and I agree with her. She's ready for that new chapter in her life.

So Manchester is current at the top, but that is based purely on the one day she spent there for her interview. She almost didn't go as she was still recovering from the flu. She loved the city and loved the vibrance of the school. Most importantly, she really enjoyed the interview and people there. She does like the fact that it is the biggest school and so many opportunities. However, it is PBL (although not as much as originally thought) and no direct patient contact for a while, which is what she wanted most.

What I hope is that the offer holder day cement her decision one way or the other rather than adding to the uncertainty. She'll be going on her own so no influence from me or others.

Not a lot of snow on the Coast mumneedswine so DD should be fine. Are they interviewing all week of just today? I assume they will be giving offers very shortly afterwards?

mumsneedwine, DD also had same choice of Sheffield or Nottingham. She adored both on the open day. She knows Sheffield fairly well due to family connections and we were impressed with the accommodation and the brilliant student union. She actually chose Nottingham because of the campus, and the fact that the medical students intercalate within the five years. I liked the fact that in the last term of fifth year, the students are trained up in essential tasks they will need as FY1s, like completing death certificates and filling out forms etc, all stuff that will help in the middle of the night when they start working! They also do their final exams in year five at Christmas so they get them out of the way. DD also said she really bonded with the other applicants at the Nottingham interview and she loved the medical school building and the sports facilities. But tbh I'm sure she would be very happy at either, they both look amazing. She has put sheffield as her insurance.

Thanks everyone - it's such a hard decision as it's going to be for at least 5 years. Think Southampton are interviewing today and next Monday too - expecting a quick turnaround of decision as they must want to get on with it too !! And thanks for the snow watch - we still have about 6'' and has to use a broom to get all the snow off DDs car. I'm not going to relax all day.
I've told DD if needed we will do a road trip this weekend to Notts and then Sheffield to go see both cities. But I'm hoping she can find someway to chose before then. Silly Notts accommodation rules making this harder (& making me like Sheffield more !).
Happy waiting everyone. It will all be over soon (bar results day but I'm not thinking about that just yet).

Good luck mumsneedwine for DD's interview today!

Mumsneed Hope Soton goes well and she has thawed out - can't get my head round being in a tent in this!

Notts are naughty with accommodation deadline, same happened to DS1 with engineering years ago, he had one Uni still to reply but didn't want to loose the chance to choose his favourite accommodation at Nott so in the end went for it and withdrew from L'boro. I have to say thinking back the process being my first one and first amongst his cousins etc. to go thru the application process, it was also stressful, he was expected to get work ex and 2 of his choices called him to assessment days because his course included a design element and he had to show work and do a presentation at one. Even so nothing compares with medicine application, this thread certainly helps to know that very few find this a straightforward process.

Mumsneedwine - hope all went well for your DD today and that she hears back soon.

Swing - my DD is in a similar position. She amazingly has 4 offers, would be happy to go to any of them, but sees positives and negatives in them all as well!

Cardiff was favourite after the medicine open day last year. She liked the CBL course and that big variety of areas you go to for placements, but the med school is in the hospital which is separate from the rest of the Uni.

Leicester was her favourite interview and she liked the small campus and that the med school was part of it, also the park next door! But not CBL (similar maybe?) and a pain to get to by Public transport from us.

Bristol - the only one we've seen in the sun! Medicine seems totally integrated to the uni, but we didn't really see any of the med buildings. New CBL course from this year, so there were no students at open day who had experienced it. Easiest to get to from us, but still about 3 hours away, but very expensive!

Newcastle, only saw at interview, but was a nice campus right in the city. CBL, but also lots of lectures I think. Furthest away, but still easy to reach flying from Southampton.

Off to Cardiff tomorrow - hoping that things will start to clarify in her mind.

adrinkof water, DD is one of the CBL guinea pigs at Bristol, so do PM and she can answer questions.

I am not sure Bristol is that much more expensive than other places. Halls may be - they vary in price though. She has a big room in a nice flat in an established residential area next year, about 10 minutes walk from the medical school, and will be paying £100pw. Less than her cousin paid for something not so nice or convenient in Leeds six years back.

Bristol, unusually allow for intercalation elsewhere, even abroad, and hospital placements are in some nice (and some not so nice) places.

Needmoresleep

Looking at Bristol's web site, it looks like their early years are blended (lectures + CBL + laboratory activities), much like Manchester's. Is this right? I'm giving a talk at a careers later this week on medicine/dentistry/veterinary medicine applications and am updating some slides. Bristol always used to be the example of a lecture-based course but this is no longer appropriate.

Meant to say... most medical schools allow intercalation elsewhere (a lot of ours go to London; some go to Bristol). Abroad would be unusual though, so I can see this might be a selling point for Bristol.

Skiiltan, it seems a case of the best laid plans etc...

DD had wanted to avoid CBL. She is dyslexic and learns best in the class room, plus tends not to struggle with maths/science concepts. She took a gap year to find herself in the first year of a new course. So far it seems OK, though it is probably never fun to be the guinea pig. She suggests that in terms of assessment the lectures and labs count for more. And she seems to enjoy being on the ward or at a GPs.

DD was quite limited as to where she could apply so we did not look at too many intercalation options. Bristol's seemed better than Birmingham, which from memory, were quite limited.

And for PS heavy admissions, my advice is to look closely at what the University say they are looking for in an applicant, and make sure every point is covered, evidenced with a "what I gained from it". Given the number of applicants, I assume PSs are scored using a forumula.

Bristol also record lectures. I dont know if everyone does this, but it helps. Certainly DD chooses to rewatch some. Though not good if used as an excuse for skipping lectures.