Medicine 2018 part 3

[SomersetS]

Hope you all find this - didn't realise I took 999! Whoops.

Hi Katisha! Great to know you're still around. I honestly thought you've gone for good. Hope everything's turned out fine for you and your child. Is it Nottingham that your child has an offer? Great uni, Nottingham, my DD spent three years there doing a science degree some years back and she absolutely loved the city, returning there often to see friends even long after she had left the uni. She had accommodation owned/managed by a private company, OPAL.

Ranm, if I were to choose between Birmingham and UCL for Medicine, then it's UCL without a doubt. I'm just choosing on the basis of quality, research, reputation, teaching hospitals, etc with no consideration for sports, accommodation and other non medical related factors (these are unimportant to me). If anything, UCL outperforms Oxford consistently in most aspects of medicine. My niece - DS's cousin - spent 6 wonderful years there qualifying as a doctor more than ten years ago. She never really looked at another medical school. Today she is a senior partner in a very successful GP surgery and doing very well.

No one got any thoughts whether Southampton or St Andrews?, I think DS flits between them daily

Gosh WatfordMummy that's different geography!
We looked at S'oton & really liked it - ticked all the boxes for us but didn't look at any Scottish Uni's.
Good enough for Will's & Kate?

I know!! We have family still in and are from Edinburgh which makes it less daunting, but S'ton would be so much easier. He loved St A's and also loved the course etc but loved the course and the chance of research at S'ton.

We never thought he'd have a choice. Obviously needs to get grades!

@watfordmummy - St Andrews is very different from Southampton. It's two three-year degree courses, like Oxford & Cambridge, rather than an integrated medicine degree. They do a three-year BSc, which isn't a primary medical qualification: i.e. they can't practise as doctors with this degree. They have to go on to do a further three years of clinical medicine at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester or Queen Mary University of London (Bart's) to complete the MBChB/MBBS that allows them to qualify as doctors.

Southampton operates much like Nottingham, inasmuch that students graduate after 5 years with two degrees (BMBS and BMedSc), although they can choose to take an additional year to complete an intercalated master's degree.

Clearly, both courses are high-quality and very popular. I haven't been to St Andrews but have been told it's very nice. I used to work in the medical school at Southampton. Students seemed quite happy there and Southampton's quite a lively city with a good student buzz, albeit not very attractive architecturally (but with a very nice common on the edge of the city centre). For what it's worth, I have a niece doing medicine at Southampton and she loves it, although of course she has nothing to compare it with.

DD firmed deferred to UEA last week (Sluj) - very pleased, but also I could see the positives in her other offers. Overall although she didn't like the campus quite as much as the lovely new facilities and feel of Hull she made her decision based on other factors - and she knows I am pleased that she is not far from her grandparents in Suffolk. She could, results allowing etc., find herself in their local hospital as part of the course (not sure if that is a good thing, luckily they are remarkably healthy people).!

Birmingham, not on our list but do know a student very happy there, just doing intercalation. Ranm I am sure your DS will find time for long distance running at both choices. If he was looking at Elite level then that is something that the coaches of the respective universities could help with - at this stage they usually know the elite sports students coming up through the ranks and would be looking to organise pre-season soon - just something to bear in mind if that applies.
Southampton a GP friends DC just finished at Soton, happily I believe: an easy travel to London if that is a consideration.
Good luck all keeping calm during the next few (panic stricken) revision weeks... interspersed with 18th birthday parties..

Ranm- is another consideration living costs? It may not be a concern but that will be a big difference between Birmingham and UCL. It may not be important but it was the reason we didn’t consider London universities.

2B1GMum
Very pleased for your DD, I'm sure she won't regret it. Maybe she will have my DS as her Medic Dad? He is doing cardiovascular module at the moment and loving it. Happy to ask him anything you need to know.

It was my favourite of his other offers - HYMS and Southampton but I tried not to influence him too much. The 2 hour travel has been a perfect distance for us and means that he doesn't have to get on the train until Monday morning if he has a weekend at home for this year. Lucky timetabling 😁

Evening all! specialted no he's not going to the offers day, but yes he's got a place at Cavendish Hall which I don't think he's completely thrilled with, but he's accepted it. He's not really a party animal but hoping it won't be unbearably noisy.

Mine just got Ancaster Hall at Notts and is v happy. It was the one she liked most on open day as was so friendly. Long walk to hospital (15 - 20 mins !!!). But oh what a pretty walk. Wherever they are they'll make it work and have fun.

Good to hear decisions being made and revision going ok. Just asked DD how she's feeling and she said 'excited'. Fancy dress outfits being planned already. Priorities again 😂

Exciting times! Am sure they'll have a great time in any of the halls Katisha and mumsneedwine. DD looking forward to meeting fellow medics on wed. Will let you know how it goes.

Mine not going as doesn't want to miss a day at college. Sure it will be a fun day !

My DS has firmed Edinburgh, and still weighing up catered vs self catering accommodation. Personally I hope he goes for catered. One less thing to think about for the first year! But ultimately is up to him. I wish it wasn't so far away, no popping back for the w/e as we live in South East, but the occasional plane trip for the weekend isn't too expensive if you book well ahead!

DD still hasn't firmed a Uni yet. I think she is leaning towards Cardiff, but somehow can't quite decide. She says it is such a big decision she finds it stressful to think about, so tends to try not to! I am getting stressed by the fact she seems to be ignoring it, but if I bring anything up for her to consider I am just "making it worse"! Her other options are Bristol and Leicester. Any thoughts?

After exhaustive analysis, mine has finally chosen Leeds. It seemed to boil down to:

1. You get to chop bodies up.
2. You get to see patients frequently, live ones even.
3. Best party and drinking potential.
4. Best climbing wall.
5. Coolness.
6. A change of scene from school.

So there you go.

Herodshelper that made me laugh out loud. Excellent reasoning!

Herodshelper they are the exact same reasons mine went for Nottingham. Have to chose somehow !!

Herodshelper - that's good decision making! My DD dies make pros & cons PostIts & lines them up on the floor for tough decisions. She finds it helps.

adrinkofwater decision making grids are useful - really helps to see things written down and by scoring the key elements, it's just simple maths that results in a top scorer. Which of course can then be rejected if it doesn't feel right for some gut-instinct reason :)

Thanks innertiger. I have suggested writing thoughts down, making a chart etc, but just get a vague "ummm" - and nothing happens! But I have just looked at decision making grids and they seem a good idea.... hope DD agrees else I might just do one based on how I think she feels about various points - then she'll change it if I'm wrong! !

Herodshelper great list and all very important in their own way! I know quite a few students at Leeds, not medics, but I get the impression 3, 5 & 6 are accurate .

I visited Leeds many years ago for a weekend of music in a dingy hall, Bauhaus, Echo & The Bunnymen, Claire Grogan amongst the performers, showing my age - fun memories.

Sluj the parent thing is such a good idea, I know a few Unis do it and for other subjects, but I imagine for medicine it is particularly useful.

Just back from a lovely offer holders day at Nottingham. The campus looked beautiful in the sunshine. DD enjoyed meeting coursemates and is feeling v positive that she made the right choice for her. More incentive to get those grades now! Interestingly there were several students who were still deciding where to go, the admissions tutor was reminding them they only had a few days left!

Glad you and DD enjoyed the offer holders day specialised. I felt slightly encouraged that you had met others there who hadn't decided! But last last at 10 pm DD finally pressed that UCAS button! Cardiff firmed, Leicester for insurance. Not sure what finally did it as nothing was written down, decision making grids not used, but I am so happy its done!

Now just occupational health form, choosing accommodation and getting the grades!

Relief once that bit is done.
Accommodation choice took us a while too!

I hate to add more obstacles in your paths, but it might be worth checking out in advance where your DC can get their inoculations from. Some of them are more than one jab so need to be spaced out.

Our GP refused to do it even though we offered to pay and eventually we had to find a travel clinic and pay them. The GP said they had conflicting advice on whether or not they could and should do it so had decided not to. Very helpful 🤔