Medicine 2018 part 3

[SomersetS]

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

I echo mumsneedwine- we also had to point this out to DS. No way could we fund the tuition fees. More and more med schools are accepting resits from next year (including Bristol and also Sheffield as the lovely Julian has mentioned!) I imagine as a result of the 2 year Linear A level courses. So with my teacher hat on, my advice for anyone who didn’t get in, would be to go for resits unless you know you can definitely fund graduate medicine. It’s only one year and it will fly by 🙂

Thank you for that info on funding I did wonder. Dd has a week or two to make sure she understands if she goes for her clearing place she is most likely giving up on medicine. I think it is ridiculous, not thinking of dd, but society and future doctors that funding is not available. The best gp in our practice studied post grad after having children - without her dd’s Coeliac diagnosis would have been missed, dd’s Specialist told us to thank our gp for seeing through the false negatitive. Tip for all your future doctors ... 5 per cent of population have an IGA immune deficiency, most don’t know it and suffer no obvious consequences - however it means blood tests for coeliacs and possible other immune diseases do not give a positive result. DDs course includes modules on gastro diseases, she has a head start on that one! Many congrats on those about to start their medical career - I know they are a great bunch with the tenacity to make it. For those in limbo, I asked dd some searching questions and said I would support her whatever. We found many biology and chemistry based courses at really good universities, loads at Southampton and interesting neuroscience at Exeter in the medicine department. Uea still has some too, plus a great research park linked to the uni and the hospital. All the best and pop back from time to time with updates.

Funding for graduate medicine is more complicated than that. Currently, student finance will give you a loan for the degree fees and maintainance. However, in year 1 the student has to pay the first £3450, in later years this is paid by the NHS bursary.

This is only the case if you are studying a graduate entry course (4 years) rather than the undergraduate course as a graduate.

This link from Nottingham med school explains it better than I can www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/support/financialsupport/studentfunding/fundingforgemstudents.aspx

Student finance told my Dd she would not be eligible for any loan as she would have taken her first degree after the cut off date. So would be liable for the whole lot. Was told 'eligible students' would have taken their first degree a while ago (like me !), and also no maintenance loan as received one already if took another degree.
But that was what she was told so definitely worth checking. I agree it's stupid. They want good doctors, our kids are willing to get hideously in debt to train, but they stick so many obstacles in their way.

Wish we could all meet up for a 🍷,🍺or🥂. Think we deserve it !

PS I loved UEA ! Fantastic campus (prettier than Nottingham !), amazing facilities and beautiful walk from campus to medical facilities through a flower meadow. Just was too far away for DD (the road goes on for ever once off M11)

There are some other loans providers for educational fees but they are far more expensive. Our son is doing a diploma following a first degree and we have had to lend him the money otherwise he would be paying around 14% APR.

Re coeliac—entirely agree with 2B1G that any medical practitioner who finally gets a kid a diagnosis deserves a medal. In my son’s case, it was a very practical university nurse on his first year who finally suspected and insisted on a test. Our son had, in hindsight, screaming symptoms for all his school years. He had been seen by several consultants for other things which may have been connected.

Yes it's the five year course they won't fund the course fees for as it's the same degree level you previously got funded for. You do get the maintenance loan though and the fifth year is funded mostly. Grad med is more difficult to get into and not many places and a percentage of fees are given. It was his only option then if he could have resat maybe he would for financial reasons but still reckons you are better placed maturity wise as a post grad. As it was he had a small job in health care he carried on with and it helped his med studies anyway and his family rallied in terms of fees like ourselves and grandparents. We are not rich by the way. He had also done the uni stuff so wasn't so bothered about blowing money on booze, clothes etc and could feed himself well on next to nothing. Became an expert in bulk cooking and freezing as did we all. He also worked first two summers. There is hopefully a way if the passion is there. Never say never. I do agree absolutely that doctors and other health profs should get funding even if it ties them into working in that role in the nhs for a number of years and if they don't then have to buy themselves out by paying a percentage back. There were quite a few he knew of who completed the course and then decided not to practice. That's a waste we cannot afford.

We couldn't afford even part funded so still would not have been an option, but I'm really glad it has worked out well. Wish they had a rule that if you work for NHS for 5 years then they wipe the fees as it would be less scary. I was brought up to never borrow money and only spend what you have (except for a mortgage) - typical working class attitude. Fear of debt still with me so feel for DD as we brought her up to understand she could not have everything as we didn't have the money and to never get into debt. No choice though now !
They gave me money to go to Uni as we were poor. Would never have gone otherwise. The good old days 😁

Hi, I have a little personal experience that may be of use to some posting or lurking here.

My DD applied last year for medicine and partly through poor medical school choice only got one interview. She was rejected post interview and at the time this was very upsetting. Difficult to be rejected when all but potential medics have 5 offers and then go off excitedly to University. Also hard at first to have to face the UKCAT and in my DD case the BMAT again but 2nd time around she secured 3 interviews. Experience and Maturity meant she went on to get 3 offers and of course they were 3 unconditional offers. She is off in September to her first choice and couldn't be happier. In hindsight we are both thankful to the University that rejected her.

She didn't have to resit but has a friend that also applied last year but got 4 pre interview rejections. He intended to reapply but got AAB so this meant resitting as well. There are medical schools that accept resits and 2nd time he got 2 interviews and 2 offers. Got the A and is also off to medical school this September.

My DS has now decided he would like to apply for graduate entry medicine. We can't afford to pay for him on a 5 year course. In fact it was only when my DD was applying that I realized that graduates could be accepted on these courses. A lot are and it is much less competitive than the 4 year funded courses for graduates. A bit unfair IMO to be able to buy such a course. Quite tricky also for 18 year olds to compete at interview with mature students.

Just to be clear it is possible to get funding as a graduate for medicine but the funded places are far more competitive than the 5 year courses. If your DC are sure about medicine and they haven't secured a place then my advice is to reapply and/or resit.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Saturday. DD off clubbing and friends keeping younger DD busy as she gets results on Thursday. Can't give much away but think some of the grade boundaries will make headlines. 🍷to us all

Can't give much away but think some of the grade boundaries will make headlines.

*@mumsneedwine you can't just say that and then leave it! I guess you have some inside knowledge?

DS looking dreadful - 3 nights of clubbing have taken their toll 😂. Just sorted out accommodation - he is so excited. Also got timetable for first week. Must admit to being a little bit envious!

Ah can't expand too much yet but news has hit the press so I'm giving nothing away that's not already out there. Let's just say that the exams were ridiculously hard so was all predictable. As a teacher it's been a horrible demoralising year to teach year 11 as the syllabus was so hard & then the wrong things turned up on the wrong papers. As a parent, I would have physically gone for Gove if I'd ever seen him for the stress he caused my, usually laid back, child.

Mine off clubbing tonight so will be crawling in early doors.

Billie how lovely to hear this inspiring account.

Mumsneedwine, that's great news for us as DS really struggled with GCSEs this year for lots of reasons. Let's hope grade boundaries are ridiculously low!! 🤞

Grade boundaries for the first run of the new maths GCSE last year were ridiculous. All the GCSE now shows is that kids can do very hard stuff badly, when what we need to know for most - i.e. those who aren't going on to study maths or physics at a higher level - is whether they can do straightforward stuff well.

My younger daughter is waiting for GCSE results. She didn't work particularly hard, so we're not expecting great numbers, but I don't think they'll tell us - or her sixth-form college - anything meaningful about what she does/doesn't know or can/can't do.

Just looked at the Daily Heil's story from today. It is based on last year's Edexcel higher tier maths GCSE, where the grade boundary for a 4 (equivalent to the bottom of the old C grade) was 17%. If this kind of level is typical for the other new GCSEs thus year, I really think we have to stop paying any attention to them. It was very clear while the qualification reform was going on that the Department for Education and Ofqual had been instructed by government to do completely different things and that the two were entirely incompatible. The DfE was trying to reinstate 1960s grammar-school-style O-levels while Ofqual was instructed to ensure that the proportions getting each grade were similar to those getting the equivalent grades in the old system, as the government doesn't have the balls to accept the consequences of what it deliberately set out to do. It wanted tougher exams but it wouldn't accept more kids failing them. It is one of innumerable examples of the incompetence, incoherence, stupidity and cowardice of the vermin who infest Westminster.

Don't read the Daily Fail but not surprised they've picked up the story. It's a mess. Am v v glad that eldest DD is well out of it now. And I'm expecting to have to send youngest DDs for remarks.

Anyway this lovely thread is about our lovely 18 year olds heading off into their futures (or Spoons). I'll stop winging about GCSEs until Thursday

Hello all you fantastic mums,
There is an awful lot of good advice here for a novice whose ds is applying for medicine this year. My research started here!...... It has always been for everything....from nappies to medical school and of course for more!!
We started late for many reasons so are lagging behind. His subjects are chemistry,Maths, and Economics/German.
Wasn’t planning on medicine initially so didn’t take biology.
Wondering if taking a gap here would be of an advantage? He is keen on applying this year. Good GCSE’s- 8 A* 2A .
Is there any disadvantage if you apply again next year if wasn't successful?
Ds is bright and lazy( story of most 17 year olds ... ).

Hi medicmum, I think your DS could apply for a handful of medical schools without biology. You'd have to check which ones on medic portal. In my opinion the most important thing he can do is long term volunteering (at least six months) in some sort of care setting to demonstrate his commitment to medicine. If he hasn't done this yet maybe a gap year would be a good idea for this and maybe take biology too? Otherwise try to get in this year and be prepared to try again next but I think some medical schools won't take you if they rejected you once. He does have great GCSEs though so could be ok.

I agree with specialted, unless he particularly doesn't want to go to any of the medical schools he could apply to with chemistry, maths and economics/German (Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sunderland, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Keele, Oxford, Anglia Ruskin, Bristol, Bart's: a fairly long list).

See: medschools.ac.uk/media/2357/msc-entry-requirements-for-uk-medical-schools.pdf

There's no disadvantage to applying for 2020 entry having applied unsuccessfully for 2019. Some medical schools won't let your reapply the following year if you were rejected after interview, but that's unlikely to cut down the list very much. Some won't let you apply while sitting additional A-levels, requiring you to complete them and then apply with achieved qualifications. These restrictions all need to be carefully researched.

Thanks Specialted and skiltan.
Specialted- He has started volunteering at a care home. Would have done 4 months by October. How would I find out if a specific uni wouldn't let me reapply?
Skiltan- Thanks for the list. We are looking at few of them from your list. Keele... I thought needed biology. Will check again.

medic mom, I'm sure 4 months volunteering will be fine, as long as DS can reflect on what he has learnt from it. I'm not sure how you'd find out about the unis you couldn't reapply for, as Skiiltan said it's only if you're rejected post interview. I guess it says on the medical schools website. I think Nottingham may be one but you'd have to check.

In hindsight I think the medical schools told us about it at their open days

Hi medicmom. In case you haven’t come across it yet, The Medic Portal is a useful site, which gives advice on things like work experience, personal statements, UKAT/BMAT, etc.....
Also, I’m thinking your DS is likely thinking about preparation for one, or both of the above tests...🤔 . In which case, Medify is a very good resource to help with the prep for the UKCAT. My DS only applied to UKCAT medical schools, in part, to minimise the amount of extra work/stress that doing both would inevitably entail, but mainly because he was fairly fixed on one specific medical school!! 😳