Medicine 2018 part 3

[SomersetS]

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

Well done to DD mumsneedwine! Similar results here for DS, so relieved and happy after an incredibly stressful time for him. Can finally relax ...for the time being.

See you in Nottingham 😁.

Congrats to your DC and their GCSE results Special and Mums. I have DS2 with GCSE results next year and he wants to do medicine. Really worried he might not make it but it's down to him and hard work I keep reminding myself.

See you then! 👍😅

Congratulations to your DC on great GCSE results.... 👏. Can’t believe you’ve got to go through the whole thing again mumsneedwine...!! 😬At least you’re a bit of a veteran now...! 😝

Surely vets must be easier 😂😂

Hope so mumsneedwine...! 😂

Vets don't have to take aptitude tests, and the work experience requirements are more explicit. So I guess it's more straightforward, although they still have to ace an interview.

Very difficult for anyone without the connections required to get 4-6 weeks of work experience with large & small animals, though.

Congratulations to all DC who got their GCSE today!

Still exam for Cambridge unfortunately. But no interview at Bristol - they stopped last year as said they did 500 interviews and gave 498 offers so was bit pointless. Lovely head of faculty said other Unis were considering doing it too, so fingers crossed. One less hurdle to jump. As only 6 Unis in England that's next years open days sorted. And can visit her sister for one of them.
Sitting at Heathrow as about to fly to New York so v glad have happy DDs 😁

Well done to the DCs who got their GCSEs results today. What a summer it must be to you mums and families. Time to celebrate and relax

Following you lot is as addictive as The Archers. I am SO glad that there are other mums stalking TSR and agonising on behalf of DCs, I feel less odd now! I have not managed to read the whole lot, but the middle of all your threads will be my holiday reading next week! Congratulations to all of you and your DCs. Exciting times ahead for medics and non-medics.

@medicmom my DS is currently doing Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics but school policy (and recommendation of most medical schools) is to do just three. He has decided to give up Biology (because it is the hardest for him to get a really good mark in), and all 4 of his choices (Cambridge, Newcastle, Sheffield and Leeds) are happy with that selection. I would say the majority do not require Biology, but your DS may need support for Biology prep for BMAT. See you over on the other thread .

I also wanted to say I was outraged on your behalves when somebody posted that you were arrogant to be confident of interviews for your DCs. The whole point of your research was to help your DCs to maximise their chances in complex environment with so many different factors to balance by understanding which schools valued your DCs strengths. Grrrrr!

Has been an exhausting year swing!! So glad it's over on the exam front.
Monkey, I stalked every thread on here and tsr last year, I thought I was going mad but this one is def the best and most supportive. So excited about possibly actually meeting some of you in Nottingham katisha and mumsneedwine!

Well done to all your mothers with double rounds of results, nephew got his today, he is at a private school so still did igsces in all subjects except for maths. I was a bit surprised they hadn't moved over to the new spec for all, my understanding was they would better prepare them for the jump to A levels. He wants to do medicine , his results were not quite that of DDs at this stage, so I know from bitter experience it is hard to tell (sour grapes here, but his school are very experienced at getting them in and being selective usually get the results, which is not how it felt for DD), He is very sure of himself which may come across as confidence or could be off putting - he certainly is happy to tell adults they are wrong (which drives my parents mad).

DD told MIL on the phone that she was excited and looking forward to pharmacology and drug discovery and the whole Uni experience. Accommodation confirmed, student loan confirmed, duvet cover bought ... and sister who has loads of contacts in pharmaceuticals industry already talking about getting some work experience for her. This year has been exhausting rounds of highs and lows and for those of you going through two lots of exam results days (well I did have second year uni exams but the distance makes it easier) you deserve a large glass of something or chocolate at the very least.

Have a fab time in New York mumsneedwine. So glad 2B1GMUM that your DD is so positive - what a testament to her strength of character.
I’m off to do uni shop at IKEA with DS (it only opened a few months ago so good excuse to go!) - what is everyone’s top tips of what to buy or what not to buy?

Great GCSE results here too, so relief we are done with results for a while! DD back from camp yesterday. Today we have to go into London to get new Swedish passports for the kids ( quite a trekk for us). In a week DD is off interrailing, so next week is our week for sorting uni stuff. So very happy to get everyone's tips!

Glad your DD is excited about her course 2B1Gmum

@SomersetS have been thinking about you and your DD and wondering how you're both doing.

Monkey, your post made me laugh so much - I know what you mean about it being addictive! 😂 I didn’t know about such threads when my DS went through the whole torturous experience, and have to admit to stalking this thread for a bit before I joined it!! I realise it’ll likely end at some point, which I do feel sad about, as it has genuinely warmed my heart to read the support that’s so evident in the posts.

Movingmountains, re your Ikea trip, my DD says plastic cups. She said a lot of socialising went on in each other’s rooms, especially in the first few weeks, so cups/beakers could be useful. Also, if the beds are anything like the ones in my DS’s halls of residence, you might want to buy a mattress topper. You could honestly feel almost every spring!!!

Have a fantastic time in New York mumsneedwine....👍

2B1Gmum, I find it really inspiring that you and your daughter have remained so positive, and I am so glad that your DD is feeling excited about her course, shows real resilience and strength of character 💕.

Thank you ladies for your kind words...

Mattress topper ordered here too, they can't take candles so room diffusers are good and fake candles are fun. One Uni said takes cakes or snacks for your new flat mates, DD is taking her favourite spicey doritos (only ones GF) and we bought Jenga in a charity shop yesterday. Extra hooks to hang over doors for the DDs with lots of clothes and clothes airer if room. Fancy dress stuff - a bit of a pain to have to spend money and take up room with it, but there are always themed parties - we forced middle DS to take a couple of things from home which he did wear in Fresher Week.

IKEA always managers to tempt you with something whether you need it or not, I bought myself a mobile phone stand and am really pleased because I always loose mine - £2.99! Good place for those self catering as kitchen equipment is reasonable.

Enjoy your shopping all....

they can't take candles so room diffusers are good and fake candles are fun.

Blimey, I spent most of my first year at university burning joss-sticks in my room.

On the other had, we weren't allowed any high-rating electrical appliances. We had to obtain a (strictly limited) number of special plugs from the halls office and fit them to our radio-cassette players, etc. (didn't need to be done by a qualified electrician, natch). I think they had 1A fuses, so nothing much more than a radio would work without blowing the fuse. The sockets in the rooms wouldn't take standard plugs.

This was a very, very long time ago, though.

We hit Primark and Wilko - got some good deals, all dusky pink, grey and copper 😬. DD has an Eve mattress at home, so have ordered a topper too - funny, we are like some strange Stepford Mums, all parading around in unison. DD reports that Reading is “cool”. Last night was odd, the house seemed very empty, without music and mess .... a taste of things to come. She has her timetable, seems very real now. Plymouth get them out to GP surgery’s in second week. I don’t feel my baby is old enough to be the “ I have a medical student with me today, is that ok”?

I don’t feel my baby is old enough to be the “ I have a medical student with me today, is that ok”?

She will become that person very quickly. But that might take a while to become apparent to you on her visits home. A lot of them maintain parallel lives for some time because - despite many appearances to the contrary - they are very sensitive to what their parents must feel about their being away and growing up.

I don't know about Plymouth but my own medical school also sends students on GP placements very early in year 1 (not quite the second week, admittedly). Initially this is to learn and then apply communication skills: how to open a consultation, how to get information (i.e. ask a speficic question in a way the patient understands), how to give information (i.e. explain something in a way the patient can understand and determine whether she/he has understood it), how to close a consultation. They don't actually touch anyone - apart from other students in examination teaching sessions - until second year. It's quite different from physiotherapy, where the hands-on stuff begins very early.

They do grow up very quickly, though. Many of our third-year students - and all of the fifth-years - are barely recognizable as the people who started first year.

Skiltan - that really is informative, thank you so much for that. It's great to hear your views - they give a real students view of their life, as they grow up. They will be in such a privileged position, as doctors and I am sure that the art of communication is a big part of it all. Thanks again

Just thought I’d mention, if any of your DC are interested in a good resource for learning anatomy, my DS has found 3D Anatomy (link below) really good - it can be downloaded onto their PC’s. He much prefers this to the text book he bought. I think he paid about £21 for it (at the time, it was half price).... 🤔

3d4medical.com/apps/essential-anatomy-3

Sorry for radio silence from me. This is a week I don't want to repeat! Thank you for kind thoughts & wishes. DD has accepted an offer at her first choice Uni to do Medical Physiology with an outside chance of transferring to Ned at end of Year 1 if she puts in a stellar performance. Guess we will consider GEM in the future. All the Unis we spoke to in clearing were fabulous. Gave lots of time to DD answering questions etc. Though bitterly disappointed she is beginning to get excited now accommodation confirmed etc.

But she's been ill on & off for weeks & now in hospital being poked & prodded by a lovely Junior Doctor (I'd say it's his first week)!!! About to be admitted. I've gone past grey!