Medicine 2019

[kaykay72]

Hi,

Does anyone here have a DC applying for medicine to start in 2019? It would be nice to meet others as we embark on uni visits, predicted grades, UKCAT etc

We’re in Kent, d is planning to visit kings, UCL, Nottingham, Sheffield and Newcastle at the moment. She really wanted to go look at Belfast but they want three A’s plus an A at AS level but won’t accept her additional qualification in place of this (despite it having a higher UCAS tarriff). We went to an open afternoon at BSMS which she liked more than she thought she would, so is pondering the BMAT.

I have two older kids (well, adults now), one of whom has just finished his masters, the other just completed his first year elsewhere, but medical applications are just so complicated in comparison to their experiences at this stage.

Hope to hear from others in the same boat :-)

Does anyone know what time the BMAT exam is? Hoping to go away for a few days as it is our half term and wondered when it would finish.

BMAT is on Wed 31 Oct this year. It's usually the first Wednesday in November.

www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/bmat/bmat-october/dates-and-costs/

Oops, sorry. Misread the message.

The scheduled start time in the UK is 09:00, so it should finish around 11:00.

My d just said ‘morning’ - don’t know if that’s any help x

Ds gave his in September. It was at from 9-11.

4catsham DD liked all her 4 choices and would have been happy to go to any (Newcastle, Bristol, Cardiff, Leicester). In the end discarded Newcastle because of distance, Bristol had just changed their course and she didn't want to be a guinea pig! She had liked Cardiff since the medicine open day, and really liked the CBL that she tried. She also liked the idea of the very different places in Wales you can do placements, plus if Erasmus keeps going one term in another country.

She is happy at Cardiff, but says it is so much work! She seems to be finding time to get involved with lots of other stuff though and tonight is the medics ball!

Hi, My DD is applying for September 2020 entry but I just thought I’d pick the brains if the 2019 vintage for this one;

How much have you/should you think about the F1 and F2 destinations of med school graduates? My DD is worried that if she applies to a uni far from home she may end up being effectively “stuck” there because that’s where she trained. How flexible are F1 destinations? Would it be unusual to move back to your home city at F1 stage or do
graduates tend to stay in uni city? Or do they move after F2?

Sorry if this is a ridiculous question but no medics in the family and still struggling with how it all works - For info we live in London (outskirts) and she’s looking at regional unis.

F1 and F2 are based on how well you've performed on exams. It's a first pick basis with those scoring high getting to choose first. You get 4 regional options and depending on where are in rank you might get your first or last or whatever is left over.

To be fair, at this point, you've got to accept you could end up anywhere. So much happens in 5 years, home might not be where you grew up any longer.

By the way not a stupid question at all, I just happened to be reading about this one afternoon I was bored at work, DD is only in 1st year :)

@bellylaughs My daughter asked this question when looking at Liverpool. They said where you train and work in a hospital, local rules apply to how they do things, so if you move to another area they may do certain procedures slightly differently or have another protocol. However like swingofthings said above, they get ranked nationally now for their F1. So I wouldn’t worry too much I think lots move to wherever they are ranked and given a place .. the best advice is to be strategic where you apply . Apply to their strengths to optimise the chance of an interview. Every course for medicine is at the end of the day excellent. The only thing to think about is the type of learner they are ... would they enjoy pbl, cbl,traditional or intergrated. The medic portal is very good for giving a comparison tool to help.
www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/choosing-a-medical-school/comparisontool/

How to choose a medical school
www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/choosing-a-medical-school/

Thanks for that info, I’ve been on the medic portal but there isn’t much info about F1 and F2 and beyond. Would it be ridiculous to hope to return to a job in London for F1? Assuming it might because all the London students would take theses?
But at the moment 7+ years away from London/friend/family is seemingly a bit daunting to DD.

Bemjamin the BMAT is simply the first Wednesday after the (standard English state school) October half-term, which this year happens to be October 31st, so nothing has changed.

bellylaughs DS1 has just started F1. The process was a mystery to me too - also no other (living) medics in the family. A number of things are awarded points for the ranking pot: what decile you're in at your own medical school prior to the situational judgment test, class of degree, additional degrees, publications etc but 50% come from the multiple choice situational judgment test taken in your final year of med school. The most competitive F1 and F2 deaneries require a very high overall score and you won't find a perfect representation of med schools in any deanery. It does seem to be the case that a good number of students training outside London tend to opt for - and are qualified in points terms for - their local deanery, but there's no doubt that the London ones - two in particular - are very much in demand and pretty tough to get in to. I think the lowest points score this year was something like 84/100 for the London deaneries.

(Caveat: I'm a tiny bit wooly about the precise accrual of points aside from the situational judgment test - DS explained it was a few points for class of degree and a few for publications etc but no doubt someone else will come along and be more precise. But essentially a student has to do very well to get to London).

Sorry - Benjamin, not Bemjamin.

Bellylaughs it doesn't matter where you study, as all students are ranked nationally with no reference to their Uni. So makes no difference if you went to Imperial, Oxford or Sunderland. The student with the highest score gets their first choice of Deanery and the ones with lowest score get what is available (which could also be their first choice depending on where they want to go !). Apparently the London Deaneries are popular so tend to go t the higher scorers - they come from med schools all over the country. It seems s v fair system but means the students have to be aware of the points system used from quite early on

Goodbyestranger said it much better 

Bellylaughs My dd is in her 4th year & not thinking about where she will do her F1 year even at this stage. As others have said, London is very popular. But there are plenty of hospitals outside London within an easy commute if being close to family & friends is still important at that stage.

But there is a big difference between 16 and 23/24. Your dd will make so many new friends at uni. She may not keep in touch with her school friends after a while or see them only sporadically. She may love the city she studies in & want to stay in that area. It will be cheaper to buy a house outside London.

I really think it is not something to worry about too much at this stage. You definitely need to focus on which unis are most likely to offer her a place, above any other consideration

Thank you so much for the replies, that has made it much easier. At least we know now that it’s one less thing to worry about when choosing!

Anyone no much about the new CBL course at Bristol? Such a lovely city

Anyone know much about the new CBL course at Bristol? Such a lovely city

tennis mum when we went to the offer holder's day at Bristol, they gave very few details about the course. They said it was great! I think it is based on Cardiff's CBL couldn't, but not exactly the same. My DD decided against it as she felt she would be a bit of a guinea pig as it would only be in its second year. But by next year they should be more experienced and have made necessary changes.

My DD is at Cardiff, but CBL doesn't start until next term, so I can't say how it is.

Ok thanks for that as Bristol is my DD first choice . She liked Cardiff too but a few GCSE A stars short . Hope your daughter is enjoying Cardiff

The Bristol course will be in it’s third year by the time 2019 applicants start.

It seems to suit DD who enjoys the mix of practical and theory. A big contrast to her Oxbridge friends who have yet to see a patient. Terms are much longer though as she had placements during the summer (she missed some during the summer), and started three weeks early for another placement block. Bristol though is lovely and there is a good patient mix.

That’s good to know Needmoresleep .. what year is your DD? Does she use public transport for placements or use a car?