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 :-)

Oxford also send to Milton Keynes and of course some clinical students do all their clinical stint attached to one of the London med schools

@hoodiemum, loving the idea of suit trousers and wellies - maybe if she was applying to vet school......

@Monkey......all of the Sheffield interviewees male and female looked nicely presented. That's my honest view. Personally, I would think they're trying to look like a junior doctor not a consultant-to-be (no bow tie 😁). I would think trousers with a good crease up the front, a collar and a jacket shows a person has made the effort.....I have a DS too by the way that lives in trackies so I know where your coming from!

bengalcat only a few opt for London for Clinical. More go there because Oxford hasn't given them a place after Pre-Clinical. Milton Keynes is an option for a small number of Oxford students but by no means compulsory. As I say, DS and many of his friends were in substance Oxford based for the entire six years. I'm not quite sure what the point is. I don't think DS would have liked the King's programme, of having to go all over the shop for weeks on end. It is a good idea to look into that aspect though, I agree.

D is planning to wear what she wears for school. Suit jacket, trousers or skirt with tights, neat top - not necessarily collared but modest

....oh and polished shoes too maybe? Though I suspect DD's were kind of gasped on and polished with her sleeve 😁

What about ties for boys?

DD told me that most did have a tie @Monkey. A few were very bouffed with matching suit and waistcoat.....but she thought that was a bit OTT. Very best of luck...I hope he enjoys the MMI experience, DD actually did enjoy it...challenging but fun!

Thanks *Tinkobell", he can wear a tie and then take it off if he feels it is OTT. 3 piece suits - really?! I feel that Sheffield is more relaxed than that.

3 piece suits ...I kid you not. But probably safer to be a bit smarter than scruffier 😁

Likely the interview letter will specify a dress code such as ' the kind of outfit one would wear in the wards ' - a pinstripe suit waistcoat and tie with a buttonhole would likely upstage the interviewers and make them smile ( but not in a bad way ) . For girls a dress , skirt and blouse , trousers with a blouse +/ - jumper or jacket is fine and boys trousers , shirt +/- jumper or jacket and tie probably a good idea but not compulsory .

Monkey2001 my DS wore a suit for all his interviews last year (including Sheffield) he said he never felt over dressed and it made him feel more confident. He did say there was a mixture of what people wore - he was shocked at Liverpool that someone turned up in tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt!

he was shocked at Liverpool that someone turned up in tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt! ......was it a shell suit by chance? I feel I can safely ask the question since I'm from Merseyside! 😁

At DDs interviews last year most boys were in suits with ties. She wore I dress and jacket to 2 (she wasn't convinced before hand- thought it was too apprentice like). Above knee
tight flowery skirt and normal top with jacket for one and checked trousers for one. I remember clothes were so stressful before hand, but I think as long as they are smart it doesn't matter!

Also I know she found it really hard to know how well she'd done and said the more she thought about it the worse she felt she'd done. But she got 4 offers!

The boys at Bristol all appeared to be in suits, if that helps.

Does anyone know what the application/interview/offer numbers are like for Cardiff?

Thanks for the fashion tips, all sorted. I am working on persuading him that he can't stuff his smart clothes in a rucksack and must get a bus from central Sheffield hotel rather than walk and arrive all sweaty! I am sure girls are better at this stuff!

@bengalcat - Likely the interview letter will specify a dress code such as ' the kind of outfit one would wear in the wards ' - a pinstripe suit waistcoat and tie with a buttonhole would likely upstage the interviewers and make them smile ( but not in a bad way ) . For girls a dress , skirt and blouse , trousers with a blouse +/ - jumper or jacket is fine and boys trousers , shirt +/- jumper or jacket and tie probably a good idea but not compulsory

"The kind of outfit one would wear on the wards" would mean no tie (and no watch). I'm not aware of any medical school telling people what to wear at an interview. They should exercise some judgement. They don't want to be remembered for how they were dressed: they want to be remembered for what they said/how they performed. On our first interview day last year two of my interviewers complained about one of the candidates whose skirt was much too short.

Trying to mimic what's worn on the wards would be ridiculous. Someone at one of DS's interviews worse a short sleeved shirt 'because that's what's worn on the wards'. Daft. It's not a test to see if people can manage to put on a short sleeved shirt is it?

@Monkey.....Sheff MMI's are not at Royal Hallamshire but Gt Northern Hosp....(though check the brief). If he's staying in the city, just get a cab....it's 15 mins in a car so not walkable in a smart suit with luggage in tow. Our cab was £6 and prompt. We got there 20 mins early. Not much loitering space onsite.

@Tinkobell, thanks for the tip, that is extremely good value, but I don't think I can persuade him to take a cab - far too middle-aged thing to do (in his opinion)! He has agreed to a bus and they look very frequent and he has plenty of time. I have arranged for him to leave his suitcase at the Travelodge. Phew!

I assumed he could get breakfast in a cafe at the hospital - when you say there is no loitering space, do you mean in the interview building?

Good luck to your ds @Monkey2001 .
Stats for Sheffield looks promising.
Went for a campus tour to Sheffield yesterday because kept missing the open days in the summer and the last one we were in holiday.
Ds very positive about Sheffield and was very impressed by what he saw. Everyone is so friendly.
Got a rejection from Newcastle last week but he still seems positive and not bothered by it.
Got an interview with Manchester as well.

Thanks Medicmom, looks like Sheffield is the most popular med school on this thread!

I did not know that Newcastle had started sending out responses. Have they published their cut-off?

Not sure @Monkey2001 about Newcastle cutoff.

FWIW Kings say:

‘Interview procedure

Interviews are held between January and March and you must be available for interview in order to be considered for admission.
It is expected that candidates adopt the dress code required of clinical medical students at King’s.’

I seem to remember, from DDs interview 3 years ago, that the dress code was quite clear.

DD wore some smart black trousers, a nice black jacket and a smart blouse. Being comfortable was important.

Her medical school are very tough on dress. They are expected to be smart. Uniqlo is her go-to shop, as much of their stuff does not require ironing, is nice and is relatively cheap