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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Medicine 2019

999 replies

kaykay72 · 05/06/2018 16:32

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 :-)

OP posts:
Tinkobell · 14/02/2019 07:36

@5thchild....I think much depends on the demeanor of your DC; ive one that's v highly strung and another that's v laid back (would be medic). Honestly my medic DC has been fine. But she made some clear choices early on which helped reduce that stress:-

  • didn't do BMAT - she didn't want London (we live there) or BSMS. She got a good UKCAT so drew the line there. The people that went BMAT too did have a notably larger quantity of prep which overshadowed the preceding summer break
  • dropped some extra curriculars at school
  • apply tactically to places with a spread of offers - READ the selection criteria with a magnifying glass.
  • dropped the weakest A level from 4 to 3 subjects
  • long plan of work experience in situ.
Do beware of TSR. A lot of people that are need to get it off their chest-types and are not necessarily representative of everyone, my DD has never actually posted. DD spent 2 clear weeks prepping UKCAT at home. The uni visits and MMI days were not too stressy other than Notts; work catch-up done on the train there and back. In all, it's ok. Her friends are all on their own missions; Oxbridge, law, engineering awards.....some of those things are massively time consuming and stressful too!
5thchild · 14/02/2019 08:38

Thankyou for your reply and I will show DD these replies because I know it could be a dummy run but she just feels all the stress of the worry of “will she get an interview/offer” will distract her badly from her A levels and then she won’t achieve the grades required. She will have a good amount of volunteering and shadowing under her belt and has even decided that a few weeks in a girls refuge in Peru (where she can also hone her Spanish) and then another spell in Africa on a medical programme during the gap year, will be time well spent.

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2019 08:53

Tinkobell Junior sounds much more focused than my DS! He did 1 week on medify for UKCAT, has been doing 3 hours a week of volunteering (for about a year), and has spent very little time prepping for interviews - which might be why he ends up with a year out! Grin

I think that even if your DD decides not to apply in Y13 she should consider a practice run at the UKCAT this summer as a good score makes a MASSIVE difference to your ability to get interviews and it would be nice if the first time you did it was not the one that really mattered.

Tinkobell · 14/02/2019 08:59

@Monkey2001 ....hoping to hear screaches of delight from the monkey house v soon! Keeping it all crossed.
@5thchild....there's camaraderie waiting for offers whilst cracking on with work. The works no bad distraction. With the work experience, be wary of going for any 'paid for' placements overseas. Some unis do grill candidates on the nature of their WE; how they came to get it, who found it for them etc. A weeks work experience in Superdrug pharmacy can be just if not more highly valued than an overseas placement. Experience of the NHS is highly desired.

5thchild · 14/02/2019 09:25

Thankyou Tinkobell, I hear what you are saying. Yesterday she had an hour long interview at our city hospital and begins volunteering in 3 weeks on the cardiac surgical ward - totally organised by herself. Although she is going on a premed 2 week course shadowing Doctors (organised by me and recommended by her school) she has sourced the Peru and African volunteering herself and they are flights only, living with a family in Peru and in a hostel in africa. She has also had a p/t waitressing job since she was 14 - again completely organised by herself. She is a very competent, confident girl but just doesn’t want the stress during year 13 which I have to respect.

5thchild · 14/02/2019 09:29

Thankyou, I think the idea of a dummy run at UCAT is a very good idea

ItsTheKissing · 14/02/2019 10:33

Congratulations to all DCs who have had offers. We are still awaiting to hear from Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol (on 'hold' from Bristol). I know some offers and rejections have gone out from both B'ham and M'chester so I guess no news is good news 😬....... the waiting is dreadful though, particularly when some of DSS friends have had offers.........

Tinkobell · 14/02/2019 13:00

@5th....she's sounds blooming amazing! She'll have a cracking CV by the time she does apply. Are you sure she's not just an insecure overachiever?!!!

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2019 18:17

Looks like there was a big batch of offers from Sheffield today. Silence here, anybody had good news?

I have a horrible feeling DS will get the rejection on his birthday (Monday) Sad

HostessTrolley · 14/02/2019 18:37

@monkey2001 that would suck :-(

Dd just got a Sheffield offer, AAA. Wasn’t expected as she felt that she’d been clumsy/stumbly in most of the stations, a couple went well, a couple really badly but mostly clumsy. As things stand she’s likely to firm imperial and insure Sheffield but she still has two more decisions to come.

She’s off out on a date night grinning like a loony, chemistry test in the morning so won’t be smiling for long 😉

medicmom · 14/02/2019 19:03

Ds has just had an offer from Sheffield! Whoever said ... you just need one... It so makes sense now.
We've had a few rejections since few months but doesn't matter now. We all are so pleased. Ds better get the grades now.

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2019 19:38

Woo hoo! Great news Hostess and medicmom. Like Medicmama, your name has been fulfilled!

hoodiemum · 14/02/2019 19:43

No news from Sheffield here, either, Monkey, but no reason to be gloomy yet. This time tomorrow you may all be very happy in the monkey house.
Congrats to all those with news to celebrate!

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2019 21:41

@medicmom is your DS waiting to hear from Leeds too?

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2019 21:45

@HostessTrolley and @medicmom have you seen that Sheffield is offering a free nights accommodation in student accom if you attend an offer holders day. First come, first served - see www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/visit/applicant/accommodation. If DS gets an offer, we will do that as it is a great (and free!Wink) way of checking out the accommodation.

ProfessorLayton1 · 14/02/2019 22:18

Medicmum and Hostesstrolley - congratulations to your DC.

Dd is the only one with no offer in her class ( small sixth form college ) ,apart from her 5th choice which she is not taking!
All the children who have applied for medicine have offers now and discussing about various things which is not part of...
She seems quite focused on her work and is happy as she is driving her new car.

It s really good to see the offers trickling in..

Nightowlpossibly · 14/02/2019 22:25

Congratulations to hostess and medicmom dcs!

Monkey- hopefully some good news heading your way. Good luck!

Such an exciting stage with offers starting to come through.! Hope everyone gets to share some good news.

Nightowlpossibly · 14/02/2019 22:28

Professor Layton how did your DD,s interview at UCL go? Did she is like it there? Still waiting for an interview here! Getting a little concerned only so many interview dates left.

ProfessorLayton1 · 14/02/2019 23:28

She said it went alright...
Night owl - UCL interviews till end of March so there is plenty of time still. Did you Dd have any other offer ?

Nightowlpossibly · 15/02/2019 00:27

Professor- dd has 3 offers. But she will be rejecting manchester. She likes UCL and I think she would have just liked to get the full set of interviews, And had a shot at it. but if not, she is still very happy with the remaining two she has.

CrunchingNumber · 15/02/2019 08:51

Congratulations to you DC Medicmum and Hostesstrolley ,awesome news.

Monkey2001 hopefully some great news on its way.... don't loose hope and faith .

ladsmum · 15/02/2019 09:33

DS got offer from Sheffield on Wed eve. He was beyond happy, having had a rejection from Manchester (after interview) and Newcastle (before interview -UKCAT not high enough) which shattered his confidence. UEA interview on Monday, which he is a bit more relaxed about now. I think Sheffield will be a really good "fit" for him, so a UEA offer would just be a bonus.
Don't know about the rest of you but I'm emotionally drained by it all and seem to have developed a TSR addiction!

Monkey2001 · 15/02/2019 09:47

ladsmum - congrats to DS, I am so with you on the TSR addiction!!! My DS thinks it is really funny as he is not on there.

hoodiemum · 15/02/2019 09:52

Well done, Ladsmum junior. Wonderful to have some good news after the disappointments, and yes, I'm sure it's much easier to go into the last interview with head held high once you've got an offer behind you.
My DD also got a Sheffield offer last night - quite late evening. Still desperate to hear from Bristol, but knows deep down she'll be happy anywhere.
I've swerved the TSR addiction for the moment, but the Mumsnet addiction is getting ridiculous. If I wasn't freelance, I'd have been sacked by now for all my time wasting.

Tinkobell · 15/02/2019 10:28

Many congrats @Ladsmum for Sheffield ....my DD did get her Sheffield offer this week too also now just awaiting UEA but we're not expecting anything until March. She's decided to drop the Birmingham offer but wants to revisit Notts as she got an offer but the visit and impression on the day was, well.. sadly a bit pants. I thought we were all done with the trekking about...but no, offer days are a must I'm now told. At least I won't need to go along again.
@Monkey2001 - really thinking and hoping that blooming offer does come for you guys!