Medicine 2020

[EightToSixer]

Ok, so I know it's super early, but I've been hovering at the medicine 18 and 19 threads. DD is keen to apply for medicine in 2020. Is anyone else in the same boat?
I thought it would be useful to share info and stories, it's all a very steep learning curve because despite me now having a PhD and working in a RG university I was late to learning and not a patch on my DD who is very driven and organised.
Hopefully people will find this group and we can share the rollercoaster of the next two years.

Mine got Sheffield offer in late January few years ago ? Was her first and I was at a school event (as staff) and rather unprofessionally yelped and jumped around for a bit. Think most parents understood 😳

@mumsneedwine I was just using Cardiff as an example, DD didn’t apply there as she didn’t have the full 27 so we considered it a bit risky...

Cardiff is so high on GCSEs isn't it ? Got to select somehow but it's so hard to be chosen on what you did at 15/16 years old.

@mumsneedwine definitely! Seems very unfair.

DD didn’t think it was worth putting Cardiff as she had “only” got a 7 in English Lang (all the rest 8 and 9) and on research it seems this could possibly rule her out of Cardiff. Madness!!

Yes, madness indeed! I assume that Cardiff has a very high number of grammar and private school kids. Nobody out of all the 240 kids at DS's "outstanding" non-selective state school got 9 As in his year. In his case it is particularly ludicrous that being 0.25% below an A for music due to a cohort moderation in which his work was not reviewed makes him a less competitive for medicine applications.

Luckily there are different selection criteria at other medical schools so most people likely to get the required AAA can probably get interviews somewhere, but it is not easy to work out where you have the best chance of an interview if you are a 17 year old without parents/teachers willing and able to help you navigate.

interviews, the UEA one surprised us by being so early

Maybe their 2019 admin is more organised than in other yrs? :).

Do you live near UEA or is her application quite strong?
Where I work, interview invites tend to go out first to kids who live close (not fair to invite far away applicants with little notice). They may struggle to get enough interviewers so might invite best applicants first, in case they run out of interview slots later.

I can only repeat stuff I've said before how to prepare: ... know why they wrote everything they wrote on their personal statement. Be clear in own mind why medicine is a good career choice for them. DO NoT REHEARSE specific answers. Interviewers hate rehearsed answers. Listen to the interview question and answer that question not one you rehearsed. It's ok to ask for a moment to think about the answer. Don't take it as terrible sign if interviewer is unfriendly; some of them are hard on everyone but still a lot nicer than hospital consultants. If no question puts the applicant out of their comfort zone then interview didn't work well; the interview should put them under pressure.

We dread kids who quit a few weeks after course start. It's terrible for the quitting applicant, the person whose place they took, and the school who will take income loss. The quitters get asked:

"How did you answer 'Why do you want to be a doctor' type questions when you didn't really want to be here?!" We were so coached on all the answers.

"Why did you go thru application rigamarole when you didn't want to be here?" Well my parents were so proud & the school just encouraged me and my friends said it was great....

Don't want to be one of those people.

Do you live near UEA or is her application quite strong?

No - we are 3 hour drive away(though much quicker by train if she is lucky enough to land a spot...) and honestly I don't know.
She has very strong predicted grades, good GCSEs but plenty of 8's to go with the 9's , reasonably good UCAT but not stellar. She has been involved with the local hospital on their Widening Participation Programme since Year 5 - high percentage of FSM at her Primary School (and then through invitation once in secondary school), GP work experience, volunteering at a care home( nearly a year) and 5+years of volunteering at a local(not healthcare related)institution.
I don't know if it is strong - certainly displays a long term interest in medicine - it's not weak but I suppose, like so much, it depends on the competition.
I think she is great and would give her a spot in a heartbeat - may be a tad biased

Piggy- she sounds amazing and am sure universities would be really impressed with her commitment! Fingers crossed for her...

What ProfLayton said. Sounds like a very strong application. Especially the work experience. Wow! Well done.

3 hours drive is also relatively close. At least, it's easily doable in a single day, although painful if it means leaving home at 5am.

I have cleared it with DD that I won't go to any interviews with her (phew). That is an advantage of her all London strategy. We were discussing if she could camp on the floor of her ex-boyf the night before (he's studying at LSE). I think the real problem there is they BOTH won't sleep (!). I'll need to look at finding her a hotel room for night before, probably, if interview time before 1pm. She went to Cambridge hotel on her own for BMAT. Travelling alone etc. is part of her finding out for sure if she can handle living in London madness.

Thank you both - I have let her know and she feels boosted up it. Got a nice black skirt and jacket an cream blouse that she looks great in and is very comfortable too. She has comfy flat black pumps in case there are ant tours or walking required.
Dh is driving her - I'm over invested!

@medschoolrat Relieved to hear that you are encouraging your DD to travel alone to her interviews. DS is still awaiting news from his choices but wondering whether he will need us to accompany him - last year we did Manchester and Sheffield but he made his own way to UEA (neither my DH nor I could face the 6 hour train/replacement bus journey, nor easily get the 2 days off work). He got offers at Sheffield and UEA so probably didn't make a difference. I guess I'll broach the subject when (fingers crossed) the interviews come thro'. Good Luck to all DC's with interviews imminent - I think it's worse for the parents (I'm definitely guilty of overinvesting @Piggy)

DD has just been invited to interview at Plymouth. We are very bouncy now

EightToSixer - Hooray! Although you knew she would get one because they are so transparent, it is such a relief when the e-mail arrives. When is it?

Interview here too! DD invited to interview for KCL. She's so pleased 😁

And congrats sixers DD!! Exciting day !

Congratulations, EightToSixer and speedyhedgehog! Very exciting news, indeed. How much prep are your DC doing? DS1 is worryingly laissez faire; I fear he is not doing enough.

Congratulations @EightToSixer's and @speedyhedgehog's DDs.
Not a lot of prep going on here - DD not laissez faire but is 'whose interview is this anyway' when I ask her if she would like to run through a few questions - she says she'll let me know if/when she is ready.
She has her book and the ball is firmly in her court. She is off at St. John's this evening - think she likes the social as there are a few med students/aspiring med students and they can talk for ages about getting on and staying on the course.
It's going to be a white knuckle ride....

No prep yet here - she has the book but has been focusing on her English nea (finally sent in first draft today) and learning to drive. She's not the laissez faire sort either so I think she will go full blown interview prep mad by the end of the week.

Though I have 3 boys who are so laid back they make lying down look like hard work - eldest ds is doing GCSEs next year too and is still very resistant to doing anymore than the bare minimum still....

Great news Speedy. Kings is one which sometimes gives offers before Christmas - hope that happens for your DD!

Gosh that would be one special Christmas gift! But realistically she is actually grateful just to get an interview - it feels like a big step.

We have an interview at UEA! DD very nervous

Interview at Sunderland not DS’s first choice as a bit too close to home and general practice focused but as a resitter a great relief! Have bought the book for him, next hurdle getting him to read it! Mocks start tomorrow so interview prep will have to wait.

That's great pigment and ladsmum! That's early mocks ladsmum? DD is after Xmas holidays. Wonder about everyone else?