Medicine 2019 - Part 2

[Monkey2001]

Oops, looks like none of noticed the old thread was full!

@HostessTrolley @Hoodiemum @4catsham @mamamedic @medicmom @mimiasovitch @Nightowlpossibly @ProfessorLayton1 @Tinkobell @Weaverspin @Itsthekissing @Sluj @Mumneedswine @Movingmountains

Apologies to any regulars I have missed

My DS was asked to have his before he went as they were having patient contact from week one. Worth checking with individual schools, I think.
Finding someone to do them was ridiculously difficult though and we ended up in a travel clinic attached to a GP in the next town.

DDs said she needed them done before she went too, due to early patient contact. She was away for a month so she called and they said don't worry, they rush it all through. Meant she was a human pun cushion for a few weeks - but saved a lot of money !

DD (off to Madagascar for three weeks in the summer, rather than Medical school) had Rabies in one arm, Hep B in the other one evening two weeks ago and Hep A / Typhoid in one arm and the second Rabies one in the other a week later and was absolutely fine. Apart from a rather sore arm the second time around, dealt with by a couple of doses of whichever non-steroidal anti inflammatory medication she had to hand (one of the Feminax preparations contains naproxen). She might not have bothered with that, but she did have to have full use of all her limbs a couple of days later for her job as a lifeguard.

Oh that's great thanks! Anyone any experience with the TB jab?

I don’t think Dd has heard anything from imperial about jabs yet - she’s mostly been at the boyfs since school broke off a week ago. Apparently dog walking/gym in the morning, study in the afternoon, chilling/baking in the evenings - but at least there’s some revision in there 😂

I need to pull my finger out and do the my bit of the student finance application this weekend though

Hep B requires 3 or more loads over a 6 months period so few pupils will be fully protected by the time they start.

DD had no side effects at all.

Anyone any experience with the TB jab?

Over 40 years ago...

My memory is that the site was a bit itchy, went a bit scabby and I've still got a very faint scar. Nothing else. None of our DC has had it, since it was removed from the routine schedule sometime after our cohort.

DD had her TB 3 weeks ago (despite having it as a baby as test showed she needed more antibodies). And if they turn up without Hep B then they rush it through - so 2 injections in first 2 weeks and then last one 4 weeks later. Only need the first 2 for placements. It is recommended to be done over longer but Occupational Health seemed v happy to do this for her.

Just picked her up for Easter break. Seems she sawed a leg off this week 😳

Don't have any vaccinations before they go. Occupational health sort everything out for them once they are there - for free.

This varies between institutions. It's a risky assumption to make.

At least worth a phone call. So expensive to do privately when can get it done on site, and not all places have them. But agree need to individually check. Which DD did as was away travelling after A levels. She saw first patient in October I think and jabs been done before then. Because she checked so did several of her friends and their Unis said the same, but this is a sample of 4.

Hope everyone is decided and can get on with getting those A levels out of the way. Good luck.

And advice from a nurse friend of mine. Get Meningitis B if can afford it. Being given to babies now but our teens are at risk and it's a horrible one. Costs £200ish so bit pricey. AWYC is free and do that asap before go. Mumps going round Nottingham so ensure MMR up to date (although friend caught it despite vaccine).

Now less than 5 weeks to first exam and DS is finally working, doing 6 hours/day for the last few days! He did nothing at all for the mocks so got BBB, needs to up his game to be in with a chance of achieving predicted 3 x A*. To be fair to him, he had a main part in the school play and was doing 1.5 hours/day violin practice to the end of March for his grade 8. The play is now over and he got a merit for the violin (phew) and is now transferring his efforts to A levels.

It is really tough on them that the exams all changed so recently - there are very few past papers for the right syllabus and they can't rely on just doing past papers for revision, which is his preferred method.

Ho hum, better go and deliver some tea to the worker.....

they can't rely on just doing past papers for revision, which is his preferred method.

I hope someone has told him that most UK medical schools don't release past papers. He'll likely have to find a different way of preparing for exams next year.

Thanks Harry, I had not thought about that, but it is not surprising as past papers are much less of a "thing" at university. But at least they are internal exams and everybody is taught to the same standard.

Hi posters - hope all the revision-parents are managing to stay sane through these tough weeks. DD went to Sheffield last weekend - happy with accommodation and decision generally affirmed. Just gotta hope it all comes good now! 🤞 Wishing everyone luck over the next few weeks.....!

@HarryTheSteppenwolf, I've PM'd you.

Any revision tips / best resources for achieveing the A / A* in biology and chemistry- gratefully received please OCR A

Welshmum2000 my DS did OCR chemistry and biology last year. He found biology hard work as it's very content heavy, snap revise really helped, I assume that's still about this year. He also had the accompanying study guides which were a good overview. He did the few practice papers that were available and his study guides had questions, but he was quite limited to choice.
Chemistry on the other hand is more about understanding the different concepts and applying them. He again had snap revise, but practice papers are key here. He did the few that were available and found after searching practice questions online.
The most effective way he found to revise was in small time periods, then a small break, but you have got to be disciplined to return back to study once you have relaxed. He tried revising with friends difficult as they just ended up chatting and he admitted he hardly did any work with them. He had post it notes all over his wall with key points he needed to remember. I always think there has to be a balance, he revised so much, I think he burnt himself out a bit, time off is important as well.
His chemistry paper was first last year and he convinced himself he had failed. He needed A's for firm and insurance. He actually nearly gave up on the rest he was so convinced he was resitting. He plodded on and actually did really well, so you just never know, so if they find themselves in a similar position tell them to never give up! It is a very stressful time for them. Good luck with the exams and then it's the long awaited results and then hopefully the move to university.

Marmie4 thank you very much. DD works so hard , maybe too much x but I just want her working in the right way , to achieve the highest marks. Thank you for the tips, great advice !.. any others most welcome.

Dd is a flashcard person, I’ve bought so many packs of the things! Plus she has a little whiteboard that she uses to reduce her paper usage.

She tends to do 1.5 hours on, half a hour off, unless boyf is over (also preparing for A levels) when they do an hour on, hour off and go over to costa or sunbathe or lunch or whatever. She said they get quite a lot done with strict time limits rather than looking at the full day, and plan the evening before what they’re each going to cover in each of five 1hr time slots so they just get up and get on with it

Thank you Hostess Trolley. Yes flash cards and white board here thank you which are great. Would be great to have advice on breaking the A / A star questions .. the million dollar question I know

DS's chemistry teacher told us to be wary of relying on past papers as he said there have not been enough papers to cover the full syllabus yet. We are going for LOTS of past papers - have printed about 30 legacy papers for each of Chemistry and Physics, saving the last "real" past papers for last couple of weeks. I have also got the CGP workbooks where available - (see www.amazon.co.uk/New-Level-Chemistry-2018-Practice/dp/1782949224/ref=asc_df_1782949224/?hvlocphy=9045627&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=311040585758&hvpone&hvlocint&th=1&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=aud-548500765412:pla-562065926859&hvrand=2345860207573921140 ). Only Physics and Maths for us, as DS does Chem B which does not have one), DS found that effective for GCSE maths.

And also going through the CGP revision guides to try to pick up any gaps

Thank you Monkey2001

Reading the examiners reports from previous exams also helps to see where students went wrong is really useful. My DS did OCR Chem, physics and Bio last year and he mostly did loads of practice past papers - don’t forget there are specimens and he said legacy ones were useful. OCR also has loads of helpful tips and stuff on their website