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

Original poster

Medicine 2019 - Part 2

683 replies

Monkey2001 · 24/02/2019 22:35

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

OP posts:
medicmom · 02/10/2019 21:21

@HostessTrolley accommodation for London is not that much as it's made out to be but the extras I suppose other things add..... Railcard..l

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 03/10/2019 10:34

Great to hear they are all settling in well.

@hoodiemum we did St Andrews open day yesterday and DS loved it. A bit concerned about how quiet it is, but lovely place to be for 3 years - how is your DD finding the social life? I know she was a festival fan like DS. How is she getting on with dissection now? Hope it is getting better for her.

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hoodiemum · 03/10/2019 11:17

Hi @Monkey2001. Oo, I'm jealous. It's so lovely up there. DD is certainly not finding it quiet. Every hobby she has seems to involve regular nights out, and there are older students from medicine and a wider 'parent' scheme that are in charge of organising socials for them, on top of the usual first years hanging out together. The Student Union has great events, and one of the upsides of so many v affluent students is that birthday parties can be pretty extravagant dos. She was at one last weekend that was a Great Gatsby themed night complete with a herd of alpacas (??!). In terms of music, she's finding that several bands she's interested in are coming to Dundee soon (v easy to get to on the bus), and others to Edinburgh (admittedly, she's lucky she has somewhere to stay for free in Edinburgh - not sure if it's doable to get back to St A after an Edinburgh gig, but it might well be). Having said that, this weekend she's taking a coach to see friends in Sheffield then over to Manchester for a festival.
I realise St A wouldn't suit everyone, but she's fine not to be going to a full-on club twice a week - there are plenty of other options.
They've been on prosections for the last couple of weeks, which she's enjoyed. Next week it's back to the dreaded cadaver, so we'll see how that goes.
Good luck with your DS's decision making. Hope he's feeling positive about the year to come, and got plenty of exciting things to look forward to now BMAT/UKCAT are out of the way.

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 03/10/2019 11:47

Thanks @hoodiemum , very handy to have first year parents on here with a full understanding of how it really is.

Yes, DS feeling positive now. Better UCAT/BMAT than last year mean he can apply anywhere. School has put in a formal appeal for Chemistry, and he has finally got a GF which will improve his communication skills!!

OP posts:
Welshmum2000 · 03/10/2019 12:12

Monkey look at BRIGHTON if a good BMAT .. excellent medical school

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 03/10/2019 12:43

Thanks Welshmum, DS did not to biology so BSMS not an option and he has a hankering to head north. How is your DS doing?

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Welshmum2000 · 04/10/2019 12:27

Ah yes sorry I forgot . Glad he liked St.Andrews. My DD has just started Bristol and is really enjoying it thank you .

Tinkobell · 07/10/2019 23:04

@HostessTrolley ...i was reading and reflecting on your DD’s reaction to the dissection lab / deceased people. DD had similar this week at Sheffield. I’m 48 and I’ve never seen a body. I think for 18 year olds to see a large number number of bodies / parts for the first time is a major thing to actually process and rationalise. We all imagine how we think we might feel at that sight but the reality can be v different. My DD felt v humbled at the selflessness and generosity of those people for forsake their remains for the benefit of science and continued learning. Really I think it would be v normal and dare I say healthy for a student to need space to reflect on this aspect of learning.

HostessTrolley · 09/10/2019 01:05

@Tinkobell my d hasn’t started in the dissection lab yet, I think they were being shown a video this week about the families of donors along with a discussion - they’re still at the introductory lectures and freshers events stage for this week x

medicmom · 09/10/2019 15:50

@Tinkobell

medicmom · 09/10/2019 16:06

....ooops!
@tinkobell its very mature of your dd to think about this aspect of dissection which gets taken for granted.

Ds is in Sheffield as well don't get much info from him only bits and pieces. He did mention though that they were going to gp practice this week. Dh (medic himself)was wondering about the point of having patient contact so early in the first year.
I ( non medic)think it's a good practice .

HostessTrolley · 09/10/2019 20:34

At the Sheffield offer holders day they said it’s because it’s never too early to observe and develop communication skills and it helps students to see patients illnesses in the context of how it affects their lives rather than seeing it just in isolation which can happen in hospital ward rounds.

mumsneedwine · 09/10/2019 20:39

And they get an early chance to get their bedside manner right. Taking patient histories is so important I believe and doing it with care is a real skill. Also my DD spends time on a ward related to the theory so they can see the stuff they are learning about in a real setting. And they get to practice for their OSCEs on real patients - they do have to give permission but most seem happy to help. Hope everyone's DC are having fun.

Tinkobell · 10/10/2019 18:33

@Hostesstrolley....I think that's really good that they're being shown a video and background info / prep prior to the morgue. Sheffield was quite wham! .....then afterwards a chance to talk to the anatomist about the process of donation etc. DD is ok, but I think it was a lot to take in quickly tbh. Heh ho.
@medicmom....yes! Placements began today! I agree, so soon! I'm just hoping the practise was friendly and welcoming. It is a long long day with no breaks for a GP. DD has a bit of a commute too...but it sounded like there were a few of them so 🤞🤞🤞

medicmom · 11/10/2019 13:42

Totally agree with early placements but the mother inside me is a little worried when the children have to do so much on their own.
I'm sure he will be fine.
Has anyone bought books or know of any books useful in the first year?

medicmom · 11/10/2019 13:43

Totally agree with early placements but the mother inside me is a little worried when the children have to do so much on their own.
I'm sure he will be fine.
Has anyone bought books or know of any books useful in the first year?
@tinkobell I'm glad you are there to exchange notes
@mumsneedwine is your dad in Sheffield?

medicmom · 11/10/2019 13:44

Sorry meant dd.... 😩

ProfessorLayton1 · 11/10/2019 14:28

Dd is having a really good time. She seems to have settled in quite well, made friends and seem to like them a lot. Couple of them in the new friends circle are medics so they are studying together and helping each other out!

I am sure that she said that they have been shown Cadavers last week.
Has bought some anatomy books ( three of them cost around 50pounds so she is not buying anymore books for other subjects this month??!) - not sure what books they she bought!!
In spite of asking couple of times she did not say what they were. Although we both are doctors she hardly says anything about lectures - all I get is that she has been taught some protein stuff, embryology, some chemistry ( presume it is biochemistry). No patient contact yet... we knew that she won't have much in terms of patient contact from her course in the first three years.
She has chosen her SSC and is doing French, was put in a top group apparently so she is predicting that it will be difficult.
She has joined couple of sports clubs, am surprised that she is not keen to join orchestra or an ensemble. She does not have her instrument with her yet.
She is missing her little sister and is coming home next week. Can't wait to have her back...

mumsneedwine · 11/10/2019 16:20

Hi. DD is in Nottingham (Sheffield was her insurance and I loved Julian 😁). The courses are quite similar, hence her liking them both. She's back off to GP next week and to QMC for placement.

Tinkobell · 11/10/2019 16:58

@medicmom....no, no books yet 😕 - just medsoc/dissection kit/ labcoat bundle purchase....you? Where is your lad been placed? A long commute? I feel it's too soon to gauge overall satisfaction from DD. I'm seeing her in a couple of weeks so perhaps by then things will settle. I have faith in the place 100%, but I'm not the undergrad.

hoodiemum · 11/10/2019 18:35

Lovely to hear everyone's news. Glad they're settling OK. St Andrews is already very focused on a big test happening first week of Nov. Happens fast! The good news is she's finding that people on other courses are having to work pretty hard too, so medics aren't feeling too hard done by.

medicmom · 11/10/2019 20:17

@mumsneedwine ur dd in 2nd year isn't it?

@tinkobel ds doing good placement in Doncaster. How about ur dd? I know early days but no complaints from him so I guess he is liking it. He was given a list of books for referring/buying... not sure. So dh gave him his physiology book from the Stone Age... apparently human body hasn't changed much!
Was wondering if anyone else's children have bought books.
@proflayton glad your dd having a good time.
I struggle too to get anything out of ds.

mumsneedwine · 11/10/2019 20:36

Mine is a 2nd year, which sounds weird as I'm still shocked she's even there !

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 11/10/2019 22:26

So funny to hear how the DDs are communicating and the DSs silent. I always felt than when DS was away silent was probably positive. I have told him that when he goes away he will have to maintain a basic level of communication in order to receive money otherwise he would just disappear!

UCAS form has gone in and acknowledgements have started coming through. DS not feeling confident but acknowledged that the experience of 4 interviews last cycle will help.

Good to see little pictures of life from your DCs.

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HostessTrolley · 17/10/2019 19:36

Dd fuming today. During the open days/offer holder days for imperial they were told that there were changes being made to the course structure for this years’ cohort. Questions were asked whether anatomy teaching would still include dissection and they were told yes it would. This is something that’s important to my d and was on ‘the list’ when she was deciding where to apply. They were told today that they’re not going to be doing dissection, and anatomy teaching will use prosection instead. She’s likely to have gone elsewhere if she’d known this - she had three offers (withdrew from her 4th choice) and her grades exceeded all of her offers. She’s happy at the uni and is making friends but feels lied to, and that’s it’s unfair of them to withdraw something that was a selling point that was a factor in the decision making of many students with no choice and no discussion. Sigh.