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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:
Weaverspin · 04/03/2019 17:37

I'm really sorry to hear that, Monkey. That's so hard to deal with. I wish your DS the very best, and hope he finds another path that plays to his strengths and which he will enjoy.

Quadratilla · 04/03/2019 18:49

Monkey DD was forwarded an email today from the Schools & Colleges Liason Manager at Nottingham saying that there are places on UCAS Extra for the Nottingham at Lincoln course. Is it worth a look? Pants that MonkeyJnr has no offers. Sad

News here is that DD has offer from Southampton, on reserve for Sheffield and rejections from Newcastle and Leeds.

Quadratilla · 04/03/2019 19:09

Sorry, just read the thread and realise that you have probably seen Lincoln is on there and is inappropriate. Fingers crossed for more appearing or clearing. Xxxxx

mumsneedwine · 04/03/2019 19:10

I think the Anglia Ruskin and Lincoln Extra places are for 5 year normal Medicine. It doesn't matter where you go ! And Lincoln is beautiful and has fantastic accommodation as lots of money spent on it. My DD has a friend there doing Forensic Science and she loves it.

mumsneedwine · 04/03/2019 19:35

Still there today

Medicine 2019 - Part 2
ProfessorLayton1 · 04/03/2019 20:02

Monkey2001 - really sorry to hear that your DS has no offers.

Tinkobell · 04/03/2019 21:29

Oh Monkey I am really sorry for your DS poor lad. What about Dundee Gateway to Medicine....might that be an option? Look it up. Also without having any specifics I've heard St Mary's London can be flexible too? Such a very tough time, I do hope he's not crestfallen for too long and a new plan will take shape soon.

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 04/03/2019 21:57

Thanks all of you. There may still be some hope at Leeds as they run a reserve list and may make offers - I don't think they have told people whether they are on the reserve list yet. If it does not work out this year, may see some of you advising the 2020 thread as parents of real medical students! I am not going anywhere, will keep following what is happening to the rest of your DCs.

The support here is just lovely!

xx

OP posts:
Nightowlpossibly · 04/03/2019 23:35

Monkey2001- really sorry that your DS didn't get any offers. That is really tough on him. I hope he can pick himself up, and find the right path for him, whether that's medicine
Or a new direction.

There is so much support on here , and I think we all genuinely wish the best for each others DCs , so I do really feel for you both.
Good luck with potential reserve list.

hoodiemum · 05/03/2019 10:17

So sorry for your DS, Monkey. Poor chap. I'm sure he'll emerge stronger and more focused on whatever plan he settles on, whether that's reapplying or something entirely different. But it's so tough to go through, esp while trying to keep focused on the exams ahead. Really good luck to him, and to you helping to keep him motivated. He's got brains and an amazing mum on his side. Things will work out.
Thinking of you both! xx

HarryTheSteppenwolf · 05/03/2019 15:25

Please bear in mind that to use UCAS Extra you will have to give up any fifth-choice offers you're holding.

alreadytaken · 06/03/2019 15:24

the 5th choice offers that people may have are sometimes for courses that go into clearing.

I'm sorry that your lad is disappointed, Monkey2001 and it's hard for a mother to see that. It is a chance for him to reconsider if he really does want to do medicine. If he does then there are possibly going to be places available in August if he phones up on results day.

I've seen people on the student room website who claim to have applied in several years but IRL anyone I've heard about who failed to get a place first time round got one the next year. Reapplicants typically do better on UKCAT and some who get no offers first time get 3 or 4 the next year. Extra maturity is a benefit and reapplying shows that you can face problems and carry on.

If he now thinks medicine is not for him he will escape the disgusting way the NHS treats junior doctors.

ItsTheKissing · 06/03/2019 20:21

Manchester offer here....... so very happy I cried!! Fingers crossed for those yet to hear

hoodiemum · 06/03/2019 21:34

Fantastic, Kissing! Congratulations! (My DD might possibly be heading that way too.)

swingofthings · 07/03/2019 09:17

Hoody and Kissing, DD at Manchester now, 1st year, so any questions let me know.

Monkey, I'm really sorry to read about the rejections too, heartbreaking, but once your ds and you have recovered from it, I hope you both keep going as it is definitely not the end of Medicine. A lot does happen after A levels results if not sooner.

Congratulations on all the others DCs with offers.

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 07/03/2019 09:42

Hurray, some more good news at last! Well done Little Kiss!!

Thanks SoT, everybody here has been so kind and yes, he is gathering feedback and we are investigating waiting lists, looking at Extra, and other med schools for next year where his (hopefully) 3 x A* will help him to counterbalance his inability to perform at interviews! I think stats for courses with interviews are particularly poor for boys from comprehensives - although it is a generalisation, their social skills seem to be immature compared to others, so hopefully a year out will really help that.

OP posts:
goodbyestranger · 07/03/2019 09:56

Monkey very sorry to hear about your DS but FWIW, assuming he has another go at Oxbridge, wouldn't it be worth using the time to sit Biology at A2? I would have thought that that did put him at a disadvantage.

goodbyestranger · 07/03/2019 09:59

If you look at the Oxford statistics 98% of applicants/ those shortlisted had Biology to A2.

goodbyestranger · 07/03/2019 10:05

Apologies for the staccato posting. And 99% of those given offers. The question isn't whether it's mandatory but why he isn't doing it as a subject. If he's honest and says he finds it hard to hit the high notes that isn't great and if he isn't asked or simply muffles an answer or even gets enthusiastic about Maths/ Physics that sends a bit of a flag to interviewers as well I'd have thought. Doing it next year esp if he already has his A in the other subjects will put that concern to bed (and he won't have to hit an A in it either, so that takes the pressure off too).

Original poster
Monkey2001 · 07/03/2019 10:22

Thanks goodbyestranger. We checked with the Admissions at the Cambridge College and his other choices before he dropped Biology and they said it made no difference at all. He has an A at AS, so has shown he can do it. Teaching of Biology is not great at his school, so it was a carefully thought out strategy. I did raise the possibility of completing the A level next year but he was not keen as it would constrain other options for getting work experience etc. The idea is still on the (rather crowded) table!

OP posts:
Needmoresleep · 07/03/2019 11:08

Monkey, we know someone who was offered a place for medicine at Cambridge without biology. Again something to do with teaching caused him to drop it after AS. I don't think that is the problem. If they want biology they say, and it would be unfair to later penalise someone who is meeting entry requirements/achieved a strong BMAT score.

My advice would be: gap year doing something medical related; select Universities carefully; ace UKCAT and BMAT, think about what may have let him down and perhaps think about a bit of interview coaching or whatever, and try again.

mumsneedwine · 07/03/2019 11:56

And Edinburgh don't interview so worth a go with stellar A levels. Huge congratulations to everyone with offers.

goodbyestranger · 07/03/2019 12:43

I'm sure it was a well thought out strategy Monkey but I do think that reassurances tend to be given a little too readily on that one. DS1 didn't know of anyone at Oxford without Biology (and given that 99% of offerees in the most recent cycle had Biology, not surprising!). I can quite see that your DS might not want it but he's clearly very able and it's the one thing which is strikingly different from most other applicants. Oxford has said in terms that although it's not a mandatory requirement the Pre-Clinical School's view is that students will struggle without Biology to A2. I get that NeedMoreSleep knows someone at Cambridge without it but one swallow and all that. It's got to be a deterrent, and I would say that that's the issue which is the problem with such a strong applicant, hence my suggestion that the strategy gets a tweak! (how about at least putting it down on the 2020 application form, self-teaching and then giving up if any offers aren't contingent on passing the A level?)

goodbyestranger · 07/03/2019 12:45

Mis-typed: I can quite see that your DS might not want to sit it etc.

Needmoresleep · 07/03/2019 13:03

Yes, however my recollection was that this boy chose his Universities carefully, preferring Cambridge over Oxford because he thought his chances would be better. From what I know Oxford would be tricky. He also made sure the other parts of his application were strong. Great UKCAT, great BMAT.

Isn't that the whole point. There are so many hurdles, that very few will clear all of them. Good applicants like Monkey's DS will find places where he is not at a disadvantage. My understanding (DD's medical school required either physics or biology as well as chemistry, she then missed her biology grade but got in on physics and maths) is that it is chemistry they are really interested in. DD says several of her peers missed the odd grade, but not in chemistry.