Medicine 2020 (part 2)

[Monkey2001]

This follows on from the first thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3380915-Medicine-2020

Hello everyone and thanks Monkey for keeping our support network going. No news for DD's choices but I have heard from one of my friends that some stupid Mum is posting on Facebook with details of the questions her DD answered at the different medical school this year. As though it isn't hard enough already.
How is everyone doing?

Hello Piggy, it is frustrating to see so many med schools getting offers out when your own DC is still waiting. Exeter and Plymouth seem to tell everyone within 2 weeks of interview whether they have offer, rejection or hold and even give the scores and current cut-off. Bristol used to be the worst and are now one of the quickest (they took ages to get interview invitations out when they assessed PS). But most decisions should be through in the next 6 weeks (eek!)

Yes it is a bit @Monkey2001 but we were forgetting about it until March.

Today was just a reminder as friend messaged me about this lady on Facebook - apparently she didn't just put on questions but also made her own DD really easy to identify as well and at least one of the med schools her DD applied to made all candidates sign a non-divulment agreement at interview too. Friend screenshotting everything and is sending it to me later. Suspect her DD will want to hoist her up by the short and curlies - though maybe she won't.

Thank you Monkey for setting up the new thread, how are we full already?
Congratulations to all your DCs on the offers. We are expecting to hear from Exeter on Friday.

Ds has Newcastle offer this morning. Has given him some motivation now with the A level study

My dd has also had an offer this morning from Newcastle which was a lovely surprise.
Her interview was last week and thanks again for the hotel advice from those who kindly posted.

Please can I join in? Ds applied. One offer can through today and last interview next Monday.

That’s great news nutty. I think our DDs were there on consecutive days. Glad it worked out!

Exciting times, kingofkings. Are you able to say who the offer’s from? We have one interview to hear back from and then we’re done. It feels like a long haul!

Thanks ! Yes it was a UCL offer and one interview left too

Anyone else still got interviews lined up or have you all finished?
DS has Aberdeen next month.

Last interview mid March...one offer already so v happy (coming from state comp with no medics in the family!)

Dundee on Monday, had Aberdeen in December.

I am surprised there are still more interviews going on in March - at least they won't have long to wait for a decision.

One observation I have made after following this process for 2 years is that, apart from Oxbridge, people who are successful in one interview tend to be successful in their other interviews - people who get 4 non-Oxbridge interviews generally get 4 or 0 offers as you are either good at MMIs or you are not! I am not sure this is great for the diversity of medical students - the great breadth of careers for doctors means that you need a range of types of entrants to the profession. It does, however, mean that if your DC has 1 offer and had other interviews, they will probably get more offers.

My DS only got one offer for Medicine back in 2018 and I know of 3 others who also only got 1 also in same year.

These threads have been really helpful. Best wishes to all still waiting for interviews.
I have a quick question, my daughter is going to start her A levels in sept this year. Is it too early to start volunteering at a hospice during summer holidays after GCSE exams and to get some work experience.

DS has had 4 interviews but no decisions yet. Had hoped to hear from Sunderland this week but all quiet so far. Still no news from Manchester (had a rejection last year on 25 Jan). Not known for my patience

@3catsandadog that is interesting - did he get 4 interviews?

@ThreeIsACrowd you can't have too much volunteering experience - the more you do, the more opportunities you have for experiences which give you can reflect on.

@ladsmum - I guess your DS is another one of the people disproving my observation as he had mixed success!

Congratulations to the Newcastle offer holders.

Hi @Monkey2001 yes he had 4 interviews plus high BMAT, UKCAT, GCSES's etc and received 3 x A* at A'level.

I think with boys it can be maturity as girls are a bit ahead generally, the wrong choice of medical school and the fact that some are much more competitive than others.

Monkey2001 You are absolutely right about 4 or 0 offers. The Director of Admissions at Sheffield said exactly the same thing to parents who were waiting for their children at interviews this year. Universities are chasing after the same candidates who then get 4 offers and hence, May offers become increasingly common as these candidates have to make a final decision for UCAS. Universities start to have a clearer picture of the actual number of bums on seats then.

ThreeIsACrowd Definitely not too early to start volunteering after GCSEs. That gives a year's commitment to write about in her personal statement. Remind her to keep a journal of thoughts/reflection of her experiences as she may forget by application time.

If you have a browse through universities' websites, some suggest the sort of work experience/volunteering they would like to see. Job shadowing doesn't hold as much cachet as actual hands-on work. There is something to be said for getting your hands dirty and still passionately wanting to do the job.

Thanks a lot @Monkey2001 and @242Mummy. My husband is a medic but first degree not from here so it's all new to me.

Dd just got an offer through this afternoon from Edinburgh!!! She is over the moon because this is the one she wants the most and of course it was the last decision she was waiting on. I am just beside myself I'm so thrilled for her. Now the last hurdle of the grades! Rollercoaster not over yet but approaching last hill 😬

Well done, speedyhedgehog's DD! Is that 4 offers now? That must be such a relief - will she be firming/insuring soon?

Thank you 242Mummy. No-one in real life understands the relief (she's bright of course she'll get in - they are ALL bright!). Yes she has all 4 precious offers now, keen the do the offer days to be sure because she only made the open day for one of her choices but Edinburgh is her favourite right now by quite a long shot.

@ladsmum Interesting about Manchester. DD feels she really mucked up this interview but if she does medicine ( She's applied for nursing too), that's where she wants to go.
She's had a Birmingham offer but isn't hugely interested.

If anyone is waiting on Nottingham, to start offering, DD has just had her offer through. Apologies if someone else has mentioned already.

Best news is - We are done! No more frantically checking emails.

Excellent news speedy and all other offers. Here’s really hoping for those still to come.