Medicine 2021 - part 2

[Millylovespuddles]

Following on from the first thread:
DD now has UKAT booked for mid-August. She couldn’t get a driving theory test booked until after the UKAT date, but will keep an eye out for cancellations.
Now, her big dilemma is Oxbridge it not....

[Lega]

The only logical thing I can think of is that the guidance says candidates at home are allowed to use whiteboards and takers in a test centre are using what are described as "noteboards " and this has somehow got misunderstood as test centre people not allowed whiteboards? Someone has tweeted the UCAT twitter account asking the same Q so I'll keep an eye on that to see if there's a response otherwise will get DS to call Mon to clarify..

[LaLaFlottes]

Yes that could well be where the confusion has come from you’re right. I see the person that has posted on TSR has since said that the agent they spoke to didn’t seem too sure of what she was doing....
Let’s see what they say on Twitter or on Monday. Such a nuisance that we’ve seen this on a Saturday morning when we can’t find out although I think if there booking g agents had been given this update surely it would have been put on the website!
Fingers crossed and @Lega best of luck to your DS for Wednesday

[GreyBow]

I'm not even going to tell DD about the whole whiteboard/notebook thing until they have clarified 🙈

[hoodiemum]

Good luck to all the UKCAT sitters. My DD was there 2 years ago.
Re doing it sooner or later, and how much revision to put in, what worked for my DD was blitzing it in - a week? 9 days? She'd had a little taste of the type of questions at school, and felt reasonably confident that it was something she could master (unlike chemistry at that point - but that's another story). She practised several hours a day in that week, and was prepared to cancel the test at the last minute if she felt she wasn't ready. But for her, the imminence of the test date helped focus her, and she did very well in it. And also managed to have plenty of summer downtime, do work experience, catch up on coursework, etc etc. Everyone will find different strategies that work for them, but don't necessarily rule out the intense short-term approach.

[altmum]

*Hoodiemum- that is very helpful, thanks.

[LaFlottes]

Regarding the white boards in test centres - I have just called into our local test centre and they definitely do get them. Phew!

The member of staff I spoke to was absolutely sure and even showed me them! It was like a book of 3 double sided laminated sheets.

[mumsneedwine]

@LaFlottes that's great news. Just make sure DC check the pens before the staff walk away as it's sometimes hard to get their attention during the test. DDs ran out and she had 20 minutes of doing stuff in brain alone.

[LaLaFlottes]

Thanks for the tip about the pens @mumsneedwine I will let DD know.

On another note, does anyone know when the websites update their "selection for entry" criteria? Most are still showing info for 2020 entry and DD wanted to try and see which don't use situational judgement, in case she gets band 4, or which accept a low score.

[LaLaFlottes]

** should have said, she's not being all doom and gloom, just trying to make sure she still has options if things don't go her way.

[mumsneedwine]

@LaLaFlottes I'd imagine most won't change their requirement on this next year. I'd say have a list of no 4s now just in case. But she won't get a 4 - tell her to go with common sense on the SJT.

[LaLaFlottes]

@mumsneedwine thank you - we do have a little list, I think it helps to ease the nerves, to know that there could still be options. Hopefully like you say, it won't change and these Universities will keep their criteria the same.
I'll pass that on about common sense too.
Thanks!

[Millylovespuddles]

Ucat glasses-wearers .... my daughter has been practising having used the shaving foam hack, and is very pleased with how it works. The only thing she’s complaining about is the heat from wearing the mask. Does anyone know if they can take a bottle of water with them or if water is provided? Thanks

[mumsneedwine]

@Millylovespuddles I'd take a clear bottle. Like they are allowed for exams (no labels). Doubt they'll provide anything. Glad the shaving foam worked 😊

[alreadytaken]

Oxbridge have longer than average holidays but at Cambridge medic holidays are slightly shorter than they look as they timetable other things then.

There is some clinical contact at Oxbridge even before the 4th year. I dont know how that has changed now they keep all the students there but there may be more than before. Personally I would think that a good choice at the moment as clinical training is not going to be what it was for some time. A lot of training is normally done by other doctors and if they are not off sick with Covid they may be rather busier than usual trying to cope with a backlog of patients.

The small group teaching is probably easier to keep going during a pandemic. Highly academic students will at least get an interview at Cambridge, Oxford you have to be the right sort of candidate.

[Powergower]

I think it's a little unfair to deem someone not suitable to apply for medicine simply because they are feeling overwhelmed with life in 2020. My ds was a high achieving, hard working, sporty, active teen. No mental health issues. However since schools closed in March and lockdown he's felt really overwhelmed with the changes and uncertainty. If it was up to me I'd much rather he didn't study medicine but this is his life and choice and i will support him.

We are booking our test at home and have done all the checks. I would rather he sits the test at a centre by he wants to be at home. Do we need to buy a whiteboard for him or will a notebook suffice?

[mumsneedwine]

@Powergower I don't think he'll be allowed a notebook - could have notes in it. He will have to show the invigilator his environment before starting so I'd get a mini whiteboard for him, and a rubber. Good luck. All kinds of people become doctors. And clinical placements are already back up and running at most Med schools.

[Powergower]

Mumsneedwine - thanks. I better get one ordered. I think it's going to be a very difficult year 13 and our school is indicating it may continue with online lessons.

[mumsneedwine]

There are some fantastic resources for A level. Mychemguy is great as is physicsmaths tutor.

[bimkom]

@powergower The measurements that the whiteboards can be is on the UCAT website (I don't remember them offhand, but we checked before we ordered). I think an A3/A4 size is OK, but do check. Don't forget to buy whiteboard pens and an eraser as well.

We are also sitting at home, next week. We didn't think several tube journeys just before sitting the exam was a great way to steady the nerves in the current circumstances. Note that you don't get your results right away if you sit at home, they will send them 24 hours later.

[Lega]

Just to let you all know, my DS took the UCAT today at a test centre and they were def allowed whiteboards! He's glad now he didn't book to do it at home as I think a few people have had problems with bad connections/slow responses etc. I was slightly unnerved when he called me for a lift home 45 mins before the test was due to end though! Turns out the test centre was starting people off as and when they turned up rather than sticking to timed slots (probably to avoid lots of congestion in waiting room?), plus he finished 10 mins early. The room had people sitting multiple tests inc driving tests which I thought could be a bit off-putting for some as he said there was lots of comings and goings. I thought he'd had enough and left early! He's going to enjoy a few days chilling now I imagine before ploughing on with summer work and BMAT prep....

[mumsneedwine]

@Lega well done to DS for getting through it - and finishing early ! They always have driving test people coming and going so just have to try and ignore them. Hope it went well and he's happy.

[bimkom]

@lega well done for your DS. Have there been connection problems? Anybody heard anything definite? We are worried about these. In fact, that is why we put off the test until next week. Once we worked out that it really wasn't practical to go to a test centre, DS said - I don't want to be the very first, as everything that can go wrong will go wrong then. Otherwise we would have booked for earlier. He originally pencilled in doing it in July, giving himself more of a summer, but that was all pre covid.

[Lega]

@bimkom, the student room UCAT thread has a lot of detail re the problems people seem to have had if your dc is on there- tests being cancelled mid -process etc due to screen lag, how off-putting having the camera on and so on. I think a few people have had to rebook at test centres? My DS was put off doing it at home for same reasons (plus all the initial confusion about not having whiteboards allowed!)

[LaFlottes]

@Lega well done to your DS - DD also sat hers today at a test centre. I had the opposite issue, despite arriving 20 mins early, I was sat outside waiting for her and she didn’t appear until 15 mins after the time her test should have finished- I was having all sorts of horrible thoughts about computers going down or technical issues!
Turns out they gave her the option to wait until someone else had finished in a part of the test centre that would mean she was a bit separated from the others so she would t be disturbed. So she waited and therefore finished late! So glad it’s over and she’s happy with her score. Phew!

[WithIcePlease]

Can anyone recommend anything other than medify? DD was worried about abstract reasoning and running short of practice on medify. She has looked at options online but would prefer recommendations