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....

@LaLaFlottes you don't know what you don't know. But you find out as you learn. And you never stop learning

@mumsneedwine - amazing! Thank you anyone would think you’ve been through this before I will give this to DD now!

Updating with a UEA interview
I hope more good news is coming for everyone throughout the week.

DD is a bit freaked out that her interviews are so soon, but she's pretty prepared and has been working on it since half term so hopefully she will do ok.

Great news @LaLaFlottes. Is that a full house of interviews now? Very well done to your DD. Sounds like she will do very well in her interviews.

@opoponax - thank you yes it's a full house now. So she has St Andrews this week, UEA next week and Leicester the week after. Then Sheffield in Jan.

She would have liked more time to prepare, but I think that's partly nerves! She's a good way through the interview prep book and has been working on techniques like having to describe things in detail or ask questions. I feel so nervous on her behalf to be honest! They have such determination our young people don't they!

That's really excellent @LaLaFlottes. I agree this interview phase is really nerve wracking as by nature it seems very open-ended. With the UCAT they could just work through Medify and pretty much know they were on track. I'm sure that your DD will shine though and wish her the very best of luck, especially for her first one this week.

@opoponax thank you so much that's really kind and I will pass on your good wishes.

It does seem horribly open ended - a long wait after the interview for any news and also how much prep is enough prep? But they will all just do their best. You're right with UCAT they could work through Medify and also get a reasonable idea of how they are doing from the mocks. The interviews seem like the great unknown.

At the weekend I helped with about the only thing I can help with - the selection of a nice blouse to wear! This involved me on my laptop upstairs, on a teams call with DD on her laptop downstairs, and me taking screen shots of what she looks like - at least I can be a tiny bit useful although this morning when I was giving some "tips" in the car she said " please can you just trust me on this one - I know what I'm doing" - let's hope she's right!!

Fingers are firmly crossed for more interview offers coming this week for everyone. DD has hers early as she seems to have applied to places that send them out early - but I know there are many more to still come

Lala that is absolutely fabulous news. Good luck to your dd.

Brilliant news @LaLaFlottes - well done to your DD and good luck!

@Powergower @IsThisNameTaken thank you both! Really appreciate your good wishes.

Rooting for everyone on the thread and hoping for good news.

Lala - that's wonderful news, well done mini-Lala.
Let's hope it's a week of good news!

@Mansmansmum

Crikey - only top 2% UCAT for Bristol?! That's tough!

Hope it's ok to drop in for some advice. Never thought I'd be here again but ds1 (24, Masters in Chemistry) thinks he might apply to do medicine next year (not graduate entry - just as a second degree). Can any of you point ds to med schools which don't take GCSEs into account (his were mediocre) but look at A levels (and degree?) and UCAT? He's aware of medic portal and student room but can't find info on graduate entry for the full 5 year courses

Ds2 is currently a 4th year med student at Sheffield so have been exactly where you all are now and feel for your dcs in this weird year. (Happy to answer any question about ds's experiences at Sheff, interviews etc).

I am not a grad expert but have picked up a fair bit of grad info over the years, if you want to DM me his stats, I can take a look?

Congratulations @LaLaFlottes fantastic news and your daughter sounds like she knows exactly what she's doing. Good Luck to her for this weeks interview.

My daughter has just been told she can have a mock interview at school on Thursday. It's a bit short notice seeing as she is hoping to focus on mocks first and have interviews after these, but any practice has got to help!

@GANFYD That's extremely kind of you. I will do.

Congratulations to all the dcs getting interviews. Off the top of my head a couple of tips from ds2 would be:

1. Have an energy drink of some sort close to hand. It can be a long wait before each group even starts their slot. By the end of a full round of intense MMIs he was genuinely feeling light-headed and flaky. I'm sure it would be the same with video interviews.
2. Be prepared for some stations which are just 'have a chat' - e.g. with a patient, with med students etc. Have a few chatty questions up your sleeve in case convo runs dry. DS had a role play where the task was to persuade a friend to join a team. The actor agreed almost immediately leaving ds filling 5 minutes of time chatting with his new 'friend'.

Brilliant news @LaLaFlottes, that must be such a great feeling. And your DD is correct; she sounds like she’s prepping really well and she’s totally got this.

And now, we had some good news today with an interview invite for QUB.

DD is thrilled to finally be on the next step to her dream.

Good news!

Congratulations @Millylovespuddles and everybody else who has now bagged an interview - and wow @LaLaFlottes -four!!!

Big congrats to your DD @Millylovespuddles

Great news @Millylovespuddles and @LaLaFlottes!

Thanks all

@Millylovespuddles amazing news! Thrilled for you and DD. QUB looks fabulous. Exciting stuff

Milly congratulations!!. Fingers crossed for all those with interviews in the next week or 2.

So in bingo terms, LaLaFlottes DD has the first full house, ignoring the 5th non med school option !

Congrats to your DD @Millylovespuddles

Well done to everyone who has interviews, fingers crossed for you all 🤞🤞...My DS not quite so lucky yet and panicking a bit about the high cut off this year but I imagine so are loads of others!

Yes you're not on your own @MazarineBlue we are still waiting too. Two of her choices are later sending interviews but the two others have been sending interviews for a couple of weeks now and still nothing. I suppose no news is no rejection, but when I know she was a good 9-10 points above the cut off for last year for one of her choices, and we're having the increase in cut offs so far this year, I'm worried.

I'm constantly on edge waiting for her to ring me with good or bad news and then she comes home from school with no news and it starts all over again the next day. If I was reading this as an outsider I'd think "get a grip and be patient" but it's hard!