Medicine 2022 entry - How difficult is it really? *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[notmedicmum]

I couldn't find a thread for 2022 entrants to medicine - maybe I didn't look hard enough! DD is in Year 12 and has wanted to do medicine since Year 10. It's only this year that we realise the enormity of actually getting a place. Not only do you have to have brilliant grades, you must also have done work experience, volunteered (both difficult in the current situation), got excellent BMAT/UCAT scores. Oh, and you also must have cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise money for charity or climbed Kilimanjaro or won the Nobel Peace prize or found a cure for cancer (joking about the last two). How competitive is it REALLY? I'm not sure about the value of the last apart from being used as a selection tool as the unis get so many qualified applicants - and showing enterprise and drive. Apparently this sort of thing is even more important this year as getting work experience is very hard this year. How does climbing a mountain make you a better doctor anyway? And what can normal students do to improve their chances of success??

I'm increasingly frustrated by the nastiness of social media - the spite and sarcasm fuelled by anonymity. It's pervasive on many MN threads. I'm wondering if it's stepped up a gear because of the last year in lockdown? I fear probably not though.

Anyhow, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to share their experiences. Once I'm out the other side I'll be sure to pass it on, assuming DD makes it in!

Good news. DD has got her provisional predicted grades for IB and they're very good

She'll get predicted grades after the summer term exams but they can't get very much better. One more hurdle jumped over for now...

@sandybayley that's great news - DD is a 2021 applicant and it feels like this process is a series of hurdles! Well done to your DD for clearing another one

Thanks @LaLaFlottes - she works very hard and deserves to do well. I see your DD has done very well this year - what a year she chose to apply in!

DD is planning on doing UCAT in July but annoyingly we've just found out that the first slot for her re-booked theory test is also July. I'm inclined to tell her to leave the theory test until August and just have UCAT to think about. No chance of getting a driving test slot in the near future anyway 😬

@sandybayley yes it’s been quite a year - although still the hurdle of exam results to go...

Would the driving theory test be in the same test centre as her UCAT? If she could do it before UCAT she’d at least be familiar with the test centre maybe?

It would @LaLaFlottes , that's a good point. Maybe she should just do both and get on with it? Does anyone know when booking slots for UCAT will open? It would be good to have a plan. DD is hoping to be able to have some fun time this summer with friends on trips etc so we need to work stuff out to allow that if it us allowed...

You can register for UCAT 2nd June, but can't book until 28th June www.ucat.ac.uk/register/

I second Lala that familiarity with test centre is good so theory first makes sense. Driving theory is really very easy to pass as long as you sort the technique. You have masses of time (unlike UCAT), DS1 failed first time because he did not realise you should click more than once for hazard perception test as clicking too early means you get no points. Don't forget that the driving theory is aimed at the whole population, so kids who are good at exams find it very easy.

Although saying that one of DDs friends failed the theory 5 times. He's just about to graduate from Oxford 😂. V clever but not great at the hazard bit.

Likewise. DS1 is at Oxford and has failed theory twice. In his defence it was the clicks that got him...

Always the clicks 😊.

Although saying that one of DDs friends failed the theory 5 times. He's just about to graduate from Oxford 😂. V clever but not great at the hazard bit.

@mumsneedwine @sandybayley

I took my car driving test many, many years ago before all these tests.

But, a couple of years ago I needed to add a cat C to my driving licence so I had to go through all the testing again.

It's quite a male dominated world when you're learning to drive a lorry. They were all very "blokey" but also very nice and friendly.

I got some excellent advice about the clicks on the hazard test. Often, it's possible to pick up the hazard too early and click on it once. But if you do it too early then it won't count.

The advice I was given was that, for each hazard, click three times with each click being one second apart. That way you won't miss the "window".

If you only click once for each hazard, it's very easy to be too early or too late. If you keep on clicking throughout then you get disqualified.

Clicking three times seems to be the answer.

Ah now interesting on the clicks - DS was told not to click more than once on each hazard because if you click too many times you actually lose points (to avoid the frantic random clicking approach being more effective than actually spotting hazards).

DS1 (although 24) is in the same boat with the driving theory. He did it and then failed his driving test before going travelling 2 years ago. As he returned mid lockdown he's not been able to retake the test and his theory has now expired. He's had it rebooked 3 times and they keep cancelling of course.

He says there are lots of potential hazards on screen that don't turn into real hazards - like pedestrians that become a risk if they step into the road. Clicking on all everything doesn't help.

Yep. DS1 clicked 'too little' first time and 'too much' second time. I'm trying to convince him to try again and click 'just right'.

It may help that the latest DVSA app has the ACTUAL clips used in the test. You can practice an acceptable rate of clicking! I agree with advice that you should do 3 reasonably spaced out clicks when you see the hazard. As long as you don't continuously click it should be fine.

@Backseatmedmum it might be worth checking whether the validity of theory has been extended due to covid - they know that people have not been able to book tests.

Good thought @Monkey2001 , thanks. But our dear leaders in their greed wisdom have refused to extend theory test validity (and ds left learning to drive til the very end of his theory validity so no chance there).

Just place marking as this discussion has been interesting so far. DD is looking to apply for medicine for 2023 entry.

My DS has just completed the med school application process this year. It is exhausting and there are many hurdles where extremely able DC can stumble. This year has been particularly stressful and the offer stage has been very drawn out with different med schools working to very different timescales, which in itself is stressful. However, DS is currently deciding between three offers, with his 4th choice still on their offer timeline, and he feels very relieved. Still the A levels hurdle but at least it is the very last one. My younger DC is looking to apply for 2023 entry. I'm just glad to (fingers crossed) get a break from it for a year it starts again.

• before it starts again

Hopping on again!

DD has exams after Summer half term which will be part of prediction decisions. Then focus moves to an early UCAT date.

Hi all - just popping on to say I saw today that the September sitting of BMAT is cancelled again for 2021. So it will just be the November date.

Sorry if this has already been shared!

Thanks @LaLaFlottes - so everyone applying to BMAT medical schools will be applying 'blind', not just those who chose the November sitting or have to because it's mandated. Interesting...

Interesting - DD had planned to do early UKAT to give her time to prepare for September BMAT.

Back to the drawing board!

Yes that’s right - blind for everyone the same as this year.

DD didn’t sit BMAT so I never checked but I wonder whether it meant there were less BMAT takers this year than usual or just the same?

@KingscoteStaff it might be nice to still do the UCAT fairly early. It started later last year for obvious reasons but DD sat it as soon as she could, the second day it was available I think, and it gave her plenty of time to decide where to apply knowing her score.