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??

@SandyBayley

Welcome *@olafolaf*

TSR isn't scary, there are familiar faces over there.

There is a brilliant 'which medical school' thread where the experts will advise on strategic applications if you post in the required format No need to go near scary spreadsheets.

Which medical schools is your DD considering?

Oh thank you for replying! So far she has mentioned Hull/York, Lincoln....and somewhere in the NW (I can't remember which, maybe Lancaster). And also Edge Hill. I will take a look at TSR with her this weekend..

Those in the know will explain it better but it's really important to look very carefully at the admissions policy for each individual medical school and apply according to the strengths of your application. Obviously if you tick every box it's not an issue but for most there will strengths and weaknesses.

My advice is always to apply strategically, to med schools that shortlist in ways that suit an applicant's strengths. Somebody with 12 9s at GCSE and 4 A* A levels can still be rejected from all 4 choices, if they do not have, for example, a high UCAT/BMAT, or shown the right roles and responsibilities.
@olafolaf I have been known to hang out a bit on TSR , but have a hectic week ahead (one of my own heading off to uni), so tag me in if you post (same username), or feel free to DM me on here, if you think I can help

@GANFYD she's tagged you on TSR thread! Thank you for all you are doing to help!!

Oh I love this thread! I wondered if I could ask for some advice: suddenly feeling slightly overwhelmed by the process!

DS in y13 and has wanted to do medicine since y9. (We’re not a medical family at all, no idea where this has come from.)

His school has set a ‘soft deadline’ for medical school application forms for this Monday he has just told us…

We’re slight under- prepared: my mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer 6 months ago, and I was f/t (and more!) on my NQT year at a primary school: DS has rather been left to get on with this all by himself - which is how it should be.

Between my mum/ covid restrictions/ rest of life, we’ve found it hard to draw up a shortlist. DS decided he did not want to think about it until he got through his mocks and UCAT.

He is now is a clearer position: UCAT score is 2660 - which would have put him at 74th percentile last year I think. This has ruled out Bristol and St Andrews, but still in the running for most others I think.

His predicted A levels are AAA* in Chem, Bio and Latin, so there are a couple of places, mainly Oxbridge colleges, ruled out because his 3rd is not Maths/ 3rd science. He knew that would be the consequence of his choice, and happy with it.

His GCSEs are v good - mainly 9s.He has managed to get some voluntary work in hospital every Sunday, and some on line stuff with another hospital and our local hospice. He is at a grammar school, so I think that might affect his contextual score at somewhere like Birmingham - which we went to today and really liked.

He has ruled out Oxbridge (not keen on course structure) and all London ones as we live in London and he wants to spread his wings. He’d quite like an intercalated course; doesn’t mind whether pbl or cbl; is quite keen to start clinical experience sooner rather than later, he doesn’t mind how far away he is.
His favourites were Leeds, Edinburgh, Dundee, Cardiff - which was have seen the outside of, but Birmingham’s open day today has put it in the running too … we don’t seem to be narrowing any down!

What else could/ should we look at to narrow this down to favourite 4 for Monday?

All help, advice and suggestions gratefully received.

Rats. Annoying autocorrect. Should be AAA* for predicted.

Where is the edit button? (Holds head in hands).
A *
A*
A*

@sydenhamhiller

He needs to look carefully at the Selection for Interview criteria for each Uni. Cardiff score GCSEs and usually you need 9 9s to get an interview. Birmingham 's contextual list is v v long - if you look on the website the list is on there and it contains lots of Grammar schools.
As an English student getting into a Scottish Uni is v v v v v v v hard. They limit the places and you will need almost perfect stats.
I know it seems brutal, and it is to be honest.
If I was him I would look at Sheffield, Leeds & Lancaster (if does the BMAT), Liverpool, maybe Newcastle (although he is close to previous UCAT cut offs), Leicester, Hull York, UEA and Sunderland.
If he has a fantastic Verbal reasoning score and SJT1 then Notts and Lincoln could also be options.
Strategy is required here as he needs to make sure he gets those interviews !

@sydenhamhiller then Exeter is also an option.

DD has finally decided not to do the BMAT. The only course it would lead to for her would be Leeds, and she feels it’s too much effort for just one possible choice.

Currently undecided whether to do Chemistry for 5th choice or to leave it blank.

Last year Exeter cut off for UCAT was 3040 and year before 2810.

@Lovecatsanddogs they've changed their scoring this year and predicted and in hand will both be Category 1. Last year predicted were category 2, so UCAT was stupid.

@KingscoteStaff only reason to have a 5th if you wouldn't take it (& would try again) is that's it's just nice to get an offer ! Somebody loves you 😊

@sydenhamhiller, sounds like you are having a super stressful time.

If you give us his GCSE break down and VR in UCAT and SJT band we can give you better advice.

Agree with @mumsneedwine that Edinburgh is not an option without perfect stats and Dundee only had 15 places for ALL English/Welsh/Irish candidates last year.

With 3 A*s, Exeter is worth looking at. He would get an interview at QUB - would Northern Ireland appeal? The other ones where a medium UCAT works are Plymouth, Edge Hill, Aston, HYMS if good SJT, Leicester if very good GCSEs, UEA, ARU. My son loved Leicester at the open day (but went to St Andrews in the end). Leeds was pretty safe if you have 8x 8/9 including the core subjects last time I looked closely, as a fairly average BMAT is then enough.

www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/ucat/ucat-scores/

@mumsneedwine If there is an abundance of applicants with predicted/achieved 3 A star won't this again bump up the UCAT. They don't interview that many in comparison to other med schools and a cut off line has to be somewhere?

@Lovecatsanddogs I think that was meant for me and is a good point. Lots of the people with achieved A levels and weaker UCAT scores who applied to Exeter last year may be applying to Leicester, but if they get full marks for GCSEs the score with a 2660 UCAT would be the same as somebody with 2850 UCAT and mostly 8/9 but a couple of 7s at GCSE.
Leicester is great for intercalation, can do it anywhere, and is one of the few offering full dissection which I assume he likes as he wanted Dundee and St Andrews.

Hi @Monkey2001it wasn't it was for @mumsneedwine as I am still not convinced that the Exeter cut-off is going to be much lower this year despite predicted and achieved being viewed the same.

I know a few who have gone to Leicester and all been happy with their choice!

@Lovecatsanddogs, doh, you meant Exeter. Last year people with achieved 3xA were tier 1, and pretty much guaranteed an interview whatever their UCAT score, but predicted 3 x A were tier 2. This year achieved and predicted 3 x A are both treated the same. I don't think all people with 3 As achieved or predicted will get interviews this year, but 2660 really should be good enough.

@Lovecatsanddogs we are assuming the UCAT will be about 70th percentile ish with the new scoring. However it's always a bit of a guess. One year Newcastle was over 2900 so next year fewer people applied and it went down to 2650.

When are the preliminaryUCAT deciles released?

@sydenhamhiller sorry to hear you have so much going on at the moment.

Others know a lot more than me but just a couple of things that might help.

What about Keele maybe? Work experience counts for a lot there - I think Sunderland might be the same? So definitely worth a look as your DS has good experience which could be fairly rare for this years applicants

I saw Sheffield mentioned but their cut off was 2740 last year although it could go down this year but not sure.

Plymouth might be a good option too? I think Southampton’s cut off was in the 2600’s last year so maybe also worth a look?

The “which medical school should I apply to” thread on TSR is a great place to ask the question too

Newcastle UCAT cut off was very close to Bristol’s this past cycle so unless things have changed this year I don’t think Newcastle would be an option either.

@KingscoteStaff usually around 15th Sept for interims.

Last years UCAT cutoffs were nuts. This might put students off who have high results which brings cut off down. But it's a guess !

@sydenhamhiller an almost definite 4 for interview are UEA, St George's, Edge Hill and Plymouth. Others may be more of a punt but worth trying if close and absolutely love them. But make sure you include at least 2 'safe' options. Nothing is totally safe though 😊