Medicine 2022 - Decision time!

[Monkey2001]

Support thread for aspiring medics.

We want all our DCs to succeed, whatever their school type. We share knowledge to help them to achieve their goals, celebrate success and support if things don't go well.

Lots of interviews now done, fingers crossed for lots of offers, but we know it is a tough year and that most applicants will have a bumpy ride. Best of luck everyone!

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/a4358647-Medicine-2022-entry?msgid=114590369#114590369

2023 applicant thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4459778-Medicine-2023-Entry

Thank you @Monkey2001 and all posters for the continued support. DD does have questions that I have tried to ascertain.

Has Sheffield actually rejected any or have they just put everyone on the waiting list? Is there an order to the list? Is it worth getting feedback at this stage?

Is she better keeping her pharmacy choice active as a 2nd option if she does receive an offer ( unlikely I know!). Her thinking is if she doesn't get the grade then at least she has this. She thinks she won't be able to apply to medicine with resits.

If unis go into clearing is she still better holding on to Sheffield reserve list and if she is on it can she go into clearing?

If she does go into clearing is it a question of just phoning all unis on results day , i presume that she will still have to interview and then wait for an answer?

To top things off we are due to go to a festival on results day!! ( I have just purchased a car ticket so she/ we can go separately- although DH won't want to go without her ( think tweedle dum and tweedle Dee), I cant drive towing the caravan.

Her choices for next year will be virtually the same Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool and possibly HYMS ( although the last two might alter as we will use this summer to explore other unis).

Thank you- I know everything is up in the air this year.

Thank you opoponax, MarchingFrogs and LaLaFlottes and of course all the other MNers who have been so informative and supportive throughout this whole process.

It's hard for DS not having any offers and being on one wait list but we wouldn't have even got that without all of the helpful MNers on here.

I was going to thank you all last night but was actually a bit emotional from how quickly you all responded and how supportive you all are

Sorry to hear about the Manchester rejections as well.

@coffeeandbiscuittime

Thank you *@Monkey2001* and all posters for the continued support. DD does have questions that I have tried to ascertain.

Has Sheffield actually rejected any or have they just put everyone on the waiting list? Is there an order to the list? Is it worth getting feedback at this stage?

Is she better keeping her pharmacy choice active as a 2nd option if she does receive an offer ( unlikely I know!). Her thinking is if she doesn't get the grade then at least she has this. She thinks she won't be able to apply to medicine with resits.

If unis go into clearing is she still better holding on to Sheffield reserve list and if she is on it can she go into clearing?

If she does go into clearing is it a question of just phoning all unis on results day , i presume that she will still have to interview and then wait for an answer?

To top things off we are due to go to a festival on results day!! ( I have just purchased a car ticket so she/ we can go separately- although DH won't want to go without her ( think tweedle dum and tweedle Dee), I cant drive towing the caravan.

Her choices for next year will be virtually the same Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool and possibly HYMS ( although the last two might alter as we will use this summer to explore other unis).

Thank you- I know everything is up in the air this year.

I know the answers to several of these questions:

• Sheffield have indeed rejected a number of applicants (as can be seen from TSR), as they do every year. But it is also true that they have in past years put more people on the waiting list than most universities. Their policy is that anybody who performed acceptably in all stations at interview gets put on the waiting list. That is, if you are on the waiting list, they consider you a candidate they would like to take if they had room, just that others ranked higher in terms of interview scores. I think, although I am not 100% sure, that you can find out your position on the waiting list, as the waiting list is then ranked by interview performance. Do note that a lot of people drop out, as once they have firmed somewhere else, they are no longer eligible to be on the waiting list.

• you can indeed apply to medicine with resits - although you have to choose your universities, as there are some that won't accept resits. Many do though. I am not sure if your chosen list includes the ones that do, you would need to research before applying, and it might be that you would need to change some of them. There are any numbers of people on TSR who have reapplied with resits and who have ended up with offers over the years.
• She can still be holding on to her Sheffield wait list position while going into clearing. Technically the wait list position is a rejection (it will appear that way on UCAS at some point), which they then reverse if they make an offer. She cannot, however, go into clearing if she has accepted her pharmacy option. Nor can she hold on to her waitlist position. Once another course is firmed (whether for medicine or something else), the position on the wait list is dropped. Sheffield will not make an offer to anyone on the waitlist if they are holding an offer (that they have not rejected) from any other university for any course.

Actually, just to clarify - they might, although unlikely, make an offer to someone on the wait list to someone who is holding an offer elsewhere, if they are yet to firm or reject it (ie before the UCAS deadline) - they won't know about that, but at the UCAS deadline, you have to accept any offer, or else it is deemed rejected, and once accepted/firmed, they will know and you will not longer be eligible for an offer on the wait list.
The reason I say that it is unlikely, is the whole point of the wait list is for them to see how many people firm them, or get the grades, and then offer from the wait list for the remaining available spaces. Thus the first movement is likely to be around the time of the UCAS deadline, and the second when grades are released.

You can and should definitely apply for feedback from Sheffield, they will give that regardless, although I don't know how detailed it is. What I don't know is whether they will tell you your place on the waitlist.

@bimkom thank you so much - that's really helpful.

@coffeeandbiscuittime I think @bimkom has answered everything.

In 2019 I contacted the ones DS1 was eligible for before results day to ask whether they might be in Clearing - they get A level results a week before the students so they know in advance. I think the ones I contacted all said no. I suppose it might be worth sending FOI requests mid June asking whether they are using waiting lists and how many people are on the waiting list - they may or may not respond to that.

Re Sheffield, lots of wait listed people on TSR have already got feedback. They seem to be told how many areas they need to improve (but not which areas!) You need to score at least 3/5 on every station at Sheffield to stay on the waiting list, I assume that if you only have 1 or 2 areas for improvement you must be higher up the list.

Still waiting to hear back on two out of four choices following two rejections. Anyone else in the same boat?

@notmedicmum yes, sort of - DD has had 3 rejections, so it’s Nottingham or another year.

@notmedicmum

Still waiting to hear back on two out of four choices following two rejections. Anyone else in the same boat?

Yes, interview with Queens University Belfast and still waiting to hear from Leeds (for interview or rejection). Planning a gap year as Plan B. Does anyone know about QUB? Is it a good choice if you're not Irish? I hear lots of local students go home on weekends. The communication has been excellent (unlike Leeds!).

Still waiting for two responses here too - Birmingham have emailed to say decision will likely be April, and KCL could be even later...going to be a lot of very late decisions this year!

@energytearo
My DD is in 1st years at Queens. Their waitlist communication seems to be very transparent, with applicants automatically being told what place on the reserve list they are on. DD was lucky to get an offer, but her friend was waitlisted, but sadly didn't get in and is hoping to get an offer this year. They both found out on the same day, which was the last day in March.

The make-up of her medic group (for clinical skills and group work tasks) is very mixed, with 5 out of 10 not from NI. I'm guessing that is reflected throughout the course, but couldn't be sure. She lives in halls with 4 others, all from England, which suits her well as she rarely comes home at weekends, so there are plenty of students who stay in the city during term-time.

If you have any other questions, fire away.

DD (state, non-WP) has 3 offers. Belfast, Lincoln, York/HYMS. Still waiting on Keele.

Very fortunate to be in this position, and as a non medic family @GANFYD was so helpful with initial advice on TSF.

She has her heart set on Belfast but the offer is AAA (bit worried about the ) and then I'm concerned about York's accommodation situation, yet Lincoln looks lovely and I really liked it (but I'm not her, and its brand new with no stats and does not do cadaver dissection which she is quite into, and it seems quite tough to do the 2 degrees. Oof).

What would you choose. Does it matter?

Also @Millylovespuddles is Queens OK at the weekends then and with a home counties accent (but an Irish passport!!) We did have a ball for the visit, possibly slightly too much of a ball TBF.

That's a lot of questions - sorry. Last time I posted on here it was about nappies, so hey, time flies.

@coffeemorecoffee wow, what a great position to be in ( DD didn't have to make a choice 😆!)
I know I'm perhaps a little biased, we live 70 miles from Belfast, but it's a top spot for a weekend away. DD's flatmates are from London, Bristol, Cambridge and Manchester - and she is definitely getting an English accent. It is a much more cosmopolitan place now compared to my day, and it is a vibrant and friendly city. The new halls, BT1 and BT2, are very central compared to the traditional ones way out in BT9. She will be sharing a house next year with 3 lovely fellow medics, in a house about 5 mins walk from the City hospital, £75pw. Happy days, all's working out well.

@coffeemorecoffee well done to your DD! As I am sure you know, the best choice for anyone once they have an offer is the one where the learning style and location suits them best. Don't worry about accommodation at York, my niece got into York through Clearing in 2019 and was happy with her accommodation, it is not a thing which should affect the place you choose for 5 years of study.

I agree that Lincoln campus and medical school are lovely, but it would be a very different place to live from Belfast. DS1 also wanted full dissection and his experience has confirmed that for him it has been a great way to learn.

Nice choice to have, and good news for 2 of the waiting lists that another person has spare offers which will go back in the pool!

DS has been offered a place at Sheffield, so happy!! Not heard back from other unis yet but likely to firm Sheffield anyway. Advice on here and student room has been so helpful so thank you.

Congratulations @Iwab82!

Congratulations @lwab21

Great news! DD is a first year at Sheffield and is loving it! The course structure seems fantastic and she says the full body dissection is an excellent way to learn. Any questions, about the course, accommodation or anything at all just shout!

Still waiting to hear from Liverpool. One offer so far and one rejection

I've been doing this for many years. And never has it been this horrible. Hats off to all your kids - massive well done just for getting through this.

@mumsneedwine

I've been doing this for many years. And never has it been this horrible. Hats off to all your kids - massive well done just for getting through this.

Looking on TSR (which I really shouldn't do, but has become a habit since last year), it feels like there are a lot more gap year students, and that a lot of places are going to them. Most of them seem to be reapplicants, and the reoccurring theme is how much better they are doing than last year. Obviously any gap year applicant has an extra year of maturity, and also is not trying to juggle A levels and UCAT/BMAT prep, and especially if they have been through the process once already, so possibly not surprising they are doing well, but it feels like there are a lot more gap year applicants than last year, at least from what is appearing on TSR. This may be contributing (with all the other factors) to why it is more horrendous for those in Year 13, presumably the ones you are speaking to @mumsneedwine.

@bimkom I have both. Year 13s and our gap year students (not voluntary). Unis do seem to be favouring grades in hand - it gives them more certainty on numbers I suppose. There is a risk with year 13s that they might not get grades so will need to fill places in August. But we do have several offers - Oxbridge were v nice this year. Most have had at least one interview, lots on waiting lists and still waiting on Leeds.
But it's not over until results day this year. I predict a lot of movement !

It's certainly been an easier process for ds1 as a post grad with his grades and life experience already in hand than it was for ds2 as an A level student. As with all your dc I'm sure (covid permitting), Ds2 packed his years 12 and 13 with volunteering, hospital shadowing, a saturday job, sport,driving lessons, socialising etc while studying for A levels - incredibly intense and stressful to fit it all in at such a crucial age in a young person's life.
On the other hand ds1 has had the massive advantage of having his grades sorted and also just having the maturity and confidence gained by a few years life experience out of school. He just had more 'stuff' to draw on in interviews.
Ds2 now wishes he'd taken a gap year and had a chance just to 'chill' before plunging straight in to medicine. Ds1 says he has no regrets about doing other things first as it's helped him be more sure that this is what he really wants to do. He's got 3 offers and waiting to hear anything from his 4th (Bristol) before deciding.
There has to be loads of movement on these holding lists this year, so my guess is that most of those waiting will get their place. If not and it comes to a enforced gap year for some, it really can be a positive.
I hope this doesn't sound patronising. I really do know what it feels like to be waiting for that offer.

Yup, all good points. I think some of the waiting lists will move more than others, but that could be paranoia! Lots of people who are very good at interviews will get 3 or 4 offers and if most medical schools are only making a number of offers roughly equal to the number of places, there has to be a lot of movement. If on average, successful offer holders hold 2 offers, it might mean that 4,000 people are holding offers for 8,500 places, so only half the successful people know they are successful so far. There will also be more offers when offer holders do not meet the grade requirements, so lots of scope for good news for the people waiting.

@Monkey2001

Yup, all good points. I think some of the waiting lists will move more than others, but that could be paranoia! Lots of people who are very good at interviews will get 3 or 4 offers and if most medical schools are only making a number of offers roughly equal to the number of places, there has to be a lot of movement. If on average, successful offer holders hold 2 offers, it might mean that 4,000 people are holding offers for 8,500 places, so only half the successful people know they are successful so far. There will also be more offers when offer holders do not meet the grade requirements, so lots of scope for good news for the people waiting.

I agree. We are sitting waiting for Newcastle. Rejected from Nottingham. Edinburgh offer and havent heard a thing from 4th choice.

Looking on TSR, there are people with Newcastle offers also holding two / three other offers. There has to be some sort of waitlist movement else the waitlist system will grind to a halt like some sort of Mexican standoff.