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

@bimkom 😊 sorry. Was typing in my loo break 😂

@Justineatty don't panic ! What they mean is deferral or choose another course this year. They can't take the medicine offer away ! Some people might not want to defer (can't think why they'd then choose something else though).

7.1. Please note that the number of places available on this course are set by Welsh Government and additional places cannot be made available by the University. The University manages its offer-making in such a way that, in normal circumstances, there is a place for every offer-holder who meets the exact conditions of their offer. However, there may be circumstances outside the reasonable control of the University (for example, unanticipated changes to assessment methods for GCSE or A Level qualifications) which mean that the number of applicants meeting the conditions of an offer of a place on this course exceeds the number of places available (“oversubscription”). In these circumstances, the University will allocate places (in accordance with its oversubscription policy) on a fair and reasonable basis. If you are not allocated a place on that basis, the University will, wherever possible, try to:
a. Offer you the opportunity of deferring your place to the next academic year.
b. Discuss options for places on alternative courses at Cardiff University.
7.2. In the event of oversubscription, those candidates who are unsuccessful through the selection process as outlined within this policy, or who do not meet the conditions of their offer will be released from their offer as a priority on receipt of their results to enable them to pursue insurance, clearing, or other suitable options and offers.

Thanks @mumsneedwine .....it's "wherever possible" and "try to" that makes me nervous......... How are you sure they can't take an offer away? Turned rather cynical during this process !!

@Justineatty the offer is a legal contract. UCAS would not them revoke it. Otherwise Unis would not have got into the mess they did last year. Everyone kept their offers, even if deferred.

@mumsneedwine thank you ...... no need for wine tonight for me then :)

@Justineatty there's always need for wine 🍷

"on the open offer holder day i went to, there was the statistics on the screen in the lecture and it was around 600 out of 1200 interviews and 2600 applications approx. So like 50%. Its in line with usual perhaps a bit lower and like 50% is a low offer rate compared to most places. Sheffield is very competitive as a med school so thats why i think."

The above is a copied post from TSR about Sheffield, the poster was questioned about the statistics but they felt these were this year. If they have offered 600 for about 290 places then the kids on the waiting list have no hope.

Although the figures seem very 'rounded' so hopefully they were an example rather than what has actually happened- as most med schools appear to only be offering a few places as per govt. advice.

There is an open day at Sheffield tomorrow. Anyone going and want to check this? If no-one on here DS's best friend is going.

I can confirm the Sheffield stats above are roughly correct. I was at the offer day event on 19th and I was surprised that they put up the numbers because they always state in their FOI answers that they don’t release numbers until the end of the cycle The offer number might be 663, I didn’t write it down so it may not be 100% correct but it was definitely over 600. Someone questioned the high number of offers in light of the potential fines if at the end of the cycle, there were more students than places. The person also asked if there was a possibility that students would be asked to defer. The UoS person responded that their admin people had done their calculations/algorithms and they were happy with offer number. They would honour all offers and no one would be asked to defer.
It was my first time in Sheffield and I thought it was a lovely city… rather hilly but it’ll be good exercise for my DD. She is going to firm Sheffield. She also has a Southampton offer and she’s waiting on a response from Leicester. She got a rejection from Liverpool although that was her best interview but we were very aware of the interview to offer ratio so this was always a risk but she loves the city!
She’s a gap year student - last year she had 3 pre-interview rejections and 1 post interview rejection. I wasn’t aware of the need to apply strategically, I naively thought with predicted 3A* and a UCAT in the top 20% and a pretty ok PS would get her the interviews! This year, I did my research before we agreed on the Universities.

Thank you for that clarification @Nuttymumhere , at least we now know that she will be taking a gap year and we can prepare.
DD did say that at least she can practise UCAT and interviews for next year.
Personally I don't think it will do her any harm to have a gap year.

@Nuttymumhere well done to your DD, we love a successful gap year story!

Disappointed to hear that the news looks bad for Sheffield waiting list @GANFYD looks like there may not be as much of a policy consensus as we thought.

There is still a possibility that there will be some places during clearing but it’s difficult to forecast because it’s not a normal exam year. DD was waitlisted for Sheffield last year so we were in the exact same position as you. Unfortunately with TAGs last year, no one got an offer from the waitlist that I am aware of but this year is different so I hope your DD has better luck than us. Between March and August last year, it was a very stressful time for DD and myself and in hindsight, I should have been more accepting that she was going to have to take a gap year.
I think the gap year has been very good for DD. She went full time in a retail job, has matured, met “real” people of all ages, cultures etc, heard lots of life stories and has realised that she has quite a cushioned life. She finishes work next week and has earned enough money to go on 6 holidays between April and September! I wish I could go on 6 holidays!

Hi - some advice appreciated: son was recently diagnosed with epilepsy; early days and seems to be controlled with meds but he’s concerned about leaving home.
He does have a medicine offer but for a uni hundreds of miles away (when he applied in Oct he was fine). Unfortunately his local uni - that he could’ve commuted to from home - rejected him.
He’s wondering whether to ask for deferral for a year given he’s a bit worried about leaving home, a big move anyway, with a relatively new diagnosis and not knowing anyone. It’s a stressful year with A levels, medicine applications and I think he could just do with a gap year to stabilise on his meds and ensure he’s managing his epilepsy and triggers etc.
He’s wondering if he should reapply for local uni for next year but I’ve told him it’s probably not wise to turn an offer down as medicine is so ridiculously competitive (& he may not get any offer if he reapplied). However, I don’t want to make him leave home and feel isolated if he has seizures.
Does anyone know if Unis are likely to be sympathetic to a deferral request in such a situation? Many thanks.

Read their website first, they may already have some guidance. You can only but ask.

A few years back but DD got an offer in March and then asked to defer. She acknowledged that her University did not normally allow deferrals but that as a result of a serious accident the summer before she felt she would benefit from some time out. She was granted it, as was one of her peers whose parent died during Yr 13.

I would get any request in quickly. At the end of March they will know who is accepting and insuring. If they are oversubscribed they may be glad of a deferral request. But regardless it sounds as if your DS could benefit from a year out so that when he does start he is in a good place to get to grips with a demanding course.

Good luck.

@RadioGiraffe - this is the thread I mentioned! Ask your questions here!

@Angharad01

Sorry to hear about your ds's diagnosis. How resilient he must be going through A levels studies, med applications and dealing with this. He sounds like a tough cookie!

Having said that I'd suggest he asks the uni about deferring. Medical reasons are considered differently than just your average dc who fancies going backpacking to exotic beaches. It's in the uni's and your ds's best interest that he feels at his strongest when he starts the course.

The first few weeks of uni (whatever course you're doing) are times of high emotion, high stress, great excitement and often some exhaustion and burnout a few weeks in. (Mine were both adamant we wouldn't see them until Christmas but came home about 5 weeks in, full of stories, white-faced, with bags of dirty washing and slept for a weekend! ) Whether your dc prefers libraries or night clubs there will be times they get little sleep and eat irregularly. Trying to cope with this while also getting used to meds and triggers etc sounds beyond tough.

I'm sure the uni will be fair. A friend of ds was diagnosed with a serious chronic condition (not epilepsy) at about this stage in his A level year. The uni agreed to hold his place open until the following year or even the year after if he needed the time.

Not starting this September would also buy him a little bit of time to relax, recharge and think about reapplying to the closer uni with his grades in hand if he feels it would be more sensible to be close to home longer term.

Good luck to him.

Does anyone know if Unis are likely to be sympathetic to a deferral request in such a situation?

They will be sympathetic. The question is whether their rules allow them to do anything. We are all very cautious about waiving rules for individual applicants because others find out about it and start demanding to be treated the same way. For example, if a medical school has a statement on its web site saying it doesn't allow deferrals and someone submits an FoI request that shows one person was allowed to defer the previous year (which will then be posted on a public web site), nobody will accept subsequent refusals to allow deferral even though their own circumstances are much less severe.

Not starting this September would also buy him a little bit of time to relax, recharge and think about reapplying to the closer uni with his grades in hand if he feels it would be more sensible to be close to home longer term.

But it's a huge gamble to decline an offer in the hope of getting another one the following year. I'm making offers to about 7% of applicants this year and I can't be sure it won't be the same next year. Having grades in hand isn't an advantage for most medical schools.

I'm so sorry to hear your DS has had to deal with all of this on top of what is already a really tough year. He certainly does sound like he is made of strong stuff. Looking back on DS's (almost) first year of med school, I would agree with everything that Haffdonga says. It is all so exciting and great fun for them but it really does take its toll. My DS is home for Easter still euphoric about it all but totally exhausted and he has been mainly sleeping since last weekend. To deal with a brand new diagnosis and regulating meds on top of all that feels like a lot to deal with, especially so far from home. Your DS will keep his place even if a deferral is refused so he has nothing to lose by asking now. I am sure the Med School would not look unfavourably on his deferral request, particularly given the circumstances. Refusal could only be down to be policy adherence and the issue of setting a precedent. Your DS would then have some time to consider whether to go ahead next year or not before the closing date for acceptances. I think the decision to give up a med school place to apply to one closer would, in normal circumstances, be very unusual and risky. But these are not normal circumstances and only your DS can make that call, given the specifics of his diagnosis and what he needs in place to live well with it. I know they all work really hard for these med school places and their future careers are important but their lives and wellbeing are infinitely more so. Wishing all the very best.

@Angharad01 I agree with others. Nothing to lose by asking about deferring, totally agree that new course in new place with new meds sounds daunting. They won't take an offer away for asking the question. Best of luck to your DS as he works out how to live with the diagnosis.

Actually I would be tempted to write a much broader email focussing on the diagnosis and how best he might be supported. Perhaps even for him to speak to relevant people.

Requests could include:

1. Deferral to give him time to get on top of illness and medical regime
2. More information on the medical support that would be available and how to set it up. (sounds basic, but at DDs University GP appointments had to be requested same day, ie there was a narrow window between 9.00 and 9.15 when you could get one. Trouble was that she was normally in a lecture at 9.00.)
3. Accommodation. Less fun perhaps (though some Universities do it well) but he presumably should go for quiet accommodation. And indeed think about not just proximity to the medical school but things like proximity to the transport hub in order to get to placements (or be given priority for nearby placements.)

Doing this will give the University better understanding should he miss a grade because of illness and have to request some form of extenuating circumstance.

NoNotHimTheOtherOne's point is interesting. DDs request was genuine and she had written about her hospital experience in her PS. But I think timing might have helped. She was interviewed on the very last interview day in March so her request would have probably arrived the day at the time they had their acceptances and were sorting out final numbers. There is some chance that they were glad to have one less. She got a reply by return. The year was really useful. She needed some time with the pressure off.

Hi, mum of 3rd yr Barts student here, I would echo needmoresleep and focus on working with the uni on support/discuss time out of studies - it happens a lot that students have health issues, and support systems are well established at my DD's med school. It's easier to start discussions once you are one of their confirmed students.

Thanks all for your really helpful and considered responses.

This morning he got a letter from Student Finance saying he's been accepted for DSA (Disabled Students Allowance).

We've also filled out a needs request with the Uni based on him having a disability. This has allowed him to request catered accommodation and en-suite - thankfully one of the Uni halls does catered (evening meal and breakfast 7 days a week) which means he can hopefully make friends through shared meals (presuming everyone in his block will be catered) and is a way to chat and meet people on a daily basis without it all being based around drink/clubbing (which can be a bit of a trigger). Hopefully that will address the making friends/settling in issue and not feeling too isolated with his condition. He's also asked for understanding re: work/deadlines based on recovery times from possible seizures etc.
He does like the idea of a gap year but as uni is 5/6 months away thinks he may be ready for it after a long summer off. However, he's going to think about it over the weekend and then might ask the Uni 'in principle' if they'd consider agreeing a gap year based on how his health is looking towards aug/sep. I've no idea if they'll agree to wait this long, or if they'll even consider it in first place, but it's worth a try. If, hopefully, things have stabilised and he feels ready then he could give uni a try in Sept - if he struggles in first few weeks/months then maybe the Uni will be sympathetic and allow an intermission given he's flagged well in advance. If he doesn't feel ready or is struggling with meds/seizures then hopefully they'll look on a gap year favourably with documented medical reasons.
Whilst all this sounds like a plan am also conscious he needs to get the grades first - best made plans and all that. At least now though we have a few possibilities to explore. Thanks everyone again.

No offers for DS I'm afraid (for dentistry) 😭 He has a pharmacy offer though, but would rather take a gap year and reapply. I'm wondering, as plan C should he firm this offer just in case he doesn't get the results needed to reapply for dentistry? What would the implications be for firming an offer and not taking it on results day? This is our first time so I'm not aware of the time scales involved.

@mubarak86 I'm really sorry your DS hasn't had an offer. A gap year and reapplication sounds like a good plan. Can't advise regarding Dentistry but with Medicine the consensus is not to hold a fifth option as the DC would then not be eligible for Clearing.