Medicine 2022 - The final furlong

[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.

Offers are in for some, others on waiting lists, others doing their A levels and planning a gap year.

Best of luck everyone for great results on 18th August, we will be here to celebrate, commiserate, advise and generally support you for the last stage of the 2022 journey. 🍀

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4464984-Medicine-2022-Decision-time

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

Oh and the reason for the drop in loan is that the NHS pay their fees in 5th year. So their debt is only about £80,000 not £89,000. 🤢🤢🤢

I am minded to write to Liz Truss who seems quite keen to improve things in the NHS.

Like many other people, I believe the government could improve staffing levels by investing now to increase the number of home grown medics and nurses, rather than relying on immigrants to fill gaps (or not fill gaps, as is the current problem!). I would like to see all university fees and maintenance grants written off if students remain working in the NHS for many years - say 25% written off after 5 years, 50% after 10 years etc. If people leave the NHS, then their loans would just be like other student loans and would need to be repaid. Maintenance grants should be generous (ie c£12k pa and cover all 5/6 years as medics have less opportunity to work in both term times and during their shorter holidays.

That would incentivise people to go into the profession (at the moment, sadly many poorer families can't support their children through the training) but more importantly it would incentivise people to stay in the profession.

It would be so simple to organise and really would make a difference to staffing levels going forward. To that end, I can't ever see it happening!

@MidLifeCrisis007 the problem is that there is no incentive for the govt to make things better when there are over 20k applicants chasing 10k places, more than enough of whom would make very good doctors. But they could easily extend the £5k pa they give to other health trainees, particularly in the clinical years.

There is a Twitter campaign twitter.com/LiveableNHSBurs

Nottingham seem to be addressing the issue themselves

twitter.com/TheDA_UK/status/1550520127141167105/photo/1

But it should not be up to universities to plug the gaps in making studying medicine more accessible to all. It is a bitter irony that the 6 year Medicine with a Foundation Year courses which are only open to Widening Access students include at least 2 years on the NHS bursary even though they are the least able to afford it. I wonder whether the funding has just not been updated for years or was based on the assumption that medical students on clinical placements had the option to stay in hospital accommodation.

I think we will have to do the same😃

@Monkey2001 love JVT. He is a great Nottingham asset. If you are going there he might end up as your personal tutor.

I have written to Liz Truss saying trainee doctors and nurses need better funding and shouldn't repay their loans if they work in the NHS for 20 years post qualification. Good for outreach and staff retention....

Nothing will come of it, but at least I tried.

www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/30/exhausted-medical-students-in-england-struggle-to-qualify-amid-financial-woes
I think the shortfall is going to be a shock for many. Widen participation with one hand, refuse support with the other

Good luck to everyone's DC moving in soon - it certainly feels real now for us as DS moves in tomorrow...although his packing is still a work in progress! Induction lectures and freshers cancelled on Monday so he's hoping flatmates are friendly and they can get to know each other - fingers crossed they are.

Hey @Solarlantern - has he seen his personal timetable? DD astounded that she now know exactly what she’s doing every day up to December! A 10 o’clock start on Thursday too. Luxury!

DD started on Sunday! For reasons known to no-one, she's in a flat with 4 mature students (up to 28 y/o) who she has nothing in common with at all. But on the plus side, they are all kind, caring, tidy in the kitchen and quiet as mice - but clearly not knocking back the vodka and hitting the nightclubs as most other freshers do.

@KingscoteStaff yes, 11am Thursday start here- living the dream! Medic "parent family" have already been in touch too to arrange a meet up so hopefully will ease them in a bit too. @MidLifeCrisis007 - that sounds like my DS's ideal flat - he's more worried everyone else will be drinking and partying all night when he has to get up early...

@MidLifeCrisis007 I think my DS would be with @Solarlantern there - does not drink and, although sociable, would not want to be in a party flat. When you see some of the disgusting kitchen on WIWIKAU, kind, caring and tidy in kitchen sounds great! A friend's DS at Swansea was given a flat with animals - late parties, non flat residents wandering into flat at all hours, shot glasses thrown out of the window, roof tiles ripped down! Luckily he managed to move at Christmas, but it was an experience he would not have chosen to have!

DD loves a drink and a night out clubbing. She's well suited to life in the NHS as she can survive (and function!) on very little sleep.

There are certainly lots of positives to living with maturer students, even if it means she's not having the student experience she was expecting to have in her flat.

2 of DD’s flat mates in Park View are in and sending her pictures of the view from the kitchen (10th floor…)

@KingscoteStaff I think she was lucky to get Park View, it seems to be the most popular choice.

She's so lucky - it will make those 9am lectures much easier. Handy for the gym too. Though she may end up hankering after the wild party people at Castle Leazes!

I love those mugs @opoponax - earmarked one for her stocking!

@KingscoteStaff Park View is great and really friendly. Lots of opportunities for socials with the Leazes residents too. Moving in was so easy too. The drive-up slots and porters system worked very well. Good luck to your DD.

DD moved into Park View yesterday as it was the only time we could coordinate a flight for her. She says she’s the only person in her flat but has already managed to find her way to the local chippy - which is worryingly near! We’re following on this weekend with a car which will be full to bursting but it now occurs to me that we don’t have a formal slot as she’s technically ‘in’. We will need a trolley or we will have aching backs if we have to transport it all from a distance off Richardson Road. Time for her to speak nicely to reception staff…

@Shangrilalala that would be 'The Canny Cod.' It's a good back-up when provisions run low at exam time. The staff in the Park View reception office are very helpful. If your DD pops down and explains, they may well be able to find you a slot. There is lots of outside space there so you can park up and drop all the stuff very quickly and then one person move the car and the others start moving the stuff up. If you get a slot, the porters will take the all the heavy things on their trolleys. Parking could be tricky on Richardson Rd this busy weekend but there are other options in the back streets around there.

Ok, car packed and we’re off!

I hope you're going to walk Hadrian's Wall while you're up there. It's a shame to drive all that way and not..... 😂

If all goes well with dropping DD off tomorrow, we’re planning a quick dash over to see DS in Durham and go to the SEASIDE, then back to take DD out for brunch on Sunday morning and race back south!

Gosh - is your DS back in Durham already? Mine in the Atlas Mountains!

As an aside, I feel totally humbled by the 44 year old, mum of 3, on DD's course! So I guess she'll qualify and be a junior doctor at 49/50.... Respect!!!

Atlas Mountains or a Durham rugby pitch…. Hmmmmm - I know which one I’d prefer!