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

Seems a bit bizarre to raise the requirements in the year that all grade inflation is removed.

I know, DD was a bit freaked out at that- now just really hoping one of the waiting lists comes good ( and obviously she gets her grades!).

Fingers crossed for your DD @coffeeandbiscuittime

I like Keele @coffeeandbiscuittime but had heard about the huge number of applications for this year. Think they had far more than they expected which was why the interviews might have been so late compared to some other Unis.

We went to Sheffield yesterday and both really liked it although the accommodation seemed tiny abs depressing and £146 a week.

DS is on the waiting lilts for Sheffield so we've got fingers crossed still here as he wasn't successful with his other choices.

@coffeeandbiscuittime wonder why Keele have few places

Keele only started in 2002 as a link with Manchester. It's now on its own but I think the deanery is relatively small - Stafford and Shrewsbury so placements will be more difficult to obtain. Keele did say they don't look at predicted - but that didn't make sense if they are only offering with grades of A*AA.
I think it shocked them how many applicants they had. Liverpool had 4,500 for ? 300 places.
I knew it was tough but my DH didn't and I really don't think DD did. They are now both going into next year with their eyes open.
Still hoping Sheffield or Liverpool waiting lists open up but at least she will be more prepared for the next round.
I haven't kept up with who has got offers and who hasn't.
But hopefully all our kids will get the grades they need and either go to their firm choices, get offers off the waiting list or be successful next year.
Let's hope they enjoy summer.

We're waiting for the Sheffield waiting list to come good too Coffee.

One thing that we were told yesterday by one of the current students was that when she started there were only around 70 students who were straight from Uni and it's very unusual to get a place at 18.

Their A101 is only open to Contextual students so you seem to get a lot of post grads applying for the A100, we hadn't reaped just how many. She said lots are also reapplicants who have worked.

Crossing everything for those on waiting lists. We know it's an extraordinary year so anything could happen yet.

@PritiPatelsMaker ds2 is at Sheffield and went at 18 straight from A levels. I really don't think he'd count himself as 'unusual' in his year in that, and most of his friends are the same. Of course there are plenty of gap year and post grad students among his cohort too but a smaller percentage and they've all mixed in together. I'm just saying, because I wouldn't want people to worry if they do get in first try that they'd be the odd one out as an 18 yo.

Ds1 (postgrad A100 applicant) looked very carefully into numbers of grads usually taken at each med school as he didn't want to be the only ancient cuckoo in a nest of baby freshers. Sheffield say they aim at 10% post grads. In fact other med schools that he could get figures for were roughly the same (though of course it changes year on year).

I HATE it when Mumsnet says "snap" because the connection was lost. Just lost a long post!

I am sure the main reason Keele is so popular is because they will consider anyone with a UCAT score over 2280. Sunderland has the same shortlisting process. This year it was very difficult for people with low UCAT scores to secure interviews.

News from the Monkey house is that DS has been offered a 7 month 3 day/week contract as an Assistant Physiologist at the local children's hospital. It is the perfect job for him, dealing with respiratory health and sleep issues and will leave him enough time for A level Chemistry, diploma in piano and National Youth Choir.

He is now really excited about a gap year and if Newcastle made him an offer on results day he would ask them to defer it. An offer for 2023 would be a great outcome as he then would not have to do Chemistry A level or the whole application process again, although as he would be applying with Chemistry he should get 4 interviews and his work experience would be brilliant for the interviews - 7 months as part of a multi disciplinary team in a hospital!

I hope there is lots of movement on the Sheffield list on results day, although there is a bit of a "dead man's shoes" aspect to it as any places released are because somebody has not made it through. So obviously hope that everyone on here gets the grades and some anonymous, and preferably undeserving, offer holders elsewhere don't make it!!

@Monkey2001 fantastically well done to DS. What an amazing job ! He'll ace those interviews next year (if Newcastle don't offer 🤞).

What a great gap year @Monkey2001 - would be great to get that offer and defer!

DD has firmed York, and I am reasonably confident that exams went well. Fingers crossed for all concerned.

Great news x

@monkey2001- So happy for your DC. Can you please tell me how and where one finds gap year opportunities in a hospital environment? Where does one look?

@Jalapenopepper there was a job advertised on the recruitment page of our local health trust. If this one had not come up he was planning to apply to be on the staff bank, probably as a porter. There can be an issue getting the experience to secure a job, but luckily his one was happy with fairly generic experience as all he had was some Covid clinics and childcare. He was also lucky that it was advertised as a 7 month part time post, he said on the application that it was a gap year job whilst applying for Medicine.

DD was rejected form all 4 universities but has just been told she's on a reserve list for medicine at liverpool--should we be excited? it has all been so fraught I don't want to get hopes up.

DD was also rejected from 3 post interview but was put on the wait list for Sheffield and then this week put on the Liverpool wait list - she now has more of a chance than she did have - so yes be glad,
I think there will be movement on results day. I heard on the grapevine that Keele are interviewing now- from original applicants- are unis doing this to try to prevents clearing?

@dollopoficecream @coffeeandbiscuittime just jumping in to say please dm me if Liverpool offers come in - DD just finishing 3rd year there so happy to answer any questions, still remember this stressful time. She’s having a great time and you only need one offer….. good luck.

The medical schools are in uncharted territory! The fact that some medical schools are allowing people with firm offers elsewhere to stay on the waiting lists adds a layer of uncertainty for them. I am sure they don't want to end up without enough people on the waiting list, meaning they would have to have more interviews the week after results day, so want a good list to call on. It is likely that more than half the people on waiting lists will be on more than one, so they are drawing on a limited pool. In 2019 Sheffield ended up making offers to all the people on their waiting list, because so many had fallen away with other offers or not making the grades. This year we are all feeling our way in the dark!

Good luck to any dc receiving their IB results today.

IB results are tomorrow @hockeygrass 😂

Best of luck for tomorrow!