Medicine 2023 Entry - Part 3

[opoponax]

Anyone out there with DC applying or reapplying for Medicine 2023, please join a friendly thread for mutual support and useful advice.

To put a different perspective, ds1 will have done umpteen years study (4yr intregrated masters +medicine. Ds2 has done 6 yrs (medicine + intercalation). When they're F1 doctors they'll both be paying back roughly the same amount of student loan each month as that Aldi manager if she's done a 3 yr degree in say business studies. But they'll have had the most amazing time doing a qualification that allows them to work all over the world and have incredible experiences.

I think it is also important to consider what they want from their lives. Dd wouldn't want to work as a shop manager, and the other careers she considered are also very competitive but after the undergraduate degree so she would do three years, possibly a masters and then still not know if she will get into the career she would consider. I do hope though as a parent that conditions improve before she gets to junior doctor stage.

My DD has watched me and it hasn't put her off medicine but it has definitely put my 3 off nursing. I qualified in Nursing in the 90's - I have since done a diploma, degree and a masters, doing an academic course each year pertinent to my area of work - mainly Emergency nursing, primary care and now emergency care for patients known to cancer services. I am an independent prescribing practitioner.
In 33 years this has been the hardest year.
I am also involved in teaching/ supporting med students and junior drs.
I am on first stage 8a , my husband having done one degree and no further courses (engineer) who is on more than me and always has been is constantly frustrated at what I do versus what I get paid.
My DD is under no illusions as to life in the NHS and Australia, but she has also seen my enjoyment/ fulfilment in comparison to her Dads job which is just that - a job.
Health care work is hard, underpaid and I fully support strikes to ensure better healthcare for us all - without good staff we can't give good care/service. I hope as you all do that our DC's do get in to medicine and that the NHS manages to be improved.

Invite for Bristol interview just in. That is four interviews in the bag. Thank you so much @Monkey2001, @mumsneedwine and @Unexpecteddrivinginstructorfor your advice.

@Cratos thanks for starting this thread as it has been the best resource for me to help my DC (especially as I was late to the party).

@Stillonhold woo hoo 🍾. Fab news. Any info needed on Bristol as a Uni or city happy to help. My vet DD is there and loves the place. Good luck !!

Apologies, wrong name. @opoponax thanks for starting this thread 👍

Would you mind sharing your DC’s UCAT score - just trying to work out where Bristol has got to on their invites… My DD is still waiting.

@Stillonhold well done and echoing my thanks to the experts on here, couldn’t do it without you all!

@ASeagull23 if my students are any indication it seems to have gone to 2930. I have a few still waiting on 2910. It's bonkers high this year.

Great news @Stillonhold hold - you need a name change!

2930 would be a crazy cut off, surely it must go down further!

But I have been shocked by cut offs this year. Do you know where Newcastle settled @mumsneedwine ?

@Monkey2001 lowest non Partners we have is 2850. Still high (but Sheffield higher this year !). Might be a bit lower as we only had a couple of Newcastle this year.

2930 UCAT score hope you hear soon 🤞

My son stared at Newcastle Med in Sept 22.

His third A level was English Language

Most universities are reasonably flexible with the third A level.

I called Bristol admissions on Thursday and asked when the last interview date would be. They said they did not have that information but that they would be interviewing into March. I see those with 2930 were being offered dates on 1/2 Feb. So I’m thinking there is reason to hope for those with lower scores than 2930.

Joining this thread for support for my DD this year who has interviews at Plymouth, UEA, Bristol and Keele.

Keele and Plymouth interviews already done.

I was on the 2022 thread for my son who ended up at Newcastle Med School and loving it.

@ASeagull23 21st Feb was also available to book yesterday.

@ASeagull23 if they are interviewing into March I think there will be another batch to be invited for interview. The batch before my DC was 2960 so based on that 2900 might be the cut off?

How much do I need to budget for medicine school for my DC?

Minimum maintenance loan so 6k top up for 4 years

12k to cover 5th year living

22k to cover intercalated year

= 58k

so no more than 60k total?

Does that sound about right?

Thanks

I’ve just printed this off and it looks like the intercalated year tuition fees are covered by the NHS bursary scheme so 60k is more like 50k.

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2023-01/NHS%20Bursary%20Funding%20for%20Medical%20and%20Dental%20Students%202022-23%20%28V5%29%2012.2022.pdf

@MyGPgood your DD will be one of the richest on the course if you fund all that 😊. We have paid DDs rent of £5,800 a year and she worked summer of year 1 and 2 to cover 5th year shortfall. So max of £30,000 over the 5 years (just had to sit down thinking how much that actually is !). She gets minimum loan too and easily lives on it, including running her little car, much needed for placements (unless you want a 6am start to get the bus).
Why so much for intercalated year ? Fees should still be covered by loan. And if go to Notts or Soton the extra degree is in the 5 years.

That sounds frankly in the realms of silly money @GPgood. Ds has needed nowhere near that much from us including intercalation year and extra help in final bursary year.
There are some very lucky students among ds's friends who have very substantial help from parents. E.g. buying them a house that they share and let to friends but the vast majority live on their loans (topped up) like all other students and the ultra wealthy are a minority.

@MyGPgood my understanding is that the first 4 years are like normal students, so around £5k top up and years 5/6 if on 6 year degree or intercalating they get £1k + a reduced loan of around 2.5K.

So if topping to full loan that would be around £5k for years 1-4 and £6k for years 5-6. Total £32k.

Actually, many parents who afford to, do what @mumsneedwine did and pay for accommodation for the 6 years.

BUT it depends on where they are living and whether you expect them to work. I also think that parents might need to top up further as the loans have not been increased to reflect the increase in the cost of living, so I think they might need another £1,000/year on top of that, whether they earn it or parents provide it.

I think you might be able to manage in Sheffield, Leicester, Newcastle with an income of £9.5k pa, but not in Bristol, St Andrews, Manchester and others.

@mumsneedwine @Monkey2001@Haffdonga thanks for your reply’s I’m just trying to budget for worst case scenario as we are hoping to semi retire early in the next 2 years so I want to make sure I have this money to hand. DC will be expected to work to help out too (in the holidays) and DC already volunteers every Saturday so DC is accustomed to allocating this time away from studying.

It's 'fairer' I think if you have more than one to fund to pay the accommodation and they live on the loan, as they then have the same amount. Bristol rent is much pricier but thankfully my DD moves to deepest Somerset next year where her rent will almost halve. Who needs a holiday and food 😂.
It is v much city dependent as @Monkey2001 says. Notts has proved nice and cheap and the Uni funds all transport to placements or accommodation if required. If @MyGPgood you allow £60,000 you should easily be ok. Retirement sounds lovely 😊 .

And 'only' 5 years for us. For both of them 🥴