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.

I think I am more on edge about waiting than DS is. He dithered about a 5th choice last week, but decided not to as he could not imagine being a healthcare professional other than a doctor as he would be working with people doing what he wanted to do. Considered putting engineering, but PS is all wrong. In hindsight I think he might as well have put engineering anyway as not all universities read PS. He would be quite shocked if he didn't get an offer from UEA (favourite course, but wished Norwich not so far from everywhere), but would have liked an unconditional insurance as he already has great grades in wrong subjects.

Has anyone who applied for Liverpool regestered for accommodation? They have a stupid system that all applicants can book accom even if they don't have an offer yet.

@Monkey2001 only reason to chuck a 5th choice is in is Extra. It's just quicker to apply if you have all decisions made, and speed does count. Can put anything down, sillier the better. Then he can reject them 😊.

Fingers crossed for him.

Last interview at Bristol next week then the long wait for decisions begins.

Also applied for Plymouth and UEA so hoping for some decisions end of Feb/ start of March

Which unis do we predict will go first in terms of offers (oxbridge and Scottish unis excepted)? My dd is coping by not thinking about it but I fear that means not quite working hard enough to achieve her best grades either. Protecting mental health is good and strategies are good but somehow letting a little bit of stress in probably drives slightly better outcomes? Not sure. Leaving her to do it her way though- this is so tough and my role is to support and encourage and not add to the stress!

@Monkey2001 DD has applied for accommodation, it's first come first served so would be silly not to I think? You need a student ID which took some tracking down - it's on the original /first acknowledgement from Liverpool back in October.

My DS had a Bristol interview next week but it has been postponed by 3 weeks due to strikes. He was not given an option to choose a date.
This is a little annoying since he has to change his focus again etc.
Have a nice Sunday !

@Monkey2001 DD applied for Liverpool accommodation earlier this week. She was checking multiple times per day all through January for it to open as she really wants a Liverpool place and really wants Crown Place if she does go there. We were pretty happy to get that application done and dusted: you don’t have to pay a deposit so it seems worth applying early as there’s nothing to lose.

@Peachy2005 we should look into Liverpool accommodation as well. Just wondered why you preferred Crown Place since we have not looked into any accommodation yet. Is it more convenient for medical students?

@Thethingswedoforlove at interview DS told her should hear from Sheffield and Birmingham by end Feb. Don't know about Exeter as not had iv yet.

@Cratos when we went to the open day in September, we saw most of the room types in Crown Place and had a medical student showing us around some of the accommodation: she said it’s the closest for Med students. Also all rooms there are ensuite and while Vine Court is only a little further away (and possibly a bit cheaper), it has shared bathrooms (which DD thinks she couldn’t cope with)!

@Cratos Sorry I might be wrong on the ensuite thing, I can’t remember exactly why she ruled out Vine Court and we didn’t get to see it. She just really wants Crown Place for convenience and if she only got offered Greenbank Student Village, which involves buses, we’d probably look at a different accommodation provider altogether…assuming she even gets an offer :-P

@Cratos Melville Grove is the one with shared bathrooms but cheaper. One of DDs friends has applied there.

@PPeachy2005 thank you for the advice. We will have a look at them.

Yikes haven’t thought of applying for accommodation until we had offers….right just when I thought I’d get a break lol!!

@Pip4764 I think it is only Liverpool which lets you apply for accommodation before you have an offer. Most places you have to firm before booking accom.

I find it strange how many people can't cope with the idea of sharing a bathroom - wasn't a thing when we were students, and we all survived! DS1 was very happy with shared bathrooms and DS2 would rather have an extra £50/week for food!

@Monkey2001 phew thank you for confirming!! Indeed I agree about the shared bathrooms and at one Uni visit they said the shared bathrooms were cleaned by staff, when the single ones weren’t.

They're going to have to share a bathroom from year 2, unless they find a house with all en-suites 😂

if she only got offered Greenbank Student Village, which involves buses, we’d probably look at a different accommodation provider altogether

What's wrong With buses? She'll probably need to take buses to get to clinical placements.

Thanks for the heads up about Liverpool accommodation. We have just booked it. My son actually preferred Melville Court. He wasn’t bothered about sharing a bathroom said it’s just like home!

I was just about to look at accomodation and DS reminded me that he wants to take a gap year. 😱 if he gets any offers this is the next thing to think about.
We learnt Sheffield accepts gap year request. We need to check Liverpool Bristol and Leicester.

Silly question but do students carry their toiletry bags to shared bathrooms each time they use the bathroom or do they leave their toothbrush, shower gels etc in the shared bathroom?

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne
Nothing wrong with buses: I just think she envisages lots of late nights in the library so would rather not be getting buses late at night.

…for the first year at least 😂

@Cratos DD used to leave hers in the bathroom in a plastic tub thing. They all did. Never had an issue with it.

I hope @Peachy2005 does not feel her DD is being judged for wanting en suite near the medical school. En suite is generally the most popular, partly because students are worried about sharing bathrooms with strangers and also a lot of it is newer and smarter. Sometimes the strangers are actually disgusting and leave the bathroom in a state, but the vast majority are just a bit untidy and a lot of places with shared bathrooms include a cleaner, usually once a week, St Andrews is every day. A lot of these students accept absolute disgustingness at festivals, maybe they fear that shared bathrooms will be like that!

@Cratos I think lots have a little caddy. DS1 kept a washbag in his room and had a towelling robe. Crocs are great for going for showers. If you have a particular shower room between 2/3 students you can leave stuff there, but DS had a few showers shared between more students.