Medicine - 2024 Entry

[LaMereDuChat]

Just thought I'd start a thread for anyone else who feels like me... Dd has just announced that she'd really like to apply for medicine. It seems pretty much impossible to get into and I'm dreading the process as the odds are stacked against her - private schooled, grades a bit iffy as she's chosen a language as an A-Level and it's hard, though she loves it. Anyone want to join the pity party 😬?

Dd not sure yet, not excluding it...

Not joining as DS tried last year but didn't get in unfortunately and had now decided to do something else.

I would recommend joining the Medicine 2023 thread as you'll get lots of tips from there.

She also needs to start lining up some voluntary work for herself, this will be useful even if medicine is only an option right now.

Has DD joined the Medicine 2024 thread on TSR too?

Thanks PritiPatelsMaker - I'll get over there and get DD to sign up on TSR. We're currently in the middle of the DBS checking etc for a hospital volunteering place - she saw occupational health last week for any extra vaccines she'd need, though as the volunteer squad weren't 100% about where she'd be placed, OH couldn't administer anything anyway... hey ho and welcome to admin hell! Thanks for the hand hold in the form of practical advice. I'll get my bum in gear 😁

If she's taking a language, whey other A'Levels is she taking? Has she started to look at where she can apply.

I'd really recommend starting a spreadsheet.

No spreadsheet yet, though we know we need to get on to that asap as her school aspiring medics group told her to sort it over Christmas. She already knows she'd rather look at UCAT unis so that rules a few out. The other subjects are Biology and Chemistry, so pretty standard.

Oh, dd starting volunteering next week but no mentioning of OH.

Why are the odds against her as she's been privately schooled?
I don't understand?

Wishesa, others will explain why that is NOT the case but

Local uni organising various not-online events; year long support for pupils wanting to apply to medical school, various workshops, summer school. dd is at a college and they have sent links to other unis organising similar events.
Non if these dd can apply for.

Obviously she can apply for other things but it would have been useful if she could see and talk to some "real doctors" to find out this is what she wants to do.

Ok still do not really understand! DS Is a Jnr Dr, state school educated and was one of only a handful at his uni to be so. To have been privately educated would have been a huge advantage for him.

Ok, why would he have been?
But surprised about a med school with only a handful of state educated students.

I work in the NHS and in "my department" most are state educated. Well, most are foreign graduates...

Anyway so while dd is starting some volunteering in a hospital and can "observe" medics from a distance, her class mates are actually talking to medics and med students at various events to find out about their work.

All not much an issue for dd obviously but comparing my DC friends from sec private school to the state college friends.

Happy to help with anything along your journeys. Volunteering is a good start.
Outreach schemes for disadvantaged state school students are designed to try and level the playing field. A lot of private schools have access to medic parents or alumni and use these to help students. Not many state schools do - yet. We are getting there though.
It's a big of a bumpy journey applying for medicine and knowing how to do it strategically will really help.
Hurdles to jump. GCSEs. UCAT. A level predictions. Interviews. Grades. Of these the UCAT is by far the most important. But each Uni uses the data in different ways so you need to know where you are most likely to get those interviews.

Mumsneedwine, you are right of course. But just happened that DC went to a small private school with not many doctor parents and not actually very academic. While the college dc3 goes to are a lot more supportive. But not all private schools are like our dc school and not all colleges are like dc3's college.

Great advice here so far.
Our students make use of MedicMentor for additional advice and virtual work experience and our local health board offers a week's work placement in hospital during the late summer term of year 12. Applications for this have opened recently - worth seeing if your health board does this.

Another one saying that private education doesn't go against her in any way.

Some Unis, like Bristol and Sheffield usually select interviewees based on their UCAT score, provided the students have met their GCSE grade specifications and have the AAA predicted grades.

This is why it's worth planning on when she'll be taking her UCAT so she knows when to start revising and also looking at where she can apply to. Some Uni's take GCSE grades into consideration when selecting students for interview. We had to discount those ones for DS

Thanks all - like notagardener's child* *she goes to a small private school and doesn't have any doctor contacts, so I feel we'll be on the wrong side of the move to encourage more state students / demand the highest grades. I'll get dd to call the local health board but I'm not hopeful as their site still states they aren't doing things face to face 'because Covid'.

She can volunteer at Hospices, Care zhokez and GO Practices too

@LaMereDuChat the highest grades are not needed. It is a myth that all medics have 9s and A stars. As long as you have 7 7s you can pretty much apply to most places. It's that dreaded UCAT that matters more.
As for volunteering it does not need to be medical. Help in a care home, or children's sports club or anything that shows commitment and time management. Get a part time job that is customer facing as it gives so many skills that help at interview.
Unis really don't care what school you went to.

Agree with Mums. All they need is 7 7's and predicted 3As and a good UCAT.

Maybe not for the interview etc but still good to have real experience/talk to medics, and find out what's it all about.
Although all the FYs in my department would see Noooo don't do it 😁

@Notagardener yup, staying clear of any younger medics might be a good idea at the moment. I say this as a mum of a 5th year who has had to work as an F1 several times already.
Lots of hospitals run shadowing programmes for local students (regardless of school type). You need to find out when they open though as they'll fill v v fast,

@Notagardener my DS would say that too. Tell me it gets better?
£14 per hour to be shouted at, have every other patient question their care, work through every break, finish every shift at least an hour late!
I'm finding it difficult to find the words to motivate him.

Well, wishesa, to be honest, I think all the things you mentioned don't get any better. In many ways it gets worse, eg FYs are actually the doctors that go home the earliest.
However, I work in a specialist area so most FYs have no interest in learning more about it, while eg registrars have actually chosen to work in this area.
They spend a lot of time in "admin" stuff without questioning why they are doing it. Obviously that becomes boring. Not just their "fault", I blame lack of time and poor supervision, and as mentioned, too specialised for them.
However it gets more interesting once they work in a field of their choice (but in many ways more stressful)

@Notagardener ok! Thanks for reply. For what it's worth he and I are full of admiration of you.