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 😬?

Thanks @Undecidedat46 so useful to have that list.
so out of those in the running initially was Kings but thinking we need to look at Birmingham and a few other GCSE weighted ones: Cardiff seems a good option (turned down a place there myself years ago!)

@Mumofboys2006 I would say be wary of Cardiff unless you are Welsh. There have been examples of RUK applicants with perfect academics not getting interviews. Their selection criteria are quite opaque for RUK. Neither of mine were keen on Cardiff but friends who had longlisted them ended up applying elsewhere where they were pretty sure they would get interviews.

Oh wow! Interesting- thanks for the heads up!

Avoid Cardiff unless Welsh. It's a bit of an unknown.
If have a fab UCAT then apply to the UCAT heavy Unis eg. Bristol, Newcastle, Southampton, Sheffield.
If less good, but still high, and have fantastic GCSEs, SJT 1 then Nottingham and Lincoln.
And if a nice UCAT and v high GCSEs then the ones mentioned are good. Always add UEA - it is an amazing medicine course.
Each Uni calculates differently so you need to check the selection criteria (briefly outlined in the spreadsheet but some have changed eg Exeters v detailed new grid).
About Scotland too as they have v limited quotas for English students.
Your aim is to maximise your chance if interviews.

Also worth noting that if you have a fab UCAT and are not overconfident about the interview part, UEA is a good tactical choice as they take the UCAT into account alongside the interview score for your final post interview score.

@opoponax v good point. There is lots to love about UEA 😊

I always feel a bit sad and confused when I read advice on these threads to avoid Cardiff. DD is English and at Cardiff and has loved it there. There seem to be many non Welsh medics there, so maybe if you like the sound of their course and can go to an open day, it might be worth it to see and try to get more clarity from admissions staff in person.

@Pepermintea I spoke to their admissions team last year, just before they released the new selection criteria, confirming they are now favouring Welsh students. It's just a bigger risk than other places now. 2/3 years ago it was a great choice if had perfect GCSEs.

See the 4th bullet point. Preference given to Welsh domiciled applicants.

PS I love Cardiff. Just tougher now for English students than other choices.

A question about work experience please and why/when it's relevant....

DS has had a few days on a respiratory ward which he really enjoyed, great team, who spent lots of time involving him and explaining stuff. This week he's had two days so far in orthopaedics. Yesterday went wrong as they weren't expecting him so with a a junior doctor who worked on a laptop and didn't explain anything. Came home hating every minute and was a challenge to get him back today . Today has been slightly better with a consultant in a fracture clinci and then with some F1s discussing a case conference so more interesting. He's back tomorrow for one last day.

What sort of thing should he be getting from this? Is it for on his personal statement? Is it to demonstrate learning or an interest? I know not all people are lucky enough to get any clinical work experience but I want to help him think about what might be asked and what he can take from the experience.

He's getting a lot more learning from his part time lifeguard job or his volunteering with young people where he's building great communication skills, confidence and just general customer service experience.

@BlueMum16 - That kind of work experience is purely to find out whether medicine is really what he wants to do. The lifeguarding and volunteering are much more important for personal statement, interview, etc., to demonstrate commitment, communication skills, team-working, responsibility, etc., etc. It's often said that there's no point in doing multiple clinical work experience placements because the returns are rapidly diminishing. Now he knows a little about what a hospital is like as a place to work, it's probably better to concentrate on the other experiences. He should keep a diary and record examples of when he has demonstrated each of the characteristics listed above. Even better if he can record examples of when he has demonstrated each of the NHS values (https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/working-health/working-nhs/nhs-constitution).

The other thing that is really worth doing is forming a group at school/college to discuss news stories that raise issues of medical ethics. I think it will also be increasingly important to be able to talk about social & environmental factors that have an impact on health & wellbeing. The concept of upstreamists is worth exploring (https://www.ted.com/talks/rishi_manchanda_what_makes_us_get_sick_look_upstream?language=en).

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne really helpful. Thank you.

Hello all, just a UCAT update from us: DS score was 2790. We are pretty pleased and bloody relieved!

As ever appreciate any guidance bearing in mind good GCSEs (2 A* and 1 A predicted).

We’ve zoned in on Birmingham, Belfast and possibly Southampton and Warwick on past UCAT scores and offers but pls let me know if I’m wrong.

Sorry and band 2 for SJ

Sorry third post! Also thinking Barts and potentially King’s (?)

@Mumofboys2006 nice UCAT. You'll need to score his GCSEs for Birmingham and Belfast - the details are on their websites. Our Belfast offers this year all had 9s across the board. Birmingham will depend on your contextual score.
UEA, Southampton (will be close) and St George's are good options.

Liverpool also an option. Think Warwick is graduate entry only (unless they've changed).

Warwick is still graduate entry (https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/3060/uk-medical-school-entry-requirements-2024-entry.pdf).

Bangor should also be an option for 2024 entry (https://www.bangor.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/a100-medicine-bmbs#entryrequirements). Like Cardiff, though, it will give preference to Welsh applicants.

Thanks that’s really helpful! I was keen on St G but DS not so keen. Will check it out though.

@Mumofboys2006 again with Kings and Bart's it depends on his GCSEs. If all 9 then definitely worth a try. Bart's also use weird things like grade 8 piano and dance exams.

Lol, brilliant - knew all those grades would come in handy somewhere!;) Yes it is pretty much all 9s bar a couple of 8s.

@Mumofboys2006 check the scoring. Some count 8 & 9 the same, some don't. He can only choose 4 so 1 punt & 3 safe (as can be) - UEA, Plymouth, Liverpool for his UCAT, others you can score.
If it helps at all my DD scored 2710 and got 4 offers - but she's now an F1 and UCATs seem to keep moving up - I do not know how !

Yes they seem to be going up and up!

He’s also doing BMAT as he’s keen on a couple of those unis - BSMS etc

@Mumofboys2006 he'll be applying blind with BMAT. If he chooses 3 safer UCATs then a punt on BSMS would be ok. No point wasting that good UCAT and GCSE combo.

So we've been to Edge Hill today. Absolutely lovely campus university and DS has decided he likes the feel of a campus uni.

Anyone know which others are campus? Ideally north of Birmingham so we can try and get a few more open days in?

I think Keele is but recall it's been mentioned it's not the easiest to get in but I can't remember why.