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 😬?

@Sares100 i think the poster meant one of the GCSE results was an 8!

I did read in a newspaper online of a girl with 34 gcses though. Did 17 in year 10 and 17 in year 11.

Wow. Not sure why anyone would do that, can think of better things to study than GCSEs (& I teach them 😂).

Has everyone started BMAT prep? We’ve only just got back from holiday and DS is finishing his personal statement. Worried how he’s going to fit it in. He definitely wanted to apply to a couple of BMAT unis.

I'm belatedly joining this group and have read some of this very helpful thread, thank you all.

DS starting year 13 and applying for medicine. Unsure where to target and how strategic to be. He'd like a campus, loved the sports centre at Notts. Found Bristol too spaced out across the city. Considering BMAT for Cambridge or Imperial.

However it seems we really need to do detailed analysis of the entry requirements so will start to go through this. The amazing spreadsheet up thread is that available somewhere please?
He'd probably suit a traditional course but perhaps that's my bias as how I was taught. He would love Cambridge but so competitive not sure if it's worth using the space! No contextual points whatsoever.

His UCAT is 3180 SJT1 GCSEs all 9s so he is hopeful of an interview at Notts. Is Newcastle harder to get in? Southampton?

@weasle with those stats he should be able to get an interview at any of the ucat universities so I personally think having a Cambridge wildcard is fine. From what I have read though they interview many but have a lower offer ratio than some other courses, so it might be worth considering also having a university in there which traditionally has a high offer rate of those interviewed with his score - UEA, Exeter (if predicted all A*). Do make sure though that it is not just your bias pushing for Cambridge. My dd considered it but ultimately she wanted a more integrated course with earlier patient content and having learning placed within a clinical context so eliminated Cambridge early on.

It is worth him putting in some early interview practice because there could be some interviews before Christmas and he might want to practice for a variety of interview styles. Although Cambridge is likely to heavily focus on his scientific understanding, other courses may focus much more on his motivation for medicine and any relevant experience. Not necessarily just clinical work experience but any part time jobs, volunteering etc. There may also be ethical considerations, public health, why he is interested in that specific university etc. There are lots of examples of questions on the internet so practicing concise answers to a wide range will help him. Then also practising with different people - your friends, work colleagues, other medic applicants etc. Some courses will involve students and patients in the decision making process too so having that awareness that you could be speaking to anyone is useful.

@weasle my DS had similar stats (UCAT not quite as good) and decided on Cambridge as his wild card. He then had to sit BMAT and, although he got an interview there, there was no offer.
He got offers from the other 3 (all UCAT). And also a 5th offer from Imperial for non medicine course.
He has mixed views in hindsight. Taking BMAT is a risk esp with an excellent UCAT. But he had his heart set on trying for Cambs. I tried to talk him out of it. Year 13 is tough with early UCAS to do without adding BMAT in if it's not necc.

He is off to Uni of Birmingham and also got offers from Exeter and Sheffield all 3 are good choices with those stats. (Assuming A star A level predictions (for Exeter)).

@weasle as others have said, he will get interviews at most UCAT Unis with those stats. Mitts and Newcastle pretty certain (unless something v v v v weird happens this year 😂). He can guarantee 4 interviews without the BMAT. Does he definitely want the Cambs course - it's changing next year so will be v different I believe.
More important to go where he likes

@mumofboys no BMAT prep started here. I think dd is leaning towards not doing it. She's already back at school and busy again with homework, UCAS etc.
@weasel well done your ds. My eldest had similar stats, decided against BMAT and ended up with four offers from UCAT unis to choose from.
My second had great but not perfect stats (not perfect gcses and a spiky ucat). He's at Southampton and loving it, so any questions I can ask him.
Now here with my fourth born dd!
The others not interested in medicine so I'm learning about how to support them in their applications too.

@Mumofboys2006
hey, I'm glad we're not alone. DS worked quite hard for his GCSE and year 12 so we treated him to a holiday. Barely managed to squeeze in the UCAT revision and exam but now dreading the BMAT... He's been procrastinating a little during the summer but finally managed to find a doctor to tutor him - hopefully will get him a bit more motivated! My advice is just to make sure he gets all the practice and feedback he can get!

My DD got a 3200 B1 UCAT last year and all A star predicted and achieved A levels and decided not to go for any BMAT universities. This was because she decided she didn't wanted an academic course style or London (home) rather than because of the issue of applying blind with BMAT. I think she would have enjoyed an academic course-style but she felt strongly that she wanted early clinical exposure more. We had a bit of a frantic time in Sept/October driving all over the country as she had refused to visit any before she had her UCAT score. Then suddenly her choices were wide open and she even started to consider RUK Edinburgh etc. that she had initially ruled out as being too risky. It ran to the wire. Then, she got early interview slots because of her high UCAT score and it felt like a complete hamster wheel at that point, particularly with mocks thrown in. My elder DS had very similar stats 2 years before but he was very clear which med schools he wanted to apply to before he sat UCAT and stuck with those choices. It was strangely easier in COVID times as proper visits were off the table. They both got four interviews and four offers. My DS is at Newcastle and loves it so happy to answer any questions on that one.

@weasle my DD just graduated from Notts and now an F1, if want any advice. Scoring wise, did he get SJT 1 ? Matters at Notts.
2022 spreadsheet attached (sorry, not quite finished updating for 202: - RAAC got in the way !)

Do we know when we can expect 2023 UCAT cut offs?

@speedyhedgehog - glad I’m not the only one! DS definitely wants to apply to BSMS - and possibly one of the London BMATs.

@Mumofboys2006 my dd started on bmat only a few days ago. She wanted to get her ucat out of the way first, rather than juggling it all.

some of her friends have decided not to do it, but dd wants to apply to one London bmat uni. Her ucat is good (2940) but not super high, so she wants to hedge her bets.

@Mumofboys2006 most unis don't publish UCAT cut offs. A few give details (I think Sheffield does from memory) but you'll have to trawl through TSR forums when interviews were given out last December / January for most places where the people invited for interview / rejected posted their scores.

@Mumofboys2006 I'm getting to it as fast as I can ! No official data - we just keep records each year from TSR and our own students.

@Notcontent that UCAT is amazing !! She can apply pretty much to any UCAT Uni and get an interview. Please don't think 2900+ us not in top 10%. People will still get offers with 2,600+.

Agree with @mumsneedwine . That's a great UCAT score and UCAT scores above interview threshold scores don't add anything anyway as the clock then resets to zero for the vast majority of med schools and it is all about interview performance. I also know DC with offers with 2,600+ UCATs and others with 3,100+ with no offers. The UCAT style of test just suits some DC more than others.

UEA is one where UCAT counts for 50% of selection score, with 50% interview performance. So is a good one if not feeling too confident but gave a huge UCAT.

Most Unis don't care how far over any of their selection criteria you are once you've got to interview. Got 7 7s - pass that threshold, no one cares about anything more. Predicted AAA - fab (a few offer AAB if have an A/A star in EPQ), and a few need a star. The. UCAT is then ranked, top 700-900 interviewed and the interview will decide if they get an offer. I've had a student with 4 A stars and 3,200 UCAT get 4 interviews and no offer. 2nd time round again got 3,200 and this time 2 offers (I prepped them a lot).
Obviously variations on the above so if have all 9s then look at the ones that score GCSEs.

She had also taken UCAT and BMAT, I think (presumably just because there was nothing to stop her).

Wow @marching frogs I missed that she'd also done ucat and bmat! She must love challenging herself! I wish she'd channel a little bit of that energy to my 17 year olds!
@notcontent that is a fantastic ucat score! That should be top 10% of a very able cohort. She won't need to take bmat unless she particularly wants to go to a uni that needs it. That is definitely high enough to get 4 interviews and like others have said for the majority of unis, once the ucat score has opened the interview door, they are all back to level pegging and it depends how well they do at interview. My DS scored 2900+ and did not do BMAT.

I'd struggle to name 34 GCSEs 😂

Hi

My daughter is yet to sit her UCAT but we are just considering options for low UCAT unis as she didn't do as well as expected when she sat it last year and be grateful if anyone could advise re the contextualise policy with KMMS for A level results. My daughter achieved AAA in a high performing school where the average grade was A- (46 points), i can't quite work out how they would do it. Her GCSEs were good against her school at the time but then she went to a selective sixth form.

Many thanks

@MsMAK it's unlikely your DD will get much from contextual data if got AAA at an A school average I'm afraid. Post A level it's these and the GCSEs that count. It's hard to know their exact cut off as the contextual stuff muddies the water a bit.