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 😬?

@Mumofboys2006 mist don't even read them. Computer sees grades, computers sats yes.

Sorry. Long day. Can't type 😂

@mumsneedwine would you recommend they put down a 5th choice - my daughter’s school recommended pharmacy

@Randomactofkindness 5th choice is nice for 2 reasons. 1, you get an offer early (although won't if pharmacy as that's v competitive too - weird thing to suggest as it's the same grades as medicine at most places !). 2. It's easier to enter ucas extra and clearing if have no offers, or rejected all 5.
Do they want pharmacy ? If they want to be a doctor it's better to try again next year if not successful this year.

@Mumofboys2006 my DD's 5th choice was Civil Engineering at a prestigious RG uni (with a PS that mentioned nothing but medicine and why she'd be a fantastic doctor). She got an offer within 24 hrs 😀! Just a case of her meeting the algorithm. As @mumsneedwine says, Medicine is such a gruelling process that it was a bit of a confidence boost for DD even if she was unlikely to go down that route.

@Africa2go - that's brilliant; well done your dd (even if she didn't want it).

I can't remember who asked about the lad who got into Cardiff, but it might have been as he'd spent 6 months as a HCA during his gap year after doing a retake.

@mumsneedwine definitely not - I’m a pharmacist so have put her off 🤣 and yes it’s competitive too - she can’t think of anything but the PS right now so once that is done then we will look at a 5th option
@Africa2go thanks - she had been looking at psychology and maths but was a while ago

@Randomactofkindness I've had them put biochemistry type things and one put golf management (just to put something). Paramedic science is a popular 5th.

@mumsneedwine good ideas -
thank you

Regarding a fifth, my DS was threatening up until the last moment to put Midwifery at Middlesex (v local to us). In the end he didn't, felt a bit guilty about asking them to consider his application, and was definite that if he didn't get any offers he was going to retry the following year (he applied for a deferred place, so was already planning a gap year - so clearing not relevant).

Thanks all - we are thinking biomedical sciences at UCL - not a uni we can apply to for medicine so why not

Dd submitted just the four with the intention of adding a fifth if she needed to for Extra but she didn't need to. She would have taken a year out and I think deciding on a fifth, even one she would not go to, was too much headspace at the time.

@Unexpecteddrivinginstructor - I completely get that. DS doing BMAT prep so def no headspace for a fifth choice. I looked up a few for him and we zoned in on biomed science as it covers similar topics to some degree. I suspect he would also rather take a year out and redid ucas if necessary.

DD finally sat the UCAT yesterday and did remarkably well. Not sure where she should apply now as she wasn’t set on anywhere in particular before the exam.

Any advice greatly appreciated:
VR 780
DM 730
QR 840
AR 890
Total = 3240 with Band 1 StJ

Predicted 3 A stars (bio, Chem, psych) + an EPQ.
Doesn’t want a traditional course but not sure about Problem based learning as an alternative. Would like to intercalate.

Initially liked Exeter & Leicester but no firm ideas in mind. Feel we are running out of time! 🤦🏻‍♀️

With that Ucat she can apply anywhere she likes, surely?. @Groundhogday2021

I think Exeter is the only university that requires 3 x A star.

Wow @Groundhogday2021 thats an amazing score. I would look at UEA as a safe option (given that offers are made based on 50% of UCAT score) then pick any 3 she likes.

I think it was only one year that Exeter did not go lower than the 3 A⭐ category for non contextual applications to select for interview. The offer once interviewed is still AAA.

Yes it was 2020 that happened with Exeter mainly due to all the CAG distortion.

@Groundhogday2021 my DD was the same position as your DD. It made sense for her to apply to UEA which as others have said was a bit of a no brainer with her 3200 UCAT. However she visited UEA and didn't love it. She felt the same with Exeter where her A star predictions could have come in handy. In the end she just applied to the four she was most excited about in terms of med school course and location and ignored strategy. I agreed with her but said to consider how would she feel if she got no offers. She said better than not knowing if she might have got an offer from somewhere she really liked had she not played it so safe. She said she would follow her heart first time round and if that didn't work she would reapply more strategically. It worked out for her but it really depends how they feel about a gap year.

I agree with @opoponax with those stats she shouldn't need to worry about strategy (although you haven't mentioned GCSE grades) so instead think about course structure, vibe of the university and city and the wider location of the university. She is very lucky to have lots of options.

Yes. It strikes me as kind of odd that they require 3 x A star to apply, but 3 A for offer. Still, I guess they all have their ways of shortlisting an excess of excellent candidates.

I wish they’d increase the number of places!

They don't require 3A⭐ to apply that is just part of their way of ranking candidates. So someone with 3A⭐and a UCAT above the 7th decile will be ranked above someone with 2A⭐A and a ucat in the top decile. Having said that anyone with some A⭐ should rank themselves and consider whether it is strategic for them. I guess it is their way of prioritising (predicted) A level performance over the ucat score, which some students really struggle with, or maybe just have a bad day. It is definitely worth considering if someone has high predicted grades but a slightly lower ucat, especially with any contextual flags. They can't interview everyone.

'Only' asking for 3A⭐ is because that is the academic level they think is needed to access the course.

Sorry forgot to put GCSEs:
4x9, 5x8, 2x7

Also, she is not that keen to stay in London and doesn’t want too far North (so def not Scotland)

I think there is just too much choice for her now and it’s a bit overwhelming. School keen for her to aim high but she is not sure. She has good work experience and volunteering.
Does anyone have any advice on the different interview styles? MMI v panel?
Thanks all for your help and advice. Would be good to hear from mumsneedwine also. 😊

Exeter have changed their selection criteria and it's now a matrix of UCAT and predicted grades (attached).

With a UCAT over 3200 the Bristol, Newcastle, Sheffield etc are no brainers. UCAT only unis. Unless have a preference for somewhere, and even then it's likely to be a safe enough choice.

would you recommend they put down a 5th choice - my daughter’s school recommended pharmacy

Some pharmacy schools aren't very keen on applicants whose personal statement shows no evidence of knowing what the role of a pharmacist is. Even if this isn't picked up prior to interview, it might make the interviewers a little more rigorous than they would otherwise be. Some are more relaxed, assuming that someone who had a realistic chance of getting into medicine will be a good student.

The main point, though, is if you would absolutely hate being a pharmacist, don't apply for pharmacy. There's just no point.

I'm about to post a long exposition on back-up plans. If you are going to include a fifth choice, you need to think about it properly first and have a decent understanding of where it would take you. Never do anything just because your school recommends it. Schools shouldn't be making generic suggestions like that: they need to consider the individual student's interests and abilities.