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 😬?

So dd did ucat today. SJ was band 1 but she scored 2460 overall. She’s very teary.
predicted A*AA in maths, biology and Chem.

any recommendations?

Oh and she’s also got extenuating circumstances letter as is a young carer

@DRNK for free ?

maybe Sunderland /Keele who dont look at ucat as long as its above 3rd decile I think

Plymouth 6 year course dont look at ucat if you meet contextual criteria

Southampton 6y if meet contextual criteria.

UEA 6 y course?

Else bmat universities? Young carer is one of the contextual criteria at Lancaster.

When I had my training as an interviewer was told a lot of the students we thought were brilliant would get 4 offers and may not choose us in end. Told to be careful not to benchmark others against those students and follow our mark scheme closely so great students who perhaps have only got one interview aren’t missed. From what I hear when students get to med school they are also surprised to find out that their peers UCAT scores are often average having been sure that everyone else was getting 3000 and their score was mediocre. Also that no news is often good news with late interviews and waiting lists common. And my nephew who got no offers due to low ish ucat but then three a stars rang round the med schools he applied to originally and got a quick interview and offer for that year.

Is there anyone else here doing BMAT? We are doing it and are trying to be strategic by just putting one BMAT uni down but a part of me is thinking what he does really well in it and we should maybe aim high and put an aspirational uni down?
I know the advise is not to put more than 1 down but there are clearly people applying to the BMAT unis!

What was the thinking re: the Barts cut off score? After making her choices, dd has thrown everything up in the air again by managing to get her predicted grades massively improved to A star A star A (from CDD!) thanks to lots of work over the summer. The 2022 cut off seemed to be 2360 so would this be a sensilbe choice or better as an aspirational?

2720 I think - I did lots of research on TSR @LaMereDuChat

well done to you DD on her predicted!

trying to be strategic by just putting one BMAT uni down but a part of me is thinking what he does really well in it

What if he's ill on BMAT day?

Choosing more than one BMAT school is a gamble; choosing more than two is a massive gamble.

I met a sixth-former a couple of years who was only applying to BMAT schools (he didn't even sit UCAT) because all the medical courses he wanted to do were at BMAT schools. But he was perfectly prepared to spend a year - or two - working as a healthcare assistant if he had an off-day for BMAT and apply again the following year(s).

For me, the issue with the Bmat is that you apply blind, so apply to xxxx on ucas without even knowing if you will meet cutoff for that uni

Personally, I would go for a strategic application and try to secure as many interviews as possible.

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne - very risky to just do BMAT unis but I definitely think there’s no harm in applying to at least one. DS seems quite chilled and I’m quite chilled about him taking a year out tbh.

@Mumofboys I wouldn't think in terms of aspirational unis as it irrelevant for medical schools. The real question is whether your DS is very keen on an academic style course structure and/or does he really want to be in London. Then it is probably worth one BMAT med school but personally I wouldn't gamble on two. Mine both had top UCATs guaranteeing four interviews, no desire to stay in London and wanted early clinical so BMAT wasn't even a consideration. Depends on individual circumstances though.

@opoponax - he really liked Imperial - course style etc but it’s obviously quite a gamble even though his predicted grades etc are good because they require really high BMAT scores

DD is looking to apply to a medical school in England this year. She has achieved a 3040 UCAT score with a band 2 SJT, and is predicted 4A*s and 1 A and is also planning on doing the BMAT. Currently she is considering Cambridge or Imperial as her first choice, followed by King's College London and Bristol- she is as of yet undecided on a fourth choice. If any of you have gone to medical school or have children who have gone - where did they go and how are they finding it? (I hope the formatting is correct - this is my first time posting on here.)

@Mumofboys2006 I think it may be best to judge based on the UCAT score. If he has a high UCAT maybe do 1 BMAT, but if not it may be better to split it 2:2.

With that sort of Ucat, she can apply near enough anywhere she wants.

i would this apply to three ucat universities and one bmat if she is set on Csmbridge/Imperial.

The aim is to secure interviews which then become offers.

With such a high ucat, play to her strengths to maximize offers rather than gambling two choices on the bmat.

Newcastle/ Sheffield might be worth looking at

Leicester scores the ucat I think.

UEA use 50% ucat score and 50% interview score to decide who gets offers. The sjt is also used as a virtual mmi station. . Many high scorers apply here as a safer option

Is anyone applying to Manchester? We are still struggling for a fourth UCAT choice. Kings has been discounted. His UCAT seems fine for it…thoughts pls - I keep suggesting SGUL but he’s not keen even though it’s literally down the road…this may be why!;)

@Mumofboys2006 apologies but I can't remember stats. Manchester good if have good UCAT (2650+) and decent GCSEs.

I know most people know this, but try not to have 'first choices'. Unfortunately the Uni chooses you, and only if you're lucky to get more than one offer, do you choose them.
If students get too fixated on a favourite it can make the rejection a whole lot harder.
Wherever you go you will become a doctor.

Ok thanks - yes he should be all right on that front - UCAS just under 2800 and all 9s at GCSE except 1x8

@Mumofboys2006 that sounds about right re SGUL - DD has discounted Plymough for the same reason, as it's local to us and one of the placements is where we live. What about Barts, or UEA / ARuskin if he doesn't want to go too far?

Thanks @LaMereDuChat - Bart’s is on the list. Also Birmingham. We actually only need 3 UCATs as we are also applying to BSMS - which is BMAT

Would there be a way to find out more about the new course being offered at Bangor? Entry requirements? Betsi Cadwaladr UHB is in special measures - does that make it a course to avoid?

@IGoWalkingAfterMidnight hope this helps. They favour welsh applicants

www.bangor.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/a100-medicine-bmbs