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 😬?

@TheJackal not sure it was any less competitive when ours applied 😊. And potentially it could be easier for the incoming students - if a new government (I plead this is the case) see sense and sort the issue out.
Lots of great stuff going on with the BMA at the moment so it's very possible.

Amyhoo, back to 2024 applicants (if they still want to after my posts).

If any parents are interested there is a group on FB for moral support for parents through this medicine application process 🤯 Send me a PM if you want the link…..

Moral support is always much needed in the process 😊. But take it step by step, get good advice, and all will be ok. Next step, interviews (if not doing BMAT). One hurdle at a time 😊😊

Hi, can anyone clear up whether combined science GCSEs will be a problem with medical school applications please? Achieved grades are 9 8 and a levels being taken are chemistry, biology and psychology. At time, did hadn’t decided on medicine and school advised that having combined wouldn’t close any doors. They did offer triple and once shed decided on med it was too late to switch. She’s now worried as planning to apply for med. i thought it wasn’t a problem but have heard conflicting information. Can anyone confirm please?

@Laurahs not a problem at all. ALL Unis accept double science. Don't listen to anyone telling you otherwise 😊

Thank you. I had thought so but just got spoked by someone! Delighted to hear that. Would have had a devastated dd!!

If they've read the specifications, medical schools will exclude IGCSE combined science (because it's a single award, not a double one: the IGCSE equivalent of GCSE combined science is co-ordinated sciences), but actual GCSE combined science is fine. It's possible the people who have said there's a problem with combined science have children at private schools that do IGCSEs.

Is the above right? eg Edexcel IGCSE is accepted

Not sure if it’s of interest to anyone but Brunel have updated their website and confirmed that they’re accepting UK applications now. Think shortlisting is on a PS review and then UCAT ranking. And I think it’s AAB as standard offer so could be a good option for those resitting to try to bring a B to an A or Astar maybe?

Is the above right? eg Edexcel IGCSE is accepted

Sorry, I was referring to Cambridge Assessment IGCSEs. The names of Pearson IGCSEs are different, and more transparent: science (single award) and science (double award).

Did they not accept uk applications before?

No, it was only open for international students previously. Not sure if the number of places available now but it might be in the FAQ document on their website

Not sure if the number of places available now

The announcement last Tuesday said "at least 50" each to Chester, Three Counties and Brunel.

So DD has decided on the following schools to apply to:
Southampton, Exeter, Nottingham and Bristol. Are these good choices with a high UCAT? Would it be really stupid not to change one of these to UEA?

@Groundhogday2021 I don't think it is stupid as long as it has been thought through. It really depends how tactical your DD wants to be and how she feels about a possible gap year. My DD had the same dilemma last year as UEA would have been really "safe" for her given her UCAT score. She visited and said she would happily go there if it were her chance to study Medicine but that she didn't feel excited about living there like she did with the others she had picked (Newcastle, Sheffield and Bristol). She was fine with the prospect of a gap year, wasn't particularly fazed by interviews and said if it didn't work out first time round, she would apply more tactically the following year and UEA would be definitely be one of her choices. She ended up putting Nottingham instead as her fourth choice.

@Groundhogday2021 i definitely agree with @opoponax - it’s all about tactics at the end of the day! Her amazing UCAT will get her in the door of all of those but no further so making maximum use of a high score is where adding UEA comes in. But if she’s not keen on it and understands what she could be giving up (a less risky interview to offer conversion) then she should crack on. I also think that one of the (many!) reasons that Sheffield is so popular is that they’re really transparent with their interview process, which must destress it for applicants for sure. Not sure it makes it any less risky, but would certainly help those who have less confidence around interview prep as they share question themes in advance

I feel like once you have pressed ‘send’ ( or the equivalent) on your UCAS application, treat it like you’ve just bought a new car, or house. STOP ALL RESEARCH IMMEDIATELY! This f**ing process messes with your head! What’s done is done! It’s in the lap of the gods. (Or the admissions team).

We had the same dilemma with Sheffield/ UEA. At that point I told my daughter to decide. It’s her life. I must admit, I’m feeling relieved though. She is cautiously excited about her 5th choice. whatever the outcome, she will be relieved.

Same here re asking dd to consider UEA but her not going for it. She's picked st andrews, nottingham, sheffield and southampton. All similar teaching styles (i think) and all approved by her birth country in case she ever wants to go back there for work. Like pp she has to choose, she has to live with it. Fingers crossed for them all.

I didn’t realise that some med schools might not be as internationally approved as others @speedyhedgehog - was it difficult to find out or were you able to check it out via her birth country’s equivalent of GMC, or other? Am interested as my DD has dual nationality too and may look to practice there in the future, but it never dawned on either of us to check uni approval (but will do now!)

Singapore used to have a list of the UK medical schools they recognise. All I remember was that the list included Bristol. Also worth looking at Intercalation policy. It varies a lot.

The only countries I'm aware of only accepting certain UK medicine degrees are Singapore and Sri Lanka. Singapore only recognises about half. I think Sri Lanka currently only recognises three. There could be others, but I haven't come across them (yet).

Fascinating! Thanks so much. She’s an EU dual national and thinking about it, lots of doctors there train here in the UK so assume it should be ok for her in the future

Yes it is Singapore. Its not that she is planning to go back atm its just not closing that door I think. Bristol is still on that list @needsmoresleep but they did cut it a bit - newcastle isn't on it anymore for one. It was something all of mine have considered @sybil but the list was readily available. I think thats because so many doctors from singapore train overseas. I think its still only 1 uni to train locally but I haven't really kept up with that and singapore is always changing!

@speedyhedgehog access to Singapore is well worth bearing in mind. It is a huge and innovative regional health centre, and there are some very interesting career opportunities.

I am more familiar with Malaysia than Singapore, but assume that there are similar issues in that private medical colleges are turning out large numbers students who have successfully completed their pre-clinical years but are struggling to find clinical placements, exacerbated by the fact that the private sector is quite large (and if you pay you don't want to be seen by a student or junior doctor) and much of the pubic sector is relatively basic (and in Malaysia, constraints from the bumiputra policy). Hence plenty of students going abroad, or opting for local colleges with clinical arrangements overseas. A friend's son went to Galway, and is now a SHO in rural Limerick. Then a relatively large number, if DD's deanery is representative, are taking up F1 places in the UK. My experience is that Malaysians pay a lot of heed to which medical school. A couple of senior doctor friends were aghast that DD chose not to apply to Oxbridge. Why would you opt out of the chance of training somewhere with so much cache? DD just rolled her eyes.

Hi ladies , Any person can give an idea, how Universities receive UCAT results , I think I saw some where that there is date that they receive it. Maybe I am mistaken . Appreciate helpful information .

The school sent UCAS and we got acknowledgments , I know the univs would start work after the deadline 16 OCT but just wanted to understand how it works ?