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 😬?

The strategy definitely does work. Mine also both got 4 offers taking the great advice of @mumsneedwine, GANFYD and Monkey on board. Eternally grateful. Listen carefully peeps!

Great advice everyone- will need more of that please that once the UCAT results come in! DD has booked hers for mid Aug so should have about 5 weeks prep time. She’s done a few open days to get a feel of some different types of unis and cities, and met current med students, which has been really helpful. Going to Oxford next week but she’s been put off it a bit by her school, who think it’s a waste of an option as last year, the head girl with 4 Astars predictions, 11 9s at GCSE, amazing BMAT etc didn’t even get an interview!

Thought some only ask for AAA. Do they need to be predicted A*AA??

@LaMereDuChat no, just need AAA, except for a few that need A star,AA. And some need AAB. And some don't even bother to look at predicted grades. And one uses them to shortlist.
It's the magical world of medicine applications 🤓

Phew - 😁I need to make my spreadsheet soon

We've been to Liverpool today for first open day for DS. I really liked it. He's not saying much. Following along for advice more than anything. Thanks to all posters so far. Really helpful.

looking at this thread also for help, we are looking at the gateway courses (Southampton, Plymouth and either Newcastle Partners , Hull York gateway or gateway Leeds depends on UCAT results. He loves Southampton after visit last year.

@Ib1234567 I'm sure you have, but have you checked the entry criteria for gateway, as they all have different conditions you need to meet. Some are a little obscure !

DD earned more as bank HCA at weekends than she is about to do as an F1. I find this so wrong, weird and insulting really. She starts on call on nights.

Sorry, wrong thread !!!

Yes I researched each and he qualify , we are waiting for UCAT as I think Leeds, Newcastle, Hull york looks at it. but Plymouth don't and Southampton (is tie break).

@Ib1234567 that's great news. They are fantastic courses.

Can I ask about work(part time job), he is doing volunteering in hospital , but he didn't do any part time job. Is there is any advantage in doing it , as it is part of UCAS I was told (employment history).

Sorry for waffling, I meant is there any advantage of filling that part for medicine or volunteering +work experience is enough.

@Ib1234567 it really doesn't matter what they do, volunteering or part time work. The main thing is that they show commitment to stick at it alongside their studies and that they can draw examples from it to use at interview. Neither of my DC had paid part time jobs when they were applying but they did have a lot of volunteering experience and they each got four med school offers.

@Ib1234567 as has been said it isn't so much what they do, more what they learn. So long term volunteering or part time work show resilience, time management, commitment and patience. Those GMC competencies.

Thanks for the answer @mumsneedwine @opoponax . He is doing long term volunteering so hopefully that is covered.

Plymouth is on my daughters list! She loves the idea of being close to the sea also. Do you mind sharing your son’s grades and UCAT? She’s sitting on A star predictions and has only just started studying for UCAT and on her one and only proper practice test got a 2790 score which seems to be a pretty solid start?

Sorry I just realised I assumed your son had an offer…!

Bit late to this thread! Ds got 3 medicine offers this year and starts in Sept.
If it helps I can share my observations.
As someone said up thread DS regrets applying to Cambs. It was his only BMAT option and he spent a lot of time and emotional energy on BMAT and interview prep and was ultimately disappointed. Altho in the outturn it didn't matter as he got offers from his 3 UCAT unis that's time in Year 13 he didn't get back! It was a hellish first term of Year 13 with BMAT and early entry all at once. I did try to dissuade him from applying.... (straight 9s at GCSE, four A star predicteds and a good BMAT)
In fact BMAT itself is such a lottery as you apply 'blind'. Once he got his good UCAT score he prob should have ditched it entirely..
The whole process is like a series of hurdles. Get good GCSEs get good predicteds, get a good UCAT, sit BMAT if relevant, PS, early app, interviews.
The process ruled his life for all year 12 and his summer, and the first 2 terms of Year 13. Its also tough as others get offers rolling in and they don't!.
No one read his PS. He knows this as at 4 interviews it was never referred to.
Work experience was only useful in his 4 interviews to demonstrate he had fully understood what medicine was about and to give examples of skills etc from his real life. He never did clinical type work exp as it wasn't poss due to covid
So he'd only done on line work exp and had a chat with a local gp. And done LOTS of reading. From 'real life' experience type books (This is Going to Hurt etc) to most of the Oxford reading list for medicine.
In one iv he had to say when he'd observed patient led practice. He never had but he'd read enough to know what it was and should look like so blagged it.
I know some unis really use work exp as a differentiator but that was not my DS experience. He had a pt job at a primary school before school care, volunteered once a fortnight at Music for Memory with dementia patients through Year 13 (so only for a term when interviews happened) and those online bits and that was enough.
His GCSEs (for Exeter), predicted (for everywhere!) and UCAT were much more important.
He took 6 weeks preparing for UCAT mainly spent on the fiendish puzzle type section!

Thanks @Lottsbiffandsmudge that’s really helpful. My daughter was going down the BMAT/UCAT route but she did some research and now understands how important strategic application can be. So BMAT is out. I’m trying to stay out of any major decisions as she really needs to drive the process.

That puzzle section is something else right?? It’s my daughter’s favourite!

What was his UCAT score if you don’t mind me asking?

Gosh I think 2970 and B2.

Thank you so much @Lottsbiffandsmudge that is so helpful!
Sounds like your DS has done really well.
DS really keen on some of the BMAT unis is our only problem. He’s only just started UCAT prep - it’s all so intense as you say - takes over their life but isn’t that what being a doctor is?!

Indeed it is!

Just coming on to add my experience of the process. My dd got four offers a few years ago.
It does seem intense at the time but it is essentially a university application and a job application at the same time so it is bound to be. Looking at the amount of work that undergrads and recent grads put into job applications for law, banking, accountancy, graduate schemes, computer science etc, it doesn't seem as bad if you keep that in mind.
It helps to break it down into blocks and focus on the next thing that is coming up and then it doesn't seem as daunting. For my dd it was:
Year 12 - focus on getting good predicted A levels, continue volunteering at old people's home.
First four weeks of Summer holiday - prepare for UCAT. She practised using Medify 9-12 each weekday morning giving her about 60 of work for that which was a lot but didn't interfere with having fun with friends, relaxing a bit and doing some part time tutoring work.
Then we had two weeks of family Summer holiday as a complete break.
Weekend before going back to school - wrote her personal statement. Contrary to other posters, she found that people did refer to it in interviews and asked her about her experience volunteering. But it's definitely not worth spending hours and hours on it.
First half term of year 13 - quickly revised GCSE physics for the BMAT and did a BMAT practice paper each weekend.
Halt term - did a couple more BMAT past papers and started to think about interview questions and plan answers.
Second half term - did more interview prep and went to most of the interviews/assessment days.
Then it's all focus on getting the grades once you have an offer.
I would also say that for UCAT using Medify is the best resource. For BMAT it is doing the past papers which are available online. Start a way back and do them in your own time and leave the most recent to the end and do them under timed conditions. Apart from revising physics as she wasn't doing it for A level, she did nothing more for the BMAT than that. She didn't find it too onerous to do and built on the UCAT practice for the first section - so I wouldn't necessarily be put off if your dc wants a BMAT Uni.

Thanks - super helpful! Yes we’ve got a few BMAT unis he’s keen on! And he’s not doing Physics Alevel either!