Medicine 2023 Entry - Part 4

[opoponax]

Anyone out there with DC applying or reapplying for Medicine 2023, please join a friendly thread for mutual support and useful advice.

@Cratos my DD is going into 4th year at Liverpool - DM me any questions about the course etc, happy to help!

Thank you so much. I will.

First A level here today - Physics. Hope it goes well for all those doing it! Anyone else still waiting for their first one (of those doing A levels - I was a Highers person myself).

DS doesn't have his first A level until 6th June then all 10 exams in 3 weeks. He just wants to get on with it now!
Hope physics goes well for those taking it

Twin 1 has done 2 exams so far, Twin 2 doesn't start until 6 June.

We have managed as a household to have children taking the 1st paper in this year's programme on 17 May, and also the last paper on 23 June - we're in it for the whole period - obviously just to continue the joys of this year

🤣 us too but because DD is doing GCSEs and had art on 9th May.... DS last one is 23rd June too.

Hi All,
Is there a report similar to an ofsted report we can look at for medical schools at all ? Thank you

Psychology papers 1 and 2 completed.

break for half term then paper 3.

last one on 23rd June.

@Cratos

https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/how-we-quality-assure-medical-education-and-training/evidence-data-and-intelligence/proactive-quality-assurance-published-documents/medical-schools---a-to-l

https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/how-we-quality-assure-medical-education-and-training/evidence-data-and-intelligence/proactive-quality-assurance-published-documents/medical-schools---m-to-z

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne thank you very much. 🙏🏼

@kackle DD's friends thought psychology was ok. Dd had further maths. Was better than expected - she could answer many questions - FM isn't like most subjects, grade boundary for an A often sits at less than 50% so she is happy. School 'ball' tonight and half term. 2 down, 10 to go.

Good evening!

Do you think DCs are likely to stay around the area they will study medicine? Jobs etc wise? Or do they tend to return to their home area?

Have a nice long weekend everybody..

@Cratos it depends. DD is going to be over 3 hours away from home, because it's stupidly expensive here. Some of her year are staying in Notts (quite a few I think), with the rest scattering all over. Some home, some following certain job routes, others because that's the Deanary choice they got given.

If the crappy NHS education management go ahead with the random allocation, the doctors are going to have even less control over where they go than they have now. So if the popular choices stay they same, they might stay where they are if not too popular, but otherwise will work down their priority list. I get the impression that unless they particularly want to go somewhere else, many will try to stay where they are. Most of my medic friends at university tried to stay in Bristol because it is a great place to live.

My son currently thinks he would like to go to London or SE, but who knows what he will think in a few years!

@Cratos ds has said maybe 50/50 of his year have decided to stay in the Sheffield area or go to pastures new all over the UK. As far as I know none of ds's friends are heading back 'home'. As @Monkey2001 says, the system is changing so it would be hard to factor this into a decision of where to study now.

@Monkey2001 mine decided she couldn't afford the S East or London. Not on a doctors wage 😞.

The new system is supposed to mean they have more chance of getting their preferred choice, but I'm not sure if anyone knows how. At least with the EPM and SJT it's 50% score for each so have some incentive to work hard.

@mumsneedwine I am not sure that he has thought the costs through, but he may think he would stay with grandparents, but that would be tough when used to independence. Or maybe get a room with one of his friends from St Andrews who have got city jobs on £100k+. It is at the back of his mind that if the NHS is really awful, he could join them.

It is, of course, outrageous that London is only an option if you have independent means/rich parents/partner.

@Monkey2001 what are those city jobs paying 100k + ? Finance jobs?
I should encourage my DS2 for that route (-: since we will be penniless by the time he graduates.
@mumsneedwine @Haffdonga thank you for your responses. I can see things are complicated and cannot be planned in advance.

My DS must be the only one who has not confirmed his choices on Ucas. We were late with everything during the whole process. We are still indecisive between Bristol, Sheffield and Liverpool. But it has to be done this weekend.

@Cratos any of those 3 will be fantastic. AAB offer if he has an A/A* in EPQ at Sheffield.
Bristol is an amazing student city, but more expensive.

@Cratos yes, investment banks. I think one of them is starting on £150k, several on over £100k, all seems mad! This is DS1 who has just finished 3 years at St Andrews, about to move to Manchester for the clinical years. He has worked harder than most of his non-medic friends (and found out on Thursday that he got a First 😃), has similar A level grades to the friends, but will never catch up with their pay. Just have to hope that the job being so interesting will make up for the rubbish pay!

Thank you @mumsneedwine he has a lower offer for Liverpool so it is likely to be Bristol and Liverpool now I think. He doesn't have an EPQ but got a A* language A level last year.

Oh my god @Monkey2001 that is not fair. What do they study for these jobs?
Congratulations to your son for getting a First 👏👏👏. Rubbish junior doctor pay very disappointing. Hope they will fix this ASAP.

I wonder if AI might replace some of these high paid finance jobs in the near future.

Pay is so messed up in this country. I have a friend who is a train drivers, he would be the first to agree that he is overpaid - £60k for less than 40 hours/week, which is more than any junior doctor and he gets free travel, parking, obviously all training provided. I don't think anyone is going to give doctors FPR, and don't think people understand quite how rubbish the pay is because they don't understand the"extras".

I would be trying to negotiate getting the extras paid for - so accept a 10% pay award, but NHS pays for medical insurance, first sitting of progression exams and courses, GMC, free parking AND reduce standard working hours to 37.5, like ALL other NHS staff - how can it be right that the people with the most stressful role (taking responsibility) are required to work more hours than anyone else! They would then be able to take locum shifts to get their personal FPR, but only if they chose to.

@Monkey2001 I believe they are all under discussion by BMA reps with Barclay. But he has no remit to settle anything and Sunak seems to hate the NHS so no chance of sense prevailing.
When people hear that staff have to pay for parking they are incredulous. And pay for their own indemnity and exams.
There are many ways to improve the lives of doctors, but the government don't seem to care. So lots will leave to go abroad.
Doesn't matter how many more you throw into the bucket if the hole at the bottom keeps getting bigger.