Medicine 2024 part 2

[mumsneedwine]

New thread. Hope the offers keep flowing in

@Barleypilaf if you like the beach life it's a fantastic thing ! If you like city life, it's not, I believe they have a fantastic time there though !!!!!! There is a direct train from Truro to London and also Edinburgh

@Barleypilaf we went to the offer holder day at Exeter last weekend and it was really helpful for DD. It’s a lovely spot, as is Truro. The best bit of the day was doing a sample PBL class as DD was surprised at how much she enjoyed learning that way - it was much more energising than she thought it would be. So if you get the chance to go, it might help with the decision.

@Sybill Thanks - we’re going to the Offer Holder’s day this Saturday. Hopefully DD will have the same experience.

Hello all deciding between UOB and BSMS here! Thought it was a dead cert that he’d got for Birmingham, but he’s got a real attachment to BSMS…even though a much smaller and newer school. He’s also just had a lovely email from one of the student ambassadors…the personal touch always helps…

So in a nutshell nothing has been firmed and he may end up with no accommodation!

My dd is still waiting to hear from UCL and it’s a bit cruel as some people have already heard. She just wants to know one way or the other.

The wait seems endless doesn’t it? We have been waiting all week for Southampton and finally dd received an offer whilst at school today! She has 4 out of 4 offers so now has to decide which 2 she really likes… with no firm favourite this will be a very difficult decision for her. Any insight into Exeter, Bristol, Nottingham and Southampton greatly received…

all the best for those still waiting. We always said you only need one and that is so true. I’m not sure what value having more than one adds. They are all great offers wherever they are from. 😊

@Groundhogday2021 huge congratulations.

I can help with the Unis of Notts and Bristol as it's where mine are/went.

Notts (for medicine) - full body dissection, med school in the hospital, easy to reach placements, cheap to live, fantastic student life, get an extra degree without an extra year.

Bristol (vet med DD) - awesome city but expensive, Uni very well organised and med placements seem close. Can intercalate anywhere, huge teaching hospitals, amazing nightlife and beaches near by. I love the place !

Can't go wrong with any of those though.

@Groundhogday2021 huge congratulations to your daughter 🥳 Mine has 4 offers too - she has narrowed it down to Newcastle and Sheffield - now to go on the offer holder days and she can decide! Good luck to yours making her decision 🍀

@Groundhogday2021 Exeter is fairly relaxed, still a fair number of online asynchronous lectures, suits a self-motivated individual. Still lots of f2f time in smaller groups/labs/ clinical skills though each week. On separate campus to the main Streatham site. Closer to town, small friendly feel to the canpus and nearby living accommodation, predominantly health and sports degree students. Might need to go to main campus for some clubs. Good for those who like sports/ outdoor life/ beaches.

They have three or four years in Exeter and one or two years in Truro/ Penryn campus. First year is always in Exeter. There is some element of preference for years when go to Truro. Many prefer to go later in the degree but not all are accomodated.

Bristol undoubtedly well organised, including hca teaching & philosophy of medicine conference as 2 differential points. Full dissection & GP observation from very early on

Actually Bristol is prosection not full dissection. Ds1 would agree that it's a well organised and supportive course. He's really enjoyed excellent GP observation and teaching. Agree that accommodation prices are a major downside in Bristol.

Congrats to your DC @Groundhogday2021 and @Randomactofkindness on having all offers - fabulous 🥳
Sounds like a new spreadsheet is needed 😂 Who knew applying for medicine would require so many spreadsheets!?!
DD managed to cut her choices down to 2 also @Randomactofkindness and is now looking at the firm/insure from those. This really helped as it meant only 2 offer holder day visits to do as well.

One thing that has become more important to DD as she’s progressed through the process is the ease of getting home/us visiting. I think the reality of moving away hit her after we visited the first offer holder day and whilst very excited about it, she does now want to make sure that she has the comfort of home within a reasonable distance. And when I say “us visiting”, I do of course mean the dog 😂

I’m not sure how useful it is but someone on TSR mentioned the GMC surveys about preparedness for F1/2 which are done every year, with results published by med school. It was interesting to see the differences, but if a course has already changed it’s approach in the last 5/6 years, it won’t show up yet

Well done to your daughter too @Sybill - which 2 has she chosen?
I will have a look at the surveys - thank you.
I agree about closeness to home - thankfully the 2 she’s picked aren’t too far

Exeter and Leicester @Randomactofkindness - been to Exeter (which was lovely) and have a trip to Leicester coming up in April, after which a decision will be made!

@Sybill glad she liked Exeter and hope the offer holder day is good in Leicester 😊
Sheffield was my daughter’s top choice from open day but she also loved Newcastle - planning to visit both in April and May and then she will have to decide………..
Does anyone think it’s worth looking at league tables for both uni and course? Thx

Hi So we visited Exeter Offer holders day yesterday. Plus points were that is a lovely town, lots going on with the main uni and DD enjoyed the PBL session. Minus points were that it is quite far from home (especially Truro) and the medic campus felt a bit cut-off compared to the main uni.

So probably going for Southampton as firm. DD likes that the medics are mixed in with everyone else in halls/on campus, even if teaching is partly at the hospital, that there is a research focus and a lot of contact hours and that she can get home easily for a weekend.

Southampton seems to get mentioned less than other unis on here. Any thoughts?

DD loved Sheffield at open day @Randomactofkindness - it had a very warm and supportive feel to the place and the academic staff were really impressive. DD only didn’t apply as she was worried she wouldn’t get an interview with her UCAT but it would have been a firm favourite otherwise! Heard similar about Newcastle though so what a choice to have!
The only ranking I’ve looked up is student satisfaction scores

I'd ignore the student satisfaction and league tables. People mostly respond if have a gripe about something. And things change. I know Notts got slated by last years finalists (mainly due to the computer failures during finals !), but they listened and have made all the changes the students suggested. So any league table will already be out of date. On offer holder data find a first year as they'll give you the most accurate details.

I think also that different places suit different students so even if a place gets good ratings it doesn't necessarily mean it is the right place for your dc. I do remember the torment of the decision and it is probably the biggest one they have had to make so far but they and you have done the research, so have confidence in them. You will never know what the other route might have bought them but to an extent university is what you make of it anyway.

@mumsneedwine and @Unexpecteddrivinginstructor thank you both - I think because she never dreamed she would have a choice she’s a bit stuck - I think she needs to go with her gut after she’s been to visit both again

@Randomactofkindness and she'll be happy whichever she chooses

My DD is a first year at Nottingham, if any one needs any advice, please ask.

Dd didn't get a medicine place and is okay with it. She's planning to do Biomedical science instead and actually seems very positive about it following 2 fabulous offer holders days.

However, she is still waiting to be offically rejected on UCAS from both kmms and Sheffield (she's on the Sheffield reserve list).

She had the rejection email from the unis 2/3 weeks ago.

She wants to firm and insure her non medicine courses without risking her place on the reserve list for Sheffield so she's worried about just withdrawing.

Is anyone else in this situation? Why is it taking so long? We ideally want to start applying for accommodation etc.

@groundhogday2021 my ds is a second year medical student in southampton if you have any specific questions. He's very happy there.

Dd received an offer from southampton last week so we are just waiting on nottingham now with low expectations, she felt it was her worst interview performance and she went down with a raging temperature that same day which kept her off school for the week so she was feeling rough.
Have got to add I am STILL fuming at Sheffield. Dd got an access plus email on Friday congratulating her on her offer and letting her know to expect a contextual offer alongside the standard offer. She had also had a UCAS change to your application status email (which turned out to be the Southampton offer). She emailed sheffield and got a sorry it was a mistake email. From tsr she wasn't the only one. What a poor show from them.