Page 31 | Medicine 2025 entry - part 2

HGC2 · 2024-08-28T09:13:04+00:00

Not sure how to link old thread, can anyone help me do this? Onto UCAT and personal statements now - good luck everyone!

Thefatbutteredpig · 18/11/2024 11:19

Haffdonga · 17/11/2024 22:46

Congratulations to the new interview holders. Many more will be coming through soon. I'm dropping in to re-post some advice that I put on last year's thread which people found useful (in response to a poster asking how people helped their dc prep for interviews).

Just dropping in as a veteran mum of 8 med school interviews (both ds are in the trade), to say informal interview practice practice practice at home really helped both my 2 feel ready for interviews. Applicants need to be able to talk comfortably around a number of quite predictable topics so the more your dc practice talking it through with mum (which is embarrassing anyway) the less awkward it becomes when doing it in front of a panel of interviewers.
Use the book as a base for prep ('Medical School Interviews' by Picard and Lee - if you haven't got it yet, do fork out, it's well worth it). We didn't do formal practice at home, more just throwing them a random question from the book while washing up or whatever, or just talking through 'what would you say if they ask about X,Y or Z?' or doing the roleplay type scenarios e.g. tell a neighbour you've scratched their new car, help a confused person who has got lost.

As I said, it's lucky that the question areas in every med school tend to be fairly similar so although you shouldn't learn rote answers you can prepare roughly what you would answer if they ask:

about you, your motivations to study medicine, what you're like as a person
about the uni, med school, course and town - why this uni, this course, this city? Are you aware of any downsides of this course, place etc? (Both my ds got asked what they thought the negatives were of a particular med school)
an example of time you've experienced good (or bad) teamwork, leadership, care, giving support, teaching/ learning, dealt with stress, conflict, achievement/ failure etc (and what you've learnt from it)
make sure you know the basic 'knowledge' (all in the book) - e.g. the structure of NHS, the ethical pillars and how they apply to common ethical topics e.g. euthanasia, abortion,
have something to say about important science/medicine developments in the past and future

And just practice smiling and making eye contact - smiling helps the interviewee feel more confident too 🙂
Good luck everyone!

Great advice there.

Could I also suggest reading the gmc guidelines for doctors and be prepared for a question like ‘what would you change if anything in the gmc guidelines’.

Make sure they know the cost of an NHS prescription for a question like why wouldn't a patient take their meds/ nom compliance

Lastly, mine both got a question on data handling and drawing inference from a graph/ set of data.

Fingers crossed for more interview news this week.

NoNotHimTheOtherOne · 19/11/2024 10:34

Make sure they know the cost of an NHS prescription for a question like why wouldn't a patient take their meds/ nom compliance

Tut tut. We don't talk about "compliance" any more. It suggests patients are expected to do whatever the doctor tells them. The question would be about non-adherence.

I'd expect an interview candidate to be able to reason out what might cause a patient not to take a medication they'd agreed to: fear/expectation of side-effects, lack of understanding of why they've been asked to take it, unwillingness to introduce "artificial" chemicals into their bodies (something most of us do all the time via processed foods, of course), anxiety provoked by stories in the media, etc. Cost might be a point that would contribute but I wouldn't expect a sixth-former to know exactly how much a prescription costs or whether a specific patient would have to pay for prescriptions anyway. It might vary among medical schools: I know some do have an expectation that candidates will have some knowledge of the UK healthcare system, while others actively try to avoid questions that would favour candidates with inside knowledge.

It is important to know whether a particular medical school has MMI stations that assess numerical/data-interpretation skills, whether they include group tasks, whether they include role-plays, etc. Role-plays are common in in-person MMIs, so having experience of dealing with people who have barriers to communication, are confused/upset/angry, struggle to understand the points you're trying to make, etc. is useful: one of the many examples of how a part-time job in retail, catering or other public-facing role is enormously valuable.

KielderWater · 19/11/2024 13:30

I wouldn't expect a sixth-former to know exactly how much a prescription costs

Still free in Scotland.

Though there is the other side of the coin - how much does a prescription cost the NHS (excluding drug costs)?

Thefatbutteredpig · 19/11/2024 13:42

NoNotHimTheOtherOne · 19/11/2024 10:34

Make sure they know the cost of an NHS prescription for a question like why wouldn't a patient take their meds/ nom compliance

Tut tut. We don't talk about "compliance" any more. It suggests patients are expected to do whatever the doctor tells them. The question would be about non-adherence.

I'd expect an interview candidate to be able to reason out what might cause a patient not to take a medication they'd agreed to: fear/expectation of side-effects, lack of understanding of why they've been asked to take it, unwillingness to introduce "artificial" chemicals into their bodies (something most of us do all the time via processed foods, of course), anxiety provoked by stories in the media, etc. Cost might be a point that would contribute but I wouldn't expect a sixth-former to know exactly how much a prescription costs or whether a specific patient would have to pay for prescriptions anyway. It might vary among medical schools: I know some do have an expectation that candidates will have some knowledge of the UK healthcare system, while others actively try to avoid questions that would favour candidates with inside knowledge.

It is important to know whether a particular medical school has MMI stations that assess numerical/data-interpretation skills, whether they include group tasks, whether they include role-plays, etc. Role-plays are common in in-person MMIs, so having experience of dealing with people who have barriers to communication, are confused/upset/angry, struggle to understand the points you're trying to make, etc. is useful: one of the many examples of how a part-time job in retail, catering or other public-facing role is enormously valuable.

Whilst your comments are valid, there is no need for your condescending statement starting tut tut. I was only advising what my kids had been asked in the hope it may help.

And yes, the phrase non compliance was mentioned. One of mine was able to say something along the lines of the patient might not be able to afford the xx prescription charges.

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 19/11/2024 13:48

my dd got an interview offer today at Sunderland. I'm thrilled for her! Now the interview practice begins in earnest.

Lurea · 19/11/2024 14:15

my DD has been invited for an interview by university of Manchester

Optimum19 · 19/11/2024 14:17

First interview for my DD today for QUB. Seems so real now.

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 19/11/2024 15:06

So exciting!

CopingHagen · 19/11/2024 15:38

Congrats on the invites! Nothing here yet but don't think any of the ones DC has applied to have started sending invites

Justlikingit · 19/11/2024 15:56

Great to see more invites, well done

maybemedmum · 19/11/2024 17:59

First (hopefully!) one in here today too - Manchester!

Let's hope for more over the next few days/weeks.

ipredictariot5 · 19/11/2024 19:52

Manchester interview too
when I get time ( on holiday currently) I can help out with some interview advice as I am a medic and also an interviewer at one of the Northern medical schools. My DD had four interviews last year and got three offers. General advice though as the med schools use NDAs in effect to stop students sharing details of interviews!

Optimum19 · 19/11/2024 21:23

Any interview advice would be much appreciated @ipredictariot5. Enjoy your holiday - hope it's warmer than here.

cosygingerkitten · 20/11/2024 10:15

Hi all hope everyone's teens are getting on ok.
Tell your kids to check their junk mail folders! My daughter just discovered a week old invite from Dundee and a follow up email saying their self-select slots are full so she needs to email them.
She's rUK and also waiting to hear from Glasgow and Cambridge, and has an interview for Sheffield. Big thanks to @mumsneedwine and other wise people on this thread for all the advice and info so far

Original poster

HGC2 · 20/11/2024 13:34

@cosygingerkitten glad your DD found the email! Mine has Dundee in 2 weeks!

From what I've heard no rUK have heard anything from Glasgow yet but that could just be a rumour! Hope she hears soon

OP posts:

islaoo · 20/11/2024 20:46

DD finally has first interview offer - Leicester, think she was in second batch. Her Leicester score is 54.5 for reference.

phew!

Original poster

HGC2 · 20/11/2024 20:56

Did got invite for Aberdeen, she’s a busy few weeks ahead of her!

OP posts:

medprocesspain · 20/11/2024 21:54

Have had invite from Hull & York too 😀

Justlikingit · 21/11/2024 09:29

Awesome news. All the best to your DC. Waiting patiently here.

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 21/11/2024 10:56

The waiting is really hard isn't it!!

islaoo · 21/11/2024 13:13

I think we will be waiting until at least mid December for the others (lincoln, Plymouth and KMMS) by the sound of it. The waiting is really hard! X

Justlikingit · 21/11/2024 17:07

Yeah, none of ours have sent anything out yet, so that’s helping, for now.
DD doesn’t seem perturbed, as in her mind, she is taking a gap year. I felt bad asking her two days ago, to make sure she is checking her junk mail folder too.

Mamadoes · 22/11/2024 14:33

Long time lurker here, but so grateful for all the tips and support dd just got an interview for Birmingham

Optimum19 · 22/11/2024 15:07

Well done. Do you mind sharing your DC's stats? Mine has applied there but no word yet. She has ucat 2720 and just got last year's cut off- 7.236ish I think

Mamadoes · 22/11/2024 15:47

Optimum19 · 22/11/2024 15:07

Well done. Do you mind sharing your DC's stats? Mine has applied there but no word yet. She has ucat 2720 and just got last year's cut off- 7.236ish I think

Yes of course. She's in a really fortunate position - UCAT 3000, all 9s at GCSE and predicted 3 A stars. I hope your DD hears soon