Medicine 2026 Part 3

[MyGreyBiscuit]

Hi everyone, here's the new thread!

@Tsuipen congratulations to your DD on the Sheffield offer! What a relief, hope you are celebrating.

Fabulous news. Well done to your dd.

DS got “pooled” aswell for Newcastle. He is happy because his academic score wasn’t the highest and overall the interview went well except one interviewer seemed to take a dislike to him but it turns out he recognised DS surname because his son is a very close friend of DS cousin and is also their family GP! We still have no idea why that would make him so hostile towards DS..
It was very disappointing at the time as he knew he’d have to smash the interview to make up for his low academic score…
So I guess it’s better than an outright rejection

That sounds abit discriminatory and I would have thought that would mean the interviewer needs to recuse themselves.

I know for sure that happens because I have a close friend who interviews med students and before the start of the process they go through the short list and make sure that they don’t recognise any names (eg children’s friends, neighbours, colleagues children etc). For sure this sort of thing would be something they would avoid.

It’s awful when they hear others have offers but so pleased she now has had a positive outcome.

@inae @Tsuipen congratulations on the Sheffield offers. One of DD’s best pals (she is lovely, have known her for years) offered there today too - sounds like going to be a fab group up there together xx

And the Scottish and IB results come out earler

Yes you would think so wouldn’t you? ( I had to google the word recuse!!)
I was surprised as DS is usually such a positive boy who always sees the best in everyone, but he was gutted after that interview as all the other interviewers were so welcoming and friendly (what Ncl interviews are known for) and couldn’t understand the hostile interrogation he got!
of course later on when we found out the interviewer recognised DS name it was still confusing but at least not completely random!

Does anyone know if you end up on a waiting list but are still not offered a place come May, on results day are candidates who are on the waitlist prioritised over other candidates?

I think you need to get to the bottom of things. Even if it means calling them out. How did you find out that the interviewer recognised your son’s name? Imagine if that happened in your work place…that you didn’t get a job offer because your cousin’s father’s best friend recognised your name or something similar?

Yes. If on wait list you'll be first to get an offer.

Thanks, that's lovely to hear! We are going to throw a Sheffield parents' party or perhaps we could just do coffee on offer holder day 🤣

I wanted to raise it with admissions but DS was adamant that i don’t say anything.
So i respected his wishes..
We found out as DS’ cousin called him later on that day and asked if he’d had an interview and cousin said his best mate’s dad interviewed him! he told DS the interviewer had gone home and asked his son is this so and so..( unusual surname unfortunately).
Funny cos I asked my sister in law ( cousin’s mum) and she said he was a lovely, kind GP!

Don’t forget me!!!!’

Ah ok. So no where did you hear that the interviewer marked your son down? If that’s the case then you can’t assume that. Unless the mum said ‘hey John interviewed him and he was really awful…’ ?

@user1471519685 It could be the interviewer was ‘hostile’ to everyone - my daughter had a similar experience at Cardiff. All the interviewers were lovely apart from one who was outright cold, made no eye contact and looked away as if bored during her answers! She found out afterwards that everyone had a similar experience, it seemed like a deliberate ploy to see how they’d react. Very unnerving.

@Tsuipen So pleased for you, was really rooting for your daughter after those tough rejections. Well done to her!

No there was no feedback to his son about how DS did..

Yes, he’s had other unfriendly interviewers and is aware this is how they are told to interview.. this one just felt worse for him.

I just mentioned it as he was surprised to even get waitlisted as he was expecting an outright rejection

Well it’s a good thing to be waitlistes - at least it’s not a rejection. The interviewer being hostile - it’s a thing I think. But I wouldn’t be at all thinking it’s something to do with your acquaintance.

my son’s interview at Sheffield - he encountered someone who he thought was really grumpy. We thought they were role playing being grumpy …or maybe they were naturally grumpy. Anyway he got his offer so…

DD said there was one grumpy interviewer at her Sunderland interview as well. She and her friend were talking about it on the drive home. Probably good for them to see how they might respond to a taciturn patient.

And that's why they do it !

Oh that’s interesting. DS was convinced one interviewer was annoyed with him but wasn’t sure why!

Organise a meet - everyone to wear a red carnation or whatever!

At the Keele OHD, the coffee and doughnuts provided were superb (and I'm not keen on doughnuts!). You can see this left a real mark on me, can't you?

yeah I think this generation will call it a 'vibe' or a negative 'vibe'...! lol... I think it's a glimpse into life as an adult. You can't have everyone like you, people will have other things on their minds, these interviewers will be instructed not to be over friendly...and like I said in an earlier post, schools will ensure that there's as little possibility of familiarity of interviewers with candidates.

It's the same as when we're interviewing for staff - if we actually know someone who's been shortlisted, we tend to recuse ourselves so as to not look like there's been any bias/wrongdoing in the final appointment.

congratulations to all those with offers. such a relief when they start coming in.

I would love to know if anyone has any personal advice and/or opinion about Bristol,sheffield,nottingham and exeter.

My daughter has a huge operation coming up (spinal fusion) in June straight after exams. We hear conflicating advice about recovery from a month-several months. Most seem to bounce back pretty quickly after the first few weeks but the initial month is grim....

Anyhow she is determined to not have a gap year and start in September. We have tried till we are blue in the face to try and convince her otherwise but she is an adult now and there is only so much we can say. Hoping that the reality will make her change her mind!

If she is to go in September we are looking for a university with excellent pastoral support. Does anyone know anything about these particular universities and pastoral support?

Please, no comments about how she needs to take a gap year. We know, we have tried but we need to have an option for 2026 too as if she does go there will be lots she won't be able to do for the first year (no sport, long drives, strenous physical activity generally).

Many thanks

I think in your & YP situation I would choose the one closest to home, if a couple are equidistant then make a bee line for student support at offer holder days & ask exactly what they can do to help, particularly in the first 6 months.