Medicine 2026 Part 3

[MyGreyBiscuit]

Hi everyone, here's the new thread!

@SuperSue77thank you for that.

Hope you don't need to use it!

Thanks @SuperSue77, that's helpful. Hope your DD is doing well on her med school application journey! Getting closer now :)

Thanks! Feeling nervous already and not even got to UCAT yet! DD managed to get some volunteering at our local hospital, after our 5 months of being ghosted by the volunteer mgr - but I was hoping they'd get her doing something more hands-on like helping with feeding, but she was told she has to have training to do that (understandable) but no offer to train her!

I'm trying to stay calm and not interfere but it feels like there is a big clock and time is ticking away - obviously can't be as bad as it is for all of you going through exams!

That's great to hear, it will be a good experience! My DD loved her NHS wex placements and her volunteering role; she volunteered for more than one year in our local community hospital. She also had to wait for 4-5 months to start, due to an NHS trust merger and a DBS and occ health processsing backlog. Best of luck @SuperSue77, not an easy journey but you have done your research to support her!

hi everyone, so pleased its the bank holiday weekend! We've not started exams yet!

re WEX, I don't think any of the 'health related' WEX can be anything more than observations. DS did his at the A&E and no way was he doing anything more than watching, and learning through that! He did see alot of things happening right in front of him though, and secretly I was hoping he'd change his mind but it reinforced it.

He's also done other long term volunteering (care home, charity shops) and school leadership stuff so I think all that helped (or not!?).

Hope everyone has a sunny few days...!

DD1 had no WEX in a NHS location, just the online stuff. As @MyGreyBiscuit says, it can only be observation anyway (unlike DD2 who wants to be a vet and is getting lots of opportunity to handle animals in her WEX). DD1 did discuss her role as a lifeguard and what she's done when involved in a rescue (and at her offer holders day there were a few lifeguards who knew what they were doing already when they did some CPR training). So lifeguarding or St John's Ambulance or some other first aid role is where they get more hands on experience. And any customer facing role is important as well since it is a public facing job above all.

It's worth medicine applicants going and doing wex in a vets as they'll get hands on experience in surgery - and find out if don't like blood !

Morning

Just checking in with everyone as we have gone a bit quiet on here lately. Not surprising as our YP are full on revising and in our house we are just taking one day at a time waiting for next week's exams to start.

How is everyone doing? DD is ok, revising lots, swinging from feeling good about one mock paper, to being tearful about another (bio!) this is standard DD pre exam behaviour though.

DD has chem paper 1 on Tues, bio 1 Thurs and psych 3 Fri so a busy week ahead. I will feel better when she has done at least one chem and bio paper so she gets a feel for how she will do. I am guessing most of your YP will have exams next week (in England) so sending positive vibes to all our YP (and us!) to have a good week.

DD has chem paper 1 on Tues, bio 1 Thurs and psych 3 Fri so a busy week ahead.

DD has Chem paper 1 and History paper 2 on Tuesday so a busy day. The stress is rising, we had tears over a very minor not exam related issue yesterday. I keep reminding her she's been consistently getting high marks for over a year so she's as well prepared as she can be. Meanwhile I'm chatting to my workmate whose DD is in first year medicine at Dundee and he says she's working crazy hard and is getting her flatmates to do her shopping for her because she doesn't have time. So A levels are just the start.

My ST1 DD is also working hard for exams. Whilst working a 60+ hour week. It really doesn't get any easier !
But A levels are the hurdle they need to clear now. It's almost done 👍

Yes - all hard at work - bouncing between local uni and home in this sweltering heat! Next week it's chem (tue), maths (wed) and bio (thurs). his first papers!!

In other news DSA funding has been approved, although it appears for things that we'd not really wanted (although probably helpful when at university)... I need confirmation about a fridge (but apparently that's accommodation - which seems to have gone quiet or possibly DS said to go away till end of June...?!)...

Good luck to everyone still sitting exams, it’s is stressful but hopefully they will be finished soon and then they can relax a bit.
Exams officially finish today in Scotland but DS has had just over 2 weeks to recharge batteries and get ready for activities fortnight and leaver prom.

My DD also has chem, maths & bio this week, she's pretty keen to get started now and her mood and confidence is worlds apart from where we were a month or so ago....three weeks of exams and it'll all be over...for now!

Good luck to everyone, the end (or the beginning!) is in sight!

Hi all - Eng lit tomorrow, then chem and bio Tues & Thurs.
My daughter has a nasty cough, v worried it will affect her performance in essay writing tomorrow - and drive the other candidates insane. Can hear her coughing incessantly right now 😩 Can’t believe the timing, hoping & praying for an overnight recovery!

Great your DD is feeling more confident @Katyapup …

Good luck everyone!

Good luck to all our YP for exams this week!

Oh no, terrible timing for your daughter, hope she's feeling much better now and English Lit went well (& chem today - my daughter also has chem today & bio thurs)

hope the cough shifted...! I'm down with a cough and a bit of a cold too - initially thought it was hayfever but then the cough started!!

I hope today's chem paper went ok... EEEK!!

Apparently the AQA chem paper 1 today was not very hard; DD seems content.

Three papers done, nine to go. All three sciences and maths. The 18th of June can't come fast enough!

My daughter said the same and seems happy...1 down, 8 to go!

ours was OCR and apparently it was not easy. ARGH!!

We were also OCR and very far from easy I hear....hoping next 2 papers even things out! 1 down and 8 to go for A- levels. Also have GCSEs going on - 17 down and 8 to go. Agree, June 18th can't come soon enough....🥴

oh glad to hear that we're not the only ones then!! I hope the next 2 papers do even things out. I've googled a bit about OCR v AQA v whatever else, and of course, everyone says it's 'all the same'. And in the same way, I understand what they mean since I set exams as well, but at university and we kinda 'know' what the 'standard' should be... but still...let's hope our kids get the grades!! I saw something that said OCR likes 'problem solving'.

yes 1 down and 8 to go!

Our GCSEs are next year - right now, having to plan a week out to coincide with work trip, and language immersion for said younger child!

AQA here - unfortunately my DD had to be removed from the exam hall 4 times for coughing fits. She got extra time, but still a little disruptive (for everyone!) She said it went ok otherwise, but a worry.

Just to add to the anxiety vibe, my other daughter had a vomiting bug on Monday (definitely a bug as her boyfriend was sick 2 days before). Have gone into Covid mode here isolating siblings and disinfecting surfaces. If we can get through this week!!

Hopefully it all evens out @MyGreyBiscuit and @Peanuts79 Fingers crossed for everyone!

fingers crossed indeed! I'm sorry @PurryGrowls about DD's cough - I have the same thing I think. I was in town earlier today to run an errand and omg I think people thought I had the plague. Thankfully it subsided after a while but I feel like I cracked a rib!!

There's a video going round about the reaction to the OCR paper 1... I hope if it's universal then boundaries might be lowered... just some! :)