Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: No. GCSEs: 5A* 6A 1B AS Grades: AAAAA (Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Religious Studies, General Studies) A2 Predictions: AAAA (Biology, Chemistry, Maths, General Studies) UKCAT: 610 average BMAT: 5.9, 5.0, 9.0 Work Experience/Volunteering:
Volunteering in a charity shop - almost a year now
Volunteering in a care home - 6 months
Hospital work experience- two weeks, was going to be next week or so!
Medlink?
Talked to loads of doctors and nurses as mum is a midwife
Subscribed to the Student BMJ (does that count haha) Extra Curricular:
County netball first team (for two years)
Club netball captain
School netball team captain
Badminton once a week for two years
Young Enterprise
School Council Rep
Basketball
Founded my school's Medics Society
Speak Cantonese Chinese fluently and almost fluent and reading and writing
Run my own web design business Universities applied to and decisions:
Cambridge (Clare College) - Rejection without interview
Kings College London - Rejection without interview
St. Georges University of London - Rejection after interview
Imperial College London - Rejection after interview
My message to everyone is: make sure you're going into medicine for the right reasons and make sure that it REALLY is for you.
I made a mistake applying for medicine in the first place and I'm just glad I have something to fall back on.
If you have any doubts, erase those doubts or confirm them through work experience and the like! And be honest with yourself. I wasn't that I think that showed through in the interviews I had as my motivation wasn't there!
Year of Entry: 2008 Deferred?: Yes, applied in 2006 during 06-07 cycle GCSEs: 4A*, 7A, 1B AS Grades: A2 Prediction/Results: IB Prediction/Results: 38 points. Previous Degree (if applicable): UKCAT (if applicable): 570, 670, 680, 870 (I think...) BMAT (if applicable): 5.0, 4.1, 10.5 Work Experience/Volunteering:
* 4 months weekend caring for elderly in hospital.
* 1 week hospital (A&E, orthopedics, surgery) Extra Curricular:
* Deputy Head Boy
* Piano grade 7
* St. John Ambulance
* Athletics Universities applied to and decisions: Cambridge: Rejection post-interview (feedback: second interview much stronger than first; needed stronger performance in first one) Imperial College London: Rejection without interview (feedback: BMAT too low) St. George's, London: Conditional offer, 32 points. Nottingham: Rejection post-interview (should not have cracked a joke about a surgeon not needing good communication skills as he/she's not being able to talk to a patient when he/she's under anaesthetic...)
Last edited by pianofingers : 07-04-2009 at 10:57.
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: Nope GCSEs: 7.5A*, 4A, 0.5B AS Grades: AABBD (in Biology, English Literature, Chemistry, Latin and French respectively) A2 Prediction/Results: AAA (in Biology, Chemistry and English Literature)
UKCAT: 635 average (VR: 620; QR: 650; AR: 590; DA: 680) BMAT: 18.1 (5.1, 3.8, 9)
Work Experience/Volunteering:
* 9 months voluntary work in charity shop
* 1 week shadowing in a hospital
Extra Curricular:
* Senior Prefect
* Drama (Acting, Directing and Stage-management) in and out of school for 5 years.
* Teaching (Drama, Sport and French) for 3 years - including Sports & Community Language Leadership Award.
* Sport (Rowing and kayaking: including recreational, competitions and expeditions) I didn't put this in my personal statement, however, it could have been mentioned in my reference.
* Debating
* Peer mentor
* Chairperson of school's Med Soc
Universities applied to and decisions:
Nottingham - offer AAB (including As in Biology and Chemistry)
Leicester - offer AAB (including A in Chemistry)
UCL - Rejection without interview (Section 2 BMAT too low)
Birmingham - Rejection without interview (Only interviewed applicants with 8A*+ this year)
Year of Entry: 2006
Deferred?: no
GCSEs: 9A*s, 2As
AS Grades: AAAAA (Bio, Chem, Maths, F. Maths, Psychology self taught)
A2 Prediction/Results: AAAAb (not psych, plus AS french for fun)
UKCAT (if applicable): N/A
Work Experience/Volunteering: 1 year volunteer on dialysis unit, one year volunteer on orthopaedics ward, medisix, 2 weeks GP practice, including practice nurse, physio, occupational health shadowing, reception work, helped organise a medical ethics day to chat to some very special people.
Extra Curricular: Cello, debating, DoE, sixth form treasurer + council member, knitting (I swear this got me into Notts, and my PhD!), exchange to Czech to teach kids english, taught myself my psychology AS for fun (I swear this got me my interviews/place at the 3 PBL unis), piano, orchestra, school plays, dressmaking, some other stuff came up at interview I can't remember.
Universities applied to and decisions:
Edinburgh: AAB to include chemistry and biology
Notts: AAB to include chemistry and biology
Liverpool: AAB to include chemistry, biology and maths
Manc: Rejected after interview (2 days after my boyfriend dumped me - he gets the blame!! No feedback, it was a terrible interview so didn't seem necessary, plus I had the liverpool offer very early, my ethical debate was about someone from corrie's undiagnosed cancer when I've never seen the programme. My request to change topic was thoroughly ignored.)
Edit: To echo Lostphotobooth, even though I spent all this time doing work experience and volunteering, it took me until the beginning of my intercalated year to realise medicine just isn't for me. I appreciate that if you are as stubborn as I was, you'll ignore this, but i feel I have to stress how important it is to see work experience as a chance for you to figure out if medicine is what you want to do, not just a way to get into medical school!
Last edited by michaela_banana : 07-04-2009 at 11:34.
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?:no Standard Grades/ Int II: 111111AA Highers: AAAAA Advanced Highers Prediction/Results:AAA (predicted) UKCAT (if applicable): 687 Work Experience/Volunteering: Year at local hospice serving meals and refreshments, A few weeks in the general surgery ward in hosptial Extra Curricular:Competitively swim to a high level (22 hours a week), Weights and gym sessions, Training camps in europe and part of national team, Help teach PE at school to young pupils, Paired Reading, Prefect. Universities applied to and decisions: Edinburgh - Offer (Conditional on CRB check).
Newcastle, Sheffield, Glasgow - Interviews for all, but withdrew in December after Edinburgh offer.
I withdrew from my other options very early after I received my edinburgh offer. My heart has been set on going there for years and so I saw no reason in wasting peoples time, waiting for responses when I had no intention on going anywhere else.
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: No GCSEs: 5A*s, 4As, 3Bs AS Grades: 4As A2 Prediction/Results: Predicted 3As Previous Degree (if applicable): N/A UKCAT (if applicable):650 average BMAT (if applicable): N/A Work Experience/Volunteering: 1 week at a community hospital, 1 week at a busy DGH, 1 day at a plastic surgery hospital, 1 year volunteering as the Minor Injuries Unit receptionist on Sunday afternoons Extra Curricular: Teaching support in year 7 lessons, Reading helper, Play in numerous bands gigging in local area, did fundraising for different charities Universities applied to and decisions:
Year of Entry: 2008 Deferred?: No GCSEs: 3A*s, 5As, 1B, 1C AS Grades: 2As, 2Bs A2 Prediction/Results: 1A, 2Bs Previous Degree (if applicable): Physiology 2.1, UCL UKCAT (if applicable):610 average BMAT (if applicable): around 14.5 i think Work Experience/Volunteering: 2 weeks work placement at community centre for mentally+physicaly disabled adults, 1 week in Neurology at a DGH, 4 months voluntry work at a DGH - serving tea/talking to patients, worked as Healthcare assistant for 3 months, worked as research assistant on medical expedition for 12 months, and in a hospital doing an audit, on a research project as project administrator
Extra Curricular: travelling, painting, sport- swimming and running, gym, cycle touring Universities applied to and decitions:
2007:
Barts' 4 and 5year - rejection w/o interview for 4 yr, flew back from working in Nepal for 5yr interview- rejection post interview
Warwick 4yr - rejection w/o interview
UCL- rejection w/o interview
2008:
Kings 5yr- offer after interview
Barts 5yr - offer after interview
Southampton 4 and 5 yr - rejection w/o interview
Year of Entry: 2007
Deferred?: No
GCSEs: 8A*s (Ch,Ph,Ma,Fr,EngLang,EngLit,Geog,DT), 2A (Bio,Latin)
AS Grades: 4As (Ch,Bio,Phy,Ma)
A2 Prediction/Results: 4As (Ch,Bio,Phy,Ma) 1 distinction AEA (Chem)
Previous Degree (if applicable): N/A
UKCAT ('06):AVG 683 (Verbal reasoning 770, Quantitative reasoning 710, Abstract reasoning 550, Decision analysis 700)
BMAT ('06): TOT 19.2 (Aptitude and skills 5.6, Scientific knowledge and applications 6.1, Writing task 7.5)
Work Experience/Volunteering: 1 Week working in Childrens care home for Children with severe mental disability in Malaysia, 1 Week working full time with GP, 2 Weeks working in Pharmacy, 18 months volunteering on wards on Sundays in local hospital. (Medlink + Medsim)
Extra Curricular: Rugby team, Grade 8 concert classical guitarist, Scouts +gold DofE, Science in the community demonstrator (for 'gifted and tallented youth' demos)
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: Nope GCSEs: 11A*s AS Grades: aaaa A2 Prediction/Results: AAA (predicted) Previous Degree (if applicable): -
UKCAT (if applicable): 717 average BMAT (if applicable): - Work Experience/Volunteering: 1 week in hospital, 2 days with GP/district nurse, work with elderly at community coffee mornings as part of DofE for 1.5 years, St John Ambulance volunteer, work in hospital shop, week at Vitalise. Extra Curricular: DofE, CU at school, prefect, grade 8 piano, helping at science club for lower years, peer counsellor Universities applied to and decisions: Glasgow - Offer AAB (january, no interview)
Newcastle - offer AAA (interview early november)
Durham - offer AAA (interview early November)
Edinburgh - rejection, March
Dont no if you want this as in the end I didnt make my offer but. 2011 entry stuff added in red
Year of Entry:2008
Deferred?:no
GCSEs:5A 4B 1C
AS Grades: aaab
A2 Prediction/Results: AABb (Got ABBb)
Previous Degree (if applicable):
UKCAT (if applicable):
BMAT (if applicable):
Work Experience/Volunteering:
2 weeks gp
2weeks hospital
1year volunteering in a hospital
1 week with BASICS dr hopefully sorted
3 days GP - learnt more in these 3days than any of the rest
Extra Curricular: Taekwondo, piano, st john ambulance
Universities applied to and decisions:
Pennisula – Offered interview didn’t attend as had 2 offers really wish I had now.
Hull / york – Rejected after interview
Newcastle – Offer- AAA
Sheffield – offer – AAB/AAA (Cant remember sorry)
Missed my offers so doing biomed at sunderland. If yous want ill up date this as i added to it ready for applying for graduate entry
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: No GCSEs: 7A*s 3As AS Grades: AAAA - Biology(296), Chemistry(297), Physics(300), Maths(271) A2 Prediction/Results: AAAA
Previous Degree (if applicable): UKCAT (if applicable): Average- 575
BMAT (if applicable): Work Experience/Volunteering: A week in hospital, a year of volunteering as an assistant in a disabled primary school, three years of being a Youth Club leader, two years of being an assistant coach at my karate club Extra Curricular: Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award, member of the Northern Ireland Karate Squad, member of the Life Group and Amnesty Internatonal in my school, Student Mentor, Outdoor Pursuits Club Universities applied to and decisions:
Queen's Belfast : Rejected (they don't do interviews)
Glasgow : Rejected without interview
Liverpool : Offer - AAB
Manchester : Offer - AAB
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: nope GCSEs: 4A*s 4As AS Grades: B- Critical Thinking IB Prediction: HL: Chemistry, Biology, English- 6,6,6
SL: Maths Studies, Psychology, Spanish Ab- 6,6,6
36-38 points UKCAT (if applicable): 590ish Work Experience/Volunteering: 6 months at a hospital roughly
1 week shadowing doctors at the same hospital
1 week work experience programme at a different hospital
1 week at Vitalise (respite holiday home)
Working at a police station Extra Curricular: Martial arts, cheer leading, knitting, charity work, prefect, Universities applied to and decisions: Sheffield, HYMS, Peninsula- rejected
SGUL- interviewed (not too convinced that I won't be rejected from there too )
Year of Entry:2009
Deferred?:No
GCSEs:10 A*'s, 2 A's
AS Grades:aaaa, maths, chem, bio and english
A2 Prediction/Results:AAA
Previous Degree (if applicable):
UKCAT (if applicable):700 average
BMAT (if applicable):
Work Experience/Volunteering:1 week at GPs, 1 week at vitalise, 18 months as a volunteer on stroke unit
Extra Curricular: drama, school orchestra, part of anti bullying comittee at school, went on a conservation expedition to south africa and volunteer at church with youth ministry.
Universities applied to and decisions:
Bristol- Offer AAB
Newcastle- Offer AAA
Sheffield- Offer AAB
Queen's Belfast- Offer AAAa
Year of Entry: 2009 GCSEs: 10A*s 2 Top 5s in the Country AS Grades: a (Bio 100%) a (Chem 98%) a (French 98%) + a (GS 100%) A2 Grades: A Maths (took early, 92%) Predicted: AAA +A in GS UKCAT : Average 760 BMAT: 21.4 Work Experience/Volunteering:
7 weeks varied between primary and secondary care
Medlink/MedSim/ATOM course
Nursing Home Extra Curricular:
Deputy Head Girl
Run Primary School Chess Club
Tennis/Squash
Drama Universities applied to and decisions:
Newcastle AAA (Firm)
Nottingham AAB (Insurance)
Bristol Rejected Pre-Interview (Feedback= generic blah: hard to distinguish, other candidates were stronger)
Oxford Rejected Post-Interview (Feedback= ranked after interview 1 place away from an offer )
Year of Entry: 2009 Deferred?: No GCSEs: 10 A*s, top 5 in the country for Geography AS Grades: AAAAA (close to 98% average) A2 Prediction/Results: Unless I die/have an accident AAAAA UKCAT (if applicable): 700 Average BMAT (if applicable): 23.4 Work Experience/Volunteering: 6 weeks WE, 120 hours volunteering Extra Curricular: cricket, swimming, weight training, football, badmington Universities applied to and decisions:
Cambridge - Rejection post interview
UCL - rejection w/o interview
Nottingham - rejection email, consequently withdrawn
Liverpool - AABB offer
Comments/advice Academics will get you nowhere in terms of med school admissions. If you do badly in your admissions tests, that is enough to get you rejected. Focus on practicising for the BMAT, especially section 1 and 2, through books, critical thinking resources, IQ-type tests, maths challenges etc.
In my opinion, for all of you budding cambridge applicants, the BMAT makes up approximately 45% of the total decision, 45% going to interview, and 10% left for UMS. They just do not give a damn about anything else, so make sure you do very well in at least one of the BMAT, or interview. Any time you have for extra curricular activities, spend it on preparing for the BMAT. Yes, it sounds surreal that so much depends on just one exam, but that's just how it is.
Last edited by anonymity007 : 07-04-2009 at 22:11.
Year of Entry: 2010
Deferred?: Yes
GCSEs: 7A*, 4 A
AS Grades:aabb (Bio., Geog.g, chem. phys.)
A2 Prediction/Results:AAA (bio, geog ad chem)
UKCAT (if applicable): 635
Work Experience/Volunteering: 3 moths at school for children with special needs, medlink, 3 days in hospital shadowing, st johns, PADI rescue diver, 5 days at G. P. surgery. Jubilee sailing trust tall ships expedition (This was absolutley amazing and i would recomend it to everybody!!!!)
Extra Curricular: Gold d of e, regional level eventing (horse riding!!!), school swim squad, amnesty international
Universities applied to and decisions:
SOTON:-rejection
BSMS:-rejection w/o interview
Keele:-rejection after interview
UEA: AAB offer after interview!!!
Year of Entry:2007 Deferred:No GCSEs:2 A*s, 5 As, 3 Bs AS Grades:aabb A2 Prediction/Results:AABC UKCAT (if applicable):585 average Work Experience/Volunteering:1 year volunteering at a kids play scheme, 10 months volunteering at my local blind institute, 6 months work as a medical receptionist in a hospital, 1 week observing in radiology and 1 week in paeds. Extracuricular Activitiesurfing (I'm fanatical!), under 25s Devon hockey team (ex under 16s England hockey) Grade 8 violin. Universities applied to and decisions:
Manchester - offer (firm)
Leeds - offer (insurance)
Sheffield - offer
UEA - interview (withdrew beforehand)
Year of Entry: 2009
Deferred?: Nope
GCSEs: 5A*
AS Grades: aaab
A2 Prediction/Results: AAA [in one sitting, in one year - 23 exams in one go]
Previous Degree (if applicable): -
UKCAT (if applicable): 580 average
BMAT (if applicable): -
Work Experience/Volunteering: long term clinical placement, 2 weeks GP, 2 weeks on wards, weeks-months helping kids in primary schools/adult learning centres/elderly homes. Charity work; developed a radio and then helped to prevent anti-social behaviour across the UK
EC - Ran my own radio station at age 17; became a national success shortly after. Head of society, club promotion, captain in local football team, grade 8 piano, grade 5 saxophone.
Universities applied to and decisions:
Dundee (5yr) - 2:1
Keele (6yr)2:1
UEA (5yr) - 2:1
Leicester (GEP) - straight rejection; hell, I feel they didn't even think they looked at my ucas form.
Advice: Prepare for UKCAT. Buy books for UKCAT and interviews don't matter what anyone tells you . A book I bought for interview practice I believe got me through all 3 of my interviews considering dundee and uea use 7-20 (2 per station at dundee) different interviewers.
Key thing: Apply to unis you CAN get in to. For example, no point applying to Kings if you have 600 on UKCAT.
Year of Entry: 2009
Deferred?: No
GCSEs: 5A* 6A
AS Grades: aaaa (bio, chem, maths, physics)
A2 Prediction/Results: AAA (bio, chem, maths)
UKCAT (if applicable): 680 720 630 630 ave. 665
Work Experience/Volunteering: 1 wk with consultant/junior doctors on ward, 2 days with GP, 14 months volunteering on hospital ward (2-3hrs a wk), 2 years volunteering with kids dance classes (2hrs a wk)
Extra curricular: Junior rep for theatre society (8 years service) Grade 6 piano, St John young life savers award, college council/charity committee, organiser of Bone Marrow Register clinic in college, Wildlife conservation expedition to S. Africa (summer 2009), Part time job in national trust cafe, chair of college "medsoc" (organising visits and talks from people in the medical profession), Dance (14 years with the same school + awards)
Universities applied to and decisions:
Birmingham - Offer AAB Firm
Cardiff - Offer AABc Insurance
Leicester - Offer AAB already withdrawn
KCL - rejcetion w/o interview
I know that my GCSE grades are below the requirement for B'ham but they took into consideration the exceptional circumstances that surrounded them. If you would like to know more please PM me as I would prefer not to discuss it in a public forum.
Year of Entry: 2009
Deferred?:No
GCSEs:2 B's, 2 D's and a bucket load of C's
AS Grades: n/a
A2 Prediction/Results:DDe (Biology, Chemistry, physics)
Previous Degree (if applicable): 2.2 Biomedical science (University of Wales, Bangor)
UKCAT (if applicable):n/a
BMAT (if applicable):n/a
GAMSAT: 56,64,55 - 58 overall
Work Experience/Volunteering: - A few years as a voluntary sailing instructor to sea cadets,
- A few years part time as a first aider at a motor racing circuit (no, not st john's ambulance- a private company!),
- 1 year placement in a pathology lab as a trainee biomedical scientist (part of my degree),
- couple of years part time as a nerve conduction technician/physio assistant (electrical testing of patients with ?carpal tunnel/cubital tunnel syndrome),
- 1 year full time as an mla/traceability officer in haematology/blood bank (alongside the part time nerve conduction job).
Extra Curricular: 1st kyu shotokan karate, appointed first aider for karate club, level 5 sailing and sailing instructor.
Universities applied to and decisions: Nottingham (4yr) - Offer
St Georges (4yr) - Offer
Peninsula - Rejection (i didnt meet their gamsat cutoff)
Swansea - Withdrawn
Discussion about medicine applications and medicine.
Useful Resources:
Re: Medics and Applicants Profiles
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Re: Medics and Applicants Profiles
urfing (I'm fanatical!), under 25s Devon hockey team (ex under 16s England hockey) Grade 8 violin.
