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St. Andrews Medical School Applicants 2012

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Original post by atomos
i am indeed back!

ha, that would be quite funny if we were! have you sat it yet?


Nah, not yet. I've got it on the 24th :/ time is going too quickly! I planned t do loads of revision since I finalised the date but I've not :/ although I have done more Han last year which wasn't exactly hard :tongue: when's yours? We'll need to let each other know how we do lol :smile:
Original post by Quackers93
Nah, not yet. I've got it on the 24th :/ time is going too quickly! I planned t do loads of revision since I finalised the date but I've not :/ although I have done more Han last year which wasn't exactly hard :tongue: when's yours? We'll need to let each other know how we do lol :smile:


Same, I thought if I booked it maybe I'd start practising properly....but nope.
Mine is the 22nd...two weeks today actually. ****.
Original post by atomos
Same, I thought if I booked it maybe I'd start practising properly....but nope.
Mine is the 22nd...two weeks today actually. ****.


Fingers crossed for us :biggrin: ...and to anyone else who hasn't done as much revision as they'd have liked or really should have done :tongue:
Reply 43
Original post by atomos
Same, I thought if I booked it maybe I'd start practising properly....but nope.
Mine is the 22nd...two weeks today actually. ****.


Original post by Quackers93
Fingers crossed for us :biggrin: ...and to anyone else who hasn't done as much revision as they'd have liked or really should have done :tongue:


Good luck ladies :biggrin: I'm such a charmer :colone:

My UKCAT is well in the past now, as is the rejection which broke my heart, glad to see you are both reapplying though. I'm even studying Higher Chemistry (which i didn't do at school) at a community college (sadly nothing like the rather excellent American series Community you guys should check out if you havn't - random tangent I know) because my feedback letter from St.Andrews said my last chemistry module will be over 5 years old which means I need to renew my learning apparantly!?

Good to see you on here atomos, what you been up to?
Original post by baztech
Good luck ladies :biggrin: I'm such a charmer :colone:

My UKCAT is well in the past now, as is the rejection which broke my heart, glad to see you are both reapplying though. I'm even studying Higher Chemistry (which i didn't do at school) at a community college (sadly nothing like the rather excellent American series Community you guys should check out if you havn't - random tangent I know) because my feedback letter from St.Andrews said my last chemistry module will be over 5 years old which means I need to renew my learning apparantly!?

Good to see you on here atomos, what you been up to?


Thanks!

How did you get on in your UKCAT?

Just back from a month in a hospital in Moldova, don't really know what to do with myself now that I'm back actually...should probably get round to getting a job :redface: what about yourself, (apart from the chemistry studying...which sounds err fun) what you been to?
Reply 45
Original post by atomos
Thanks!

How did you get on in your UKCAT?

Just back from a month in a hospital in Moldova, don't really know what to do with myself now that I'm back actually...should probably get round to getting a job :redface: what about yourself, (apart from the chemistry studying...which sounds err fun) what you been to?


Got a 707.5 average with I am thrilled about, although I feel like more people have been getting 720+ this year which is worrying. I'm currently working F/T along with 3 slots a week studying chemistry, so I am shattered! Currently pottering about while starting a practical write-up...
I have only had a small amount of GP shadowing and havn't done any recent volunteering, hoping to sort that out at least for (hopefully) interview stage

Thanks amazing about your Moldova experience, what were you doing exactly, do they have an NHS-style free health service? I know nothing of Moldova!
Original post by baztech
Got a 707.5 average with I am thrilled about, although I feel like more people have been getting 720+ this year which is worrying. I'm currently working F/T along with 3 slots a week studying chemistry, so I am shattered! Currently pottering about while starting a practical write-up...
I have only had a small amount of GP shadowing and havn't done any recent volunteering, hoping to sort that out at least for (hopefully) interview stage

Thanks amazing about your Moldova experience, what were you doing exactly, do they have an NHS-style free health service? I know nothing of Moldova!


Wow, well done!
Still, 70.5 is insaaaane.
Sounds like you're pretty busy...and here's me sitting about doing nothing all day. Oops.

I was 'volunteering' in a hospital but it was more like work experience really, I saw loads of surgeries and had to hold patients down a few times who woke up mid-surgery, which scarily happened pretty often. And like I folded bandages, helped out where I could and stuff. I'm not sure how free it is to be honest, that's one question I didn't think to ask, I'll find out before any interviews though haha, but its definitely free for under 18s, I don't know if after then they have to pay. But healthcare over there is pretty bad, the operating theatres looked like dungeons/torture chambers, all the supplies are either really old or new donations from USA and Japan, and the hospitals themselves look so run down.
Reply 47
Original post by MillsB
Hey! I've been looking for this thread for ages!
I'm applying this year for the first time but I really dont know if my chances are that high. St Andrews looks amazing and is definitely one of my top choices!
I got 5A*s 3As 2Bs at GCSE and AAAB at AS...
I also got 690 on the UKCAT
Think I'd be ok applying?

Also what is the course like...I understand its pre-clinical then clinical but do you learn any clinical skills in the first 3 years and are there people to help if you dont fully understand something?

Thankyou!


hello! Your grades are not bad at all and your UKCAT can assure you a place if you have a good PS :smile: I had 680 on my UkCAT and i got in so don't worry about your changes right now.. they are pretty high !

Yes it is a pre-clinical course but that doesnt mean there are no clinical skills classes... we actually have some clinical skills lecture or whatever that is on our first week ... so yes there are loads of things we learn in these 3 years. there will be patient contact and so on.. and on 2nd and 3rd years we will be commuting to near-by hospitals (the university pays the cab for us) so we will learn pretty much everything there is to learn. The only "problem" would be that there is no large hospital in St. Andrews so we'd have to do our clinical years in a larger town with a proper hospital. Don't worry! The teacher is excellent !!

If you have any other worries you can go ahead and ask :smile:
Reply 48
Decided not to apply here because my IB predicted scores don't qualify
Really disappointed but GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE FOR THIS UCAS CYCLE!!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 49
Original post by apple17
Decided not to apply here because my IB predicted scores don't qualify
Really disappointed but GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE FOR THIS UCAS CYCLE!!


Good luck with everything, Apple!

Anyways guys... What about St. Andrews attracts you? :biggrin: For me, it's the opportunity I have to study at TWO universities :smile: St. Andrews for 3 years, then other British university for my clinical years :smile:
Reply 50
Does anyone know how much emphasis St Andrews put on GCSES when selecting for interview?

I have 5A*s 5As at GCSE with a 730 average UKCAT, could anybody give me a reasonable estimate on my chances of getting a interview?
(edited 12 years ago)
Do they have any special UKCAt requirements?
*Or GCSE requirements?
Original post by Limesasquatch
Do they have any special UKCAt requirements?
*Or GCSE requirements?


they use a cut off for the ukcat, its not a high cut off, but then after interview they use the ukcat scores when scoring everyone
Original post by atomos
they use a cut off for the ukcat, its not a high cut off, but then after interview they use the ukcat scores when scoring everyone


Ahh, thanks. I don't suppose you could tell me whether 675 is ok, I know nowhere else does a Sheffield.
Original post by RO'Gara
Does anyone know how much emphasis St Andrews put on GCSES when selecting for interview?

I have 5A*s 5As at GCSE with a 730 average UKCAT, could anybody give me a reasonable estimate on my chances of getting a interview?


From what I gathered last year, they use the UKCAT to shortlist to interview and you will meet their cut-off so I think you should expect and interview unless they don't like your personal statement.
Reply 55
Original post by areyousure?
From what I gathered last year, they use the UKCAT to shortlist to interview and you will meet their cut-off so I think you should expect and interview unless they don't like your personal statement.


OK thanks :smile:

I'm just wary of not getting in again this year so I'm trying to be smart about where I apply.

Do they use GCSES as well to shortlist for interview?
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by RO'Gara
OK thanks :smile:

I'm just wary of not getting in again this year so I'm trying to be smart about where I apply.

Do they use GCSES as well to shortlist for interview?


I'm not sure on that, I know they use everything when deciding to give out offer... so for example if your interview is perfect but your GCSEs/UKCAT are weak then you may not get an offer because of that...

Can't really say about how they short list for interview, but I think your GCSEs are fine for St Andrews... 5A*s 5As.. what's wrong with that?
Reply 57
Original post by areyousure?
I'm not sure on that, I know they use everything when deciding to give out offer... so for example if your interview is perfect but your GCSEs/UKCAT are weak then you may not get an offer because of that...

Can't really say about how they short list for interview, but I think your GCSEs are fine for St Andrews... 5A*s 5As.. what's wrong with that?



Thanks was hoping they were but you never know, they are pretty average for a medical applicant.
Original post by Limesasquatch
Ahh, thanks. I don't suppose you could tell me whether 675 is ok, I know nowhere else does a Sheffield.


yeah you'll be fine, i was above their cut off with 632.5 last year and i doubt they'll raise it much higher this year. they say something somewhere on their website about the cut off being around 2457 (but this was for last year but i still doubt they'll increase it thaaat much)



edit: what they have on their website

Use of UKCAT at St Andrews

At St Andrews we use the UKCAT in two ways; firstly we set a cut off for the overall UKCAT score and applicants obtaining a score below that will not be considered for interview or a medical place. A cut off score for each admissions cycle will be decided upon once all applications have been received and it will be based on the national average which, in the past, has been in the range of 2400 - 2500.

Obtaining an overall score within the range of 2400 - 2500 will not guarantee an interview or entry. The number of applications and range of UKCAT scores received in November will influence which applicants we will be able to consider for interview.

Secondly, at St Andrews the UKCAT score will be used as part of an applicant's overall ranking following interview. The UKCAT score will be worth 15% of an overall admissions score. That percentage will be generated by a points system whereby applicant scores will be ranked and divided into bandings with points allocated per banding.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 59
Original post by RO'Gara
Thanks was hoping they were but you never know, they are pretty average for a medical applicant.


A note of caution.Someone on this thread had a good ukcat last year was interviewed and rejected because his GCSE's weren't good enough!!!!

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