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I know two people who applied to do Medicine at Bristol...

Okay, so this one guy got 6As, 1A* and 3Bs at GCSE and he got ABB at AS level. ( I dont know what he is predicted for A level probably AAB?)
I have a friend who got 8A*s at GCSE and AAAA at AS level and has been predicted 3 A*s and an A for A level.
They both applied to do medicine at bristol and they both got interviews;however my overly qualified friend has been rejected whereas the other guy who has got lower grades has been rejected?
How is this acceptable?
I mean I know my friend is the quiet, studious type and he is the banterous sporty type but that doesnt mean she will be a worse doctor than him?? I just dont quite get it and find it very unfair.

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Original post by APersonYo
Okay, so this one guy got 6As, 1A* and 3Bs at GCSE and he got ABB at AS level. ( I dont know what he is predicted for A level probably AAB?)
I have a friend who got 8A*s at GCSE and AAAA at AS level and has been predicted 3 A*s and an A for A level.
They both applied to do medicine at bristol and they both got interviews;however my overly qualified friend has been rejected whereas the other guy who has got lower grades has been rejected?
How is this acceptable?
I mean I know my friend is the quiet, studious type and he is the banterous sporty type but that doesnt mean she will be a worse doctor than him?? I just dont quite get it and find it very unfair.


It will be down to their interviews.

Welcome to the world of medicine applications.
Reply 2
Original post by APersonYo
Okay, so this one guy got 6As, 1A* and 3Bs at GCSE and he got ABB at AS level. ( I dont know what he is predicted for A level probably AAB?)
I have a friend who got 8A*s at GCSE and AAAA at AS level and has been predicted 3 A*s and an A for A level.
They both applied to do medicine at bristol and they both got interviews;however my overly qualified friend has been rejected whereas the other guy who has got lower grades has been rejected?
How is this acceptable?
I mean I know my friend is the quiet, studious type and he is the banterous sporty type but that doesnt mean she will be a worse doctor than him?? I just dont quite get it and find it very unfair.


There is nothing unfair about it. He simply aced his interviews, and showed that he is capable to do the course and has the skills that a med student needs.
Reply 3
Some people perform badly in an interview setting. Sucks, but what can you do. It seems particularly important in medicine where you will need to spend a lot of time with people.
What about the entrance exams - the BMAT and the UKCAT? How did they do on it. Perhaps the friend who got in performed better on those? Personal statement, interviews and reference plays a part in it as well. It's not simply a case of looking at the grades.
Reply 5
Original post by Namita Gurung
What about the entrance exams - the BMAT and the UKCAT? How did they do on it. Perhaps the friend who got in performed better on those? Personal statement, interviews and reference plays a part in it as well. It's not simply a case of looking at the grades.


I'm not sure about their UKCAT scores. I know my friend who got the 8A*s at GCSE got like 700 or something on the abstract reasoning bit.
Reply 6
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Some people perform badly in an interview setting. Sucks, but what can you do. It seems particularly important in medicine where you will need to spend a lot of time with people.


Yes, obviously you spent a lot of time with people. I just dont think its morally right to reject somebody who is clearly capable of being a doctor just because they're a lil shy
Reply 7
Original post by kkboyk
There is nothing unfair about it. He simply aced his interviews, and showed that he is capable to do the course and has the skills that a med student needs.


Its unfair
Original post by APersonYo
Yes, obviously you spent a lot of time with people. I just dont think its morally right to reject somebody who is clearly capable of being a doctor just because they're a lil shy


If that were the case they would have to offer places to everyone. Its just the way medicine admissions work. They only have so many places, they have to do it based on how people perform in the interview.

Plenty of 'shy' people get in to medicine. Tell your friend to get the grades and reapply.
Reply 9
Original post by APersonYo
Yes, obviously you spent a lot of time with people. I just dont think its morally right to reject somebody who is clearly capable of being a doctor just because they're a lil shy


Are they clearly capable of being a doctor? I mean, I got similar grades to those, but I'm quite sure I'm not capable of being a doctor.
Original post by Namita Gurung
What about the entrance exams - the BMAT and the UKCAT? How did they do on it. Perhaps the friend who got in performed better on those? Personal statement, interviews and reference plays a part in it as well. It's not simply a case of looking at the grades.


Original post by APersonYo
I'm not sure about their UKCAT scores. I know my friend who got the 8A*s at GCSE got like 700 or something on the abstract reasoning bit.


Bristol didn't use the UKCAT for 2016 entry.
The pre-interview assessment criteria are split 80/20 in favour of non-academic factors (the personal statement, essentially), and if they both got interviews, then it's likely that the less qualified of your friends did better at that.
Reply 11
Original post by ForestCat
If that were the case they would have to offer places to everyone. Its just the way medicine admissions work. They only have so many places, they have to do it based on how people perform in the interview.

Plenty of 'shy' people get in to medicine. Tell your friend to get the grades and reapply.


That's what she is going to do
Original post by APersonYo
Yes, obviously you spent a lot of time with people. I just dont think its morally right to reject somebody who is clearly capable of being a doctor just because they're a lil shy


Shy doctors exist, there's a whole article on Student BMJ about it. You cannot just decide on who is going to make a better doctor from grades, like everyone on this thread has said. Interview is so important, and how do you know your friend didn't mess that up? Just because you get straight As doesn't mean you're going to make a good doctor, simple as that.
Reply 13
Original post by Hydeman
Bristol didn't use the UKCAT for 2016 entry.
The pre-interview assessment criteria are split 80/20 in favour of non-academic factors (the personal statement, essentially), and if they both got interviews, then it's likely that the less qualified of your friends did better at that.


Yes, I guessed that. I mean I know this guy is very sporty, but why should being 'sporty' as opposed to 'not being sporty' like my friend is be a factor in being a good doctor?
Reply 14
Original post by jenigma
Shy doctors exist, there's a whole article on Student BMJ about it. You cannot just decide on who is going to make a better doctor from grades, like everyone on this thread has said. Interview is so important, and how do you know your friend didn't mess that up? Just because you get straight As doesn't mean you're going to make a good doctor, simple as that.


So what youre saying is... if you want to get into medicine, obviously you need the grades but its more based on who you are as a person?
Original post by APersonYo
Yes, I guessed that. I mean I know this guy is very sporty, but why should being 'sporty' as opposed to 'not being sporty' like my friend is be a factor in being a good doctor?


Extracurriculars are not the only non-academic factors for which credit is given; the bulk of the personal statement is to do with medicine, work experience, books they've read, motivation, etc.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 16
wait... wait... hold up
the guy got an offer for AAB?!
how did he not get 10 insta-rejections?! *___*
also be happy for him gawsh y yall be so salty
ur frend can try again next cycle :biggrin:
Reply 17
Original post by APersonYo
Its unfair


Nope it isn't
Reply 18
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Are they clearly capable of being a doctor? I mean, I got similar grades to those, but I'm quite sure I'm not capable of being a doctor.


I think its bothering me more than it should because I accepted I couldn't do medicine due to my grades... but this guy got the same GCSEs as me and it just infuriates me because I really wanted to be a neurologist so badly
Original post by APersonYo
So what youre saying is... if you want to get into medicine, obviously you need the grades but its more based on who you are as a person?


Personality definitely matters as much as strong academics, yes! You need to be a 'well-rounded, balanced' person for Medicine. So in the case of your friend obviously I don't know her ECs but admissions tutors immediately think 'this person is going to drown in work and not make it through med school' if she doesn't have any other interests than studying.

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