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Access to medicine glasgow

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Since they added some new QR questions in the 1000Q book, that section should be easier than it was. I think there are several things to consider here:

1 - You will get some questions that are harder than others at the exam so it's good to learn to understand quickly how to access the information you need.

2 - You will also get some ridiculously easy questions at the exams, which you will do in 3 seconds so that means you can spend 50 seconds plus on the harder questions. And to be frank there is no point buying a book that fills pages with easy questions that make you feel like it;s easy, only to have a huge shock on the day.

3 - The AR is hard for everyone to start with. It's a question of getting in to the right frame of mind and then you will get better through practice. You know, there are only so many rotations, permutations and symmetries one can find in shapes so after a while you will learn to recognise them a lot faster.


Original post by willowthewisp
I will definitely be giving up work to concentrate on the course. I have an almost 4 year old child so trying to juggle work and college would be too much. Luckily my husband is super helpful.
I have the UKCAT 600 book and have just bought the UKCAT 1000 book. I've dipped into practice a bit and to be honest, I was shocked at how difficult the QR and AR section is. I can't do a maths calculation in 36 seconds!
I've not booked my UKCAT test yet but want to get it over with asap.
I wonder what sort of questions we will get asked at interview. It's so nerve racking!
Original post by Ienjoylife
Since they added some new QR questions in the 1000Q book, that section should be easier than it was. I think there are several things to consider here:

1 - You will get some questions that are harder than others at the exam so it's good to learn to understand quickly how to access the information you need.

2 - You will also get some ridiculously easy questions at the exams, which you will do in 3 seconds so that means you can spend 50 seconds plus on the harder questions. And to be frank there is no point buying a book that fills pages with easy questions that make you feel like it;s easy, only to have a huge shock on the day.

3 - The AR is hard for everyone to start with. It's a question of getting in to the right frame of mind and then you will get better through practice. You know, there are only so many rotations, permutations and symmetries one can find in shapes so after a while you will learn to recognise them a lot faster.


Thanks for the helpful info.
I'm hoping something clicks into place for me!
Reply 22
Hi everyone.

How was it today ? Simply question :P Hopefully, was fine as you all thought :smile:
Looks like it will probably be a no go for me this year. My lack of UK experience was highlighted as a massive gap in my application.
I will definitely work on it for next year though.
Hope it went well for you!
I think I flopped mine! I interrupted someone's interview - quite rude really. I also mentioned that I had not begun revising for the UKCAT and that I don't have a back up plan that doesn't include medicine. Also, they found that I do not drive. I think these things are red flags, although I have heard that a good UKCAT is possible with a few months revision. Who knows! Anyway, good luck all. I think they would have rejected you before the interview stage if your experience was insufficient so fingers crossed!
Original post by kittylorelli
I think I flopped mine! I interrupted someone's interview - quite rude really. I also mentioned that I had not begun revising for the UKCAT and that I don't have a back up plan that doesn't include medicine. Also, they found that I do not drive. I think these things are red flags, although I have heard that a good UKCAT is possible with a few months revision. Who knows! Anyway, good luck all. I think they would have rejected you before the interview stage if your experience was insufficient so fingers crossed!


Don't worry, I can't drive either. Got my driving test on the 1st of July but not overly confident to be honest.
I told them I'd just done a wee bit of UKCAT and they told me its best to sit the test around October time. I'm not sure why though. I wanted to get it over with end of July.
I'll apply again next year though. Let's not give up hope! :smile:
Reply 26
kittylorelli -you might've interrupted mine, once I finished I said to you ''no worries everything is alright'' or something like that. You were sitting very nervous. :smile:


My situation was quite different. They relaxed me before asking any questions. Been asked about my theatre experience, surgeries I've seen and also once I told about some surgery I had to described what exactly I saw etc. I said that I've been sitting UKCAT at home but never taken this exam due to that it only lasts 2 years (this same is with IELTS) so If I am unsuccessful once again and taken this exam at this time I'd have to sit it once again which actually is pointless. By the of my interview I was told ''Hopefully we will see each other in August''-so I don't know.
(edited 7 years ago)
That sounds really promising! I've asked about volunteering at hospital for 3 hours in the evening a couple of days a week as my friend does this in her spare time. It's basically befriending patients who don't get a lot of visitors. She did say it took a few months to get the paperwork sorted though. I can't commit to any more time than that at the moment as I work and have an almost four year old to look after. There's never enough hours in the day! Hopefully it will help for my application next year.
Hey have you guys checked your emails?

I got an offer today :smile:
Reply 29
Me either :-) I'm so proud of myself :smile: so it seems that we're seeing each other on 24th of August.
Congratulations to both of you!!!

I also got an offer today :smile: I could not be happier! Is the start date the 24th August then? I do not know about any of the finer details to be honest, I cannot wait to start!
Reply 31
As all of us got a place, let me introduce myself. I'm Marcin, 26 y :smile:
Hello Jasmin (and Marcin),

I am Cassi, congratulations on accepting a place on the course! I was also advised to make other plans in the event of not being accepted, although, I was hoping to make all four of my ucas choices for the same course at different universities. I am studing with the hopes of getting into Glasgow for Medicine. It is competitive, but my back up is to get in or apply next year; I have 240 credits with the Open Uni though so I could spend the year with the OU in the meantime, graduating with honors. If the universities accept the OU, this could make graduate entry a possibility.

I do not know when the course starts, but I asked about the timetable at interview. I was told it would be either 3 full days in college or 3 full days and one half day. This is what it had been in the past.

Cassi :smile:
Hello Jasmine,

Yes, I have chosen the universities I hope to apply to, would like to phone round prospective universities just to get an idea of whether my plans are feasable (and any further advice, I want to know what they want to hear to be honest).

This last year, I have really been working on all aspects of my university application, and have went on the advice of Kenny (SWAP course director) to gain paid & voluntary experience in healthcare and to shadow physicians (which I was extremely lucky to organize). I feel my main hurdle will be putting together the personal statement for ucas and the looming UKCAT. I had booked mine for August but rescheduled to September for more practice. I have been practicing online instead of using the books, my bookmarks are all UKCAT lol.

Have you tried Kent Universities resources? I highly recommend them as you can tackle each section individually, then closer to exams try timing yourself: https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tests/verbaltest.htm

I think this is good news that we will be covering the UKCAT during the course, I hope we will get some advice on personal statements too. I hear it is Springburn campus, as this has been the most recent location, although there have been many changes with Kelvin since the joining of colleges. Thats great news - one or two admissions from the access is a much brighter prospect than I had imagined! I thought we were a little up the creek with the heaps of straight A high school students :smile:

I am getting quite anxious for a start date though, I really have no patience. Will you be working during your studies?

Cassi :smile:
Reply 34
I'm glad to hear of all your work done to be closer your dreams. I canny wait too till I start college. I know it's going to be tough for me coz I need to keep full time work but I learnt that If you believe so much and keep following your chosen dream it's going to be happen. Hard work and truly believes make incredible things. If someone of you would need any more experience within theatres just give a shout. We'll see what can I do.

Marcin :smile:
Reply 35
I'm working in a QEUH :smile:
Thank goodness others will be working. I am just under full time hours and will be reducing my hours, I was advised to only focus on studying for the access but I don't really have a financial support network in place in that situation. I was also hoping to continue working as I didn't want to cut loose the experience which will be a feature of my future applications to uni. So I can see where you are coming from with the experience in a practice. Does dentistry require voluntary experience or placement? I am not sure of other pathways as I have been so absorbed with medicine!

I would like the city centre as public transport is better from where I live (North Glasgow) but I am lucky to have a link to Springburn also. I have a friend who has a place on the access to nursing course this year and she has heard the campus is in Easterhouse (quite far from where she lives!). I had not heard of a start date, thank you - just over three weeks to go until we start?! Roll on the awful student ID photos lol.

I have no idea about the class size, surely there will be more? A quick scan on the student rooms has given no hints, if its smaller that is better, I suppose? Although I have heard that some in the class tends to drop out, would 12 be the final figure?

That is a very kind offer Marcin! I have been on placement in the QEUH, ENT theatre. Its a beautiful building, albeit a little tricky to navigate. I imagine your line of work provides excellent experience talking points and insight for your career path.

Cassi :smile:
Reply 37
Have You ? So we had to meet, coz I am working within ENT. Now I've been moved to Trauma. For God sack :P My career path has been created 15 years ago. I have never had any other plans for my life. Although I fell hundreds of times I always raising up just by myslef without any support (mental support). Always I wanted to be a doctor. This is a little piece of my personality :P :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 38
Original post by kittylorelli


Cassi :smile:


I studied a different subject at Kelvin college last year, as I wasn't aware of the access course until it was too late to apply. Class sizes are around the 18 - 20 mark usually as the class rooms themselves can't accommodate more. There are a few larger rooms, however they were never the rooms we had access to and I didn't notice any larger sized labs which I'm guessing we will need. For our year they took more students in than our classes had enough seats for to begin with, as they anticipated people dropping out. This meant lots of room swapping throughout the year until we were finally settled and/or lost people. From what I've heard up to half of the class can drop out of this course. I'm not entirely sure how accurate or exaggerated that is though.

I will be working part time too :smile:. Last year it was 3 days a week in classes and 3 in work with a dedicated day off for studying/essays. This course is supposed to be a lot more intense from what I have been told. Tests regularly for all the different subjects and you are supposed to be looking at around 80% for all of them to have a decent chance at getting into any of the medical university courses. It's looking like it's a 3 1/2 days per week course, so for me I'm dropping to working 2 days a week. I feel that's going to be needed for the pace this course is supposedly going to be going at.

If you've not had previous funding for other courses of the same or higher level, saas etc, you should have gotten a bursary application pack. I think the maximum amount is about £400ish a month which makes this much easier finance wise and the course fees are usually covered in these circumstances also.

Hopefully that helped a bit. Also, and the student ID's are indeed awful. ^^;

Edit:

Oh and letters are being sent out over the next week, with enrolment and timetable details. I phoned today to check on how it was going so I could get more accurate info to give my work.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 39
Hi is anyone on this course at the moment? (Swap access to medical studies in glasgow) could you please kindly shed some light on the timetable? How many days a week is it and how many days off? Many thanks in advance

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