[Hydromancer]

I have two questions and would appreciate if someone could answer them:

1) should I mention the word "empathy" in my PS? I've just mentioned how rewarding it is to help people etc. and thought that the admissions tutor would be able to infer that I have a empathetic nature. Also how can I mention empathy in relation to volunteering. How does my volunteering help me with my medical career?

2) Does anyone know how important UKCAT is for nottingham and hyms or how they shortlist for interview?

Thanks.

[Sakujo]

Originally Posted by Hydromancer

2) Does anyone know how important UKCAT is for nottingham and hyms or how they shortlist for interview?

Thanks.

For HYMS (and this is off their website), they rank your UKCAT score and then give you marks depending on which band you fall under. These marks are then added to your marks for everything else. Everything else is marked with a maximum of 50 and your UKCAT with a maximum of 10. Everyone is then ranked by their marks and the top 600 invited for interview.

[billet-doux]

1. I've used the word empathy in my PS, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. With regards to how volunteering helps you with your medical career, that's for you to think about and write down, not for us to tell you.

2. The post above answers your question about HYMS and the UKCAT. Nottingham rank UKCAT scores and give them a score based on their percentile. They said at the open day that they don't consider UKCAT scores below 40th percentile.

[Archen]

1. I would just leave it out, if you have infered that you are empathetic then that is fine, plus you dont want to be telling the admission tutors everything about you in your personal statement!
give them a starter, a taster of what you are like and what you do in and out of school so that they can question you further about it and you can talk about something that you know - yourself

plusss empathy is kind of cliche if used in the wrong place and you dont want to look like you have looked up the list of qualities that the university is looking for and have just ticked them off a list while writing your personal statement :P

good luck! just be yourself and write how you feel comfortable

[becca2389]

Originally Posted by Hydromancer

I have two questions and would appreciate if someone could answer them:

1) should I mention the word "empathy" in my PS? I've just mentioned how rewarding it is to help people etc. and thought that the admissions tutor would be able to infer that I have a empathetic nature. Also how can I mention empathy in relation to volunteering. How does my volunteering help me with my medical career?

2) Does anyone know how important UKCAT is for nottingham and hyms or how they shortlist for interview?

Thanks.

Finding helping people rewarding isn't empathy to me?

Empathy can come across in a personal statement but I think it should be more subtle than "I do volunteering, therefore I'm empathetic" It's not something to draw attention to, but it'll be there when you reflect on your experiences and put across your opinion, both at interview and in writing.

[Eddie91]

Hyms has a ukcat threshold of a total score of 1900 and a verbal reasoning score of 420 (any applicants with scores below these will be rejected). Above those thresholds a score is awarded up to 10 points.

Anyone whose ukcat score lies in top 25% of all scores, but not in the top 600 (of scores with ucas form considered) will be further considered.

Hope that helps