CURRENT YEAR 13s-Hopeful Medics (Mk. II)!

Original post by KitschyFox

Bye-bye £215 :emo:

Just booked my UKCAT and an interview training day :s-smilie:

Is anyone else doing the same kinda thing? Training days I mean, for interview or UKCAT or whatever :p:

Wow expensive :frown:

Original post by Holz888

:O everyone here has such amazing experience! I just have a few days in paeds, few days in haematology and a possible week in GP (apparently the GP was happy to have me, but the practice manager hates A level students and thinks they're useless...) I mean Great Ormond Street.. :O how? I am just amazed at that!

Ha I agree :lol:

Reply 3981

erniiee

Original post by holderbolder

I can't stress enough.... It's not the quantity or location of your work experience/voluntary work. It's how you REFLECT upon it in your personal statement and interview. You must say:
- What you have learned that you didn't know before.
- How what you have learned is applicable to your career as a doctor.
An applicant that has had a million hours work experience, but doesn't do those two things WILL NOT get an offer, i can guarantee this.
Hope this helps :smile:

So true. What you've written in bold is especially helpful, as I've been trying to think how to approach reflection for each experience in a structured manner for my PS - this sounds like a good approach!

Reply 3982

Natalie21

15

Original post by DarkAndTwisty

Not sure why a surgeon would be treating that though, and afaik dysentery is only a big problem in developing countries?

No idea :P

Reply 3983

PS draft 1 of 1000 done. 200 Characters short, exactly. :rolleyes:

Reply 3984

username356927

Original post by HarryMWilliams

PS draft 1 of 1000 done. 200 Characters short, exactly. :rolleyes:

You have too few characters?

Reply 3985

Original post by TooSexyForMyStethoscope

You have too few characters?

Yes.

I reckon there is a few things I could replace and elaborate in one or two places. Just a first draft though, surprisingly difficult to write despite not believing what a few people I know said.

Reply 3986

username356927

Original post by HarryMWilliams

Yes.

I reckon there is a few things I could replace and elaborate in one or two places. Just a first draft though, surprisingly difficult to write despite not believing what a few people I know said.

Many people would give their right arm to have space left at the end :tongue:

Reply 3987

dtwolves

Original post by TaraBelle

hmm yeah I would agree, maybe you could just put something like 'compliment my study of health and disease in biology next year' or something? :/

Ah yeah thanks for that :smile:

Forgot I can write about next year as I'm not starting the placement until November or later haha! Thanks again for your help :biggrin:

Reply 3988

Original post by TooSexyForMyStethoscope

Many people would give their right arm to have space left at the end :tongue:

Hah. I'm determined to get it spot on or near enough. :biggrin:

Reply 3989

DarkAndTwisty

9

Original post by Natalie21

No idea :P

Yeah, me either. I just assumed as it was carried by water it wouldn't be a big problem here, and would probably be a non-surgical problem. *shrugs*

We had a street party earlier. Well, it's still going on but I came in like two hours ago because I don't really talk to the people on my street :tongue:

Reply 3990

chiny94

8

wow you guys are preparing fast for your PS! Haven't even started doing drafts yet because of the stupid damn essay competition that my teachers want me to do! :/ been ill since friday and just about recovered thus missed the whole jubilee spree! so..what's new? :biggrin:

Reply 3991

JoshL123

2

Just wondering what everyone has as extra curricular :s-smilie:

....worried I might not have much

Reply 3992

holderbolder

Speaking from experience.... Prepare and do your UKCAT first, then do your personal statement. because:
- PS is nothing without a good UKCAT (generally)
- The UKCAT deadline is before that of your PS
- UKCAT helps you get into the 'medicine frame of mind' haha
- UKCAT requires heavy prep
- The majority of you will be doing useful stuff over the summer which needs to be included in your PS (plan this into the PS, rather than simply addig it in at a later date)
- Above all, you'll do alot of growing over the summer between yr12 and yr13, and this will help you formulate a really good PS.
If you have any questions quote me, but me and my mates went through the process last year and agree this is the best and most effective route. (we all got a good UKCAT and 2 or 3 offers each!) :smile:

Reply 3993

KitschyFox

Original post by holderbolder

Speaking from experience.... Prepare and do your UKCAT first, then do your personal statement. because:
- PS is nothing without a good UKCAT (generally)
- The UKCAT deadline is before that of your PS
- UKCAT helps you get into the 'medicine frame of mind' haha
- UKCAT requires heavy prep
- The majority of you will be doing useful stuff over the summer which needs to be included in your PS (plan this into the PS, rather than simply addig it in at a later date)
- Above all, you'll do alot of growing over the summer between yr12 and yr13, and this will help you formulate a really good PS.
If you have any questions quote me, but me and my mates went through the process last year and agree this is the best and most effective route. (we all got a good UKCAT and 2 or 3 offers each!) :smile:

To add/differ:
-PSs require A LOT of time and redrafting, so I'd think starting after UKCAT would be best if you were planning on doing your UKCAT quite early in the season rather than end of summer/September

-Not every university weights the UKCAT very highly, or at all, (I acknowledge the "generally" though) it all depends where you're looking. You can pretty much guarantee your PS will be looked at so you need to make it as good as you can.

-Yes you may be doing stuff over summer, but you've also been doing stuff beforehand. Leave space if needs be but I'd think it unwise to neglect the PS until after summer :s-smilie:

EDIT: Woops, didn't see the planning bit, thought you were suggesting leaving it all to after summer :redface:

Apologies!

-Yes, we will grow over summer and look over our PS next September thinking some bits are ridiculous, but that's why I think early first drafts are important. I see the merit in waiting until after, but I don't think the timing really allows for that.

-I suspect the UKCAT getting someone into the medicine frame of mind is personal. It certainly hasn't for me, haha! I suppose it does serve as extra motivation though?

-DO prepare for the UKCAT though. Some people don't which I think is ridiculous. It's unlike other exams you've done before after all.

I haven't applied yet though unlike holderbolder, so take my advice with a pinch of salt! And different methods work be for different people; I like English and writing, so I was keen to start my PS and reckon I've a good template with it now :smile:

Figure out what works best.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 3994

Mangodepo11

8

Original post by HarryMWilliams

PS draft 1 of 1000 done. 200 Characters short, exactly. :rolleyes:

YOUVE DONE YOUR FIRST DRAFT!! omg i tried writing my introduction a few days ago and i literally coundnt write anything i though would be near good enough.

Btw have you done all your work experience?

Reply 3995