QUB medicine 2013 applications

Well everyone, it's that time of year again! Who all is applying to study medicine at QUB, starting in 2013? And has anyone done the UKCAT test yet? :eek:

Hopefully they're still liking graduate applicants, as my pharmacy degree is my only selling point to them lol :confused:

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Reply 1

Allego

Hi! Yea I am applying for 2013/2014. I guess not many other people applying in 2013/2014 cycle have found their way to the forums yet!

I've been monitoring the situation over the last 2-3 years, it's gonna be interesting what the cut off for interview will be this year. I guess 38 probably out of 42.

Anyone else applying? What's your thoughts?

Reply 2

Jed_

I would love to apply but I have been told they like GCSEs a lot. This pretty much rules me out. :frown:

I could be wrong of course as I am just going from what people have told me.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 3

Cojo23

Can anyone who knows a bit more tell me about the mini interviews they give? I'll hopefully be applying for 2014 entry, but the idea of these interviews puts me off! I can't quite imagine having to pretend I'm "sat at a bus stop with a glum person from my class" and have to "console them"... :s-smilie:

Reply 4

Allego

Original post by Jed_

I would love to apply but I have been told they like GCSEs a lot. This pretty much rules me out. :frown:

I could be wrong of course as I am just going from what people have told me.

Yea QUB put a lot of emphasis on GCSEs if you are applying as a school leaver. You need to have pretty much A*'s in your best 9 I think it is. I not 100% sure, because I am a graduate and the graduate criteria is different.

And for the MMIs, yea it seems a bit cheesey and unrealistic. Kinda like being asked to act in a particular situation....

Reply 5

KitschyFox

Original post by Allego

There's a 2014 entry thread in Medicine Community Forum :p:

And where did you find the points they used? I remember seeing the cut-off was 37 last year somewhere... I think :s-smilie:

I guess I can pretty much rule QUB out then, I'd need 725 average to make 37 points, but if it's likely to be higher... :/ Grr, I don't mind going to the mainland, but it sucks to not even have the option :p:

Reply 6

Allego

Original post by KitschyFox

There's a 2014 entry thread in Medicine Community Forum :p:

And where did you find the points they used? I remember seeing the cut-off was 37 last year somewhere... I think :s-smilie:

Hi Kitschy, I found the information buried in the information from QUB A100 on UCAS :

"For 2012 entry the threshold to be shortlisted for interview was 37 points. Final decisions will be taken on the basis of the overall interview score."

If you are a school leaver, I guess this is a little harder to hit than if you were a repeat application or a graduate application. For school leavers, you need to have A* x 9 for 36/36 points + X/6 then depending on UKCAT performance.

Presumably you are a school leaver right?

Reply 7

KitschyFox

Original post by Allego

Ah, thanks for finding that! :smile:

And yes, school-leaver with only 31pts from my GCSEs. I don't mind travelling for uni though (with only 1 med school in the North it was always an option :p:

). I suppose I'll choose another school in its place, but ta for finding that so I can locate the info again :biggrin:

Reply 8

Briz

HEY! I got 2570 in my UKCAT :-S and 6 A*s and 3 As at GCSE's does anyone know how many points this will give me?xxxxxx

Reply 9

KitschyFox

Original post by Briz

HEY! I got 2570 in my UKCAT :-S and 6 A*s and 3 As at GCSE's does anyone know how many points this will give me?xxxxxx

For Y14 applicants the best 9 GCSEs will be considered with 4 marks for an A star and 3 for an A. Maximum 36 points.

UKCAT Banding Scores - 2500-2699=4

From the QUB website^^ So looks like you have 37pts :smile:

Reply 10

Allego

Original post by Briz

HEY! I got 2570 in my UKCAT :-S and 6 A*s and 3 As at GCSE's does anyone know how many points this will give me?xxxxxx

Yep you have 37 points. So you are right on the borderline of last year's entry cut off. I would say you have quite a good chance of being called to interview.

Last year it was anyone with 37 or more got an interview. I have my fingers crossed for you that it remains 37 this year too!

Reply 11

crisper88

I know QUB have a preference towards graduates, and being from pharmacy, I hope that that stands me in good stead both to get in and to complete the course! :smile:

I've 40/42 points so hoping that gets me the interview.

The only 'snag' to my application is that I didn't do AS Biology...but meet the 'or equivalent' component with the pharm degree...let's hope they don't penalise that too much...or the fact I've been out of queens over a year now!

Those MMI's are horrible...I think just look someone in the eye...be as nice and as friendly as you can and hopefully it'll go ok. If you get an interview you're more likely to get in than be rejected on pure probability...so let's all hope!

For any of us graduates out there...any thoughts on paying for the course? I know we get full maintenance loan...but besides that I think I'll be going to beg my bank manager for fees support! :s-smilie:

Reply 12

Allego

Original post by crisper88

I know QUB have a preference towards graduates, and being from pharmacy, I hope that that stands me in good stead both to get in and to complete the course! :smile:

Yea you certainly shouldn't have any issues getting an interview, the only problem would be the AS Biology part. I think when they say "or equivalent" they may be talking about alternatives such as Irish leaving cert or like international baccalaureate. If I were you I would phone up admissions/school of medicine just to confirm what their position is on it. It wouldn't be a matter of them penalising you for not having AS Biology, but they could say you don't meet the minumum requirements. (Sound's silly I know, but it's their way of cutting down numbers).

In terms of graduate funding, well this is a problem area. The only loan you can apply for from SLC is the maintenance loan. So most people I think use their maintenance loan to cover the fees and then have a part time job to cover their keep. As for bank loans, it's very difficult to get any - especially as a student. They have done away with most professional development loans, and also bear in mind that it is a 5 year course and most banks want the loan paid back like asap. Don't know if any other graduates have learned any new developments? But that's the information I've gathered from various sources.

I am dreading the interviews, but as you said, if the numbers getting interviewed are the same as last year, then we should have probability in our favour, but it is extremely competitive still!

Reply 13

Mosh

Woo fellow applicant here!! :biggrin:

Quick question, do Queen's accept short course GCSE's as one of your 9 best GCSE's?

Reply 14

EternalDoom

Original post by Allego

Woo that's good!

I have 40/42 points, because I am a reapplicant with achieved grades A*AA in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and an A in my 4th AS level Psychology.

I'm trying to decide between here or St. Andrews :/

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 15

Allego

Original post by Mosh

Woo fellow applicant here!! :biggrin:

Quick question, do Queen's accept short course GCSE's as one of your 9 best GCSE's?

Short course GCSE would equate to half a regular GCSE in the view of QUB, from what I have heard from admissions they would not be accepted. They look for Full GCSE's. It wouldn't be fair to consider everyone who had done 9 full GCSE's compared with 9 short course GCSE's.

As you probably know, they award A* = 4 points, A = 3 points, B = 2, C= 1. (This is for first time school leavers of course with predicted A-levels.

Yea 40/42 will be strong, this will get you to interview stage without a doubt. Last year they interviewed everyone with 37 or higher. So I think you can comfortably say if you like queen's and you submit it as a choice you will get an interview for sure. (assuming all other requirments are met).

Reply 16

EternalDoom

Original post by Allego

Yes I meet their other minimum requirements. I also actually like their interview system, i know most unis now do MMI system, but that video on their website of a sample interview actually seemed really good compared to for example, a panel of people firing questions like "Why do you want to be a doctor?" "What motivates you in life?" etc :tongue:

Reply 17

Allego

It favours people who can act out a scenario I think from what I've heard. Don't actually know how it is marked exactly though. I will have to research that. I'm all ears if anyone has any ideas... :smile:

Reply 18

This Honest