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Sheffield Medicine Applicants 2014

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Reply 40
GCSE = 8A* 4A 1C
AS= 3A 1B
Alevel = A*AB

UKCAT= I think if I remember correctly 2401 ( so I met the Sheffield cut of by 1 point) my ukcat was rubbish and I thought this would be my downfall.

unlike everyone makes out you don't need weeks and weeks of work experience and shadowing. I really struggled to find places that would take me. I managed to find a weeks work experience placement for prospective medical students at a local hospital. And volunteered on a weekly basis at a local care home. Compared to everyone else applying this didn't feel like enough, but what is more important is showing what you learnt from it and how it has influenced your decisions on wanting to study medicine.

I also do a lot of extra curricula stuff unrelated to medicine, that have helped me to develop crucial life skills and I drew on these a lot in my personal statement. ( I think the personal statement is the biggie for Sheffield)

Any other questions please ask :smile:
Original post by ewt
GCSE = 8A* 4A 1C
AS= 3A 1B
Alevel = A*AB

UKCAT= I think if I remember correctly 2401 ( so I met the Sheffield cut of by 1 point) my ukcat was rubbish and I thought this would be my downfall.

unlike everyone makes out you don't need weeks and weeks of work experience and shadowing. I really struggled to find places that would take me. I managed to find a weeks work experience placement for prospective medical students at a local hospital. And volunteered on a weekly basis at a local care home. Compared to everyone else applying this didn't feel like enough, but what is more important is showing what you learnt from it and how it has influenced your decisions on wanting to study medicine.

I also do a lot of extra curricula stuff unrelated to medicine, that have helped me to develop crucial life skills and I drew on these a lot in my personal statement. ( I think the personal statement is the biggie for Sheffield)

Any other questions please ask :smile:



Ah right, thank you :smile: and congrats on your offer! Sheffield will be my first choice when applying so I'm really nervous because of my GCSEs, they're not the best.. at all.

I think my personal statement may make for it, because I've got quite a bit to write and I know what I learned from it and how to write it down, but I don't know if it will make up for my average GCSEs
Reply 42
Original post by mynameisntbobk
Ah right, thank you :smile: and congrats on your offer! Sheffield will be my first choice when applying so I'm really nervous because of my GCSEs, they're not the best.. at all.

I think my personal statement may make for it, because I've got quite a bit to write and I know what I learned from it and how to write it down, but I don't know if it will make up for my average GCSEs


Thank you.

What were your GCSE's if you don't mind me asking ?
Id try not to worry about those now as you cant change them... focus on getting good grade over the next year and building a good personal statement. Maybe briefly address your GCSE's in it.

I got the feeling that at Sheffield personal statement and your personalty at interview count much more than academics. So long as you achieve the standard they believe you need to cope with the course, then they look more at who would make the best doctors... that's the impression I got. :smile:
Original post by ewt
Thank you.

What were your GCSE's if you don't mind me asking ?
Id try not to worry about those now as you cant change them... focus on getting good grade over the next year and building a good personal statement. Maybe briefly address your GCSE's in it.

I got the feeling that at Sheffield personal statement and your personalty at interview count much more than academics. So long as you achieve the standard they believe you need to cope with the course, then they look more at who would make the best doctors... that's the impression I got. :smile:



I got 4A*, 3A & 1B at GCSE :smile:

I'll give it a go :smile: I really hope that is the case :tongue: because my PS will have to play a big part on all my applications so I need to definitely come across suitably
Reply 44
Original post by mynameisntbobk
I got 4A*, 3A & 1B at GCSE :smile:

I'll give it a go :smile: I really hope that is the case :tongue: because my PS will have to play a big part on all my applications so I need to definitely come across suitably



I dont think you need to worry about your GCSE's ... they should be fine ... lots of people get interviews with much lower :smile:
Original post by ewt
I dont think you need to worry about your GCSE's ... they should be fine ... lots of people get interviews with much lower :smile:



Ah that's such a relief :smile: looking forward to applying, Sheffield really looks great
Original post by ewt
GCSE = 8A* 4A 1C
AS= 3A 1B
Alevel = A*AB

UKCAT= I think if I remember correctly 2401 ( so I met the Sheffield cut of by 1 point) my ukcat was rubbish and I thought this would be my downfall.

unlike everyone makes out you don't need weeks and weeks of work experience and shadowing. I really struggled to find places that would take me. I managed to find a weeks work experience placement for prospective medical students at a local hospital. And volunteered on a weekly basis at a local care home. Compared to everyone else applying this didn't feel like enough, but what is more important is showing what you learnt from it and how it has influenced your decisions on wanting to study medicine.

I also do a lot of extra curricula stuff unrelated to medicine, that have helped me to develop crucial life skills and I drew on these a lot in my personal statement. ( I think the personal statement is the biggie for Sheffield)

Any other questions please ask :smile:


I'm really worried about the amount of volunteering/work experience I've done (well, haven't done). I board at school and do many extra curricular sports and things, so during school have very little spare time. Also I have had busy holidays for ages and have only managed to fit in a week at a GP and 3 hospital days. Volunteering wise I have volunteered at the junior school to my school for ages, but was told by the career lady at school that I shouldn't even bother putting it in my PS as no-one will care. I also volunteer once a week at sort of cafe/meeting place for disadvantaged people and have done various other bits and bobs but it's not medical related! I'm just really worried that they'll think I'm not serous about medicine :frown: (which I really am). Any ideas what else I can do?
Original post by zozdotstar
I'm really worried about the amount of volunteering/work experience I've done (well, haven't done). I board at school and do many extra curricular sports and things, so during school have very little spare time. Also I have had busy holidays for ages and have only managed to fit in a week at a GP and 3 hospital days. Volunteering wise I have volunteered at the junior school to my school for ages, but was told by the career lady at school that I shouldn't even bother putting it in my PS as no-one will care. I also volunteer once a week at sort of cafe/meeting place for disadvantaged people and have done various other bits and bobs but it's not medical related! I'm just really worried that they'll think I'm not serous about medicine :frown: (which I really am). Any ideas what else I can do?


If you have enough to say and reflect on then it's fine. Careers lady is useless, she's telling lies.






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Reply 48
Original post by letsbehonest
If you have enough to say and reflect on then it's fine. Careers lady is useless, she's telling lies.






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That is more than I had! So I shouldn't worry to much. And I also think the careers lady is wrong here. I included other volunteering that wasnt med related in my ps .... You can use it to show other things such as long term commitment, the ability to conect and communicate with different groups of people of different ages and from different backgrounds. All important skills for med. I think non med related volunteering is also good as it shows you are genuinely a caring person who likes to get involved and help out and are not doing it purely to tick boxes and get into med school :smile:
Original post by letsbehonest
If you have enough to say and reflect on then it's fine. Careers lady is useless, she's telling lies.






Posted from TSR Mobile



Original post by ewt
That is more than I had! So I shouldn't worry to much. And I also think the careers lady is wrong here. I included other volunteering that wasnt med related in my ps .... You can use it to show other things such as long term commitment, the ability to conect and communicate with different groups of people of different ages and from different backgrounds. All important skills for med. I think non med related volunteering is also good as it shows you are genuinely a caring person who likes to get involved and help out and are not doing it purely to tick boxes and get into med school :smile:


Thank you :smile: And it's truly, the careers lady and guy at my school are awful. The man told me I shouldn't be a doctor as I hadn't had enough life experience and was 'too nice' and 'far too sensitive'. (after he said this I proceeded to get upset as he'd just shattered my dream of becoming a doc, which unfortunately just backed up the 'too sensitive' side of his argument but oh well)
Reply 50
Original post by MikeyP96
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Hey, I have done my second craft and waiting for review on tsr PS helper, the helper was awesome and basically pointed out all of the imperfections so yeah the PS is coming along well :biggrin:

If you don't mind me asking, what are your stats and where else are you thinking of applying?




How can I find a PS helper?
Hey guys,
I was wondering what sort of extra-curricular activities you do? I've worked in a shoe shop for 2 years, I visit an elderly lady in a care home every week and I've been a student ambassador at college. I just don't think that's what they're looking for though :s-smilie:
Original post by Tinuviel
How can I find a PS helper?


http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Personal_Statement_Help%20

Never post any part of your PS on any other part of TSR other than the one in the link.
Original post by mynameisntbobk
I got 4A*, 3A & 1B at GCSE :smile:

I'll give it a go :smile: I really hope that is the case :tongue: because my PS will have to play a big part on all my applications so I need to definitely come across suitably


Lets put it this way. If you pass the minimum academic requirements, then your PS willl 100% decide whether you'll be getting an interview. Your GCSE's are great!
Original post by MTW47
Its fine, just link working in shop with working with general public, teamwork with other staff, responsibility handling money etc. Student ambassador - teamwork, communication skills etc and then for your visits you can show your commitment over a period of time and perhaps talk about how it has helped develop your communication skills with the elderly. Or perhaps she has a particular medical complaint that has interested you so you have done some independent research on it.:biggrin: Don't worry about not having hospital experience. I had similar experience to you but geared it to what med schools are looking for(and got 3 interviews). Above all show a real passion for medicine.


Thank you :biggrin: I also had 3 days work experience in a hospital so I've written about that :smile:
Original post by frogs r everywhere
Lets put it this way. If you pass the minimum academic requirements, then your PS willl 100% decide whether you'll be getting an interview. Your GCSE's are great!



That's great, I think my PS is of a decent standard, so I'll work on it. I've definitely got all of their criteria down though.

Are you applying here as well? :biggrin:
Original post by mynameisntbobk
That's great, I think my PS is of a decent standard, so I'll work on it. I've definitely got all of their criteria down though.

Are you applying here as well? :biggrin:


Hopefully yes, depending on my UKCAT :smile:
Original post by frogs r everywhere
Hopefully yes, depending on my UKCAT :smile:


Ah, glad to see a familiar face on here then :smile: best of luck for your UKCAT. When is it by the way?
Reply 58
Guys i was wondering, what kind of scores were you getting for the official UKCAT practices on their site?

Because i just did one and i got 52% overall which just looks terrible so i was wondering what kind of scores you would get in practices?
Also my exam is in two days *cry*
Original post by IngridK
Guys i was wondering, what kind of scores were you getting for the official UKCAT practices on their site?

Because i just did one and i got 52% overall which just looks terrible so i was wondering what kind of scores you would get in practices?
Also my exam is in two days *cry*


The UKCAT official practices are ridiculously hard and I got about the same as you, but I found the real thing quite a bit easier and ended up getting 705 so I think they must be designed to be more difficult :biggrin:

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