Cardiff Medical School Applicants 2014

Scroll to see replies

As long as you're not resitting outside of the two years you have between starting AS and finishing A2 you have nothing to worry about. Module resits in A2 year a fine.

Thanks for the help :smile:

Reply 81

Nich-Neuve

Original post by Elwyn

Are you an applicant? Why do you want a book about the heart exactly? Just so I know what type of book you're looking for :smile:

I'm hoping to apply to Cardiff for 2014 entry, so ya.

The heart is a topic that I know basic information about already but then also something I'm pretty interested in.

I've found some books, but most of them are generally the books used by Cardiologists or Medical Students and I wanted to know if anyone knows of books that are perhaps a little 'softer'? An example would be My Stroke Of Insight, which is about stroke and the brain. I'm really interested in Neuroscience, actually I was initially more into that, however I obviously don't know much about it at the moment.
Im looking into cardiology books to help back up my Further Reading for my Personal Statement, if that makes things clearer. =)

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 82

Elwyn

Original post by Nich-Neuve

I can't really think of anything from the top of my head but maybe someone else can.

There is a series of books called the Crash Course series. They're written by and aimed at medical students (in fact I have a couple myself, including the Cardiology one). It's not exactly what you had in mind but they certainly are softer than most other Cardiology books and you should have no trouble understanding the content as it's presented in a very east to understand manner.

You can find it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Course-Cardiology-Antonia-Churchhouse-BMedSci/dp/0723436320

Reply 83

Angury

Original post by Nich-Neuve

Neuroscience was my back-up choice after Medicine, I also think it's a fascinating topic.
Books seem a little in-depth though, or maybe that's just me.

What I did during my A Level year is watch science documentaries about topics that interested me. There's an interesting documentary I remember watching about heart transplants, and using stem cells to help patients with cardiac problems in the future (I'll try to find the title for you). I've found the Horizon documentaries to be good as well.

Another thing you can do is follow the news revolving around neuroscience, or medical research in general. There's the typical sciencey magazines out there, but the internet is also very useful. I use tumblr a lot, and follow a lot of neuroscience blogs, which are updated with the latest research:

http://neurosciencestuff.tumblr.com/
http://neuromorphogenesis.tumblr.com/

I guess I prefer the simple stuff. :tongue:

There's also a good TED talk about mirror neurons:

http://www.ted.com/talks/vs_ramachandran_the_neurons_that_shaped_civilization.html

Oh, and this website is helpful for finding documentaries:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/

The Health section of the BBC news website is also pretty useful at times. Particularly when looking at what is happening in the NHS in different parts of the UK. StudentBMJ also seems to be a popular one.

It's great to hear so much enthusiasm. Apologies if you were mainly looking for books though. I'm a very internet/geeky person. :tongue:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 84

Nich-Neuve

Original post by Elwyn

There is a series of books called the Crash Course series. They're written by and aimed at medical students (in fact I have a couple myself, including the Cardiology one). It's not exactly what you had in mind but they certainly are softer than most other Cardiology books and you should have no trouble understanding the content as it's presented in a very east to understand manner.

You can find it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Course-Cardiology-Antonia-Churchhouse-BMedSci/dp/0723436320

Ah, Thank You. I shall see whether I can find someone I know who has that book or like a library near me.

Original post by Angury

I really appreciate that you took your time to write your long post!
So from your comments, documentaries are really useful?
in terms of what I can reference in my Personal Statement, do I just out the name of the documentary?

Im sort of on my way with my Personal Statement. I feel like I need to keep tweaking it.
I need to make it more 'personal' and things related to medicine.
I know that Cardiff really values Personal Statements, so I'm praying that mine will impress and stand out. :wink:

Reply 85

Angury

Original post by Nich-Neuve

Ah, Thank You. I shall see whether I can find someone I know who has that book or like a library near me.

I really appreciate that you took your time to write your long post!
So from your comments, documentaries are really useful?
in terms of what I can reference in my Personal Statement, do I just out the name of the documentary?

Don't worry about it, my posts tend to be long. Well I personally find documentaries very useful. I read a lot, so I'm not completely against books or anything like that, but I just find academic books to be a bit dreary. If you're interested in something, then learning about it in context rather than just words on a page makes it easier to understand.

I watch documentaries for entertainment though. If you want to convey your "passion" for science through your PS, I think a better approach would be to read science magazines (New Scientist is quite popular), follow science news online and learn about how the medical world is evolving with the latest technology and research.

Normally when I see someone talking about their outside reading in their PS in an attempt to impress, they talk about the latest research or something that's been on the news recently.. I've seen a lot of PS talking about stem cells being the "key to the future" etc. I don't think reading a textbook about how the heart works in minute detail will really be of much help or interest at this point; to satisfy your interest, keep up with developments and news. There is a lot of work going on in Neuroscience which I think will grab your interest.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 86

Nich-Neuve

Original post by Angury

I watch documentaries for entertainment though. If you want to convey your "passion" for science through your PS, I think a better approach would be to read science magazines (New Scientist is quite popular), follow science news online and learn about how the medical world is evolving with the latest technology and research.

Normally when I see someone talking about their outside reading in their PS in an attempt to impress, they talk about the latest research or something that's been on the news recently.. I've seen a lot of PS talking about stem cells being the "key to the future" etc. I don't think reading a textbook about how the heart works in minute detail will really be of much help or interest at this point; to satisfy your interest, keep up with developments and news. There is a lot of work going on in Neuroscience which I think will grab your interest.

I think I understand what you mean.
It's good to be reading around some books, but actively looking into the effects of science on the world in very important. Therefore, I will most definitely be looking into the news about the heart and other ethical issues.
In terms of my PS, I've decided to briefly talk about the fact that I have done some researching, rather that write out what I've found already. I figured that they will most likely pick up on this and ask about it in interviews. As they say, PS's give them about of flava on what to expect and interviews are supposed to be like the real thing of showing your personality and speaking about what you've been looking in to.

Initially I wrote about a number of things, but I've been told it's best to present your interest focused on one thing and I've chosen cardiology. Should I hint I have also been interested in neurology or just keep it simple by creating cardiology as my focus??

Reply 87

fadytousa

Hi guys, I got 673 in the UKCAT and I have 95% as predicted grade for the Italian Diploma di Esame di Stato, do you think I have possibilities to be offered an interview?

Reply 88

skotch

So what is it that makes Cardiff stand out from other medicine courses? Why should I choose Cardiff?

Reply 89

Sebsally

Does anyone know how they count up the Dual Award GCSEs? I have A*s in Core and Additional Science but also an A in GCSE biology which I did an extra module for in my own time as my school didn't offer separate sciences? I would rather they ignore my A in Biology and count the Dual award but does it count as one or two GCSEs.

Reply 90

t()m

Original post by Sebsally

They would prob count both. As they want your sciences maths and English grades so and then any others to take you to 9, don't take this as fact i maybe wrong

Reply 91

TheMan17

Could any medical students at Cardiff answer a few questions about the course/ new c21 at Cardiff?
How is it different from other courses
What are the pros/cons about it
What is involved in the new c21 eg more lectures, group work etc
Thank you :smile:

Reply 92

DaivaPuthri

Original post by Elwyn

Yes your non-academic qualities will be assessed by the PS. I'm not really sure how it's weighted. All I can tell you is that your academic score is combined with a non-academic score to give you a total score. Applicants are ranked using this score and those with a score of X or above are invited to interview.

:lolwut:

I really must echo that excellent answer Angury gave you! There's no reason to be nervous. Everything she said is true and you're going to feel very welcome in Cardiff and make lots of friends very quickly.
I'm more than happy to answer questions if she's not available.

I had a reply from one of the admin team and they've told me the amount of extra points awarded for known A2 grades varies. This is the example she gave me:

"If an applicant does not think they will meet the minimum threshold we would advise them to apply once they have
obtained their A2 Levels and have those grades in hand as this will increase their score. A2s are not scored in the
same way as the GCSEs, they are scored on a sliding scale. As an example if you score 20 points with your
GCSEs and you have the required 3 A Grades at A2 this will increase your score to 24.7 points, which is rounded up to 25 points."

Hope that helps.

Hello, thank you very much for all the help that you have offered so far! I have started Medical School at Cardiff and, if you don't mind, please can you clear up some of my doubts:

1) Everyone seems to be too keen to buy the books which are mentioned in the reading list and loads of people are taking out the books from the library. What is your opinion? Should I go out and get the books from the library or should I think of purchasing them? Which would be a better option? Should I wait for the course to progress a bit before deciding which book to buy? We have a recommended reading list; should we stick to the books mentioned on the list or see what suits us the best?

2) Our lecturers are always saying that we should do prep work before coming in to the lectures. Does prep work mean reading through the e-learning stuff on Learning Central? Is there any other prep work?

3) How can one be a good medical student? What are your tips? How many hours do I have to spend everyday after coming back to the residences?

4) We got told that we are going to have a 'diagnostic numeracy test' on Monday. But I don't really have a clue what this is all about. I am a bit scared to be honest with you because A level Maths was a killer and I am not particularly quick with numbers. I had a look at the assessment sheet and this comes under the Formative Assessment list. Would there be ranking for this test and, if you don't mind me asking, is there ranking after each and every single test?

Reply 93

Angury

Original post by DaivaPuthri

I wouldn't recommend buying books at this time. They tend to be very expensive, and some of them are only needed for a couple of lectures. I would recommend buying an anatomy book, but I have no idea how you guys will be studying anatomy. So for now, I reckon you should just wait and see what your lectures are like. Most books can be borrowed from the library, and once you begin anatomy, you will be able to see which anatomy book is best for you.
I think I looked at the recommended reading list once. Lecturers will advise you on what books you can read, and if you're stuck just nip to the library and quickly look over whichever topic you're stuck on. The only book I bought in first year was an anatomy book. A lot of books are also available online, so don't waste your money.

I tried to read through lectures the day before to try and get a general idea of the topic. But after the first few weeks, I found this to be pretty hard to continue. If there's a panel that you find very hard to follow, it may be worth reading it up outside lectures to try and get a good grasp on it. But other that than, I don't think I did much work pre-lectures. Maybe that's a bad thing, but once coursework and anatomy starts, I don't think you have that much time.
However, the one thing I would recommend you prepare for is anatomy. Again, I have no idea how your teaching will go, but the lecturers used to ask us questions individually, and I used to get very lost if I hadn't done the relevant reading beforehand.

I'm not really sure how to answer your third question.. what is a good medical student? I think I'll leave it to Elwyn to answer that. Generally though, don't spend your first year in books. When you get home, make sure you understand the lectures you had that day - the learning outcomes are useful for this. If there is any gap in your knowledge, now is the time to fill it in. Just make sure you are up to date with everything, including coursework. Don't leave coursework to the last minute, because you are going to have a very stressful time otherwise. Please don't burn yourself out - doing a little bit everyday should be enough.
Just try to enjoy first year - it's a new experience being so independent, and you should make the best of it. And I don't mean getting drunk every night.. do whatever you enjoy. Have you joined any societies?

Finally, if this numeracy test is similar to ours last year, then don't worry about it. I only did Maths to AS, then dropped it 'cos I hated it so much, and I did pretty well in the test. The questions are very very easy - a lot of people in my year were very stressed out about it, then realised afterwards how simple it had been. You don't even need A Level maths for the test, quite a few people in my year only did Maths up to GCSE. Since it's a formative, your mark won't count towards your overall score at the end of the year. It just helps the lecturers pick out the people who may struggle. One of my friends didn't do too well on the test, and she was offered some extra help, that's all.
They don't rank you in first year, or at least my year wasn't ranked. For coursework and tests, they will normally tell you the highest and lowest mark of the year, as well as the average so you can see where you fit in compared with your peers.

Try to enjoy your year - don't go overboard with the studying. Little and often, and you'll pass. :smile:

P.S. Who are your medic parents?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 94

Elwyn

Original post by TheMan17

Hi there.

The new C21 course involves a relatively new way of learning which is termed 'case-based learning'.
I haven't actually experienced it myself as it was only introduced for the freshers who started last week, but from what I've been told it is not the same as PBL. It involves a case being presented at the start of the week and the timetable for the next week/fortnight being related to that case.
So, for example. I believe case 1 is a sporting injury, so you may have lectures about acute inflammation and healing. You could dissect the knee (if thats what injury was) in the dissection room and could be on placement at a physiotherapy unit.
I think the first case starts in january, so I don't think the freshers who started last week will be able to shed too much more light on it but if I see one I will ask if they could tell me some more about it.

Original post by DaivaPuthri

I agree with everything Angury said.

You really don't need to buy books. I think I'm the only person I know who bought more than one or two books in first year as it suited me better than going to the library. But I have friends who are now in their third year and still haven't bought a book aside from an anatomy one. If you want to buy them then you can, but you certainly don't need to.

That numeracy test is nothing to worry about at all. From what I remember it involves basic addition, multiplication, etc. It's purpose is just to identify anyone who may have a problem with numeracy so they can be offered extra support from the maths support service.

Reply 95

Becky.96

I only got 5 A*'s, 4 A's and one B at GCSE (unbelievably the highest in my school :confused:

) would their be any point me applying or would I get rejected straight away?

Reply 96

Chapper

Original post by Becky.96

I only got 5 A*'s, 4 A's and one B at GCSE (unbelievably the highest in my school :confused:

) would their be any point me applying or would I get rejected straight away?

I think your GCSEs will be too weak.

Reply 97

angel2

Original post by TheMan17

Hey, I'm a medic fresher at cardiff this year and the main things you need to know about C21 are:
* It will be assessed in a linear format rather than a modular one
* You will start learning clinical skills earlier than in the past course (ie/ taking blood was previously introduced in 3rd yr but we'll be doing it from year 1 etc)
* Same content delivered in the form of cases ( to my best knowledge we have 5 of these) - this is not PBL as there still lectures based on the cases (helping you learn the way you will practice as a doctor).
* More emphasis on group work than before but lectures still stay!
* Earlier finals and a harmonisation period (helps transition to FY1)
* Cons - I haven't been through the course so I don't actually know
* It's just a change in the way the content is taught based on previous students and their feedback so that the course is more hands on and gets you involved right from the word go!
*Cadaver dissections still included btw
Come to Cardiff I've only been here a week and I love it!
Source: Induction lectures :-)

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 98

SamEastie

I'll be applying here again.. was rejected from the post interview waiting list last time.. does anyone know of any reason why I couldn't/shouldn't apply again?
:smile:

Reply 99

Angury

Original post by angel2

Hey, I'm a medic fresher at cardiff this year and the main things you need to know about C21 are:

How're you finding it so far? I've been trying to find some cardiff medic freshers to stalk this year to learn about the new course, but most of them no longer use this forum regularly. Feel free to PM me with all the gossip. :perv: