Cambridge Medicine Students and Applicants

Hi It wouldn't have been possible for me to get 8-10*s as my school only allowed for the students to do 7 subjects. I'm not quite sure what a UMS is as I do not take A levels so I'm not sure if that applies to me? And I'm predicted a 44 out of 45, I hope this masks up the B (I'm so scared.)

Offers for IB candidates tend to be pretty tough but sometimes with more wriggle room if you dont quite get there.

the BMAT will be more important for you than for people doing A levels.As you are doing will in maths now there is no reason to think you'll do badly in the BMAT but make sure you get the questions book and practise. You are an academically able candidate - the B in drama doesn't matter and you seem to be doing better at A level than GCSE, Cambridge likes that.

The course is different - 6 years for a start - and with very ittle patient contact to start, although they are making changes that may improve on that. Terms are short and intense in the first few years. It's a course for people who pick things up quickly and can cope with pressure. You do need to consider why Cambridge, you'll be a doctor wherever you go.

Offers for IB candidates tend to be pretty tough but sometimes with more wriggle room if you dont quite get there.

there is variation between colleges and it's worth studying the wiki carefully http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Standard_IB_offers_for_Cambridge
and checking offer levels with colleges.

Colleges have tended to ask 776, so equivalent to A*A*A when an A level offer was A*AA. However medicine offers will now be A*A*A so they may be asking 777 from IB students.

Grade predictions are often over-estimated, whether A level or IB so the real question for the OP may not be can I get an offer (possible if a UK student, less likely if international as there are very few medicine places for interntionals) but can I make the offer if I get it and would I be better applying to somewhere with a slightly lower requirement.

Our admissions tutor said that they tend to be a bit wary of those doing IB, as a large proportion do not make their offer (around 40% iirc), for general admissions, not medicine specific. Another thing mentioned though was that if a school had been an IB school for a while and the university knew the school regularly gets grade predictions right, then they are much more confident with such applicants achieving the desired qualifications. It's schools with less experience who have trouble with getting predictions consistently right, which of course is harder with IB due to the way in which exams are after 2 years and IB students have no proof of achievement between GCSE and applying.

I attend one of the United World Colleges, they were the first set of schools in the world to use the IB program so I assume they're pretty solid in their predictions! Would the B in maths hinder me greatly?

As you are wanting to study medicine, and maths is a science subject, it could possibly hinder you slightly, because there will be (literally) hundreds applying with solid A/A* grades in all subjects, and especially science ones.

Obviously, if you get top IB grades, do well in the BMAT and your interviews go well, it will likely be only a minor thing, especially as that is at GCSE and not a higher level, to the point it would have very little importance. However, medicine anywhere, let alone Cambridge, is highly competitive, though should everything else be really strong, I doubt it will be too much of an issue.

Don't take my word for it - I'm not an admissions tutor, and I study MML. Look out for the admissions tutor thread though when it starts back up, I think it was Christ's admissions tutor on there, and ask. Definitely apply - everything else is pretty solid grades-wise, and you won't get in if you don't apply. I almost didn't, was shocked to get an interview and here I am! You honestly never know.

Ah, so the notion that 'IB students are viewed as more able candidates' is not correct?

Thank you so much for all the help! I felt as though due to this one bad grade, my entire future was ruined. I lost family members and went through a couple of really 'dark' months but at the end of the day it was just down to me not working hard enough and thinking about things that shouldn't have mattered. I hope I can really turn this around for myself and get good IB and BMAT scores along with a good interview (but holy crap im so nervous)

Ive got two questions regarding Medicine at Cambridge.
1. The degree is Mb whereas at othe unis its MbCHB,whats the difference and am I at a disadvantage by only doing MB
2. The Cambridge course is six years why is that and how does it help

Thanks

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1. It is MB BChir at Cambridge. Same thing as an MB Ch. Medical school degrees can have slightly different letters, but they all mean the same thing.

2. Cambridge has compulsory intercalation. Medical degrees with an intercalated degree are six years. You graduate with a BA degree after year three, and you graduate with an MB BChir after year six.

1. It is MB BChir at Cambridge. Same thing as an MB ChB. Medical school degrees can have slightly different letters, but they all mean the same thing.

2. Cambridge has compulsory intercalation. Medical degrees with an intercalated degree are six years. You graduate with a BA degree after year three, and you graduate with an MB BChir after year six.

Hi

This may seem a little silly, but the fact that we graduate with a BA instead of a BSc doesn't negatively impact on application later on does it? Does it still get the same amount of points when you finish med school (for when you apply for F1 positions or something? I'm not too sure what that's called)

In Some degrees you have a scoring system e.g a first or a 2:1. Is that the same for medicine at cambridge and other universities