Not applying, but currently a 2nd year medical student at Keele so I'm happy to help you guys out!
Awesome, how have you been finding it? Are there many Graduates on the Course? (I'm applying in the final year of a degree in Neuroscience with Pharmacology) Also do you have any idea what they are looking for on the roles and responsibilities form?
Should be fine (see below), pretty sure they also reject anyone in the bottom 20% UKCAT but that was way way lower than what you have so should be fine.
"Honours Degrees: For application to course A100, graduates must have an upper second-class (2i) honours degree or better in a discipline that includes a substantial molecular bioscience and/or chemistry content. Graduates will usually be required to submit a degree transcript, including modules taken and grades awarded, to the Admissions Office. Postgraduate qualifications (masters' degrees, doctorates) will not be taken into consideration in lieu of a 2i. Graduates must have GCSE English Language and Maths at grade B or higher, together with GCSE grade B or higher in any science that has not been passed at a good standard at a higher level (e.g. AS/A-level grade B or undergraduate level with a minimum module mark of 60%). Allowances may be made for graduates whose A-level grades do not meet the usual criteria. We reserve the right to request details from applicants about the content of their degree course if we have concerns about the A-level grades obtained in specific sciences (e.g. Chemistry at a grade below B). A student who has achieved a poor grade in A-level chemistry and subsequently taken a degree in a biological science subject with little chemistry content (or achieved grades below the 2i level in chemistry modules) is unlikely to be judged to be eligible.Graduates with a 1st/2i honours degree in a discipline without a substantial molecular bioscience and/or chemistry content may also be considered on the basis of their science A-levels and would need to meet the standard A-level criteria. Graduates must have GCSE English Language and Maths at grade B or better, together with GCSE grade B or better in any science that has not been passed at a good standard at a higher level (e.g. AS/A-level grade B or undergraduate level with a minimum module mark of 60%)."
Should be fine (see below), pretty sure they also reject anyone in the bottom 20% UKCAT but that was way way lower than what you have so should be fine.
"Honours Degrees: For application to course A100, graduates must have an upper second-class (2i) honours degree or better in a discipline that includes a substantial molecular bioscience and/or chemistry content. Graduates will usually be required to submit a degree transcript, including modules taken and grades awarded, to the Admissions Office. Postgraduate qualifications (masters' degrees, doctorates) will not be taken into consideration in lieu of a 2i. Graduates must have GCSE English Language and Maths at grade B or higher, together with GCSE grade B or higher in any science that has not been passed at a good standard at a higher level (e.g. AS/A-level grade B or undergraduate level with a minimum module mark of 60%). Allowances may be made for graduates whose A-level grades do not meet the usual criteria. We reserve the right to request details from applicants about the content of their degree course if we have concerns about the A-level grades obtained in specific sciences (e.g. Chemistry at a grade below B). A student who has achieved a poor grade in A-level chemistry and subsequently taken a degree in a biological science subject with little chemistry content (or achieved grades below the 2i level in chemistry modules) is unlikely to be judged to be eligible.Graduates with a 1st/2i honours degree in a discipline without a substantial molecular bioscience and/or chemistry content may also be considered on the basis of their science A-levels and would need to meet the standard A-level criteria. Graduates must have GCSE English Language and Maths at grade B or better, together with GCSE grade B or better in any science that has not been passed at a good standard at a higher level (e.g. AS/A-level grade B or undergraduate level with a minimum module mark of 60%)."
Hopefully I should be ok for interview then with my work experience!
Awesome, how have you been finding it? Are there many Graduates on the Course? (I'm applying in the final year of a degree in Neuroscience with Pharmacology) Also do you have any idea what they are looking for on the roles and responsibilities form?
Okay thanks!! First year was hard for me, but I think it was just a settling in phase, as after Christmas things really picked up for me The course is reeeeeally intense, but if it's what you want to do then you'll enjoy it
The roles and responsibilities form is something that I have been asked about several times now, and was not something that was required when I applied. However, I can help you as best I can
I think they are just looking to see that you are a team member and also have some experience in group work and potentially leadership, too. For this aspect in my personal statement I used the cadets as my example, as we had to work together as a team, but as I went up the rankings I had to take on a more leading role. I'd say use any examples you have and be able to relate them to medicine, making sure you state how the skills you gained (e.g. teamwork and communication) will benefit you as a doctor
Guys I need advice on my Personal Statement. I have one from last year that I will chop up and change but I don't know whether some of my work experience is still valid and if it should be included!?
Before my A levels and first application (I left school in 2011 so applied for 2011 entry) I did a week at GP practice, 1 week at one hospital in many specialties and another week on a female general surgical ward in another hospital. During my A level years I also volunteered for 18 months at a care home for elderly people. Even though this was a while ago, should it be included?
In my first summer of uni I did a week in paediatrics in a London hospital. Since graduating last summer (2014) I worked full time as a health care assistant at a GP practice for 10 months. Should I just focus on this? Or try and include everything, even the old stuff?
Sorry for the long winded post and hope you can help!
Guys I need advice on my Personal Statement. I have one from last year that I will chop up and change but I don't know whether some of my work experience is still valid and if it should be included!?
Before my A levels and first application (I left school in 2011 so applied for 2011 entry) I did a week at GP practice, 1 week at one hospital in many specialties and another week on a female general surgical ward in another hospital. During my A level years I also volunteered for 18 months at a care home for elderly people. Even though this was a while ago, should it be included?
In my first summer of uni I did a week in paediatrics in a London hospital. Since graduating last summer (2014) I worked full time as a health care assistant at a GP practice for 10 months. Should I just focus on this? Or try and include everything, even the old stuff?
Sorry for the long winded post and hope you can help!
I would focus on the more recent stuff because 1. It's more recent, and 2. It's good material! You can always refer back to the other examples if you have the space or need more examples, but remember that they are looking for quality, not quantity. Just listing what you have done won't get you far. What they want to see is what you took away from these experiences and what you have learnt. They are looking for you to reflect on these experiences and show how they will make you a good doctor. Poor example - "Being a HCA really helped improve my communication skills due to talking to a lot of patients on a daily basis, and this is an important quality that a doctor should have". Hope this helps...
I would focus on the more recent stuff because 1. It's more recent, and 2. It's good material! You can always refer back to the other examples if you have the space or need more examples, but remember that they are looking for quality, not quantity. Just listing what you have done won't get you far. What they want to see is what you took away from these experiences and what you have learnt. They are looking for you to reflect on these experiences and show how they will make you a good doctor. Poor example - "Being a HCA really helped improve my communication skills due to talking to a lot of patients on a daily basis, and this is an important quality that a doctor should have". Hope this helps...
Thanks so much. I agree with you it is all about reflection, this is my third cycle. I just didn't know if the HCA stuff on its own would be enough. I might include the others in a small paragraph in my motivation section, but focus on the last year. Thank!
do you think it is worth applying to keele with a UKCAT score of 605? It is quite low, but i am not sure if it will be in the lowest 20%.
You could wait until October 9th when the average is released and the deciles are released, then you can send your application off.. It doesn't affect you if you send it in on the deadline. They have to look at anyone before any decisions are made.
No problem! It's the roles and responsibilities form that Keele send out to you after your application to fill in and email back to them shortly after. They use it heavily as opposed to your personal statement when selecting who to interview.
Does anyone know whether Keele will consider an applicant who has a degree in a life science subject with a considerable amount of chemistry but without chemistry studied to A level? Have emailed Keele a while ago but had no response!