Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Trying to get into a russell group uni to do medicine with no support WHATSOEVER

Currently, I take 4 subjects at AS level; Biology, Maths, Chemistry and Psychology.
And I am predicted all B's even though I am achieving all A's in my tests for these subjects.
The fact that I am predicted all B's leaves me in a sticky situation as my sixth form has decided to give people who are predicted all A's extra help with their UCAS application and easy reach to work experience, especially for those who want to apply to do medicine or dentistry to help them get into Russell Group universities.
However, this means I have to work extra hard to beat these other people in my school to try and get to Cambridge to do medicine or King's to do Dentistry and I don't know where to start.

I've pleaded and tried to negotiate with my teachers and head of year to help me but to no avail. They haven't got the faith in me to excel, which gives me the drive to prove them completely wrong, even though I know that they'll take credit for my achievements.

Currently, I'm trying to book work experience but I'm not sure it is even enough to get me a good leverage in my personal statement. so far I have a week worth of experience in a hospital, shadowing a midwife, volunteering on a maternity ward, becoming an over the phone befriender to people living in an old-persons home, volunteering to lead youths in the national citizens service, teaching year 1's to read, volunteering with St Johns Ambulance and volunteering at my local dentists. also i'm taking up so medicine taster courses and mandarin.

In addition to all this, I understand that I need to sit both the Bmat and UKCAT to gain entry to these universities, and I don't know when or where I can revise for both these exams ontop of a level revision, writing my personal statement and volunteering.

Is there anything else that you guys think I can do to better my chances?

Reply 1

amityville

Original post by ebxnyxo

As a parent of one of this year's applicants my personal opinion is that you have too much volunteering going on there to be able to focus on other things such as your studies and the UKCAT and BMAT exams. Do you have another hobby or is it vital you take mandarin to have another extra curricular? I am sure others can comment cogently on the work experience and volunteering but if it affects your grades etc its a bad move to do too much.

I think I would do the following things -

1) Get your parents/guardians to go and see the school and directly request the extra backing and if its denied contact your local MP.

2) Plan to do the UKCAT at the end of the summer holidays so that you have a few weeks in the holiday to revise for it and then a gap before your BMAT in early November.

3) Definitely acquire the ISC Medical book re med school interviews.

4) Plan your choices carefully ie if you have great GCSEs - 9 A* level for instance pick Cardiff as a choice etc. Theres tons of stuff on here re making wise choices and playing to your strengths. If your UKCAT results are strong apply to UKCAT high choices. If not focus on BMAT ones/Cardiff.

5) Definitely do a UKCAT revision course - my daughter really felt it boosted her scores (she got 732.5 band 1) Also get hold of practice papers and question books naturally.

6) Drop some of the voluntary stuff it reads like a list - focus on one or two things aside from the work experience and do them well and jot down what you learn as you go along.

7) Set aside loads of time to draft your personal statement and make it the very best you can ie do it in the school summer holiday and then refine it with help from the school etc.

Hope that helps.

Reply 2

Rubato

First off, do you want to do medicine or dentistry because that would help with getting relevant work experience. Also, you're doing alot f volunteering/ extracurricular and if you are aiming for Cambridge, you'll need around 95% UMS to be a strong applicant so you might be better off giving something up and focusing on your AS levels. I wouldn't bother with your PS/UKCAT/BMAT until the holidays and would instead focus on getting good AS grades for now.

Reply 3

ebxnyxo

Hi,
I think I'll take your advice on the extra curricular activities because now you mention it, it does seem excessive.
My mum has already spoken to the school about it but they won't change my predicted grades. But I will speak to my MP. My gcse grades weren't bad, I got 1A* 9A's and 1B so hopefully that will be enough to get me to a good university.
Thank you

Reply 4

ebxnyxo

My real passion I think is dentistry but Cambridge don't offer it on its own. You have to take medicine first then after the 3rd year you branch off to do dentistry but you can get 2 degrees at the end of it.

Reply 5

amityville

Original post by ebxnyxo

You are very welcome - one further comment sadly is that your Gcses which are great are not enough for Cardiff which would need a lot more A stars sadly.

Reply 6

ebxnyxo

I think Cardiff is a bit to far for me anyways 😄 but I'll keep my prospects up and look for other great unis

Reply 7

NHSFan

Original post by ebxnyxo

Where did you get this bizarre idea from?

Reply 8

username739587

Original post by ebxnyxo

Russell Group universities.
Is there anything else that you guys think I can do to better my chances?

Why Russel group? Medicine is medicine regardless of where you study. Plenty of good non-Russel group med schools out there. You get the same degree, and apply to the same jobs.

Reply 9

ebxnyxo

Original post by NHSFan

Where did you get this bizarre idea from?

well an ambassador from Cambridge University told me this when I asked if they offer dentistry. She said it was because the first 3 years of the medicine course is shared with biomedical course which is what universities teach dental students in the first few years so after acquiring a some sort of scientific degree (I can't quite remember the name) I can branch off to specialise in oral medicine which I can use to go into a career in dentistry.

Reply 10

ebxnyxo

Original post by stroppyninja

Why Russel group? Medicine is medicine regardless of where you study. Plenty of good non-Russel group med schools out there. You get the same degree, and apply to the same jobs.

I understand but its more for personal reasons. Being the oldest among most of my family who is next to go to university I want to set a good standard for them, especially when a lot of my older cousins were dropouts etc. I just want to achieve the best that I can really.

Reply 11

NHSFan

Original post by ebxnyxo

You were given incorrect information, I'm afraid! It is correct that the first 3 years at Cambridge is the pre-clinical course (you get a BA after this) and years 4-6 are clinical medicine. However, there is no possibility of transferring to do dentistry there.

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/medicine

Reply 12

ebxnyxo

Original post by NHSFan

Oh really?! Wow thank you. You see I asked the question about dentistry infront of my whole year and this is the reply she gave to me and others about doing dentistry at Cambridge. She must not have known what she was talking about...