Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

advice

Hello there, I'm new here and was wandering if you could offer me some advice on two things. I'm currently in year 12 and hoping to go to med school :smile:

. Firstly what sort of volunteer work have people done, and did it help you alot? I'm involved with peer mentoring at my 6th form which is a scheme to help younger people in the school which subjects in which they are struggling. I was wandering what other sort of volunteer work i could do and how to arrange it.

Secondly, how did you decide whether to apply for oxbridge? I was not even considering it before. howver my head of 6th form and chemistry teacher told me to consider applying. im predicted 5A's in chemistry biology physcis maths and further maths and have an A at AS economics. Obviously itd be a great oppertunity, but i wouldnt want to waste one of 4 med schools you can apply to.

thank you for any advice :smile:

Reply 1

*tink*

dave.s

how did you decide whether to apply for oxbridge?

Look at the courses/style of teaching and the fact that are collgiate. Both make for quite a different experience to other unis. whether this is good or bad depends on you

Reply 2

overmyhead

I'd recommend doing some work experience in a hospital setting, I observed some operations and shadowed a doctor. I also went on some charity medical missions to foreign countries. Hospitals have lots of other projects you can work on, like hospital schools for kids who have to stay long term. Medlink and Medsim are good, and my interviewers really liked that I spent some time in a research lab. Work experience was fun.. I'm not going to say it 'confirmed' my wish to become a doctor or some other cliche, because I already knew, but it's good to write on your personal statement. :biggrin:

Arranging is quite hard, if you don't have any contacts. I have lots of doctors in my family, so I got positions through them. Maybe call up hospital human resources departments? No idea.. sorry.
As for Oxbridge... consider your GCSEs. As lots of schools leave AS grades as pending, and A level predictions are obviously somewhat biased, they like to look at your past performance. Also, the Oxbridge courses are very academic. Limited patient contact, but you get a really good scientific basis for practising medicine. If that seems to suit you.... (Long answer.... )

Reply 3

dave.s

Thanks for your replies, as for the oxbridge question, i didnt do to badley in my GCSE's got 5A*s (chemistry, biology, physics, maths, geography) 1A in german, and 4Bs in english lang/lit economics and art. although they wernt too bad i understand alot of people looking at oxbridge probably did better.Luckily my 6th form said they should be able to arrange me some work experience, its just finding some volunteering work. I am going to be taking part in a community project in Borneo to do with deforestation on a trip i managed to get a place on at school :smile:

but wasnt sure if it is very relevant.

Reply 4

overmyhead

Hmm... Oxford students have average 6A*s I heard, and they have a system where if you get a high percentage of A*s in your GCSEs, you can be considered for interview even if you don't do so well in the BMAT.

Reply 5

*tink*

if you apply, you're probably better off with cambridge with those GCSEs. You would have to ACE the BMAT to get an interview at Oxford. (if you look at their website they have a thing where it tells you approximately how well you would need to do in the BMAT to get an interview based on your GCSEs)

Reply 6

overmyhead

Cambridge require you to declare your AS module marks - so unless you're certain that you're going to get really close to full marks....

Reply 7

Vesicle

Regarding considering to apply to Oxbridge (well the advice goes for all your choices really), go there, meet the lectuers/students, find out what it'll be like to study there, exactly what it is on the course. Try doing some aspects of the course if possible. If you really love it, then definitely go for it even if you don't have absolutely amazing Edit: UMS marks/ Bmat.

It was only yesterday whilst I was at an interview at another university that I realised what a right choice I'd made applying to Cam. As I prefered the course and style of teaching above all else. even taking into consideration the lack of clinical experience.