University of Warwick medicine 2024 Entry

Hi All,

I'm wondering whether my work exp meets their requirements. I've worked as a care-coordinator at a GP practice for the past year throughout the final year of my Biomed degree. This is basically admin, referrals, reception etc. I've also got 20 hours of shadowing various clinicians such as GPs, ANPs, HCAs, clinical pharmacist etc here. I've worked in a pharmacy on the tills dealing with patients and prescriptions and stocking etc. Only issue is the hand-on requirement.

Do you think I have enough to meet their requirements?

They first look at people's VR scores, anyone with less than the average is rejected and then they score applicants based on their UCAT scores (total), the first 450 get an interview invite, the rest are rejected. All the info is on their website.

Hi,

I've also done GP shadowing (approx. 20 hrs) and have worked in an independent pharmacy for 12 months (mainly giving advice to patients and dispensary duties)...not sure if this is sufficient in terms of 'hands-on care'?? What would you say as you've also mentioned having worked in a pharmacy.

Hi hope you’re well!

Honestly I don’t think working at a pharmacy would allow us to tick the expected outcome for hands on care. They’re looking for roles such as HCA, care home worker etc where you are directly involved in patient care.

I’m not confident at all that they’ll accept it but we’ll have to see. Praying so hard right now 🙏 🙏 🙏

Hi,

Yh I agree...I've met all the other outcomes but it's the hands-on bit that's the problem. I can get some more experience in a hospital with hands-on care before the MMI but probably not before the deadline in just over a week! I'm worried it's sort of 'lying' by ticking hands-on care for the pharmacy experience but then also worried they'll reject me if I don't tick it at some point in my work experiences. Not sure what to do!!

Hi. Yes it’s very difficult to get around this. Also from what I’ve read on the website, they only accept work experience from between Oct 15 2020-Oct 15 2023 so if you get any experience now they won’t accept it unfortunately.

I’d say if you have had some experience with dispensing and advising patients just tick it and try to explain it better at MMI.

Oh I didn't even see that! 🙈 will have to do my best at interview then!
Anyway thanks so much for your advice and best of luck with the rest of your application!

where does it say only the first 450 are interviewed?

They basically look at your UCAT and academics, a first class degree/masters/PHD compensates for a lower UCAT (within the cutoff), and a higher UCAT compensates for a 2:1. This is what I was told at the open day.

Hi all
Has anyone else not received the work experience questionnaire? I have just checked the website and seen that submissions need to be completed by today. - but I haven’t received the questionnaire link

Oh, interesting - thanks for this info. So my BSc First Class Honours should max out whatever the potential of my UCAT score is.

They kind of imply they will filter some people based on that. Then, "Work experience will be quantified and assessed via your online submission."

I am not sure about how they go about this? I thought it was only a matter of meeting the outcomes and having 70h or above. Does that mean more is better?

Oh, interesting - thanks for this info. So my BSc First Class Honours should max out whatever the potential of my UCAT score is.

They kind of imply they will filter some people based on that. Then, "Work experience will be quantified and assessed via your online submission."

I am not sure about how they go about this? I thought it was only a matter of meeting the outcomes and having 70h or above. Does that mean more is better?

More isn't necessarily better, although it increases your chances of hitting the entry requirements, which is a tough barrier to pass. I'm pretty sure they just filter by UCAT and the rest is just boxes that must be ticked in order to be offered an interview, ie at least a 2.1 degree or higher (or hold a PhD / masters if you have a 2.2) and meeting the entry requirements for work experience, and an above average VR score. Therefore more than the minimum isn't better for getting to the interview stage. You either meet the requirement or you don't.

Having good quality work experience is perhaps more important than quantity when it comes to the interview stage, but if you only have the minimum hours required as work experience it can make it more challenging to reflect on and discuss. Plenty of people do get through with the minimum requirement of work experience, so if you get to the interview stage just make sure you read all the information they send you so you know what they are looking for.

Totally agree about the work experience, it's about quality and not quantity (as long as you have 70 hours).

However, they do rank people for interview based on their academic achievements and UCAT and you get points based on your achievements (you can find all the info in their admissions page), so a 1st class will rank you higher than a 2:1 and if you have masters/PHD you'll be ranked even higher. E.g. If you've got a really high ucat that will make up for a 2:1, if you've got a 1st class degree you might be okay with a 650 average UCAT.

Hope this helps!

Thanks very useful! And it maken sense for them to rank on ucat and academics - a lot mor objective.

In terms of UCAT, I think lowest and average purely depend on the applicant pool, as long as everyone meets average VR.

Wonder how much a first clas in contrast to second class helps in terms of ucat - e.g. 2nd class and say 2850 is equivalent in terms of points to first class with what ucat? 100-200 points?

Totally agree about the work experience, it's about quality and not quantity (as long as you have 70 hours).

However, they do rank people for interview based on their academic achievements and UCAT and you get points based on your achievements (you can find all the info in their admissions page), so a 1st class will rank you higher than a 2:1 and if you have masters/PHD you'll be ranked even higher. E.g. If you've got a really high ucat that will make up for a 2:1, if you've got a 1st class degree you might be okay with a 650 average UCAT.

Hope this helps!

Thanks very useful! And it maken sense for them to rank on ucat and academics - a lot mor objective.

In terms of UCAT, I think lowest and average purely depend on the applicant pool, as long as everyone meets average VR.

Wonder how much a first clas in contrast to second class helps in terms of ucat - e.g. 2nd class and say 2850 is equivalent in terms of points to first class with what ucat? 100-200 points?