Medical School Admissions 09 - Is becoming a Joke!

I don't believe natural cognitive ability exists, personally. We're not born with "natural cognitive ability". It's nurtured through our education.

If that were true then there would be no need for the UKCAT. You just "teach it" at Medical School.

True, but the UKCAT is used for admissions, not when you're at med school.

If that were true then there would be no need for the UKCAT. You just "teach it" at Medical School.

I think the UKCAT while clearly not perfect is not as bad as people say. Yes it is possible to get a very high UKCAT by chance but it is a small probability so not many people are going to do that.
As for PS I dont think they can use them as much as they would like however as people can pay other to do it (many website offer said service) and w/e wise will benifit those with contacts far too much (half my w/e was gained through the old boys network).
References are again a problem because schools can exaggerate the truth or not be bothered to write a good one

So while the UKCAT while not ideal is a necessary filter, they cannot interview everybody and so while it deselects some good canditates will mostly do its job well.

sorry about the rant

You have surpassed yourself there!

The UKCAT score increases with experience therefore it CAN be improved.

Yes, but he was meaning it as if it can be taught. So what's the point in looking for a higher level of cognitive thinking if you can just improve it?

Because you can't improve it until you're at med school; the UKCAT is used for admission to med school. So it could be said that the UKCAT indicates a level of cognition that theoretically could be improved at medical school.

As the saying goes, "You cant pollish a turd."

Have you read 'Cutting Remarks' by Sid Schwab?

I haven't, what's it about?

Because you can't improve it until you're at med school; the UKCAT is used for admission to med school. So it could be said that the UKCAT indicates a level of cognition that theoretically could be improved at medical school.

Where as i organised my own work experience the long way.

But i still got it with NO contacts.

And its not the Quantity or Quality of the Work Exp, its who its develops you as a person that they are looking for.

That dosn't follow. Because then people who did reasonably well on the BMAT but bombed on the UKCAT should then in theory:
a) not be in medical school
b) a complete ********.
Having said that, anecdote is not data.

It's a book about a general surgeon's life, from his training in San Francisco through to his retirement. It's brilliant. The reason I asked was because one of his professors uses the term 'you can't shine a turd'. I can thoroughly recommend you pick his book up, it's fantastic;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Remarks-Sidney-M-Schwab/dp/1583941479/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231788053&sr=8-1

He's also got an awesome blog over at www.surgeonsblog.blogspot.com