Is a 6 year course worth it?
And by six year courses I mean medical degrees at places such as UCL that have an extra year due to intercalating a BSc, not foundation courses.
I've heard alot of things along the lines of "it doesn't matter where you study medicine at all" and the fees increase doesn't make the extra year sound too nice.
So, I wanted to ask if 6 year courses offer any advantages over the normal 5 year ones? And if there isn't, could this lead to a drop in applications to places like UCL in 2012?
I've heard alot of things along the lines of "it doesn't matter where you study medicine at all" and the fees increase doesn't make the extra year sound too nice.
So, I wanted to ask if 6 year courses offer any advantages over the normal 5 year ones? And if there isn't, could this lead to a drop in applications to places like UCL in 2012?
6 year courses are basically the same as 5 year courses but intercalating is mandatory: 100% of people take the intercalated BSc. Basically, you get an extra few points out of 100 when applying for foundation year posts. The intercalated degree from the 6 year course is no better than that done during a 5 year course (thus turning the 5 year course into a 6 year course), it is purely down to the fact that for most 5-year courses it is not mandatory to do an intercalated degree if you don't want to.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
what is intercalate?
Original post by KingofSpades
what is intercalate?
In the context of medical degrees, you take a year out to do another BSc degree (eg biochemistry, genetics, etc.) and then join your medical degree again after you complete your intercalated degree. You then graduate after 6 years with your basic medical degree plus a BSc.
Original post by Beska
6 year courses are basically the same as 5 year courses but intercalating is mandatory: 100% of people take the intercalated BSc. Basically, you get an extra few points out of 100 when applying for foundation year posts. The intercalated degree from the 6 year course is no better than that done during a 5 year course (thus turning the 5 year course into a 6 year course), it is purely down to the fact that for most 5-year courses it is not mandatory to do an intercalated degree if you don't want to.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
Thats not true.
The intercalated degree done within a 5 year course is nearly always a BMedSci, which in that context is worth less MTAS points than an Bsc or equivalent which takes an extra year. It is alwso argued that they don't go into anywhere near as much depth, which makes sense logically.
Original post by Sarky
Thats not true.
The intercalated degree done within a 5 year course is nearly always a BMedSci, which in that context is worth less MTAS points than an Bsc or equivalent which takes an extra year. It is alwso argued that they don't go into anywhere near as much depth, which makes sense logically.
The intercalated degree done within a 5 year course is nearly always a BMedSci, which in that context is worth less MTAS points than an Bsc or equivalent which takes an extra year. It is alwso argued that they don't go into anywhere near as much depth, which makes sense logically.
I thought any BMedSci (besides Nottingham's) is worth the same MTAS points as a standard BSc?
How is one year spent in a 6 year course any more in depth than a year spent in addition to a 5 year course?
e: Oh, nevermind. I phrased it wrong! I meant an intercalated degree done in addition to the 5 year course, not within a 5 year course.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Beska
I thought any BMedSci (besides Nottingham's) is worth the same MTAS points as a standard BSc?
How is one year spent in a 6 year course any more in depth than a year spent in addition to a 5 year course?
e: Oh, nevermind. I phrased it wrong! I meant an intercalated degree done in addition to the 5 year course, not within a 5 year course.
How is one year spent in a 6 year course any more in depth than a year spent in addition to a 5 year course?
e: Oh, nevermind. I phrased it wrong! I meant an intercalated degree done in addition to the 5 year course, not within a 5 year course.
Southampton now offer the same BMedsci as Nottingham. If you had been applying this year as I did, the BMedsci was definitely worth less to take into account that it is less work then taking an academic year out to do an intercalated degree.
Original post by Sarky
Southampton now offer the same BMedsci as Nottingham. If you had been applying this year as I did, the BMedsci was definitely worth less to take into account that it is less work then taking an academic year out to do an intercalated degree.
I agree. I wasn't talking about getting a BMedSci within a 5 year course, I was talking about intercalating within a 5 year course. The BSc you get for intercalating during a 5 year course is worth equal to that of which you get from the 6 year couse.
Original post by Beska
6 year courses are basically the same as 5 year courses but intercalating is mandatory: 100% of people take the intercalated BSc. Basically, you get an extra few points out of 100 when applying for foundation year posts. The intercalated degree from the 6 year course is no better than that done during a 5 year course (thus turning the 5 year course into a 6 year course), it is purely down to the fact that for most 5-year courses it is not mandatory to do an intercalated degree if you don't want to.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
The only positive I can think of is that for most 5-year courses, you generally need to be in the top x% of the year to intercalate. If you're not you miss out on the chance, while everybody on the 6-year course does intercalate.
Thanks for the reply.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
Original post by Silly Goose
Thanks for the reply.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
Yup, you definitely get the extra debt. Somebody that knows more about MTAS needs to answer that for you.
Original post by Silly Goose
Thanks for the reply.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
34, 36, 38 & 40 points for finishing in the 4th, 3rd, 2nd & 1st quartiles respectively within your year at med school. Another potential 8 points for further academic shizzle (which the intercalated BSc falls under). Another 52 points for the rest of the application (in which you are asked a set of questions).
r.e. Intercalation,
Pros: - Extra, guaranteed points on MTAS in what is a competitive application process.
- Chance to study some interesting shizzle that one would otherwise not have had the opportunity to study in depth, if at all.
- Extra year as a student (?!)
Cons: - Extra year's worth of debt. And if you need to be earning soon as poss. then it's out of the question really. But it's important to note that there are other ways of bagging MTAS points too (publications, for example).
- Mate's now in year above (r.e. non-compulsory intercalation).
You should note that MTAS in it's current form is liable to change by the time you're through med school.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Silly Goose
Thanks for the reply.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
I know it's probably subjective, but roughly how useful could these extra points be? The prospect of studying someting like Genetics for a year certainly sounds interesting, but it could still mean around £10,000+ of extra debt, which I find somewhat offputting.
The maximum number of points available for a degree is I think 5 out of 100, plus a couple of extra ones if you manage to get a publication/presentation out of your intercalated year. Theoretically it can easily be made up for if you are good at creative writing, but to use my own example, the extra 4 points I had for my degree made a BIG difference in the job I got for F1. The application scores cluster very strongly around a small range of scores, so dropping down by 4 points makes a massive difference in your overall ranking, and therefore in your chances of getting a job you actually want/like.
delete please
(edited 11 years ago)
There's a thread here that talks about this topic.
Intercalating a BSc means that you get an additional BSc degree with only one year of additional study.
You get up to 4 points on your application for your foundation post (out of a possible 100) and it could be useful when applying for a higher training.
Intercalating a BSc means that you get an additional BSc degree with only one year of additional study.
You get up to 4 points on your application for your foundation post (out of a possible 100) and it could be useful when applying for a higher training.
Original post by Sarky
Southampton now offer the same BMedsci as Nottingham. If you had been applying this year as I did, the BMedsci was definitely worth less to take into account that it is less work then taking an academic year out to do an intercalated degree.
In your opinion, if you could have intercalated to do the MMedSci would you have? Obviously I've still got a couple of years to decide but I'm interested in hearing what you think of it.
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