Medical A100 Degree (broken down?)

Hi, I'm not yet applying yet, but there has been a thing on my mind that i'm unsure about.

How do uni's grade you on your degree (i.e. 2.1), is it progressive grading throughout the 5/6 years, or on an exam at the end of the course? Or does this largely depend on which uni that you go to?

As I've heard for other subjects, they talk about getting 2.1 for an essay in the first semester, but does this count, even if a small proportion to your final grade. And I guess, is it down to interpretation, or do all UK medical uni's have the same test at the end of the year, or are the tests different for different unis?

Sorry I have so many questions. Many thanks though!

Reply 1

wabbajack123

fail
pass
merit

isn't it?

Reply 2

MedicalMayhem

OP

8

That's not what I meant :/ I mean do all the exams you do, make up your final degree grade? Or is it basically one exam at the end of the course?

Reply 3

wabbajack123

oh, no idea :smile:

misread your post sorry :P

Reply 4

Organ

13

You have to pass each year to progress, with finals at the end of the final year to graduate.

As for quartile grade in foundation year applications I'm not sure - quite an interesting point, is it just finals?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

Topaz_eyes

12

Medics don't get a grade at the end, unlike other courses (afaik - actual medics feel free to correct me!) with Oxbridge being the exception.

As long as you pass (pass marks can be high though!) you'll get your degree :smile:

Reply 6

MedicalMayhem

OP

8

Original post by Topaz_eyes

Medics don't get a grade at the end, unlike other courses (afaik - actual medics feel free to correct me!) with Oxbridge being the exception.

As long as you pass (pass marks can be high though!) you'll get your degree :smile:

Ahh that's interesting, so it's not like other 'normal' courses, with like 1st honours, 2.1 and 2.2..etc? But is it quite vague then to employers, as if two people got a 'merit' (or what the highest grade is), then how can you distinguish the better applicant, or I assume you get the overall percentage mark + grade as well?

Reply 7

Persephone9

13

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Ahh that's interesting, so it's not like other 'normal' courses, with like 1st honours, 2.1 and 2.2..etc? But is it quite vague then to employers, as if two people got a 'merit' (or what the highest grade is), then how can you distinguish the better applicant, or I assume you get the overall percentage mark + grade as well?

I was told you also submit your grades for each year/module when you apply for FY1 posts.

Reply 8

Beska

21

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Ahh that's interesting, so it's not like other 'normal' courses, with like 1st honours, 2.1 and 2.2..etc? But is it quite vague then to employers, as if two people got a 'merit' (or what the highest grade is), then how can you distinguish the better applicant, or I assume you get the overall percentage mark + grade as well?

Merit/distinction/etc are only used internally to give you a grade within the med school. It is the equivalent to somebody at one sixth form getting 70% on a classroom test and another one getting 80% - can't compare.

For employers, for foundation programmes they give you points (out of 40 iirc) for the quartile you fall within your year. The higher the quartile, the higher the points.

By the stage you get to specialist training applications/consultancy posts I don't think they would really care on your quartile because there's much more important things they look for. I am not 100% sure on that though.

Reply 9

Organ

13

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Ahh that's interesting, so it's not like other 'normal' courses, with like 1st honours, 2.1 and 2.2..etc? But is it quite vague then to employers, as if two people got a 'merit' (or what the highest grade is), then how can you distinguish the better applicant, or I assume you get the overall percentage mark + grade as well?

Well, there is only one 'employer' for junior doctors.

Reply 10

MedicalMayhem

OP

8

Thanks Beska, thats very useful, but couldn't rep you for your help as well! :frown:

Hmm also someone earlier mentioned that some uni's you get 2:1 type degrees, which were oxbridge, are there any other uni's that act under this, and can anyone confirm that this is true?

Reply 11

Beska

21

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Thanks Beska, thats very useful, but couldn't rep you for your help as well! :frown:

Hmm also someone earlier mentioned that some uni's you get 2:1 type degrees, which were oxbridge, are there any other uni's that act under this, and can anyone confirm that this is true?

I don't understand your question? The vast majority of universities/subject classify degrees - you graduate with a 1st, 2:1, 2:2 or a 3rd. Then there's an honours degree or an ordinary degree, etc. As far as I know, Oxbridge do not classify their degrees but a graduate usually takes the classification of the final exam (or semester? not sure how it works) as their degree classification, although it is unofficial.

Reply 12

winter_mute

9

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Thanks Beska, thats very useful, but couldn't rep you for your help as well! :frown:

Hmm also someone earlier mentioned that some uni's you get 2:1 type degrees, which were oxbridge, are there any other uni's that act under this, and can anyone confirm that this is true?

No, and I doubt that Oxbridge do either as that would make the UKFPO (the application system for junior doctors in the NHS even more complex than it is.

This was taken from wiki, and might be what you mean:

"At the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the preclinical course leads to an additional Bachelor of Arts (BA), degree (upgradable after three or four years to Master of Arts), after which most students used to go elsewhere (but usually to one of the London teaching hospitals) to complete clinical training. They could then take the degrees of their new university: they used to have the options of returning to their old university to take the clinical examinations, or taking one of the old non-university qualifying examinations."

Reply 13

Helenia

20

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Thanks Beska, thats very useful, but couldn't rep you for your help as well! :frown:

Hmm also someone earlier mentioned that some uni's you get 2:1 type degrees, which were oxbridge, are there any other uni's that act under this, and can anyone confirm that this is true?

At Oxbridge your intercalated BA degree is classified in the "traditional" way, and the same also applied to most other universities doing an intercalated bachelors degree but your medical degree is not. Different med schools have different systems for awarding merits and/or distinctions, but it's your quartiling that counts for foundation programme applications. And again, the different med schools rank their students in different ways; some use all their exams since first year, others only use clinical ones, or weight them more heavily etc... It's a very complicated system and there is not a set of answers that is applicable to all medical schools.

Reply 14

Renal

17

I read this thread and thought my brain might explode, simple question answerable in two sentences has turned into a thread with 13 confusing and contradictory answers. Why do we have so many tourists in the medical forum? Do they see a thread and get an overwhelming urge to post? Do they get itchy mouse fingers? Why? For the love of all that is holy, why?

Reply 15

bigmac62

3

I don't know what its like everywhere else but Edinburgh has end of year percentages (made up of exams(of which TSR is providing procrastination from revising atm)/reports/coursework/clinical assessment) all of which are added up towards the end of the degree, you don't get things like 2.1s but this goes to foundation year points etc and i've heard a rumour that a 90%+ average gives you honours...don't hold me to that though its only a rumour...

Reply 16

winter_mute

9

Original post by Renal

I read this thread and thought my brain might explode, simple question answerable in two sentences has turned into a thread with 13 confusing and contradictory answers. Why do we have so many tourists in the medical forum? Do they see a thread and get an overwhelming urge to post? Do they get itchy mouse fingers? Why? For the love of all that is holy, why?

I'd heard of your legendary grumpiness! :tongue:

Reply 17

Fission_Mailed

15

Original post by Renal

I read this thread and thought my brain might explode, simple question answerable in two sentences has turned into a thread with 13 confusing and contradictory answers. Why do we have so many tourists in the medical forum? Do they see a thread and get an overwhelming urge to post? Do they get itchy mouse fingers? Why? For the love of all that is holy, why?

Welcome to the internet. Are you new?

I'm not allowed to rep anyone in this sub-forum anymore. :angry:

Reply 18

winter_mute

9

Original post by Fission_Mailed

Welcome to the internet. Are you new?

I'm not allowed to rep anyone in this sub-forum anymore. :angry:

Neither am I, I don't really go on any of the other TSR forums so my rep pool is limited.

ps.

Reply 19

Fission_Mailed

15

Original post by winter_mute

Neither am I, I don't really go on any of the other TSR forums so my rep pool is limited.

ps.

Dammit. I miss my PS2. I may have to take a day off from revision next week and beat MGS2 again.

Medical A100 Degree (broken down?)

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