Nuffield Science Bursary - help?

Hey, not entirely sure whether this is the right place to post this...
but here it goes anyway - apologies if it's not! :smile:

Currently studying year12, I'm planning to apply for Nuffield Science Bursary for next year. I want to study medicine at university and want to become a doctor.
I had an e-mail back from my regional coordinator that "Nuffield Bursaries are not available for clinical placements for those pursuing careers as doctors but biomedical placements are ok."
What does this mean to me? Does this mean that it would be unsuitable/inappropriate for me to apply for the bursary?
If it's any help, the place I was planning to carry out a project in is the clinical labs at my local Heart institute.

Also, just wondered - if any of you guys who were part of this in the past see this, what are the advantages of this bursary? I was planning to do a long-term work experience in summer holidays 2011 anyway, but is there a specific difference in which the bursary makes?

Thanks :smile:

Happy Christmas! :wink:

Reply 1

turn and fall

Hey, not entirely sure whether this is the right place to post this...
but here it goes anyway - apologies if it's not!

Currently studying year12, I'm planning to apply for Nuffield Science Bursary for next year. I want to study medicine at university and want to become a doctor.
I had an e-mail back from my regional coordinator that "Nuffield Bursaries are not available for clinical placements for those pursuing careers as doctors but biomedical placements are ok."
What does this mean to me? Does this mean that it would be unsuitable/inappropriate for me to apply for the bursary?
If it's any help, the place I was planning to carry out a project in is the clinical labs at my local Heart institute.

Also, just wondered - if any of you guys who were part of this in the past see this, what are the advantages of this bursary? I was planning to do a long-term work experience in summer holidays 2011 anyway, but is there a specific difference in which the bursary makes?

Thanks Happy Christmas!

I did it last year. I did a proper research science job.

At the presentation evening pratically everyone was a medicine student and had done some bull**** research for the NHS eg One person studied the reading habits of doctors .....wtf?

It was a serious exception to have actually done anything scientific.

Just blag you are doing biomedical bull**** - 80% are.

Reply 2

fhewitt1

Hey, i did this last year (in Scotland) and I really really enjoyed it. Mine was a microbiology-based project based in an analytical testing laboratory. It's so much better than sitting around getting bored all Summer and looks good on your UCAS app(well i just sent mine away in Nov, hoping it gets me in ha) :smile:

Plus the presentation thing makes you feel really proud to be studying science and there are so many more opportunities for you afterwards. There are other awards you can apply for with the same project (Crest is one of them..) plus science is all about networking - the more people you meet and chat to the more knowledge you can gain - for example, at the presentation i was chatting to someone who's job i aspire to be in when i graduate! And its good to chat to people who did the project too, when you're presenting there are lots of other people your age :smile:

Hope this helps, not too sure about the medicine thing, but if, like i did, you're independantly setting up your project it should be fine. I'd imagine they are opposing it just because of the confidentiality and health&safety issues with medical work? But if you can't get it, a biomedical project would be just as good, you might even gain more out of it and be able to get more hands-on. Universities are impressed by showing initiative and having the perseverance to be a teenager and give up your entire summer without moaning about it, not so much about the type of work. :smile:

Good luck and have fun :smile:

Oooh and Nuffield is probably better than just work-exp because it's an established association that uni's will recognise. That's the only thing i can think of, and if you were getting paid at your other work-exp option it might not be as good as if you were volunteering :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

rsp

Original post by motherewok10

Hey, not entirely sure whether this is the right place to post this...
but here it goes anyway - apologies if it's not! :smile:

Happy Christmas! :wink:

Hey i'm also interested in doing the nuffield bursary do you think it okay just doing one that they have organised on your behalf? what kind of things did you say in your email to them?

Reply 4

DrDixie

Original post by motherewok10

Hey, not entirely sure whether this is the right place to post this...
but here it goes anyway - apologies if it's not! :smile:

Happy Christmas! :wink:

I did this last year and intend to go to medical school. I just put down I wanted to be a doctor and had an interest in medical science. I got placed with a professor of Haematology in a hospital. It was one of the best things I have ever done. I spent the first week learning lab techniques and was then put with one of the researchers who gave me my own little sub-project analysing patients' blood samples from the ICU. I was actually comparing two different machines' results to see which was more effective (mass simplification).
I spent all my time in the hospital (admittedly the labs belonged to the university) but I got the shadow the Professor as well and am still in touch with him. The main difference between work experience is you're left on your own, have your own project and have to learn something. It's considered academic so it counts twofold.
It is an extreme advantage and nearly every interview I have had has involved it. That said it doesn't make you good at interviews! If you have any questions about it PM me.

Reply 5

Boo!xx

I did it, but I'm doing biomedical science (I was actually going to do biology, but mine was biomedical related and it changed my mind)
I think it would be fairer if you didnt lie, but perhaps if your considering biomedical then apply?

Reply 6

Midnight_sun

hey you dont have to be doing biomedical science! because lots of medical. dental students from our school have done it in the last few years and I am going to apply too good luck !

Reply 7

motherewok10

Haha(: thanks for all the replies!
I decided not to go ahead with the bursary, as there were numerous date clashes to make time for at least consecutive four weeks! Finding some work experience at the moment though :smile:

Thanks again.

Reply 8

Honey:)

Hello! i have just had a letter back from them! really happy that i got in this year :biggrin:

I intend to go medical school too this year, so hopefully this will make my application stand out more!
I got put in a different department however, (something called epidemiology! :confused:

)) do you think if i email them they can change it to a more medically related subject?

PS: i think epidemiology has got something to do with insects! :s-smilie:

it has nothing to do with medicine what so ever! :mad:

Appreciate replies back! :smile:

Reply 9

amina khan

Original post by Honey:)

Hello! i have just had a letter back from them! really happy that i got in this year :biggrin:

I intend to go medical school too this year, so hopefully this will make my application stand out more!
I got put in a different department however, (something called epidemiology! :confused:

)) do you think if i email them they can change it to a more medically related subject?

PS: i think epidemiology has got something to do with insects! :s-smilie:

it has nothing to do with medicine what so ever! :mad:

Appreciate replies back! :smile:

Hi, I'm doing the nuffield bursary too!

OK,so, epidemiology hasn't got anything to do with insects, it's the study of health event patterns in society. It's evidence based, for identifying the risk factors in different diseases. I did AS OCR Biology and there was one massive section on it, some words related to it are pandemic, epidemic etc. it nearly always comes up in exams.

I think that having something unique, that isn't directly related (although it is SUCH an important part, because epidemiology means you can predict where outbreaks of a disease can occur, and where to concentrate medical aid etc) to medicine like the other thousands of applicants will have, it will make you stand out. You would have so much to talk about in interviews. my suggestion is read up on it a little and see if it would work for you. :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 10

Honey:)

Original post by amina khan

Sorry my mistake! the project is called entomology! :frown:

i wish i had epidemiology! lool much more interesting!
obviously i still want to do it for the experience, but part of me would be even more happy that it will actually benefit me a little on my interview/ PS, right?
Advice??
Also, why are we getting paid? (not that im complaining) :P
Thanks for your reply.

PS: I called them up, asking if i can change it- and they said not unless i have my 'own' project. Perhaps, i was to go through with it this way, how would i start my own project :confused:

thanks for your reply btw and sorry for bombarding you with questions! :smile:

Reply 11

Honey:)

Original post by turn and fall

Hey,

how did you manage to get project based around research science job?
i would love to do that!

Reply 12

turn and fall

Original post by Honey:)

Hey,

how did you manage to get project based around research science job?
i would love to do that!

I went to QinetiQ to make a program to find bombs :smile:

Not chance of that now as QinetiQ have laid off a lot of employees.

Reply 13

samuelrichards

I got one at QinetiQ Aberporth . Researching replacement rockets :smile:

did you get any luck in the end?

Reply 14

amina khan

Original post by Honey:)

Sorry my mistake! the project is called entomology! :frown:

thanks for your reply btw and sorry for bombarding you with questions! :smile:

yeah, i was thinking, epidemiology and insects? it's ok, i kinda enjoyed writing that essay :smile:

Reply 15

Honey:)

Original post by amina khan

yeah, i was thinking, epidemiology and insects? it's ok, i kinda enjoyed writing that essay :smile:

:P
Do you reckon i should still go for it? Even though it has nothing to do with medicine?

Reply 16

Hanwan404

Hi I have also been awarded a bursary this year but I'm and really struggling to find a placement for biology/biomedical. Would anyone give me some advice on how to go about it. I have emailed a couple of university research departments but that was 3 weeks ago and I still haven't had any replies?!!! Please help :smile:

Reply 17

amina khan

Original post by Honey:)

:P
Do you reckon i should still go for it? Even though it has nothing to do with medicine?

Hmm, well what will you do on your placement? , The Gold Crest award thing at the end would be a pretty cool thing to have. I dunno, I'm not applying for medicine, I'm applying for Biology. Have you got a careers advisor at school, or something? maybe you could ask them? I really don't know, i don't want to give the wrong advice...

Reply 18

Yafaa

I need to make a presentation at a lunchtime to be selected to take part n the bursary... Any ideas?

Reply 19

amina khan

Original post by Yafaa

I need to make a presentation at a lunchtime to be selected to take part n the bursary... Any ideas?

Just say how you want to learn outside the a level syllabus and want to expand your learning and get a glimpse of science at a higher level because you want a career in it. Do research on some places you would like to do it at and why, maybe?