Southampton BM6 2012

I passed BM6 and have just started this week on the BM5!

Year 0 is 3 days a week and samples units from the Bm5 years 1 2 and 3. It's much more than A level and is simply degree stuff but less off it! There are 2 main units, Human Structure and Function (biology) and Professional Practice (placement, psychology, sociology etc).

There is quite a lot about it on my blog: www.bethaney.co.uk/blog

There are 8 modules, 4 in each semester that you need to pass:

HSF coursework = average of 2 essay grades
HSF Exam = average of two exams
PP Coursework = portfolio of essays and stats pieces and a diary about placement
PP exams = 1 exam

You need 50% or above to pass.

BM5 is a lot more. 9 - 5 mon - fri, and your placements are a bit more patient oriented (as in you actually speak to patients!!!). There are a lot more topics and a lot more work but overall less coursework (from what i've heard). You also need a stethoscope (mine arrived today, so excited). I'll keep you updated as I go along haha!!

Any particular questions about BM5 though and i'll find the answer and let you know.

Hope this helps!!






Teachers think their subjects are the most important thing in a PS but yeh, totally agree. Don't mention unless you take particularly strange A levels.

I'd leave gaps, otherwise it's horrible to read surely? But it is up to you!

I passed BM6 and have just started this week on the BM5!

Year 0 is 3 days a week and samples units from the Bm5 years 1 2 and 3. It's much more than A level and is simply degree stuff but less off it! There are 2 main units, Human Structure and Function (biology) and Professional Practice (placement, psychology, sociology etc).

There is quite a lot about it on my blog: www.bethaney.co.uk/blog

There are 8 modules, 4 in each semester that you need to pass:

HSF coursework = average of 2 essay grades
HSF Exam = average of two exams
PP Coursework = portfolio of essays and stats pieces and a diary about placement
PP exams = 1 exam

You need 50% or above to pass.

BM5 is a lot more. 9 - 5 mon - fri, and your placements are a bit more patient oriented (as in you actually speak to patients!!!). There are a lot more topics and a lot more work but overall less coursework (from what i've heard). You also need a stethoscope (mine arrived today, so excited). I'll keep you updated as I go along haha!!

Any particular questions about BM5 though and i'll find the answer and let you know.

I didn't know you had a blog... just had a look and its really good, so useful!

I'm glad you're here to help, its good to actually hear about experience from a person's who's been there and done it, instead of just teachers and sites

Also thanks so much! I bet you will make a brilliant doctor because you take the time out to answer peoples questions. Your blog is really helpful too and it's nice to see someone who ants to help other people!

Hey, how's everyone doing?
I'm happy to report that my application is done and ready to be sent by college! The relief is unbelievable!
Felt the need to share.

did you put point of contact as 0 or left it blank

did you put point of contact as 0 or left it blank

I rang admissions earlier about this and they told me to leave it blank because the foundation year is what we're applying for

I've put 0 as it is a foundation year.

which is it

I'll have to ring admissions on Monday

and what happens if you put 0 when it should be blank and vice versa

I don't really think it matters too much. I think the '0' is for degree's that have an optional foundation year. Because BM6 is including the foundation year, they'll know everyone applying will want to start in the foundation year.

My referee is being really ignorant ha.. I emailed him on Monday to make sure he has the reference ready and he hasn't emailed back..

AND just to make matter worse, I want to add to my personal statement which is already way to long!

Sometimes less work experience is much easier to write about lol

Has anyone else not finished their UCAS yet? Just for some reassurance

Haha tell me about it! My new tutor/referee has only known me 2 months, so my reference will probably be pretty shocking. Have you posted you personal statement in PS help yet? and no I haven't quite finished my UCAS yet, still swapping things about on my PS. Don't worry, we've still got 2 weeks

Oh dear! Fingers crossed they write you a good one from how they know you..

Atleast your referee doesn't basically think you are not good enough for Medicine. I hate to say it but I think he will probably write stuff to stop me from getting in to prove himself right.. hopefully not though..

No I haven't.. I'm probably not going to post it until Sunday as I don't want to post it when it isn't ready as it will keep changing.. you?

Aha, yeah but 2 weeks flys by doesn't it is it just your PS left?

Yeah hopefully. I posted my PS in there last week and it was really helpful, gave me alot to think about/change. I'm also trying to come up with a 5th choice for UCAS. How much over the limit is your PS at the moment?

Oh dear! Fingers crossed they write you a good one from how they know you..

Atleast your referee doesn't basically think you are not good enough for Medicine. I hate to say it but I think he will probably write stuff to stop me from getting in to prove himself right.. hopefully not though..

No I haven't.. I'm probably not going to post it until Sunday as I don't want to post it when it isn't ready as it will keep changing.. you?

Aha, yeah but 2 weeks flys by doesn't it is it just your PS left?

Beware, PS helpers will only look at something if it's 4500 characters or less. But if you post it in there saying I know it's too long, any ideas on what I can cut please so I can get a proper review? And usually a super god-like moderator will give you a whole heap of things to cut out.

There are a few techniques to use to cut them down:

Print it, highlight key words, and see what bits you can take out as they're not saying anything.
Remove anything about A levels (unless you've done strange ones).
Don't introduce your paragraphs.


In order to gain a more clear understanding of medicine I took the time to arrange work experience at Seattle Grace Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Here I observed how doctors........

Very nice introduction to WE, but almost entirely pointless. If you cut out the useless parts of this you get:

During my work experience I observed how doctors.,..............

Because:

In order to gain a more clear understanding of medicine I took the time to arrange work experience at Seattle Grace Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Here I observed how doctors........

They know why you did it.


I took the time to arrange work experience at Seattle Grace Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Here I observed how doctors........

If you did work experience, you probably at least in some way arranged it. Saying this could mean you spent days on the phone begging or you asked your college to sort it out for you. Without clarification, it's pointless, but if you include clarification, they won't care!


at Seattle Grace Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Here I observed how doctors........

No place names needed anywhere.


Be wary that you're including things that are relevant to medicine, and if you think you may be including something you're proud of but is irrelevant, then there is a chance it's just using up space.

Work experience should only be included where you've learned something key. If you learned teamwork here here and here then mention it in the most important place, not all 3.


Hope this kinda helps to start to cut it down. These are quite common things that people waste characters on!!

My referee is being really ignorant ha.. I emailed him on Monday to make sure he has the reference ready and he hasn't emailed back..

AND just to make matter worse, I want to add to my personal statement which is already way to long!

Sometimes less work experience is much easier to write about lol

Has anyone else not finished their UCAS yet? Just for some reassurance

My references part is really worrying me too... if that helps

As far as word count goes, I got my English teacher to help me out with it... he really knew how to cut out words whilst keeping the content same.

Try cutting out little parts first... like seeing if you can replace three words with two, or two with one. Do it wherever you can, and overall you can really cut down drastically, without changing what you say. I did it and it made a huge difference!