Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Medicine - University - Choices

Currently in YR12, Doing Chemistry, Biology, Psychology & Business Studies.
Apart from getting the grades what will make me STAND out from the rest, everyone, well almost everyone will have the grades
I've done voluntary work, helping lower down students, peer helping, paired reading.
Going to Gambia (in Africa) in March to help over there
Done work experience in a Pharmacy - don't know where else to do it medical related as I want to become a GP
I read that in Liverpool Uni, 1,600 or so applied and only 150 got in - I want to be in that 150 - But how, I really really want to do Medicine :smile:

I know for a fact the competition if fierce, I need to get AAAA, definately - I also want some study tips if thats possible - How did you REVISE? Text book? Past papers? and what methods did you use?

Many thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Danny786

Anyone at all willing to help :smile:

Reply 2

Sylosis

You'll probably want more voluntary work than just that. More importantly a long term placement(s). Your grades don't count for EVERYTHING. At AS you'll want to get all As with A* prediction. Of course this isn't always necessary but it can only help.
Cambridge and Oxford require 3 sciences so I'm not sure you'd qualify for those.

Reply 3

Danny786

I wasn't intending to apply to Cambridge or Oxford anyway. Probably predicted A's not A*'s, what kind of long term placements and what other work experience can I do to make me literally stand out from the other 1,600 or so that may apply..

Anyone else please?

Standing out isn't easy, everyone has done weeks of work experience and got the grades. Just make sure you have lots of work experience, it can be in a hospital, a GP's, a care home, just make sure you observe a caring environment and the role of a doctor and that you can reflect and learn from it to develop your interest in medicine.
And then next year you will have the fun of the UKCAT and you'll have to ace that as well.

Hmm true

I agree that I'd do UK based nonglamorous voluntary work like working in a care home or as a volunteer in your local hospital and try and do it regularly not just a couple of days. If you google your local hospital volunteering it will usually tell you who to get hold of, or phone local care homes. Helping in Gambia sounds interesting but more like a holiday and unlikely to give you much of an insight into working in the NHS.

Reply 8

Danny786

Definately, but in terms of helping, seeing how the other half live if you want to call it that gives you an understanding how much help they need and how they are struggling which could potentially link into medicine?

Reply 9

Gibber96

Original post by Sylosis

Oxford don't require three sciences. Just saying.

Reply 10

pkozman

You can do anything you set your mind too, cliches are cliches, for a reason.

After ensuring you have the grades, your UKCAT will be one of he biggest factors indefinitely. No harm in doing it the year before just so you have that experience, (I'm not sure how close you are to applying as I'm not familiar with the UK education system). A really good UKCAT score can almost ensure you receive interviews at many universities, Newcastle being an example. Though this might be irrelevant considering you mentioned Liverpool.