Liverpool Medicine (A100) Applicants 2014

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Don't be so ignorant. I've heard on numerous occasions that A-level candidates with BBB grades are fully capable of getting through and excelling whilst studying Medicine. In fact, the admissions tutor at Leeds Medical School even said that those with CCC can do so! They only set the requirements as AAA to limit the number of applicants.

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I think Kyalimers is right-yes there are people who could have been good doctors if they had worked harder for A levels, as they may be able to work harder in order to get the medicine degree. However, medicine is much more difficult than A levels, and so the increase in work ethic would have to be huge. Therefore, it's only a few that can do this. I don't think Kyalimers is ignorant, they mentioned onto select few..

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Reply 981

Kyalimers

Original post by timothy_

And having sat through 5 years of medical school with my colleagues (including teaching several students in various years), I would say I'm in a better position to comment.

Anyone can do medicine. You give them a book, get them to read it and follow the protocol. The difficulty comes when you're in an emergency situation, without a book and you're the first port of call. The vast amount of information that you need to know to be able to confidently diagnose and then correctly treat that one patient within a time limit is what is difficult. Not to mention the people skills and the commitment to self-directed learning. These are skills that must be inherently present in someone who wishes to practice medicine. Most people who have these qualities early on have proven to get the top A-Level grades. Those that do not, still have the option of being able to enter the profession. I will reiterate my point that there are indeed a select few people who slip through the net. But when the net covers 21,000 applicants with only 8,000 places, I think that medical schools are allowed to let the odd under-performing student slip through.

So am I still being ignorant?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 982

timothy_

Original post by Kyalimers

I quote from your earlier post which was the basis of my reply:

"If people are struggling to do that with just 3 different subjects at A-Level, it must be presumed they will struggle at medical school."

And now in your most recent post:

"Anyone can do medicine. You give them a book, get them to read it and follow the protocol."

I appreciate the insight but please be more consistent with what you are saying. And as to whether you are in a better position to comment, I would safely say that an admissions tutor and professor(s) who have worked in Medicine for decades are in fact better suited to comment.

Reply 983

Kyalimers

Original post by timothy_

How are those two quotes in any way related? You've taken the first one out of context and plastered it with the second which has also been removed from context. Students who are not academically excelling at A-Level cannot be given offers on the basis that they may or may not struggle at medical school when it is proven that those with top grades tend to do better.

Anyone CAN do medicine (whether they do it well or not) That's exactly why resuscitation is taught to people who are non-medics. Or why nurses can prescribe or why radiographers can diagnose. Not everyone can be a good doctor, but everyone can do (at least to an extent) medicine.

As to your last comment: you will find you are in fact incorrect. Medicine has changed and evolved over the last 15 years and even more recently in regards to medical education, some would argue. Admissions tutors have specific criteria to objectively mark students. This does not mean they have been there and done that or are well placed to advise who can and cannot study medicine. They can simply tick boxes as is the case with OSCE marking. How would they possibly know if a candidate with CCC at A-Level would have made a good doctor? They can't. And to that extent, neither can I. But I have the experience of knowing people with different grades as well as my own. There is a clear trend that those with better A-Level grades are in a higher decile ranking within medical school. If I was so wrong, medical admission would not be based on A-Level grades, but instead on other factors. Yet you will find that A-Level performance is the outstanding factor in applications for all medical schools in the UK.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 984

Rumschpringe

This is getting interesting

Reply 985

Maxxie

Original post by deed1224

Does anyone know if medicine has a visit day for successful applicants

No there isn't one (or there wasn't one last year)

Reply 986

f.loco

Would my application get far with 2A*s 4As 3Bs and 1 C, and AAAB for AS with not that much work experience and voluntary work?

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Reply 987

Student 1

Original post by f.loco

Would my application get far with 2A*s 4As 3Bs and 1 C, and AAAB for AS with not that much work experience and voluntary work?

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If they keep the same admissions policy, probably not I'm afraid. You'd score 12/18 for gcses-most candidates have 16-18. The AS grades would be fine, but wouldn't make up for the gcses. The work experience and voluntary work depends-it's not about quantity, but what you learned from it and, most importantly, how you reflect upon this in your personal statement. If you do this well you would be in with a chance at other medical schools who don't place so much emphasis on GCSEs.

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Reply 988

Kyalimers

Original post by Student 1

They score 15, not 12 :tongue:

. But the same still holds true. Probably just a point short in the GCSE category.

Reply 989

Student 1

Original post by Kyalimers

They score 15, not 12 :tongue:

. But the same still holds true. Probably just a point short in the GCSE category.

Oh yes I completely missed out the Bs :tongue:

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Reply 990

f.loco

How can I maximise my chances? Any recommendations n suggestions?

Reply 991

charlotteallan95

Original post by f.loco

How can I maximise my chances? Any recommendations n suggestions?

Do more volunteering and try and get a high ukcat score and apply to places that focus on that more than gcse

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Reply 992

Lyla_Mikaeal

Original post by Rumschpringe

Well actually there are a select few medical schools who allow people who are doing their a levels over 3 years to apply- so resitting a year is doable if it's necessary!

Oh really? Which medical schools would those be? I'd like to know just in case anything goes wrong :tongue:

Reply 993

Student 1

Original post by Lyla_Mikaeal

Oh really? Which medical schools would those be? I'd like to know just in case anything goes wrong :tongue:

Read admissions documents on medical school websites. They are the most likely to be correct sources

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Reply 994

Rumschpringe

Original post by Student 1

Read admissions documents on medical school websites. They are the most likely to be correct sources

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I'm resitting two subjects at the moment actually, so I've applied to Liverpool, Lancaster and Exeter.

Liverpool and Lancaster allow anyone to apply as long as they have achieved a minimum of CCCb in the first sitting and meet all other criteria.

Exeter allow any applicants regardless of what was achieved the first time around (however their selection process is very tough- be wary of applying here without a high UKCAT and no predicted A*s!)

UEA allow applicants who have achieved ABBb in the first sitting.

Keele allow people who have achieved A*ABb to apply.

There are a few others who allow resitting if you've achieved a minimum of AABb the first time around- I can't be bothered to look them up though so you'll have to do a bit of researching on that if you want to know!

Reply 995

Student 1

3 weeks tomorrow until 31st. Do Liverpool tend to give out all the post interview decisions on that day or is it more likely to be a mixture of offers and rejections over a few days?

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Reply 996

charlotteallan95

Original post by Student 1

I was looking on last years thread and they started giving out decisions on the third Wednesday of March or something around that so in the 20s ish!!!! I will be on edge from the 20th!

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