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2014 Medicine Re-Applicants

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Original post by bukoba
Offers were from Plymouth Peninsula in December and Exeter in January.


Thanks! And I wish her all the best!
Original post by manupalace
Congrats! Now all you have to do is get excited :smile:


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Thanks! It's taking too long :tongue:!!
Original post by Philippamalko
Did anyone after reapplying and the experiences had so far on a gap year decide not to do medicine after all despite possibly gaining a place?


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Completely yes. But I know I can do anything with a medical degree so I'm going to go to med school anyway. (Currently eating noodles and sausage for breakfast while couch surfing in china)


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Original post by Hugby1
Completely yes. But I know I can do anything with a medical degree so I'm going to go to med school anyway. (Currently eating noodles and sausage for breakfast while couch surfing in china)


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No one listen to this buffoon :rolleyes:
Hey guys, I received 4 rejections this year. I had one interview but apart from that, I got 3 straight rejections. I was just wondering, as I'm a life guard, I was thinking of getting a life guarding job for the year. But would I be better trying to get a HCA job or something. I'm still continuing all my voluntary work at a hospice and at the hospital. (I'll have been volunteering at the hospice for 3 years by the time I reapply). I don't really know what to do with the whole reapplying thing, I haven't really got my head around it all yet. Are there any places you'd recommend for reapplicants? My GCSE's weren't that great. 4A* 6A 1B, 5A's at AS and I hope to get A*AAA this year. Thank you in advance guys, well done to all reapplicants that received an offer this year and commiserations to those that didn't. 2015 wooo haha
Original post by saucysalamander
Hey guys, I received 4 rejections this year. I had one interview but apart from that, I got 3 straight rejections. I was just wondering, as I'm a life guard, I was thinking of getting a life guarding job for the year. But would I be better trying to get a HCA job or something. I'm still continuing all my voluntary work at a hospice and at the hospital. (I'll have been volunteering at the hospice for 3 years by the time I reapply). I don't really know what to do with the whole reapplying thing, I haven't really got my head around it all yet. Are there any places you'd recommend for reapplicants? My GCSE's weren't that great. 4A* 6A 1B, 5A's at AS and I hope to get A*AAA this year. Thank you in advance guys, well done to all reapplicants that received an offer this year and commiserations to those that didn't. 2015 wooo haha


Hey, I'd suggest going for the life guarding job if it's easily attainable, seeing as you're a life guard anyway. However, apply for HCA and other related jobs too so if you do manage to secure one, you can leave the life guarding.

Although the experience you gain from HCA jobs are priceless and you get a real insight into what working with patients is like (you probably get that from your hospital/hospice volunteering though), it's the skills you develop that matter the most and what you learn from your experiences. So having a non medical job isn't wasteful either, you can still incorporate what you learn and use it to your benefit in your application.

My GCSEs were very similar to yours, 4A* and 6A, last year I applied to Leeds, Liverpool, Keele, Bristol with interviews at Keele and Liverpool. I think they focused on the PS a lot in deciding who to interview so if your PS is good, try those. This year I applied to St Georges, Hull York, Durham, Leicester with interviews from all but Leicester. None of them focus too much on GCSEs, just a sort of 'minimum GCSE threshold' thing. Also if you have a strong UKCAT use it to your advantage to secure an interview :smile:

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(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by MissJayySee
Hey, I'd suggest going for the life guarding job if it's easily attainable, seeing as you're a life guard anyway. However, apply for HCA and other related jobs too so if you do manage to secure one, you can leave the life guarding.

Although the experience you gain from HCA jobs are priceless and you get a real insight into what working with patients is like (you probably get that from your hospital/hospice volunteering though), it's the skills you develop that matter the most and what you learn from your experiences. So having a non medical job isn't wasteful either, you can still incorporate what you learn and use it to your benefit in your application.

My GCSEs were very similar to yours, 4A* and 6A, last year I applied to Leeds, Liverpool, Keele, Bristol with interviews at Keele and Liverpool. I think they focused on the PS a lot in deciding who to interview so if your PS is good, try those. This year I applied to St Georges, Hull York, Durham, Leicester with interviews from all but Leicester. None of them focus too much on GCSEs, just a sort of 'minimum GCSE threshold' thing. Also if you have a strong UKCAT use it to your advantage to secure an interview :smile:

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Have you decided where to firm? :smile:


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Original post by Miel Purple
No one listen to this buffoon :rolleyes:


It's true...? :/ why would you say that lol - I'm in Guangzhou.


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Original post by panjabiflower
Have you decided where to firm? :smile:


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No, not yet.

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Would being a special constable for the year look good on my application?


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Original post by robrob9595
Would being a special constable for the year look good on my application?


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Watching surgery would also be good....it doesn't matter what you do, it's what you will learn from it!
Original post by saucysalamander
Hey guys, I received 4 rejections this year. I had one interview but apart from that, I got 3 straight rejections. I was just wondering, as I'm a life guard, I was thinking of getting a life guarding job for the year. But would I be better trying to get a HCA job or something. I'm still continuing all my voluntary work at a hospice and at the hospital. (I'll have been volunteering at the hospice for 3 years by the time I reapply). I don't really know what to do with the whole reapplying thing, I haven't really got my head around it all yet. Are there any places you'd recommend for reapplicants? My GCSE's weren't that great. 4A* 6A 1B, 5A's at AS and I hope to get A*AAA this year. Thank you in advance guys, well done to all reapplicants that received an offer this year and commiserations to those that didn't. 2015 wooo haha


Your applications mirror that of my son 2 years ago. He received 3 rejections pre-interview from Oxford, Bristol and Nottingham, and 1 post-interview from BSMS. His GCSE results were 7 A* and 4 As. He decided that as long as he got at least 3 As at A levels he would take a gap year. He achieved A*, A, A and decided to try and improve his personal statement and also to apply more strategically. He applied to BSMS, HYMS, UEA and Exeter and ended up with 4 offers! He is now just finishing his 1st year at BSMS and is loving it. He also worked as a life-guard on his gap year. Its more about what you learn from the experience. There were no HCA jobs local to us. He also went on an interview course with a Dr Mona Kooner who is Surrey based. He felt this really helped him. She advertises on facebook or just google her as she holds courses Oct-Nov time. He also had mock interviews with her. You also need to look at your UKCAT score. When my son applied as a re-applicant he had a UKCAT of 715 so you also need to check what cut-off the Unis you apply to had this year, as next year it may go up! Good luck with re-applying and make sure you get those grades!
From reading everyone's responses you all seem to have taken a gap year, anyone gone for the option of going to their 5th choice then reapplying while studying and then dropping out if they get another offer?
Original post by blissfully
From reading everyone's responses you all seem to have taken a gap year, anyone gone for the option of going to their 5th choice then reapplying while studying and then dropping out if they get another offer?


A very rare option indeed. It's not as simple as say, not wanting to take a year out and insisting you start university alongside all of your friends and so still getting the uni experience with them and in the end managing to get onto an undergrad medicine programme with full funding.

The reason behind this is:

1) Whilst you do still manage to get full funding for your "second start", you've also gotten yourself a whole extra years tuition fee debt
2) the number of places you can apply too are vastly vastly limited - why make an excruciatingly competitive course even more competitive to get onto? Surely you should be trying to give yourself the best chance you can?
3) is your 5th choice something you can really see yourself finishing if you don't manage to get any offers in your first year?
4) how will you obtain decent references from your current lecturers when you are dropping out of the course as you only did it to "fill some time"
5) your current uni may not look at you too favourably if you begin to go down the route of wanting to drop out
Original post by blissfully
From reading everyone's responses you all seem to have taken a gap year, anyone gone for the option of going to their 5th choice then reapplying while studying and then dropping out if they get another offer?


I've heard of a few people having done that but it's quite uncommon mainly because some universities don't allow/accept people already on a degree program to apply, so you should do your research thoroughly if you're embarking on your 5th choice purely as a filler whilst re-applying.
Original post by ameelia22
A very rare option indeed. It's not as simple as say, not wanting to take a year out and insisting you start university alongside all of your friends and so still getting the uni experience with them and in the end managing to get onto an undergrad medicine programme with full funding.

The reason behind this is:

1) Whilst you do still manage to get full funding for your "second start", you've also gotten yourself a whole extra years tuition fee debt
2) the number of places you can apply too are vastly vastly limited - why make an excruciatingly competitive course even more competitive to get onto? Surely you should be trying to give yourself the best chance you can?
3) is your 5th choice something you can really see yourself finishing if you don't manage to get any offers in your first year?
4) how will you obtain decent references from your current lecturers when you are dropping out of the course as you only did it to "fill some time"
5) your current uni may not look at you too favourably if you begin to go down the route of wanting to drop out




Thanks, money isn't really a problem but I do understand the other points which leads on to my other questions, in terms of references for UCAS can I just submit this years references again or do I have to have them signed off again through the school? and is it easy applying through UCAS yourself?
Original post by blissfully
Thanks, money isn't really a problem but I do understand the other points which leads on to my other questions, in terms of references for UCAS can I just submit this years references again or do I have to have them signed off again through the school? and is it easy applying through UCAS yourself?


I applied myself this year and it doesn't really change anything other than you have to put down an email address of someone that's going to provide your reference and this sends them a link to add it to your application. I don't think you could use the same one again, if for nothing else then simply because it wouldn't say anything about how you've developed in the last year since the first application and it probably won't all be relevant/up to date now.

I've heard from many admissions tutors that you're unlikely to be looked upon favourably if you're applying while already on another course as it doesn't show commitment


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Original post by Philippamalko
I applied myself this year and it doesn't really change anything other than you have to put down an email address of someone that's going to provide your reference and this sends them a link to add it to your application. I don't think you could use the same one again, if for nothing else then simply because it wouldn't say anything about how you've developed in the last year since the first application and it probably won't all be relevant/up to date now.

I've heard from many admissions tutors that you're unlikely to be looked upon favourably if you're applying while already on another course as it doesn't show commitment


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So who did you put down as your reference? my teachers aren't going to know me or understand how i've developed over the past year are they?
Original post by blissfully
So who did you put down as your reference? my teachers aren't going to know me or understand how i've developed over the past year are they?


I'm planning to reapply myself and from what I've read, it's okay for your referee so reuse the first reference, as long as he/she edits it slightly so that it's a bit more up to date and includes any gap year plans / A level grades / anything you have done in the past year that is worth mentioning in the reference (e.g. more WE, longer volunteering, etc).

I'm sure that I, or you, haven't changed much in the past year for the referee to comment on.
All praise to god!!!!

I have an offer :biggrin:

so happy, i'm crying of happiness
(edited 9 years ago)

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