BM6 Southampton applicants for 2015 entry

So Guys!
What do you think the group task will consist of??

Not sure at all! What about you?

I am a gap year student and Scottish, so my grades are achieved but probably wont make much sense to you. They were all way over the entry grades and my UKCAT was just above average but they have NOTHING to do with the interview. I had a lot of experience and activities in my PS. The year out def helped. I volunteered in Ghana for 3 months, Malawi for 2 weeks, have a lot of hobbies and diverse work experience (which is essential to show you understand the diversity within medicine - teaching/care/research etc)!
If you don't get an interview/place take a year out and reapply. I am so happy that I did!

I guess it's not all about what work experience you have done, but rather how you have reflected upon it.

Fair enough, during the summer last year, I was privileged enough to go to Malawi for 2 weeks with my college and the Sutton Trust Summer School @ Nottingham University, but all of that would mean zilch to the admissions staff if you cannot explain what you have taken from the experiences. Joanne I'm quite curious as to where you stayed in Malawi, we stayed in Blantyre and it was absolutely fantastic! I miss the country very much!

Totally agree with you, definitely what you learned and how you reflect on things. Someone just said something similar and I posted above. I stayed in Blantyre also, Chichiri if you have head of it. It was amazing and I love the country. It was a lot more developed however and in Ghana, I stayed in a very rural village with no toilets/showers/running water etc. I had the chance to teach health for 3 months and I learned loads for it. It was very challenging but so rewarding. My focus was on sexual reproductive health which was sometimes difficult to go around because of cultural and religious differences. I had the opportunity to stay with a host family here and they made me so welcome and I even managed to learn loads of the local language Fante from them! What did you do in Malawi? Did you ever manage to visit a Shoprite? - One of my fav shops!

So Guys!
What do you think the group task will consist of??

Totally agree with you, definitely what you learned and how you reflect on things. Someone just said something similar and I posted above. I stayed in Blantyre also, Chichiri if you have head of it. It was amazing and I love the country. It was a lot more developed however and in Ghana, I stayed in a very rural village with no toilets/showers/running water etc. I had the chance to teach health for 3 months and I learned loads for it. It was very challenging but so rewarding. My focus was on sexual reproductive health which was sometimes difficult to go around because of cultural and religious differences. I had the opportunity to stay with a host family here and they made me so welcome and I even managed to learn loads of the local language Fante from them! What did you do in Malawi? Did you ever manage to visit a Shoprite? - One of my fav shops!

You're not allowed to know . It's really nothing scary! It's really straight forward.

Yes, I have heard of Chichiri district, it's the area of the Kamuzu Stadium and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We stayed at the Grace Bandawe Conference Centre which was fantastic not only because the accommodation was pleasantly nice but also because the 2 schools we worked at Henry Henderson's Institute and Blantyre Girls School were literally a 5 minute walk away. Yes, of course we managed to visit the nearby Shoprite store a few times to restock on soft drink bottles and other luxuries that us Brits love like crisps and chocolates!

I was so amazed that despite the poverty in Malawi there were still areas that reminded me of the UK for e.g. the shopping centre there, the takeaways were very tasty! Me and my cousin brought a massive burger and chips for under £2! It tasted fab!

We basically visited Malawi to teach English to local school children at the two schools I mentioned above and also to visit two orphanages STEKA and Yamakani. Occasionally in the afternoons we go to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to speak to Dr Neil Kennedy an Irish doctor in Malawi who showed us around the paediatric ward. I loved the fact that in Malawi they had a child-safeguarding unit, which really touched my heart. It was sad however when the doctor explained to us that vulnerable kids would often use puppets to show how they were abused

Oh one of the other reasons we went to Malawi was because a student from our college passed away and in his memory a well was built in Mariro Village, Chiradzulu district so we went to visit the well and take pictures for his family. In the middle of the 2 weeks we went to Bushman's Baob near Liwonde to have an open roof safari trip. Some students also got to ride out a boat into the Lake Malombe. It was just such beautiful scenery! I really miss the country and would do anything to go again! I made so many friends in the schools and as the days went by they began to feel like my family members.

Yes, I have heard of Chichiri district, it's the area of the Kamuzu Stadium and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We stayed at the Grace Bandawe Conference Centre which was fantastic not only because the accommodation was pleasantly nice but also because the 2 schools we worked at Henry Henderson's Institute and Blantyre Girls School were literally a 5 minute walk away. Yes, of course we managed to visit the nearby Shoprite store a few times to restock on soft drink bottles and other luxuries that us Brits love like crisps and chocolates!

I was so amazed that despite the poverty in Malawi there were still areas that reminded me of the UK for e.g. the shopping centre there, the takeaways were very tasty! Me and my cousin brought a massive burger and chips for under £2! It tasted fab!

We basically visited Malawi to teach English to local school children at the two schools I mentioned above and also to visit two orphanages STEKA and Yamakani. Occasionally in the afternoons we go to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to speak to Dr Neil Kennedy an Irish doctor in Malawi who showed us around the paediatric ward. I loved the fact that in Malawi they had a child-safeguarding unit, which really touched my heart. It was sad however when the doctor explained to us that vulnerable kids would often use puppets to show how they were abused

Oh one of the other reasons we went to Malawi was because a student from our college passed away and in his memory a well was built in Mariro Village, Chiradzulu district so we went to visit the well and take pictures for his family. In the middle of the 2 weeks we went to Bushman's Baob near Liwonde to have an open roof safari trip. Some students also got to ride out a boat into the Lake Malombe. It was just such beautiful scenery! I really miss the country and would do anything to go again! I made so many friends in the schools and as the days went by they began to feel like my family members.

LOL, you know something... I still ddon't understand how they pick the 40 people out of the 700.. most of us would have had similar stuff on the PS and if the interview is as straightforward as you constantly reassure us... how are people gonna stand out as individuals who deserve a place to study medicine??

Does anyone know if Southampton offer both dissection and prosection during teaching?

Is there an elective option in later years (maybe to carry out an intercalated degree)?

How big is the BM5 year when the BM6's join?

What is the general BM5 course outline by year? - I have been trying to find this online but with no luck!

Neostignine, did you find the professional practice throughout the BM6 useful? I think it is amazing and I don't understand why more medical schools do not offer this! I think nowadays, some medical schools are teaching students to pass exams and not how to be good doctors. I think Southampton is fab for having a 'future doctor' approach rather than a 'medical student' one!

Does anyone know if Southampton offer both dissection and prosection during teaching?

Is there an elective option in later years (maybe to carry out an intercalated degree)?

How big is the BM5 year when the BM6's join?

What is the general BM5 course outline by year? - I have been trying to find this online but with no luck!

Neostignine, did you find the professional practice throughout the BM6 useful? I think it is amazing and I don't understand why more medical schools do not offer this! I think nowadays, some medical schools are teaching students to pass exams and not how to be good doctors. I think Southampton is fab for having a 'future doctor' approach rather than a 'medical student' one!

Oops missed that one.

Elective is a different thing all together where for 10 weeks you go anywhere in the world and practice any sort of medicine you like. This will happen in your final year.

With regard to intercalating - you do a research project in BM5 year 3 (BM6 year 4) where you will be awarded a BMedSci. When you graduate you therefore automatically get BMBS BMedSci. You can take a year out and do the last year of a BSc either at Southampton or elsewhere (so you get BMBS BmedSci BSc) or you can do an extra year to take your BMedSci to a masters (BMBS MMedSci).

THANK YOU!

You need to be hired by admissions, you are brilliant!

Just out of interest what were the ukcat scores by those who received interview invites.

Just out of interest what were the ukcat scores by those who received interview invites.