Barts and the London MBBS in Malta

I think I may have replied to you in a previous post, but I have also replied. They mentioned to me at the end of my interview that the first round of invites would go out on Friday just gone and final, formal invites would be sent out at the end of the month. I don't know how closely they're sticking to this though, I received notice that I would get a formal invite a week before Friday and phoning them today to confirm my UKCAT details as well as my high school grades for the scholarship panel I was informed that there was an interview taking place. I may, however, have misheard that given that the line was pretty terrible.

When was your interview if you don't mind me asking?

All the best.

Hi, I recieved an email a few months ago that I will recieve a formal offer, but haven't heard anything since, aside from accomodation information. If you don't mind me asking, how do you feel about studying in Malta, the potential tension between Barts and the local medical school, and future residency opportunities?

The teaching, as far as I'm concerned will be fine, given that it is provided by Barts. Tensions with the locals, however, I have reservations about, from what I've been able to tell they aren't overly concerned with us as students but they aren't at all in favour of the fact that we're paying for it given that it's free there. From what I understand, and everything I understand I've had to glean from local press which may be somewhat misleading, they're concerned that because we pay we'll get a premium on access to patients and facilities over local students. This said, should Barts follow through with its development plans this should resolve itself pretty sharpish. As far as residencies are concerned? No idea, meaningful placements are somewhere pretty far down the road but I'm hopeful there'll be placements within the NHS back in the UK in foundation years or for some clinical placements on rotations we chose, perhaps.

Studying in Malta makes precisely no difference to me however, a medical degree is a medical degree is a medical degree, and according to the website we're awarded a Barts MBBS, so, what difference does it make in the long run?

If you don't mind my asking, when did you apply/get your interview? I'm kind of surprised by how long this process has been ongoing.

Hi, I recieved an email a few months ago that I will recieve a formal offer, but haven't heard anything since, aside from accomodation information. If you don't mind me asking, how do you feel about studying in Malta, the potential tension between Barts and the local medical school, and future residency opportunities?

Hi! You mean you received a formal offer even before attending the interview?

They've been conducting interviews since December, both of us got a letter shortly after said interview saying we would be sent a formal invite at a later date, bit weird really.

Woah. I just had my interview last Thursday, and they said they will let me know the outcome early this week. Have u gotten any scholarship from them?

So I was interviewed and recieved my 'informal invite' a week later, earlier than they had told me that they'd be sent out. That said I'm not in a position of uncertainty in regards to my grades, I've already completed my A levels and my first degree. Formal invites are supposed to be sent out this week along with scholarship outcomes.

I'm surprised by how many candidates they appear to have interviewed, do you mind me asking your UKCAT score?

I am surprised too. In fact, they extended the application deadline.
I got my A level grades too. I took ukcat 2016; not impressive - 2090. How about yours?

Are you set on accepting their offer and studying there? And the degree they conferring will be slightly different to that in London- it will state MBBS (Malta).

I think around the 700 mark for an undergraduate course is pretty respectable, no? Certainly I think that would put you in the top 30 or 40 percent of all people who took the test. I have a masters lined up should this fall through, where did you find the information regarding the degree name by the way, as that's contrary to what I understood.

I am surprised too. In fact, they extended the application deadline.
I got my A level grades too. I took ukcat 2016; not impressive - 2090. How about yours?

Are you set on accepting their offer and studying there? And the degree they conferring will be slightly different to that in London- it will state MBBS (Malta).

Hi, do you mean that it will be an EU, not a UK degree?

Been wondering when one of these were going to pop up. So how many of you have got those informal offer emails? I got mine a week or so after my interview and still waiting on the scholarship outcome.

I won't lie I am doubtful about the whole thing especially with them seemingly not being organised, the fact that they extended the deadline further (I mean if you have high quality applicants applying, what's the point of extending the deadline unless it's more to do with getting more students to increase the financial rewards (so we end up with more than the 45 students they said would be in the initial group) or not enough applicants) and the slow responses.

I contacted them a few weeks ago and was told it was just to do with finalising the Terms and Conditions as it is a new program and then on Friday last week and they said it was just administrative in regards to sending out the formal offers. So more excuses and inconsistencies.

I also saw/read the bit about the MBBS (Malta). For some reason, I thought it would be giving it less of a value or might not be the same as the UK one because if it is the same degree, same program, why not just issue the same name, unless it has something to do with the deal they made with the Matlese government to establish the university and it doesn't affect further professional development prospects.

I talked to a friend who is at medical school and she said it should be fine. A lot of the consultants and GPs I have chatted to say that in medicine it doesn't matter what school you go to but the quality of a doctor you will be. I hope it won't affect my chances of applying for F1 places in the UK as I am currently in the UK working (but I am Non-EU/International) and so if going here would make those chances even more difficult (and yes I do appreciate it won't be the same as going to university in the UK or being a non-EU student in the UK) I would rather take another year out and apply to a UK university.

Let me know your thoughts.

Guys, still no news regarding scholarship?

They mentioned to me at some stage, god knows when, that there will be opperunities for FY1 placements at least in the UK as well as Malta, I think they are keen to allow for as much choice as possible. While the university experience will differ, the overall workload and teaching shouldn't be to dissimilar. It just Means instead of, if we were studying in London, say, going out to a nightclub near the university where 20,000 students study we'd feasibly be able to take an entire year to a single venue. It'll be more close knit than it may otherwise be in the UK, but not so outrageously different that you'd be missing out on too much.

Absolutely no news at all, from an administrative standpoint I think they're absolutely swamped, it's the same person who tends to answer all the emails, good lord I wouldn't want to be responsible for that inbox. We can expect news soon though I think, especially given that the deadline is fast approaching for applications to take various admissions tests such as the GAMSAT.

I'm still suprised by the number of applicants, I'm assuming those of us who got a letter were in a UKCAT banding of 700+ish? Perhaps we recieved one because that score was high enough, which may bode well for scholarships, perhaps. What do you think, is that just Kremlinology?

Been wondering when one of these were going to pop up. So how many of you have got those informal offer emails? I got mine a week or so after my interview and still waiting on the scholarship outcome.

I won't lie I am doubtful about the whole thing especially with them seemingly not being organised, the fact that they extended the deadline further (I mean if you have high quality applicants applying, what's the point of extending the deadline unless it's more to do with getting more students to increase the financial rewards (so we end up with more than the 45 students they said would be in the initial group) or not enough applicants) and the slow responses.

I contacted them a few weeks ago and was told it was just to do with finalising the Terms and Conditions as it is a new program and then on Friday last week and they said it was just administrative in regards to sending out the formal offers. So more excuses and inconsistencies.

I also saw/read the bit about the MBBS (Malta). For some reason, I thought it would be giving it less of a value or might not be the same as the UK one because if it is the same degree, same program, why not just issue the same name, unless it has something to do with the deal they made with the Matlese government to establish the university and it doesn't affect further professional development prospects.

I talked to a friend who is at medical school and she said it should be fine. A lot of the consultants and GPs I have chatted to say that in medicine it doesn't matter what school you go to but the quality of a doctor you will be. I hope it won't affect my chances of applying for F1 places in the UK as I am currently in the UK working (but I am Non-EU/International) and so if going here would make those chances even more difficult (and yes I do appreciate it won't be the same as going to university in the UK or being a non-EU student in the UK) I would rather take another year out and apply to a UK university.

Let me know your thoughts.

My brother was in Malta for a year... he had an interesting experience to say the least.

So are you a British graduate student too then? Were there a lot of applicants for this program then? I don't really know much than what's on this thread to be fair and their site

In regards to this I do not try to estimate Barts decision process but let's just hope we get informed this week.
I am going on holiday and need to sort out my Maltese visa #internationalstudentproblems