UCAS for medicine
Hi I’m a UK year 12 student looking to do medicine. Our school offers us amazing opportunities and courses for our UCAS. However, they cost hundreds of pounds. What are some things I could do that are cheaper? Medicine is so competitive I’m worried I won’t be able to afford good things for my UCAS.
Original post by eringracesutton
Hi I’m a UK year 12 student looking to do medicine. Our school offers us amazing opportunities and courses for our UCAS. However, they cost hundreds of pounds. What are some things I could do that are cheaper? Medicine is so competitive I’m worried I won’t be able to afford good things for my UCAS.
You shouldn't be paying hundreds of pounds for anything. Look for work experience and volunteering, but you shouldn't be paying for them (not in this country).
You need to save your money to pay for UKCAT (and the BMAT if you decide to take it).
Original post by ForestCat
You shouldn't be paying hundreds of pounds for anything. Look for work experience and volunteering, but you shouldn't be paying for them (not in this country).
You need to save your money to pay for UKCAT (and the BMAT if you decide to take it).
You need to save your money to pay for UKCAT (and the BMAT if you decide to take it).
But if people are paying these amounts of money won’t they be favoured over me for the course? SOME PEOPLE EVEN SPEND THOUSANDS ON SUMMER SCHOOLS!!
Original post by eringracesutton
But if people are paying these amounts of money won’t they be favoured over me for the course? SOME PEOPLE EVEN SPEND THOUSANDS ON SUMMER SCHOOLS!!
No one cares about summer schools. Far better to get work experience, volunteering etc under your belt. And anyway it generally comes down to things like UKCAT and GCSEs when selecting for interview, few places look at PS that much now.
Original post by ForestCat
No one cares about summer schools. Far better to get work experience, volunteering etc under your belt. And anyway it generally comes down to things like UKCAT and GCSEs when selecting for interview, few places look at PS that much now.
No way! So are these people wasting their money??
Original post by eringracesutton
No way! So are these people wasting their money??
Pretty much. Any advice they'll get on those courses, you can pretty much get on here (or other websites) for free.
Original post by ForestCat
Pretty much. Any advice they'll get on those courses, you can pretty much get on here (or other websites) for free.
That makes me feel loads better tbh. I thought I’d have to be rich to even get to uni lol.
Original post by eringracesutton
That makes me feel loads better tbh. I thought I’d have to be rich to even get to uni lol.
Nope. Just have to be prepared to put in a bit of legwork.
Original post by ForestCat
Nope. Just have to be prepared to put in a bit of legwork.
That is no problem for me. However hundreds of pounds to go to a conference IS.
Oh my goodness, nope you do not need to do anything like that! Medicine admissions tutors are looking for reflection on your voluntary experiences and relevent skills you have that relate to a career as a Doctor. All of which you can obtain from free voluntary and work placements as well as clubs and societies in schools. Medical summer schools really don't mean much. I went to a bunch of medicine taster days and clinical skills days (All of which were free, may I add), and found they didn't add any merit to my personal statement and took them out since I didn't have characters.
Last year I was tempted into buying a work placement since I couldn't find any Doctors to shadow. If you're in this experience I urge you not to do so and keep persisting. In the end I managed to get both a placement in a hospital and GP surgery without spending a penny. And shadowing a health professional doesn't get you much credit at all by itself, medical schools want to see what you've done yourself not what you've observed someone else doing. Remember this if you really can't get any shadowing in a hospital!
When it comes to around July/August and you start preparing for your UKCAT i'm sure you'll be tempted again to splash out on an expensive Kaplan course. There's nothing they can teach you in one day that you cannot learn from the internet for free and the £300 they charge is honestly not worth it. Definitely would recommend you buy medify though, that's only around £20 (but don't worry about it yet.)
Lastly, your school will probably start doing stuff for free once you enter year 13. We have a medical society and some mock MMI interviews coming up which is exciting!
If there's one bit of advice I can give about doing some extracurricular, it's to join a sports club or a debating society, something like that that allows you to practice interchangeable skills (Dexterity, team work, public speaking, communication, time management) It's way more valued than anything you can buy so don't worry!
Last year I was tempted into buying a work placement since I couldn't find any Doctors to shadow. If you're in this experience I urge you not to do so and keep persisting. In the end I managed to get both a placement in a hospital and GP surgery without spending a penny. And shadowing a health professional doesn't get you much credit at all by itself, medical schools want to see what you've done yourself not what you've observed someone else doing. Remember this if you really can't get any shadowing in a hospital!
When it comes to around July/August and you start preparing for your UKCAT i'm sure you'll be tempted again to splash out on an expensive Kaplan course. There's nothing they can teach you in one day that you cannot learn from the internet for free and the £300 they charge is honestly not worth it. Definitely would recommend you buy medify though, that's only around £20 (but don't worry about it yet.)
Lastly, your school will probably start doing stuff for free once you enter year 13. We have a medical society and some mock MMI interviews coming up which is exciting!
If there's one bit of advice I can give about doing some extracurricular, it's to join a sports club or a debating society, something like that that allows you to practice interchangeable skills (Dexterity, team work, public speaking, communication, time management) It's way more valued than anything you can buy so don't worry!
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