Undergraduate Medicine - 2020 - Graduate Applicants Only

OP

Original post by thatonethere

Hey - I'm a current final year grad student on a 5 year undergrad course at Leeds - happy to be contacted with questions :smile:

id love to know about the social aspect as you are with people usually atleast 3-4 years younger than yourself, do you usually keep with the other grad students?

Reply 3

thatonethere

16

Original post by a-spiringmedic

id love to know about the social aspect as you are with people usually atleast 3-4 years younger than yourself, do you usually keep with the other grad students?

It's pretty mixed tbh - I think initially us grads all levitated towards each other (there were about 25-30 in my intake) initially, however as times gone on many of us find ourselves hanging out with the younger ones. It's very variable.

A lot of people mature very quickly in medicine and its those that I've found myself getting on with. That said, I actually found the social side difficult, partly due to age in some cases but it was actually more to do with life experiences. For example, there's a good chunk that don't work because they're fortunate enough to have parents who are able to support them and so they have that extra time whereas others have to work and have less free time to relax/socialise. That's not anything against that group of people, it's more that because they've come from a completely different background I found we didn't have too much in common.

I think in some ways the earlier years were easier because we had lots of mixed small group teaching so you were automatically put in a situation that enabled you to meet people easier, however with clinical years we all went out on placements and were further removed from our uni base so I did find that a little harder. Ultimately though my situation is unusual though because I moved to a town halfway between my hometown where my husband works and my university where neither of us knew anyone whereas other commutters often have grown up where they currently live and already have that base there.

Reply 4

ErasistratusV

19

Which Universities ask for the GAMSAT for undergraduate entry? I am aware of the need to sit the UKCAT but have not been told I needed to sit a GAMSAT?

I live in the southwest and so will only apply to a few unis as I will be commuting daily rather than relocating.

Reply 5

Anyone looking at applying for 6 year courses with the foundation year? Still in university but hoping to apply to Manchester and Cardiff with foundations. Would have to defer entry through in the interest of funding

Reply 6

OP

6 years is slightly too long for me if i can get onto the 5 year courses

Original post by kljkhj

Anyone looking at applying for 6 year courses with the foundation year? Still in university but hoping to apply to Manchester and Cardiff with foundations. Would have to defer entry through in the interest of funding

Reply 7

Original post by a-spiringmedic

6 years is slightly too long for me if i can get onto the 5 year courses

I don't blame you! Struggling to find 5 year courses that aren't London based, too Northern and don't require GAMSAT though! Where do you think you'll apply to? And what degree have you already done?

Reply 8

OP

ooh thats true it is hard right? i do biomed and rn ive got no clue, after researching uni’s today ive figured out i either dont have the a-level grades needed (in some cases im missing out by one grade) or GCSE i got a C in english which is really limiting me :frown:

(i got A’s in the rest) lol
I really wanna apply to london unis, im only doing the UKCAT so can only really apply to qmul and kcl (but i might not meet KCL’s requirements!!!! :frown:

)
Dont really wanna apply to 4 year courses as i know i’m not competitive enough for that and i doubt i’d be able to keep up with how intense it is
Soo im kinda stuck, im totally open to go anywhere (even scotland and im from the south lol)

Original post by kljkhj

I don't blame you! Struggling to find 5 year courses that aren't London based, too Northern and don't require GAMSAT though! Where do you think you'll apply to? And what degree have you already done?

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 9

Man that sucks about English, especially now it seems like such a small thing after going to university etc, just feels like it shouldn't have an impact. Have you emailed around to check if consideration could be made since you're a grad and haven't just finished your GCSEs like a lot of applicants?

Original post by a-spiringmedic

ooh thats true it is hard right? i do biomed and rn ive got no clue, after researching uni’s today ive figured out i either dont have the a-level grades needed (in some cases im missing out by one grade) or GCSE i got a C in english which is really limiting me :frown:

(i got A’s in the rest) lol
I really wanna apply to london unis, im only doing the UKCAT so can only really apply to qmul and kcl (but i might not meet KCL’s requirements!!!! :frown:

)
Dont really wanna apply to 4 year courses as i know i’m not competitive enough for that and i doubt i’d be able to keep up with how intense it is
Soo im kinda stuck, im totally open to go anywhere (even scotland and im from the south lol)

Reply 10

JoeTSR

22

Original post by a-spiringmedic

ooh thats true it is hard right? i do biomed and rn ive got no clue, after researching uni’s today ive figured out i either dont have the a-level grades needed (in some cases im missing out by one grade) or GCSE i got a C in english which is really limiting me :frown:

(i got A’s in the rest) lol
I really wanna apply to london unis, im only doing the UKCAT so can only really apply to qmul and kcl (but i might not meet KCL’s requirements!!!! :frown:

)
Dont really wanna apply to 4 year courses as i know i’m not competitive enough for that and i doubt i’d be able to keep up with how intense it is
Soo im kinda stuck, im totally open to go anywhere (even scotland and im from the south lol)

Could always do an extra A level in the year you're waiting? BBBB is probably perceived a fair bit better than BBB, and ABBB definitely will be (don't know your actual grades obviously). 1 year to do 1 A level should get you a good grade (though I know they generally say it has to be done within 2 years, they must give some weight to it)

Maybe an English A level, kill two birds with one stone? I.e. 'I've got a C in GCSE English, but an A in A level English' should surely be fine?

Reply 11

OP

Im gunna try not to spend a year out, currently in Y2 of biomedical science and I’m planning on applying this october (during my third year)
I really have no plans of going back to A-levels and i’m gunna try to avoid it as much as possible tbh 😅
The most limiting thing right now is my GCSE’s, ill try ringing up on Monday and asking for advice, as surely being able to do a degree and performing at a high level shows enough english ability as a GCSE grade B in english??
Most uni’s dont care about the a-level grades which is fine, Sheffield however does for both GEM and 5 years which sucks cause I really wanted to go there (as an alternative to London) 😭😭😭

Original post by JoeTSR

Could always do an extra A level in the year you're waiting? BBBB is probably perceived a fair bit better than BBB, and ABBB definitely will be (don't know your actual grades obviously). 1 year to do 1 A level should get you a good grade (though I know they generally say it has to be done within 2 years, they must give some weight to it)

Maybe an English A level, kill two birds with one stone? I.e. 'I've got a C in GCSE English, but an A in A level English' should surely be fine?

Reply 12

Original post by a-spiringmedic

Im gunna try not to spend a year out, currently in Y2 of biomedical science and I’m planning on applying this october (during my third year)
I really have no plans of going back to A-levels and i’m gunna try to avoid it as much as possible tbh 😅
The most limiting thing right now is my GCSE’s, ill try ringing up on Monday and asking for advice, as surely being able to do a degree and performing at a high level shows enough english ability as a GCSE grade B in english??
Most uni’s dont care about the a-level grades which is fine, Sheffield however does for both GEM and 5 years which sucks cause I really wanted to go there (as an alternative to London) 😭😭😭

How are you gonna manage the funding for the 5-year courses if you don't mind me asking? and what work experience do you have so far?! I'm in second-year at the moment as well and have no proper work experience yet but am trying to get loads organised for over summer with the hope that this will be ok...

Reply 13

FemaleBo55

17

omg i am literally in the same position as you

Original post by a-spiringmedic

ooh thats true it is hard right? i do biomed and rn ive got no clue, after researching uni’s today ive figured out i either dont have the a-level grades needed (in some cases im missing out by one grade) or GCSE i got a C in english which is really limiting me :frown:

(i got A’s in the rest) lol
I really wanna apply to london unis, im only doing the UKCAT so can only really apply to qmul and kcl (but i might not meet KCL’s requirements!!!! :frown:

)
Dont really wanna apply to 4 year courses as i know i’m not competitive enough for that and i doubt i’d be able to keep up with how intense it is
Soo im kinda stuck, im totally open to go anywhere (even scotland and im from the south lol)

Reply 14

OP

Lets cry together 😭😭😭

Original post by FemaleBo55

omg i am literally in the same position as you

Reply 15

TheProphetsPath

17

Original post by a-spiringmedic

Im gunna try not to spend a year out, currently in Y2 of biomedical science and I’m planning on applying this october (during my third year)
I really have no plans of going back to A-levels and i’m gunna try to avoid it as much as possible tbh 😅
The most limiting thing right now is my GCSE’s, ill try ringing up on Monday and asking for advice, as surely being able to do a degree and performing at a high level shows enough english ability as a GCSE grade B in english??
Most uni’s dont care about the a-level grades which is fine, Sheffield however does for both GEM and 5 years which sucks cause I really wanted to go there (as an alternative to London) 😭😭😭

If on the website they require English language to a minimum B separately from a 2:1 in the degree then there is no point in applying as they won't consider your application. They will sieve out those who don't reach minimum requirements and put it straight into the bin. So my advice is as follows: If you want to go London unis then do the BMAT. It is more than doable and you have an abundance of time to get a really good score in it. Prepare for your UKCAT and do that earlier on, leaving you more time for the BMAT - this will be helpful.
On top of this, try go to a local test centre as soon as possible and pay to sit the English language GCSE exam privately for this year. There is a final deadline for you to be entered to sit it around April, so you might be able to sit it this year. A few videos on youtube will be sufficient for you to get a B, £60 is definitely worth the try.
If this is not possible then sit English language GCSE in your final year of university and on the UCAS application put down English language GCSE predicted B, and pending the result. If the unis accept GCSE retakes then the offer will be conditional on receiving a 2:1 (example) and a B in GCSE.

Reply 16

OP

hey,
thanks for your advice
its definitely not possible to sit the gcse english for this year but i'll look into it for next year
i mean for BMAT ucl want ABB unless if your degree has enough chem and bio in it, but they say not many students meet this requirement so idk if i will or not
imperial, i cannot find the entry requirements for graduates on their website, however if they aren't as strict I can consider applying there with the BMAT.
with Kings, I do understand that right now I don't meet their requirements, totally understand that however I did ring up and had like a 20 minute conversation with one of the admissions tutors who told me 'dont worry about it just apply, if the rest of your application is strong you'll be fine'
so i'm really confused??? but i will consider resitting my english i'm trying to avoid it right now but I think i'd be better off just sitting it

Original post by TheProphetsPath

If on the website they require English language to a minimum B separately from a 2:1 in the degree then there is no point in applying as they won't consider your application. They will sieve out those who don't reach minimum requirements and put it straight into the bin. So my advice is as follows: If you want to go London unis then do the BMAT. It is more than doable and you have an abundance of time to get a really good score in it. Prepare for your UKCAT and do that earlier on, leaving you more time for the BMAT - this will be helpful.
On top of this, try go to a local test centre as soon as possible and pay to sit the English language GCSE exam privately for this year. There is a final deadline for you to be entered to sit it around April, so you might be able to sit it this year. A few videos on youtube will be sufficient for you to get a B, £60 is definitely worth the try.
If this is not possible then sit English language GCSE in your final year of university and on the UCAS application put down English language GCSE predicted B, and pending the result. If the unis accept GCSE retakes then the offer will be conditional on receiving a 2:1 (example) and a B in GCSE.

Reply 17

TheProphetsPath

17

Original post by a-spiringmedic

hey,
thanks for your advice
its definitely not possible to sit the gcse english for this year but i'll look into it for next year
i mean for BMAT ucl want ABB unless if your degree has enough chem and bio in it, but they say not many students meet this requirement so idk if i will or not
imperial, i cannot find the entry requirements for graduates on their website, however if they aren't as strict I can consider applying there with the BMAT.
with Kings, I do understand that right now I don't meet their requirements, totally understand that however I did ring up and had like a 20 minute conversation with one of the admissions tutors who told me 'dont worry about it just apply, if the rest of your application is strong you'll be fine'
so i'm really confused??? but i will consider resitting my english i'm trying to avoid it right now but I think i'd be better off just sitting it

Yeah, UCL do say it's a small chance but as you have to submit it by September 1st I assume that you will be told if the requirements are waived before you send off your application. If that's the case then have a backup university for if they deny it.
Imperial are quite strict generally. Call them up and see what they say.
I'm not sure if you want to apply to other universities but it might be worth having a look. Retaking English language will honestly be easy for you, it won't take up time and depending on your grade you can probably just retake one exam (not sure if there has been a reform). Short list some universities where you meet the requirements or potentially meet them and then go from there. If you don't have to retake lang then even better but if you do, it's not the worst thing.
Email Kcl and ask if they'd consider you given your requirements, have a back up confirmation and then it seems alright.

Reply 18

Momoalas93

Here is my credentials.
GCSE
2A* 5A
A LEVEL
BCD Bio,Maths and Chem.
Applying as a graduate for undergrad uni's.
Got 630 average UCAT , Band 3 sjt
2.1/1st class prediction for Medical Science honours degree

Applying to Dundee, Kent and Medway, Leicester and ARU. wise choices?

Reply 19

mal2998