Cambridge Medicine applicants 2015

I've got no idea sorry I'm technically doing three as Cambridge don't acknowledge my maths A-level because I completed it in year 12.

Could I ask what subjects you're doing?

Bio, chem and maths. What are you doing?
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Same. I completed it in year 12 and they won't accept it. But I'm doing A2 Biology, Chemistry and Physics this year. I'm also doing AS Further Maths.

Biology, chemistry and physics ������



Ah I thought about sticking with further maths but I guess I'm lazy ������ also I missed so many lessons what with the whole application process that I was pretty behind with school!


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It's just added pressure really. I would drop it but it's in my offer.

Ah that's a shame, you've got an open offer haven't you? Does that mean you don't know what college your offer is from?


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Yep and yep. But I have been assigned to a college so that I get the same contact from Cambridge as people who got direct college offers. The college that I'm assigned to currently, may not be the one that I end up at. Can you guess which college I'm assigned to? I have a feeling that you may like this college.

Is it Caius by any chance? ������


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Hello!
I was wondering if anyone could advise on my current predicament: My great ambition has always been to study Medicine at Cambridge and I was predicted for 5 A1's this year (taking 5 Scottish Highers subjects - Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and English). Due to the horrible exams that we were given this year, I fear that I might only manage to get AAAAB or AAABB (with the B's being for Maths and/or Chemistry). I'm not sure if I should go on to studying Advanced Highers like Chemistry, Maths, Physics and/or Spanish with maybe an additional Higher in Higher Human Biology and maybe also either Psychology or Spanish (if I don't take it as an AH subject) and attempt to get 4 A1's or if I should go on and get a degree first (I got an unconditional offer for Anatomical Sciences at Dundee) and then apply as a graduate? I have American qualifications (no SAT results) and an IB certificate with 6's and 7's grades (but no diploma) as well which are the qualifications that Dundee used to offer me a place. I know for a fact that the rest of my application (reference, personal statement, work and volunteering experience as well as my BMAT score) will be great and more or less what they and most medical schools would be looking for in a prospective applicant. I'm not sure which way would give me a better chance of getting into Cambridge? Does anyone know of someone in a similar situation? All help and advise is welcome!
Thank you!

1) I think to "to study Medicine at Cambridge" shouldn't really be your great ambition. People often get too fixated with oxbridge twhich can be damaging, especially for medicine. I would advise you to set your greatest ambition to "be a great doctor".

2) I don't know enough about scottish highers, but judging by your ib scores, I would say you stand a decent chance of getting into a uk medical school. Admittedly, due to the high competition for Cambridge, your grades might not be good enough (doesn't hurt to apply anyway) for this particular uni.

3) with 1 and 2 in mind, I would advise you to not immediately settle for the graduate route. Consult with your careers department to see if you have a decent chance to get into any medical school. If yes, then go for medicine. You shouldn't force yourself to do 4 years of undergraduate for the sake of cambridge (unless you actually want to do an undergraduate course).

Besides, much evidence suggests that graduate application at Cambridge (or any med school for that matter) is even more competitive than at undergraduate.....

In summary: don't ask "what will give me a better chance of getting into cambridge?" but "what will give me the better chance of getting into medical school/becoming a great doctor?"

You have to be practical. If I didn't get my camb offer I would've taken my Kings or UCL in a heartbeat.

peace out

Hi!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions so throughly

Did you apply to Cambridge for Medicine? If so, could you please tell me what your BMAT scores were and what your offer was? What do you think gave you the advantage or what made you stand out from the other applicants that persuaded Cambridge to give you a place? Also, how are you liking the course? Thanks!

I didn't mean to come off like I was saying that I care more about getting into Cambridge than becoming a great doctor, I just meant that I think that Cambridge is the perfect fit for me and I really love the way that their Medicine course is structure and therefore that is why I believe that attending Cambridge will allow me to become the best doctor that I can be (especially with how thorough and in depth the pre-clinical years are set-up according to one of my friend's brother who attended there).

I have been emailing all of the Cambridge Colleges and they've really emphasised on the fact that each application is very thoroughly looked over and so even if an applicant has AAABB grades at Higher but they are predicted for say A1A1A1A1 at Advanced Higher plus if the rest of their application is top notch then they still stand a good chance of getting at least an interview. Of course if someone does have AAABB results then they might stand an even better chance of getting an interview and possibly even an offer if they already have their Advanced Higher grades. I don't know how much I can trust and believe that all of this true and that such an applicant genuinely has a chance of getting a place when they are in competition with those who have 5 A's but regardless I'm not going to give up so I think I'm going to do 4 Advanced Highers next year (plus maybe an additional Higher) and aim to get all A1's.

Thanks again for your advice!

Hey guys I hope everyone's exams went well!

Have any offer holders been given a reading list, or know of any books that would be worth of reading before?
I'm not planning to do any preparation until after results day but I could order the books now and save time.

Maybe worth looking at this if you haven't seen it already: http://www.biology.cam.ac.uk/undergrads/mvst/prospective/basic-science-concepts

Cambridge students, Oxford students and Harvard students are superior to other people attending worthless universities. You don't belong in Cambridge if you don't agree with me.

Anyone else thinking about how much they're gonna miss their non-medicine subjects e.g. maths and physics (and chemistry to an extent)? Because I'm genuinely upset about it

Yeah, but then it'll also be nice to be able to study them as out of interest (if I have to time to!) rather than be bound by exam board specifications.