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Oxford Medicine Students and Applicants

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Thanks, but to confirm would that be A*AAA then?

they don't say, but the people in my school who got offers last year with 4 A-Levels were all asked for an A in the 4th subject.

the standard offer on the website is A*AA.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/courses/medicine/medicine_entrance.html

Reply 181

nexttime

Original post by Muppet Science

Hi,

I was just wondering what the standard offer for Medicine at Oxford is if you take four A2 subjects (Biology, Chemistry, History and Physics).

(If this has been asked and answered then I apologise - I did not see it)

Muppet Science

I have never heard of a medic having a 4-A-level offer. I had 5 subjects myself and the offer was still AAA (would be A*AA now, of course).

Reply 182

confused dot com

Original post by Muppet Science

Yup, they've upped the standard offer to A*AA this year. Not sure, but they might specify that Chem is included in the offer, but leave the rest up to you.

Reply 183

Muppet Science

Ok thanks everyone. I do enjoy history so would like to continue it to A2 but it may be better to 'just' take the three sciences to A2

Reply 184

sceptic_medic

Original post by Muppet Science

Ok thanks everyone. I do enjoy history so would like to continue it to A2 but it may be better to 'just' take the three sciences to A2

If you enjoy it then take all 4 to A2. Yes the offer is only for three A-Levels but the fact you enjoy it and that it's a subject that will greatly enhance your critical reading and logical skills outweighs the the extra study time you lose. This is obviously assuming that you're good at History and that you're capable of getting an A (in which case doing 4 would be beneficial in the event of an offer because the third A can be in any subject so theoretically you can drop an A in a science other than Chemistry!). Hopefully that makes sense. People may disagree with me but I do really think that having a contrasting literary A-Level helps a lot with your application in terms of making you more articulate in writing essays (such as BMAT section 3), the personal statement and also being able to communicate in interviews (which is critical).

Reply 185

John Locke

do history as well for the essay skills which are by far the most important determining factor in how well you do here.

Reply 186

AnonymousPenguin

Original post by John Locke

do history as well for the essay skills which are by far the most important determining factor in how well you do here.

I can second that. Your marks in the first 2 years (and probably 3rd year as well) are really going to be affected by your ability to write well quickly.

Reply 187

username210636

Original post by John Locke

do history as well for the essay skills which are by far the most important determining factor in how well you do here.

Original post by AnonymousPenguin

I can second that. Your marks in the first 2 years (and probably 3rd year as well) are really going to be affected by your ability to write well quickly.

Aye, and also the whole 'learning vast amounts of information' thing, which History A Level is probably at least a little helpful for.

Reply 188

nombo

For the Oxford Medicine interview, are there any books you recommend? Will they ask you about them, even if you don't mention them? Also, do you get time to join societies etc., as much as other students do? Do you meet people from other courses (and how?)? Thank you all. Oh, the reason I post this here and not another uni is because Oxford do interviews and have societies (as do Cam, but Oxford is more interesting to me).

Reply 189

nexttime

I would recommend reading the classic popular science books like 'the man who mistook his wife for a hat', 'the selfish gene' etc. Everyone and his dog have read them, but that's for a reason: they're good. Otherwise, keeping up to date on health and NHS matters on e.g. BBC health, or student bmj, is a good idea. Feel free to be more obscure, but don't overstretch yourself; journals, for example, are too advanced.

They probably would at least start a discussion about them, yes.

Yes, you have lots of time to join societies. Generally speaking, any degree is as time consuming as you make it for yourself (within reason).

Of course you know people from other courses - that is the point of the college system. You'd know them a lot better than most of your fellow medics.

Confused by why you are asking if you aren't an applicant (are you?), but meh.

Reply 190

nombo

Thanks for your reply. No, I'm not applying, but I hope to in a few years. Just thinking ahead (obsessively)!

Reply 191

astro67

Original post by nombo

Oh, the reason I post this here and not another uni is because Oxford do interviews and have societies (as do Cam, but Oxford is more interesting to me).

It probably doesn't matter terribly much but in these two respects Oxford is no different to any other University when it comes to medicine - an interview is a legal requirement for the admissions process for any medicine degree in the UK and I can't imagine any University would be without student societies.

Reply 192

nexttime

Original post by astro67

That's news to me... is that new for this year then? Because in previous years including this year, Southampton, Queens Belfast and Edinburgh did not interview any undergrads at all, and lots of others only interviewed some of those they give offers to.

Also, Oxbridge interviews are very different, and a lot more intensive, than any other med school.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 193

astro67

Original post by nexttime

I don't believe it's new but it's possible it's old - I understood it was the reason Durham had to retain interviews for teacher training and medicine when they changed their policy to remove all other undergraduate admissions interviews a few years ago, which was why I mentioned it. On reflection, that might have been simply the result of being tied to the Newcastle admissions process for medicine. The BMA website confirms that not all universities interview for medicine so my original statement is clearly wrong as things stand - apologies for that. Looking at the websites of the examples you've given, though, QUB say that all offers for medicine for the coming cycle are made on the basis of interviews - see http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/StudyatQueens/CourseFinder/UCF2013-14/?y=1314&id=A1&rp=az - the Southampton website says that they do interview some candidates and also invite some candidates for an interactive activity - see http://www.southampton.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/medicine.shtml. Edinburgh say they don't normally interview non-mature applicants but do interview graduate and mature applicants. If they didn't interview any undergrad applicants last year, I guess that means they didn't get any mature applicants.

Reply 194

nombo

Is Chemistry Salters (OCR) looked down upon at all? Or if I get an A in it, is that it? Or would a B/A in Edexcel Chemistry look better than an A/A* in Salters? Does anyone know what either course is like?

Reply 195

John Locke

Original post by nombo

no tutor will have any idea about what the difference is (not that there really is any). It makes absolutely no difference! although i did Salters and the implication that it is inferior is ludicrous, it's all the same! Edexcel is probably easier as the Salters coursework is more time consuming by far.

Reply 196

nulli tertius

I read it (and the Cambridge Reporter). I find them fascinating but they are of no earthly use to applicants.

Reply 197

shoshin

Think there might be some confusion here. OP maybe means the Oxford Medical School Gazette http://www.omsg-online.com/ rather than the Oxford University Gazette http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/

If so, OP it's prob'ly best to retitle your thread cos then 'nexttime' (helpful TSR Oxford medic) might spot and come to the rescue.

Reply 198

nulli tertius

Original post by shoshin

You learn something every day. :smile:

Reply 199

shoshin

Original post by nulli tertius

You learn something every day. :smile:

lol, I only found the Med School one cos, not understanding the OP's query, I googled "Oxford Gazette" to see if a third Oxford Gazette was still going. The latter was apparently the first newspaper in England back in 1665, yet spookily this very TSR thread now appears higher up in Google than http://www.oxfordgazette.com/

So with very little in the way of research effort we are nevertheless becoming, almost in real time, the world internet authorities on Gazettes of Oxford. :smile: