Oxford Medicine Applicants 2015 Entry

So what to wear? Suit and tie I presume? But what about what to prepare??? Really not sure apart from general medical interview qs but isnt oxford a lot different to other medical schools in terms of interviews???

Reply 61

MedAppli

1

Original post by hlward

So what to wear? Suit and tie I presume? But what about what to prepare??? Really not sure apart from general medical interview qs but isnt oxford a lot different to other medical schools in terms of interviews???

I'm going in formal, just try and be sound in your science, work experience etc what colleges you being interviewed at and what dates?

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Reply 62

hlward

Original post by MedAppli

I'm going in formal, just try and be sound in your science, work experience etc what colleges you being interviewed at and what dates?

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Yeah but which bits of science like if I revise something specific the likelihood is that it won't come up and monday tuesday at wadham and lady margaret hall wbu?

Reply 63

TazzyBoo

1

Hey guys! Anyone being interviewed at Hertford on Monday or Christ Church on Tuesday? :smile:

Reply 64

nexttime

22

Original post by hlward

So what to wear? Suit and tie I presume?

Not necessarily - Oxford is way more casual than anywhere else. You would be in a minority if you wore a suit, though being smart probably is a good idea.

But what about what to prepare??? Really not sure apart from general medical interview qs but isnt oxford a lot different to other medical schools in terms of interviews???

Yes, very different indeed. It'll be mostly scientific questions, in many ways similar to BMAT type questions but in more depth. They are trying to see how you think around a problem you haven't faced before, rather than just your level of knowledge.

Just making sure you are up to date on your a-level science content is all i would say.

Reply 65

hlward

do we need to bring anything other than the passport-like photograph?

Reply 66

themedic101

How did everyone's interviews go?

Reply 67

MedAppli

1

Original post by themedic101

How did everyone's interviews go?

I made too many mistakes and didn't solve one of the problems, so pretty ****. Doubt I'll get an offer now hbu ?

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Reply 68

themedic101

Original post by MedAppli

I made too many mistakes and didn't solve one of the problems, so pretty ****. Doubt I'll get an offer now hbu ?

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That's not too bad, some of the problems were quite hard and making mistakes was inevitable. Which colleges were you interviewed at?

I didn't find them too bad, but I could have answered some questions much better, not really sure how I did tbh :s-smilie:

Reply 69

anastasiasays

9

Original post by themedic101

How did everyone's interviews go?

I personally enjoyed my interviews a lot! (strange to hear, I know). Whether or not they went well is a different story...

The main thing I took from it was that it is IMPOSSIBLE to prepare for and all my extra neuroscience reading was a waste of time :frown:

(A large portion of my q's were physics based?!?!)

Which colleges did everyone have interviews at?? :smile:

Reply 70

username903170

7

Anybody know how many offers get given out?

I know the email said there were 425 interviewees and 150 places, but all of the other medical schools seem to give out way more offers than they have places (Birmingham give out 700 offers for ~300 places!) - surely Oxford do the same?

Reply 71

IHEM

I think they said that they give out about 10 more offers than places

Reply 72

nexttime

22

Original post by mangafreak

Anybody know how many offers get given out?

I know the email said there were 425 interviewees and 150 places, but all of the other medical schools seem to give out way more offers than they have places (Birmingham give out 700 offers for ~300 places!) - surely Oxford do the same?

They made 156 offers last year. For the last 6 years its been between 152 and 160.

Other med schools have to give out so many offers because so many people turn other med schools down.

Reply 73

diana99

5

Is studying medicine at Oxford any different to studing medicine at other unis. ? *I'd like to study here

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Reply 74

username903170

7

Original post by nexttime

They made 156 offers last year. For the last 6 years its been between 152 and 160.

Other med schools have to give out so many offers because so many people turn other med schools down.

Ah okay, that's a shame - even less chance of me getting one then! I suppose that people who get Oxford offers tend to meet their grades as well...

Also this may seem like an odd question, but as you're a current student: what's the lowest BMAT score you've heard of from someone with a place? Mine was rather poor and I'm thinking it'll still stop me getting an offer, even if my interviews were okay.

Thanks!

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 75

nexttime

22

Original post by diana99

Is studying medicine at Oxford any different to studing medicine at other unis. ? *I'd like to study here

Yes. All medicine courses vary a lot - PBL vs lecture based etc etc - medicine is probably the most varied course out there. Main points about Oxford:

- High basic science focus. No actual 'medicine' until 4th year.
- High research focus - 3rd year is entirely about making you familiar with and encouraging you to always use primary literature. As well as doing some research yourself of course.
- You write essays for the first 3 years. Loads of them - only Cambridge also does that.
- Tutorials in groups of 2-3, 2-3x per week for first 2 years.
- College system - very different social dynamic as its not just medics you're friends with.
- Long holidays in first 3 years.
- Very small year group
- Have to reapply for 4th year - everyone gets in somewhere and this gives you the opportunity to go to London (any med school). A few do get forced to go to London against their wishes though.
Clinical (years 4-6):
- Short holidays
- Heavily centred on Oxford - far less time spent in outside hospitals, accommodation on site always provided (except your GP placement, but they'll refund your commute costs) and absolutely no need to own a car, unlike some other places.
- Far less logbooks and 'sign offs' than elsewhere.
- Quite a lot of exams.
- Very high student satisfaction - I think the admin side of things is far better run than some of the places you hear about which contributes a lot to that.
- Requirement-free elective after your final exams.

There is a [rul]med school pros and cons thread here. The front page isn't entirely updated though - reviews after about page 10 will have to be scrolled through manually.

Reply 76

nexttime

22

Original post by mangafreak

Ah okay, that's a shame - even less chance of me getting one then! I suppose that people who get Oxford offers tend to meet their grades as well...

Also this may seem like an odd question, but as you're a current student: what's the lowest BMAT score you've heard of from someone with a place? Mine was rather poor and I'm thinking it'll still stop me getting an offer, even if my interviews were okay.

Thanks!

I don't go around asking people their exam results. However, you can see from the data published that the lowest to get in last year was between 50 and 54.9.

No point in worrying about this though - forget about it and get on with your life! The decision was made ages ago, the letter is on someone's desk waiting for the 6th. What ever will be...

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 77

username903170

7

Original post by nexttime

I don't go around asking people their exam results. However, you can see from the data published that the lowest to get in last year was between 50 and 54.9.

No point in worrying about this though - forget about it and get on with your life! The decision was made ages ago, the letter is on someone's desk waiting for the 6th. What ever will be...

Ooh okay, thanks :-) I suppose if I'm keeping positive I'd say that I am very close to the higher boundary of that group, and my GCSEs may save me again (I wasn't expecting to get an interview, and a friend with a BMAT average of 0.5 lower than me but 2 fewer A*s at GCSE didn't get on).

Yeah thanks that's good advice and I know worrying is pointless, I'm just a massive overthinker. Thanks again!

Reply 78

diana99

5

Original post by nexttime

Yes. All medicine courses vary a lot - PBL vs lecture based etc etc - medicine is probably the most varied course out there. Main points about Oxford:

- High basic science focus. No actual 'medicine' until 4th year.
- High research focus - 3rd year is entirely about making you familiar with and encouraging you to always use primary literature. As well as doing some research yourself of course.
- You write essays for the first 3 years. Loads of them - only Cambridge also does that.
- Tutorials in groups of 2-3, 2-3x per week for first 2 years.
- College system - very different social dynamic as its not just medics you're friends with.
- Long holidays in first 3 years.
- Very small year group
- Have to reapply for 4th year - everyone gets in somewhere and this gives you the opportunity to go to London (any med school). A few do get forced to go to London against their wishes though.
Clinical (years 4-6):
- Short holidays
- Heavily centred on Oxford - far less time spent in outside hospitals, accommodation on site always provided (except your GP placement, but they'll refund your commute costs) and absolutely no need to own a car, unlike some other places.
- Far less logbooks and 'sign offs' than elsewhere.
- Quite a lot of exams.
- Very high student satisfaction - I think the admin side of things is far better run than some of the places you hear about which contributes a lot to that.
- Requirement-free elective after your final exams.

There is a [rul]med school pros and cons thread here