A101 Nottingham 2017 Entry

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Yeah, hopefully some of us will hear by the end of the week.. In the meantime let's keep each other updated here, if we hear anything! Saves Sarb having to reply to each of us and speeds up the process in return! :smile:

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Reply 841

puddleduck

Original post by LJZed

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Sounds good! Mind if I ask what number you are on the list?

Reply 842

LJZed

Original post by puddleduck

Sounds good! Mind if I ask what number you are on the list?

I'm somewhere in the middle, trying to remain hopeful but I've started to think about registering for GAMSAT again this year! :/

Reply 843

converseallstars

Sorry to derail the conversation (hopefully this will serve as a welcome distraction for some of you!) but I am hoping to apply for Notts 2018 entry and wanted to ask a few questions.

I sat the GAMSAT in March and don't plan on doing it again this September (thank GOD!) so I thought I could hopefully spend this time trying to put myself in the best possible position to be a strong applicant.

In terms of work experience, I did some shadowing in the summer of 2015 (one week of shadowing a medical consultant and another week shadowing a surgical consultant). I also have a little bit of experience volunteering with a charity within a hospital (between 2013 and 2015, although haven't done anything with them recently) and my current role is an admin role within a hospital but I am getting quite a significant amount of clinical exposure through it too.

I know Nottingham send out work experience forms and I was wondering if they set an "expiry date" for how long work experience is eligible (like Warwick do) and what sort of variety they're looking for. What are these forms like and who should I prepare to contact in terms of proof that I have conducted the work experience? Are they looking for a minimum set number of hours or is it more what I've gained from the work experience that they're interested in? I know I can find some of this stuff on their website but I just wanted insiders' perspectives. :smile:

Good luck to all of you still waiting to hear! Hope you get some good news soon.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 844

Osiris Wintereisse

Original post by converseallstars

Good luck to all of you still waiting to hear! Hope you get some good news soon.

They want recent work experience, and dedication for a prolonged period of time so two week shadowing etc. isn't going to cut it. They ask you to provide a point of contact for the experience you did, so for the hospital I guess it would be the relevant doctors and for the charity the coordinator etc. I just asked them individually if they were ok with me putting their details down. The form is pretty simple and ask for cumulative hours that you have worked/volunteered and short questions about what the work entailed.

I would focus on hours, and variety if I were you. Other than the form, I think it greatly helped that I picked a wide range of demographic and clinical/non-clinical settings for my volunteering - it really helped me in all my interviews because it gives you a very good insight into the allied healthcare professions, you know how MDT is the big thing these days. E.g. I quit work was working part time for a VC firm, but in my free time I did a month's worth of shadowing at a local hospital, volunteered at a charity for disabled children, the elderly, mental ill, and did hospital volunteering at a work which was basically HCA stuff. I did it all weekly (except for the shadowing which was full time) and did the volunteer/hospital work for more than six months. Another word of advice, get started early for the charity stuff, the DBS forms take FOREVER! I would also recommend that you take a mindset of constant reflection and keep a journal of things that you learn and feel during your experiences and try and thing things through from the different stakeholders' perspective. I've been told by some interviewers that interviewees with a lot of hours but little reflection kind of defeats the point of the whole work experience requirement.

Best of luck in your application!

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 845

24K_Magic

Original post by Osiris Wintereisse

keep a journal of things that you learn and feel during your experiences...

Yeah I would say that's the most important part for interview!

Reply 846

bsy9

I'm a bit confused about what work experience actually counts looking at their website. On top of the recent stuff I've got 2 weeks shadowing a GP but that was 8 years ago guessing too long ago? I also run the D of E scheme for kids and coach sports with groups from 9-15 are these worth putting when they're not healthcare experience? I'd always though experience with kids was useful

Reply 847

heyharriet

They really want to see evidence of you interacting with healthcare professionals and you need to say that on your work experience form. I worked as a HCA yet I was too vague on mine and just wrote my job description and was rejected. However in my feedback they gave more specific info on what they wanted to see, so I adjusted how I described my job, emailed them back and was offered an interview. I start in September!

Reply 848

Dr squared

Original post by heyharriet

Could you post what they required to you on here?

Reply 849

heyharriet

Original post by Dr squared

Could you post what they required to you on here?

I have gone back to look at the emails and it clearly states work experience must be in a care related environment, ideally with interaction with healthcare professionals. But I think that is pretty much what they say on the entry requirements page on the website anyway.

They also look more favourably at recent work experience.

Reply 850

LJZed

Original post by heyharriet

I run a Rainbows (Girlguiding) group and when I tried to talk about that in my interview and give an example as part of the answer they interrupted and told me I have to give a healthcare related example.

Can I just remind people to be careful of what you post regarding the interview process and what the interviewers say or do? We all signed a non-disclosure agreement preventing us to share information regarding the interview. There's plenty of information regarding what's required on the website and the admissions are always happy to answer questions as well.

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 851

LJZed

Also this is a 2017 entry discussion. Guys, if you're applying for 2018 and wish to discuss could you post in the 2018 group? Thanks!

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Reply 852

puddleduck

Yep, there is a 2018 thread, and some of us are following it so can definitely offer advice there :smile:

At the moment, every time this thread becomes active, I hope it's because there's been waitlist movement and freak out a little :P

Reply 853

LJZed

Original post by puddleduck

Yep, there is a 2018 thread, and some of us are following it so can definitely offer advice there :smile:

At the moment, every time this thread becomes active, I hope it's because there's been waitlist movement and freak out a little :P

Yes, me too! And am sure other ppl in the waitlist feel the same.

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Reply 854

heyharriet

Original post by LJZed

I've deleted the post but I'm not sure I really would have breached the conditions. I didn't give any examples of questions and the regarding information I gave I would be concerned if someone preparing for an interview wasn't expecting to talk about their experiences.

Reply 855

LJZed

Got a reply from Sarb saying that there's been no movement of the waiting list as not all the applicants have made their decision yet. >.<
She's hoping to provide more information by the end of next week.

Looks like we'll have to wait until the deadline after all..

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 856

puddleduck

Original post by LJZed

Ughhhh, torturous!

Thanks for the update, though! Might as well at least *try* to enjoy the bank holiday weekend :P

Fingers crossed they do start moving through the waiting list soon after the deadline- Notts left things late this year which might account for the late replies, but hopefully a similar number of people decline Notts as most other years.... :s-smilie:

Reply 857

thesuspense

Warwick offer firmed so if you were 50+ on the Notts waiting list you've now been bumped up a place!

Best of luck all still waiting and don't take it personally if you are't lucky this year, it's most probably not a reflection on your ability to be a good doctor but rather a reflection of the ridiculous levels of competition.

Don't stop believing, and take some solace in the fact that there will at least be 25% more places next year!

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/the-big-nhs-question-why-are-there-so-few-new-gps-when-so-many-of-our-keenest-brains-want-to-study-10290324.html

Reply 858

jtx045

Original post by thesuspense

Unfortunately that was another Tory lie. There will only be an extra 500 places from next year, rather than the promised 1,500, but hey, that's still 8% more and every little helps!

There are vague promises to bring in the remaining promised 1,000 from 2019.

There's no word or figures yet on if these will be Undergrad or Grad Entry though, or a mix, has anyone seen anything on this?

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/practice-topics/education/dh-will-fund-just-a-third-of-promised-extra-medical-school-places-next-year/20034269.article

Reply 859

Osiris Wintereisse

Just firmed Exeter - best of luck to the chap or chapesse on the waiting list as there should be a freed up spot now! Hope you have a fabulous time studying at Nottingham and go onto become an awesome doctor!