Scottish Medical Schools 2019 entry

I’m definitely no expert (also in S5) but I think that sounds like a great thing to talk about!
The fact that you can recover and go on to help others is a massive achievement that you should be proud of - remember your personal statement is about showing who you are, and this is a great way to show your own strength and that you are passionate about helping others through using your own experiences
The medical schools would have to be real c***s to hold it against you.
If you want to expand on your blog, you may need to take it out of just social media - maybe start a proper platform eg. A website like wordpress where you can just duplicate your posts but it is a little more legit. If you feel confident enough to share your experience in the community eg.starting a support group or a mental health awareness campaign in school this would show leadership and initiative.
You sound like you also have some great work experience and volunteering planned. For Edinburgh they like you to cover the three d’s - diseased, disabled and disadvantaged. The only thing I’d say is to try not to tire yourself out! You seem to have quite a lot of volunteering on the go. You may need to take up an extracurricular as well, maybe at lunchtime? You could start a mental health committee in school if that’s something your passionate about?

EDIT: not to sound stalkery or anything, but where are you in Scotland?
I live in Edinburgh and there’s this mental health charity around the lothians called CAPS
When I was looking for volunteering I remember seeing an advert for a young person to share their eating disorder story. Again, only if you feel confident enough, you could email this lady and ask
http://capsadvocacy.org/news/volunteering-with-caps/

So I’m choosing my subjects for s6 currently, I’m taking advanced higher chemistry and advanced higher biology. For my third subject, I wasn’t sure whether to take crash higher psychology or advanced higher history. My guidance teacher told me that everyone from my school who got offers were taking three advanced highers. But then I phoned the medicine admissions office for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen and they all said they had no preference over advanced higher or a higher for your third subject, as long as you had two advanced highers. They said it would not put you at an advantage to take one over the other, and to just do what I will get the best grades in and enjoy. Also, when I was at an open evening, Dundee university said they quite like crash highers. I don’t know if I’m being way too over-suspicious but do you think I should trust what the admissions office are saying and do crash higher psychology? Do you know if I’m more likely to get in if I take an advanced higher? Thanks x

I havent worked there long enough to ask and i dont really speak to any of the nurses and doctors so feel like it would just be very awkward as theyre so busy and dont know me at all. Ive tried contacting the senior charge nurses of particular wards but again theyve told me they cant take me on and others just havent returned any of my queries. Im super stuck at the moment.

Thank you so much this was really encouraging and helpful !! I may expand my blog but also keep the social media blog and just write longer posts and stuff on the actual blog. The mental health awareness/ campaign club is a really good idea, I’m going to audition for peer support captain in s6 so I may do it through that! I have recently joined amnesty/gender equality club at school and I co-write an article for a community magazine. I was also in a (village)pantomime a few years ago and I am helping out with a p7 youth club. I might join a yoga class if I have time but I’m not sure. Do you think that is enough? I used to do gymnastics and football at a national/local level but I don’t do any sports now as I’m just not a sporty person. I also haven’t done Duke of Edinburgh or anything.
Unfortunately I live near Aberdeen so I’m too far away for the CAPS thing, but that was really kind of you to mention it!
Thanks for writing that really long response!

Graduate here applying for the second time around, after being rejected this year. Currently looking at a predicted 1st/high 2:1 in psychology (i'm a Scottish student and am graduating this summer)

I'm applying to Aberdeen, Glasgow, ScotGEM & possibly another graduate program in England/Wales as I know Dundee/Edinburgh won't take me on.

Will be going back to college to do higher bio/chem, which is annoying but necessary for my choices. Not looking forward to sitting the UKCAT/GAMSAT again, but slightly reassured by having done it before

Any q's about applying let me know, i've been through it all once so might be helpful

Graduate here applying for the second time around, after being rejected this year. Currently looking at a predicted 1st/high 2:1 in psychology (i'm a Scottish student and am graduating this summer)

I'm applying to Aberdeen, Glasgow, ScotGEM & possibly another graduate program in England/Wales as I know Dundee/Edinburgh won't take me on.

Will be going back to college to do higher bio/chem, which is annoying but necessary for my choices. Not looking forward to sitting the UKCAT/GAMSAT again, but slightly reassured by having done it before

Any q's about applying let me know, i've been through it all once so might be helpful

Hey! Just wondering why edin & dundee wouldnt take you? Did you apply for scotgem last year? if so how did you find the gamsat? Sorry for all the questions I am just curious haha

Well I know Dundee defo won't take me because my first degree is Psychology rathr than biomed - v annoying! For Glasgow and Edi i'm doing HIgher Biology and Chemistry at college over the coming year, it's one of the requirements if you don't have a life sciences degree and my UKCAT is on Monday oooo!

Applied to ScotGEM last year, GAMSAT for me was defo tricky as i haven't done Chem or Bio since school and the exam's use of strong problem solving elements defo make it more difficult, S1 ended up being my strongest section! Although in honestly I did not prepare for more than about 2 days so expected a bad score and not to get an offer - plan to be much more organised this year!

No probs, I don't know everything but if I can answer I will

Ah, that is so annoying when they'll teach you everything you need anyway! ah, good on you that is tough - i probably should have done that for physics haha. Yeah Gamsat is crazy, i'd be able to ace bio but everything seems to just be problem solving just with biological words which is so annoying! the physics and chem are way over my head but guess we'll just have to see. I read on a website only about 200 people applied for scotgem so odds are much better than the others (if we do ok on the gamsat!) where did you do your psychology degree? good luck for monday!

I know, and although medicine is hard to learn it's not impossible, if you're intelligent enough to get in (and finish a degree!) you're probably intelligent enough to pass the exams! I am forever wishing now I had gone with my original plan and applied for biomedical sciences haha.

GAMSAT is mostly difficult because of how knackered you are throughout the day, and how disruptive it can be taking an exam miles away from your home - I was living in Aberdeen for it last year and ended up spending over £200 on hotel rooms/train tickets/breakfast at the extortionate hotel - even after paying the £260~ for the exam! They only announce the location 2 weeks before as well, which means if you are not ready the cheaper hotels and transport get booked up. I slept crap in the hotel, and by S3 I was so tired my brain had given up - ended up with 45 in that section ha! Actually moving to Edi in September so the commute to the centre will only be about 20 mins in the morning which should take the edge off

Yeah I just looked up the admissions stats now and honestly it seems to be much less competitive than other UK grad med courses - probably as there's less funding for RUK students, which gives me more hope for this years app, although fingers crossed it stays that way Did my psych at Aberdeen Uni, ended up with a 2:1 (just missed out on a first by about 2 marks), where did you do your bio?

Hello! I'm in S6 applying to Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen! Absolutely in love with Dundee so it's my top choice.
I was just wondering, I managed to get a job as a support worker, but my PVG still needs to be completed so I was wondering if it's worth mentioning that in future I will begin this job in my PS? or should I wait until interview for when I have done shifts and have something to reflect on?

I'd include it in your PS, mate. Just a quick sentence of "I have secured a job as a CSW in September 2018 to gain further experience in a care environment"