Medicine - Oxford or cambridge

10

Im looking to apply to either Oxford or Cambridge for medicine but am having trouble deciding which to choose as I have not visited either city, nor do I have any idea which area of medicine I would like to go into.

I want to choose a University mainly based on: the accommodation/food prices and quality, teaching quality, amount of patient contact in the first 3 years and class sizes.

I know that these vary from college to college, but was wondering what the main differences between the Oxbridge Unis are so that I can make a more informed decision before applying.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

PurpleO

From what I understand of Oxbridge medicine, patient contact in the first three years is minimal/non-existent.

Reply 2

Miu Miu

There's no need to know what speciality you would like to do later on in your medical career - since 90% of medical students change their mind a million times over during medical school and most eventually do something that they ahdn't considered earlier.

The both have equal repuations, and both have more or less equal amount of patient contact in the first 3 years (they both do the traditional course structure).
Information about teaching quality, class sizes, accomodation/food prices and quality is easily found on the internet ... maybe you should do some of your own research?

Also, I'd seriously advise you to go to both on open days - you can't really make a completely informed decision if you've never been to either.

Reply 3

*stars and stripes*

6

*AngelFish*

Im looking to apply to either Oxford or Cambridge for medicine but am having trouble deciding which to choose as I have not visited either city, nor do I have any idea which area of medicine I would like to go into.

I want to choose a University mainly based on: the accommodation/food prices and quality, teaching quality, amount of patient contact in the first 3 years and class sizes.

I know that these vary from college to college, but was wondering what the main differences between the Oxbridge Unis are so that I can make a more informed decision before applying.

Thanks :smile:

Hi, I had the same dilemma as you, so I'll try to be helpful!

I personally don't think you can choose between Oxford and Cambridge based on "accommodation/food prices and quality, teaching quality, amount of patient contact in the first 3 years and class sizes" because from what I saw, they're both similar in those respects!

I visited both to help decide which one I preferred and went on my gut feeling, so i reckon that's the way to go :smile:

Alternatively, you could look at the different admissions processes (I chose the one that didn't involve staying over several days for interviews!), the differences between the two courses (as I understand, the 3rd year in Oxford is almost always research whereas you seem to have more options at Cambridge), whichever place you like best or the facilities- there is a central medical school in Oxford, whereas at Cambridge there is not one specific building for teaching.

Good luck and PM me if you want to ask anything more :biggrin:

I'm won't pretend to be an expert about either uni but I'll try and help!

Reply 4

Elles

17

You could start by doing a search on here to see what people have said before?

Medicine - Oxford or Cambridge

Medicine: Oxford vs Cambridge + more

& summary answers:

- Accommodation / food prices = the range between colleges is probably greater. Although on average I think cost of living is cheaper in Cambridge.

- Teaching quality = meh, much of a muchness i expect. Or variation might be college based again...

- Amount of patient contact = have you looked at the prospectuses? There isn't a huge amount at either - although in previous threads people have wondered whether Oxford has a tad more.

- Class sizes = well the year group is much bigger in Cambridge (again - this is a prospectus thing for details) + shared lectures with the monster course that is NatSci - so lecture groups likely to be bigger there. But the number of people in a lecture doesn't really have any impact. For tutorials it's a college rather than university decided thing. For seminars & practicals there might be differences, but no idea where you'd get data on that & they wouldn't necessarily show ratio of staff: students. E.g. for anatomy/path practicals etc. we'd have half the year at once (~75) - but in groups of 6-10 with a demonstrator.

Reply 5

*AngelFish*

OP

10

I have already done quite a lot of research on Oxford so I know about the class sizes there and pretty much which colleges I would apply to. I found that the Cambridge website was a lot less helpful as you have to go onto each colleges individual website before you can even find out whether it does your course or not. I'm going to visit Oxford this weekend and I'll be going to both open days. I was just wondering about any differences between them although I realise that these are mainly in course structure. Thanks for the links, I've already seen the first one, but the second was very useful.

Thanks for everyones help :smile:

Reply 6

that_diesel

1

Oxford is better for medicine.

Reply 7

not1

15

A friend (5th year medic at Oxford) told me the Oxford course has a much longer pedigree and is better established.

Reply 8

martin101

10

Oxford all the way. I dont know about it being more prestigious but certainly it has its benefits - cam kicks out most of its undergrads for clinical school whereas most of the oxford lot get to stay on so that has to be a bonus. Oxford as a city trumps cambridge every time too - its far bigger and therefore far more to do.

Reply 9

*AngelFish*

OP

10

I think I am leaning towards Oxford, especially as I know a lot more about it. I had heard that Cambridge was better for medicine, as it is better with sciences in general and because it has more variety in third year??

Reply 10

Umbrella

3

I think this thread is slightly one sided!!! Cambridge is an amazing and incredibly beautiful place (one of the main reasons I applied!). Having said that go for wherever you think's better, but go down and see both of them before deciding!

Reply 11

billet-doux

14

Maybe you should consider your GCSEs too. Oxford decide whether to interview you based on your % of A*s GCSEs and BMAT score.

Reply 12

Excalibur

15

What are your GCSE grades like? Oxford selects you on a sliding scale based on your A* percentage and your BMAT results for interview (if you have 100% A*, you have to be in the top ~60% of candidates in the BMAT, if you have 90% then ~55% etc etc. Not sure of the exact percentages and there are some people who still get an interview even if they miss this auto-threshold), so if your GCSEs are not that strong then think twice about Oxford.

On the other hand, if your module results aren't fantastic at the end of Year 12, Cambridge can see your UMS while Oxford can't - that's another factor to consider.

If I recall correctly, I think Cambridge does full dissection while Oxford does prosection.

Reply 13

Lord Hysteria

18

I think you need to go and see them both for yourself.

Reply 14

*AngelFish*

OP

10

I will definitely go and see them both
I got 8 A* and 2As for GCSE and am predicted all As for my subjects (taking AS biology, chemistry, physics,critical thinking and maths (full A level)) this year
what GCSE grades do they want?? I was told that they weren't that important :confused:

Reply 15

nexttime

22

they said they base whether they give you an interview on your GCSE's (among other things) but not AS's, so they are very important in a way

Cambridge tend to make ofers based on 4 A-levels if you do them, whereas Oxford is always 3 no matter how many subjects you do

look at the individual colleges and see if there is one at either university that really stands out, as that could be a big factor in your decision

Reply 16

7589200

18

PurpleO

From what I understand of Oxbridge medicine, patient contact in the first three years is minimal/non-existent.

yeah its that good! :biggrin:

my guide to oxbridge medicine really is
extremely high GCSE A* % go for Oxford...the bmat requirements for interview are quite easy then, after that its not too bad - they seem to base their decision completely on interview (well almost) because extremely overqualified people have been rejected in the past while people who one wudn't expect to get in have made it - and I have observed that this is something that happens every year.

something lower then Cambridge is probably better, do really well in the BMAT here and you're as good as in...(esp. at big medical colleges like caius)

- all the criteria you mentioned are really the same in both places - I would go by two things, how easy it is go get in and which one has the prefered geographical location for you.

Reply 17

that_diesel

1

Thanks to whichever beef merchant neg repped me for this. I said Oxford because generations of my family have studied medicine there so my views are relevant.

Reply 18

Helenia

20

edders

A friend (5th year medic at Oxford) told me the Oxford course has a much longer pedigree and is better established.

Of course. :rolleyes:

I actually have no idea about dates but both courses have been going for a good long while. The Cambridge clinical course recently changed but as far as I can see this is all for the better. I don't think either will necessarily make you a better doctor - go for the one you like more.

Vazzyb's point about GCSEs is relevant, but you also have to bear in mind that Cambridge ask for UMS marks for all modules you take, so you need to do very well at AS as well.

I love Cambridge and from what I've heard/seen of other places our course does have its advantages, but Oxford's probably does too. I don't think anyone saying one is clearly better than the other can really justify that.

Reply 19

CarneLevare

4

that_diesel

Thanks to whichever beef merchant neg repped me for this. I said Oxford because generations of my family have studied medicine there so my views are relevant.

I'm sorry, how the **** does that make your view in the slightest bit relevant?

Medicine - Oxford or cambridge

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