This thread is closed

Medicine - Oxford or cambridge

Even if someone's views aren't entirely relevant, who the hell neg-reps someone for disagreeing with their choice of Ox-vs-Bridge?

Reply 21

CarneLevare

4

Yeah, obv that's stupid. Wasn't the point I was addressing tho.

Reply 22

Huw Davies

11

Mayfly

Even if someone's views aren't entirely relevant, who the hell neg-reps someone for disagreeing with their choice of Ox-vs-Bridge?

I occasionally neg people (only on D&D generally) for offering their opinions in the form of blunt statements, without qualification, justification or explanations, as such posts add very little to the discussion.

Also people who whinge about getting neg rep.

Reply 23

springer

I think the answer should be obvious from these data :smile:

Take a look at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-6-5.pdf for the original article.

MRCPresults.jpg134.4KB

Reply 24

Huw Davies

11

Interesting that Oxford noticeably outpaces Cambridge as well as the other medical schools - I can't think of any reasons for Oxford's particular success that oughtn't apply to Cambridge, too.

Reply 25

Elles

17

Huw Davies

Interesting that Oxford noticeably outpaces Cambridge as well as the other medical schools - I can't think of any reasons for Oxford's particular success that oughtn't apply to Cambridge, too.

Hmm? This is data with a time lag (MRCP being at least 18months after graduation) & a clinical-ish exam measure = Cambridge's clinical course has changed in the past few years... It used to be 2.5 years off the top of my head for one. :smile:

Reply 26

7589200

18

taking 150 as opposed to 280 students would help I think

Reply 27

Helenia

20

springer

I think the answer should be obvious from these data :smile:

Take a look at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-6-5.pdf for the original article.

My God, people really are trotting this out at every opportunity, aren't they?

I think at the pre-uni stage this is really one of your most minor concerns. Lots of you won't even take the MRCP.

Reply 28

springer

Helenia

My God, people really are trotting this out at every opportunity, aren't they?

I think at the pre-uni stage this is really one of your most minor concerns. Lots of you won't even take the MRCP.

I agree - I wouldn't put too much weight on these kinds of statistics in comparing various medschools. Ultimately, the best candidates will do best in exams at any level and this is reflected in the results from MRCP performance and the difference between Oxford and Cambridge can be attributed to the movement which occurs between Oxbridge and London after preclinical. Oxford seems to take quite a few Cambridge students (whereas very few move the other way) and those who aren't as good may end up in London so Oxford, Cambridge and London aren't really what they seem in this particular study.

Reply 29

Tenoch

nexttime

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

Sorry but that simply isn't true. While the trend is that offers will be based on 3 A levels, it isn;t set in stone. You can be given an offer based on any qualifications you are taking which you announced on your UCAS for. I know plenty of people (myself included) who had offers based on 4 A levels, extra GCSEs, AS levels etc from Oxford.

Reply 30

nexttime

22

Tenoch

Sorry but that simply isn't true. While the trend is that offers will be based on 3 A levels, it isn;t set in stone. You can be given an offer based on any qualifications you are taking which you announced on your UCAS for. I know plenty of people (myself included) who had offers based on 4 A levels, extra GCSEs, AS levels etc from Oxford.

really?? i'd seen a lot of offers including only 3 subjects at A2 and never anything different, but clearly i was mistaken. you learn something everyday i guess

Reply 31

ninety_nine

12

oxford's slightly annoying for medicine from what i gather - % A*s favours some people and not others. For example a girl applying this year had a good BMAT score but her 8A* had a lower percentage because she had four other A's. Cambridge seems to guarantee an interview to those who meet the all the minimum requirements so it'd give you a certain oppourtunity to impress?

Reply 32

7589200

18

cambridge do dissection too!

The reason why we don't do as well as Oxford in exams is because actaully there quite a few not very smart (not very hard-working more appropriate) people around in our year, having 280... This is probably a reason to apply here too lol

Reply 33

mhairi_10

this is going to sound awful what with the statistics and information everyone else seems to have, but when i was deciding it really did come down to gut feeling. Cambridge was always my ultimate (i used to look at pictures of the university buildings when i was younger and read about the colleges -sad i know) so when i got my resullts and was making my university choices there really wasn't much deliberation, i knew where i had my heart set on and i think you will too :] Even if its a slight leaning one way, i would go with it, because you'll always wonder what if if you choose a university based on reasons like 'its more likely i will get in.' If you really can't choose i would visit both, you'll know whether its right for you when you get there :] good luck!

Reply 34

*stars and stripes*

6

mhairi_10

this is going to sound awful what with the statistics and information everyone else seems to have, but when i was deciding it really did come down to gut feeling. Cambridge was always my ultimate (i used to look at pictures of the university buildings when i was younger and read about the colleges -sad i know) so when i got my resullts and was making my university choices there really wasn't much deliberation, i knew where i had my heart set on and i think you will too :] Even if its a slight leaning one way, i would go with it, because you'll always wonder what if if you choose a university based on reasons like 'its more likely i will get in.' If you really can't choose i would visit both, you'll know whether its right for you when you get there :] good luck!

I'll second the thing about gut feeling...I looked at Oxford and Cambridge and although I preferred the fact that Oxford have a medical school (as in, one that's self-contained) I liked the atmosphere at Cambridge better. That's the main reason I applied there, although I have to say I preferred the third year options there too :smile:

Reply 35

*AngelFish*

OP

10

Thanks for everyones replies =]
Im really torn at the moment- I prefer Cambridge 3rd year options but Iv been to Oxford and really like the place as a city. I think I will definitely have to visit Cambridge though, to get a feel for it and go from there. They seem so similar overall I suppose you just have to go what you're comfortable with =]

Reply 36

*stars and stripes*

6

Very true...it seems to me that they are more similar than they are different, so good luck with picking the place where you can see yourself best :smile:

Looking at your GCSE results, I don't think you'd have a problem with Oxford's system (combining GCSE A* percentage with BMAT score to decide upon who gets interviewed), but I'm not an expert on that! Tbh if you get good AS module marks too, you really vould apply to either IMO. Good luck :smile:

Reply 37

ninety_nine

12

this thread's a bit silly: the bottom line is that both are the best in the country for medicine and i VERY much doubt an cam medic has more chance of getting a job than an oxonian one, or vice versa. more important would be getting the grade in the degree.

it's the most competitive subject at two of the most competitive universities in the world so anybody would be extremely gifted to get in either.

Reply 38

Helenia

20

ninety_nine

this thread's a bit silly: the bottom line is that both are the best in the country for medicine and i VERY much doubt an cam medic has more chance of getting a job than an oxonian one, or vice versa. more important would be getting the grade in the degree.

it's the most competitive subject at two of the most competitive universities in the world so anybody would be extremely gifted to get in either.

They're far from being universally considered the best in the country for Medicine...

Reply 39

HCD

16

Indeed, all medical schools are roughly the same [very very high] standard, because they are accredited by a central body whose name I forget.

Medicine - Oxford or cambridge

Related discussions

Trending

Latest