what does cambridge actually want from a medical applicant?
but sometimes i see people online with crazy things they've written in their personal statements. like winning olympiads, essay competitions, science competitions, and basically just being really really smart.
i think academically i'm quite good, but not the smartest person ever (then again i go to a grammar school so maybe my view of things is slightly flawed). and i've done all the things you'd expect to see in a med application - wider reading, work experience, volunteering (at a hospital for 6+ months).
so i was just wondering - is that enough? or do i need to do something like win an olympiad to stand a chance of getting a place, or at least getting an interview.
for context: my gcses are 99999999888
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Reply 1
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The "Which Medical School Should I Apply To?" Uberthread
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Work Experience and Voluntary Work
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Official Undergraduate Medicine 2023 Entry
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GCSE Requirements for Medicine
Everything you need to know about the BMAT
Work Experience as a Graduate or Mature student
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What to do after an unsuccessful first application
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Reply 2
but sometimes i see people online with crazy things they've written in their personal statements. like winning olympiads, essay competitions, science competitions, and basically just being really really smart.
i think academically i'm quite good, but not the smartest person ever (then again i go to a grammar school so maybe my view of things is slightly flawed). and i've done all the things you'd expect to see in a med application - wider reading, work experience, volunteering (at a hospital for 6+ months).
so i was just wondering - is that enough? or do i need to do something like win an olympiad to stand a chance of getting a place, or at least getting an interview.
for context: my gcses are 99999999888
Hard to tell if this is enough. Then again gaining an offer depends on how your interview went. Your GCSEs look fine and it's good that you have done work experience + reading and volunteering. You will have to see what you get for the UCAT and your A level predicted. So until then, just focus on these 2.
Reply 3
but sometimes i see people online with crazy things they've written in their personal statements. like winning olympiads, essay competitions, science competitions, and basically just being really really smart.
i think academically i'm quite good, but not the smartest person ever (then again i go to a grammar school so maybe my view of things is slightly flawed). and i've done all the things you'd expect to see in a med application - wider reading, work experience, volunteering (at a hospital for 6+ months).
so i was just wondering - is that enough? or do i need to do something like win an olympiad to stand a chance of getting a place, or at least getting an interview.
for context: my gcses are 99999999888
My son has just completed Oxford medicine. He did not win olympiads, or essay competitions. You may consider joining St. John ambulance- he found that very useful. Yes, keep up with the wider reading- specialising in one area of interest if you can.
The real litmus test is the bmat. He and others in his year sat the test and applied for Oxbridge medicine- but only his result translated into an interview. Getting into Oxbridge medicine may seem impossible but it really isn’t.
Google Oxford demystified- medicine from a parent’s point of view for my account of my son’s journey to Oxford medicine- and my son’s response- Oxford demystified- medicine from a student’s point of view for his reply … what happened and how he felt at every stage.
Always remember my elder son’s motto ( Oxford- German). Someone’s got to get in, and it might as well be me”
Good luck and keep us informed
All the best
Oxford mum
Reply 4
The real litmus test is the bmat. He and others in his year sat the test and applied for Oxbridge medicine- but only his result translated into an interview. Getting into Oxbridge medicine may seem impossible but it really isn’t.
Google Oxford demystified- medicine from a parent’s point of view for my account of my son’s journey to Oxford medicine- and my son’s response- Oxford demystified- medicine from a student’s point of view for his reply … what happened and how he felt at every stage.
Always remember my elder son’s motto ( Oxford- German). Someone’s got to get in, and it might as well be me”
Good luck and keep us informed
All the best
Oxford mum
I'm in year 10 and wanted to get into the St John Ambulance boat aswell, but they're all full nearby and I've been waiting for a year now... 🙁
Reply 5
but sometimes i see people online with crazy things they've written in their personal statements. like winning olympiads, essay competitions, science competitions, and basically just being really really smart.
i think academically i'm quite good, but not the smartest person ever (then again i go to a grammar school so maybe my view of things is slightly flawed). and i've done all the things you'd expect to see in a med application - wider reading, work experience, volunteering (at a hospital for 6+ months).
so i was just wondering - is that enough? or do i need to do something like win an olympiad to stand a chance of getting a place, or at least getting an interview.
for context: my gcses are 99999999888
hey me too, what subjects r u doing
Reply 6
Also, although you are not allowed to perform any medical procedures you may well be allowed to shadow a nurse or cater, to see what they do and how they interact with the residents.
but sometimes i see people online with crazy things they've written in their personal statements. like winning olympiads, essay competitions, science competitions, and basically just being really really smart.
i think academically i'm quite good, but not the smartest person ever (then again i go to a grammar school so maybe my view of things is slightly flawed). and i've done all the things you'd expect to see in a med application - wider reading, work experience, volunteering (at a hospital for 6+ months).
so i was just wondering - is that enough? or do i need to do something like win an olympiad to stand a chance of getting a place, or at least getting an interview.
for context: my gcses are 99999999888
You've got a good base to start off with - the important thing about wex, volunteering etc. is what you learn from it, rather than the fact that you've done it - and that needs to translate into your personal statement. For things like Olympiads, it's good to get involved as it shows your appreciation of STEM subjects, but "winning" is hardly necessary - participation is the key.
The most immediate next step is the UCAT - it's likely to be much more competitive following the scrapping of BMAT - so a strong score here will be very important.
The real litmus test is the bmat. He and others in his year sat the test and applied for Oxbridge medicine- but only his result translated into an interview. Getting into Oxbridge medicine may seem impossible but it really isn’t.
Google Oxford demystified- medicine from a parent’s point of view for my account of my son’s journey to Oxford medicine- and my son’s response- Oxford demystified- medicine from a student’s point of view for his reply … what happened and how he felt at every stage.
Always remember my elder son’s motto ( Oxford- German). Someone’s got to get in, and it might as well be me”
Good luck and keep us informed
All the best
Oxford mum
thank you so much! i googled the oxford demystified post and it was soo helpful, and has also given me a lot to think about. it's the most helpful thing i've ever read from the perspective of a student (and parent 🙂 )
unfortunately st john's ambulance is full in my local area, so i can't join that. it looks really good though, i wish there were spaces. my wider reading has been a bit broad, but i'm starting to realise that i love oncology so i guess i'll read mroe things related to that.
it's the ucat for oxford and cambridge this year, which is scary for me because it's the first time they are doing it. hopefully it'll go well but i'll need to prepare a lot for it.
The most immediate next step is the UCAT - it's likely to be much more competitive following the scrapping of BMAT - so a strong score here will be very important.
thank you, that's really reassuring. there's so many people in my year doing exceptionally well in those types of competitions and honestly it was scaring me a lot
i've done a bit of ucat prep, but i'm focusing more on my mocks right now. once they're over i'll put more effort into it.
what sort of a score would you say is strong?
hey, i do biology, chemistry, maths and AS economics (my econ exam is next week ☹️ ). i'm not doing an epq.
what subjects do you do?
Reply 11
what subjects do you do?
philosphy maths bio and chem ahh good luck for econ
i've done a bit of ucat prep, but i'm focusing more on my mocks right now. once they're over i'll put more effort into it.
what sort of a score would you say is strong?
It really depends on where you're applying to. UCAT cut-offs vary a lot by medical school, from 2200 to 2900+. For Cambridge, you're probably looking at 3000+ to be a competitive score I imagine. But that's just speculation - the important thing is to make sure you've put in your best effort
i didn’t apply to cambridge in the end, which made me so sad when i first made the decision but now looking back on it i’m glad i did, because i don’t think cambridge was the best place for me. i got 2940 b2 in my ucat though so i probably would’ve gotten an interview if i chose to apply
good luck to any cambridge med applicants, but most importantly remember that it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get in or even if you don’t apply at all in the end (like me!). everything will work out in the end
Reply 14
i didn’t apply to cambridge in the end, which made me so sad when i first made the decision but now looking back on it i’m glad i did, because i don’t think cambridge was the best place for me. i got 2940 b2 in my ucat though so i probably would’ve gotten an interview if i chose to apply
good luck to any cambridge med applicants, but most importantly remember that it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get in or even if you don’t apply at all in the end (like me!). everything will work out in the end
If you are willing to answer, what was the reason behind not applying to Cambridge? Was it just so you could apply to less competitive courses?
Also if it is alright to ask, where did you end up applying?
Thanks in advance!
Also if it is alright to ask, where did you end up applying?
Thanks in advance!
hi! i ended up applying to ucl, kings, barts and bsms and have gotten interviews from all four. hopefully i can convert those into offers! there were several reasons which together made me decide to not apply to cambridge, and i'll go into them a bit below
•
firstly, i was absolutely gutted when i saw my ucat score. i was expecting 3200+ after all my mocks so it was genuinely such a shock and it made me feel really depressed and hopeless for a while, and made me feel like i wasn't good enough for cambridge
•
i came back to my senses after a while, but that whole process made me wonder if cambridge was really right for me. i go to a high performing school where i regularly feel imposter syndrome because everyone is so smart, and cambridge was just going to be that but worse. i was kind of worried for my mental health icl, i'm barely staying afloat as it is. and medicine is a difficult degree, no matter where you study it, but at cambridge everyone else will be super smart and i felt like that itself would bring me down and make me feel worthless. don't get me wrong, i like feeling challenged, i just don't want to be constantly feeling overwhelmed.
•
cambridge would have also meant that i couldn't commute from home to uni as i live in london, and for personal reasons i would really prefer to stay home with my family. also, doing an mbphd is definitely on the cards for me - it's something i'm genuinely interested in, although i might change my mind again during med school! doing this at cambridge, if i were to take it up, would mean 9 years away from home, and i didn't know if i was willing to make that sacrifice
my current top choice is ucl, and i feel like it can give me everything i liked about cambridge with added benefits. i love the scientific emphasis of the course, the preclinical and clinical split, the opportunity for full body dissection and one of the largest ranges of intercalation subjects in the country. london is such a diverse city, and i'm sure ucl's student body will reflect this, as well as the patients i'll be seeing throughout the course. it also seems like such a friendly and supportive environment and i really feel like i would thrive there. it ended up being the natural option to replace cambridge with, and at this point in time i don't regret my decision at all.
sorry for all that waffle, i hope you could get something useful out of it! do let me know if you have any other questions. are you planning on applying for medicine in the next application cycle?
Reply 16
•
firstly, i was absolutely gutted when i saw my ucat score. i was expecting 3200+ after all my mocks so it was genuinely such a shock and it made me feel really depressed and hopeless for a while, and made me feel like i wasn't good enough for cambridge
•
i came back to my senses after a while, but that whole process made me wonder if cambridge was really right for me. i go to a high performing school where i regularly feel imposter syndrome because everyone is so smart, and cambridge was just going to be that but worse. i was kind of worried for my mental health icl, i'm barely staying afloat as it is. and medicine is a difficult degree, no matter where you study it, but at cambridge everyone else will be super smart and i felt like that itself would bring me down and make me feel worthless. don't get me wrong, i like feeling challenged, i just don't want to be constantly feeling overwhelmed.
•
cambridge would have also meant that i couldn't commute from home to uni as i live in london, and for personal reasons i would really prefer to stay home with my family. also, doing an mbphd is definitely on the cards for me - it's something i'm genuinely interested in, although i might change my mind again during med school! doing this at cambridge, if i were to take it up, would mean 9 years away from home, and i didn't know if i was willing to make that sacrifice
sorry for all that waffle, i hope you could get something useful out of it! do let me know if you have any other questions. are you planning on applying for medicine in the next application cycle?
No, don't apologise! That was very useful.
I'm applying this year in October (scary to think about 😅) and I always thought about applying to some top English uni's.
I also think it's quite useful to look at posts such as your own as no matter where you apply you want to be like the best, and the best are the ones who apply Oxbridge etc. I'll only be applying in Scotland as we get free fee's here and I don't want to move a whole country away for the same degree I'd get back home.
Do you have any specific tips for the ucat? I know I can get everything else in the grades, work experience etc. but I don't yet know how well I'll end up doing it the ucat. What did you do to get a higher score? How much studying did you do? Do you think removing abstract reasoning is good or bad?
If you could answer these it would be very helpful!
Reply 17
•
firstly, i was absolutely gutted when i saw my ucat score. i was expecting 3200+ after all my mocks so it was genuinely such a shock and it made me feel really depressed and hopeless for a while, and made me feel like i wasn't good enough for cambridge
•
i came back to my senses after a while, but that whole process made me wonder if cambridge was really right for me. i go to a high performing school where i regularly feel imposter syndrome because everyone is so smart, and cambridge was just going to be that but worse. i was kind of worried for my mental health icl, i'm barely staying afloat as it is. and medicine is a difficult degree, no matter where you study it, but at cambridge everyone else will be super smart and i felt like that itself would bring me down and make me feel worthless. don't get me wrong, i like feeling challenged, i just don't want to be constantly feeling overwhelmed.
•
cambridge would have also meant that i couldn't commute from home to uni as i live in london, and for personal reasons i would really prefer to stay home with my family. also, doing an mbphd is definitely on the cards for me - it's something i'm genuinely interested in, although i might change my mind again during med school! doing this at cambridge, if i were to take it up, would mean 9 years away from home, and i didn't know if i was willing to make that sacrifice
my current top choice is ucl, and i feel like it can give me everything i liked about cambridge with added benefits. i love the scientific emphasis of the course, the preclinical and clinical split, the opportunity for full body dissection and one of the largest ranges of intercalation subjects in the country. london is such a diverse city, and i'm sure ucl's student body will reflect this, as well as the patients i'll be seeing throughout the course. it also seems like such a friendly and supportive environment and i really feel like i would thrive there. it ended up being the natural option to replace cambridge with, and at this point in time i don't regret my decision at all.
sorry for all that waffle, i hope you could get something useful out of it! do let me know if you have any other questions. are you planning on applying for medicine in the next application cycle?
Sounds like you made the right choice.
thank you!! i think when i was in year 12 i was a little bit too obsessed with the idea of cambridge. i'm just glad i managed to see past that eventually (with the help of my wonderful parents)
I'm applying this year in October (scary to think about 😅) and I always thought about applying to some top English uni's.
I also think it's quite useful to look at posts such as your own as no matter where you apply you want to be like the best, and the best are the ones who apply Oxbridge etc. I'll only be applying in Scotland as we get free fee's here and I don't want to move a whole country away for the same degree I'd get back home.
Do you have any specific tips for the ucat? I know I can get everything else in the grades, work experience etc. but I don't yet know how well I'll end up doing it the ucat. What did you do to get a higher score? How much studying did you do? Do you think removing abstract reasoning is good or bad?
If you could answer these it would be very helpful!
honestly if i was scottish i would only apply to scottish unis too. i really wanted to apply to edinburgh for a while, purely because it looked so aesthetic. do you have any specific unis in mind that you'd like to go to?
i'll try my best to answer your questions
1.
the only way to get a good score is by practising, unless you're naturally gifted. if you can i would highly recommed getting medify, but if that isn't possible then i heard passmedicine has a free question bank and there might be others out there. literally just spam questions every day and it will start to click eventually.
2.
so i started prep at around this point in time, but by 'prep' i basically mean that i was familiarising myself with the exam itself. youtube is very helpful for this, there are so many videos explaining what the ucat is and what is in each subsection. i was basically just getting to know the test and each of the different question types. by the time you sit the exam you'll probably know everything inside out, but i found that starting to do this early on really helped me quickly get into focus once i started hardcore preparation. bear in mind that i was only doing like 2/3 practice qs per day at this point, it was nothing serious at all because i was putting all my energy into getting good predicteds.
3.
personally i'm jealous that yg don't have AR because it was my worst section by far. i've found that people either love it or hate it, there is no in between. so it's a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you're good at. i can imagine how scary it must be for your year though because now you don't know the cut offs for anything, you're going to have to predict safe unis by looking at the deciles.
•
learn the keyboard shortcuts and use them. they will save you valuable time
•
a lot of people would say my method of one/two mocks per day is overkill and honestly it did really burn me out. but i actually enjoyed doing the mocks a lot more than just questions on its own for some reason - like i couldn't motivate myself to do questions but i could for a two hour mock. it's really important to learn how you work best, and not to worry too much if other people are doing something different
•
and that brings me on to another important thing. burnout is real and highly likely when prepping for ucat, and could severly impact your score. while it's important to practice as much as possible, it's equally as important to take breaks. make sure to go out, meet up with friends, do something you like and just enjoy your summer in general! 'ucat summer' is really difficult but that makes it all the more essential to find time for yourself
•
for medify specifically, don't focus too much on the percentiles and things where they compare you to other medify users. it's way more impotant and useful to look at the analytics so you can see which specific question types you need to improve on
•
for medify again, don't pay too much attention to your scores. medify questions are way more difficult than the real thing and they tend to mark a lot more harshly. the official ucat qbank is most like the real thing but leave that till closer to your actual exam day
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