ucat + epq + ps

hey!

I need some advice, my ucats on the 17th of August so all of my time has been going to revision for that, I haven't had any time to research for my EPQ and I fear I won't have time. I also need to do my personal statement for medicine! I'm going away from the 19th coming back on the 26th and work experience from the 29th to the 3rd. any tips? could I do my medicine personal statement in September? and cram epq research?

Reply 1

TSR Hippocrates

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Reply 2

kitty15

Study Forum Helper

Original post by joudie

hey!
I need some advice, my ucats on the 17th of August so all of my time has been going to revision for that, I haven't had any time to research for my EPQ and I fear I won't have time. I also need to do my personal statement for medicine! I'm going away from the 19th coming back on the 26th and work experience from the 29th to the 3rd. any tips? could I do my medicine personal statement in September? and cram epq research?

Hi, when is your EPQ deadline? I really wouldn’t advise cramming EPQ research as honestly the research part takes longer than you think.

Reply 3

Someone20

Original post by joudie

hey!
I need some advice, my ucats on the 17th of August so all of my time has been going to revision for that, I haven't had any time to research for my EPQ and I fear I won't have time. I also need to do my personal statement for medicine! I'm going away from the 19th coming back on the 26th and work experience from the 29th to the 3rd. any tips? could I do my medicine personal statement in September? and cram epq research?

It’s a good decision to spend a lot of time revising for the UCAT! I would say prioritise EPQ and then personal statement.

Most med schools don’t look at the personal statement unfortunately. And EPQ would be helpful for interviews.

Reply 4

LittleFire10

Original post by joudie

hey!
I need some advice, my ucats on the 17th of August so all of my time has been going to revision for that, I haven't had any time to research for my EPQ and I fear I won't have time. I also need to do my personal statement for medicine! I'm going away from the 19th coming back on the 26th and work experience from the 29th to the 3rd. any tips? could I do my medicine personal statement in September? and cram epq research?

Maybe before the 17th when you don’t want to be really doing much active work other than UCAT you can listen to podcasts or documentaries about your EPQ as more passive research. I assume you won’t be constantly revising so this can be done during your downtime.

Reply 5

George&Mary

Do you have a strong grip on your deadlines for first and second cut of your EPQ? Is there any flex on this?

I would spend some down time between UCAt prep now planning out your research if not starting to collate, esp if doing primary research. You could take some woth you on holiday to read, or if have read through have some time out to think out your analysis approach. And doing a bit more passive research via YouTube.

Your UCAS application deadlines (the ones for your school not the final one) school ones can be upto a month earlier 😶, and they may ask for a first cut of your PS before then. It depends how many early entries your school has and how much pressure there is on the referee process. I have found in the past if you are open and upfront with them and let them know you have your choices and your subjects and you are aware of and working to deadlines that they tend to chase less. But only you can ask for flex.

Reply 6

George&Mary

For PS, this is either very important indeed and will be scored or considered before interview, or it won't be looked at all. You won't know which it is until you have your strategic choices, which you can't get until after you have done your UCAT (go to the which medical school megathread and post there in the format of the first post when you have it). Those that score it or look at it will be looking for certain things. If you are applying to any of those you will need to carefully work though their application policies and craft your PS to fit. This will take much longer than if you were applying to those that don't look at it at all.

Lots of schools do exams in the first few weeks of the autumn term to refine predicted grades, esp for those that are applying in Jan. If it will make a difference to your predicted grades you will also need to factor that in. If it won't, then again I would be thinking about and talking to your teachers about managing your priorities.

Reply 7

George&Mary

Spreading this out a bit !

Work experience. Well done for getting that. As I am sure you know its not so much about what you do but about how you reflect. Google the RCGP reflective diary and think about it before you go (you have 3 days between holiday and Wex lol! and look at values of a doctor/med student at same time can do this on your holiday too, sorry !) and every day as you are at wex - reflect and fill it out. It will give some useful elements for inclusion possibly in your PS, but def for the start of interview prep which you will wish to start soon after sending in your UCAS application.
Some ints are early Dec, others are as late as March /April. When you have your strategic choices look at their dates and plan it out. If you got all 4 could you do it? If they have two sessions pre-post christmas for example - which works best for you. when are your mocks etc.

Essentially plan for it, even if you aren't lucky with all of them.

It's going to be a busy year and Google calendar (or similar) is going to be your friend !

It's is do able though. Good luck in UCAT and have a nice holiday.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 8

George&Mary

Edit - just to add. Use the RCGP reflective diary bits - they are fine, but treat the intro and other bits about applications n grades etc with care as that bit is slightly out of date ( stuff like referencing BMAT for example)