How to improve statement for Oxbridge?

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

You're in year 9, it's too early for you to do anything.... just do well in your GCSEs in y10/11 I guess. Don't put UKMT scores down if you did bad, I can't see how maths challenges are relevant for medicine anyway. The above poster gave some useful links.

Reply 3

OP

Original post by McGinger

Universities are not interested in 'CVs'.
They want to see evidence of your academic interests related to that degree, and for any sort of professional health degree, a realistic understanding of what the job/career entails. Start with these Moocs (free online courses from UK Unis) :
Applying for Medical School - Online Course - FutureLearn
Healthcare Professional: Online Work Related Learning - FutureLearn
Introduction to Nursing Course - FutureLearns

mb not CV, I think it is called some statement?

Reply 4

OP

Original post by pagan-scimitar

You're in year 9, it's too early for you to do anything.... just do well in your GCSEs in y10/11 I guess. Don't put UKMT scores down if you did bad, I can't see how maths challenges are relevant for medicine anyway. The above poster gave some useful links.

What type of score would you consider putting on the statement? I guess mine are OK, but not outstanding for my school...

Reply 5

Aaron Hornbeam

8

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

One would recommend for thee to start reading medical literature for amusement (public-friendly books rather than scientific reports)

Reply 6

pagan-scimitar

Original post by PRMX

What type of score would you consider putting on the statement? I guess mine are OK, but not outstanding for my school...

Which UKMT challenges are you referring to, IMC or Olympiads? Again it's probably not worth mentioning scores anyway since you should be writing about stuff thats directly relevant to medicine (not random maths tests).

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Aaron Hornbeam

One would recommend for thee to start reading medical literature for amusement (public-friendly books rather than scientific reports)

👍 Already on it.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by pagan-scimitar

Which UKMT challenges are you referring to, IMC or Olympiads? Again it's probably not worth mentioning scores anyway since you should be writing about stuff thats directly relevant to medicine (not random maths tests).

JMC, IMC, at school they advised to put stuff like that, but I don't want them to think I'm just average or something...

Reply 9

nwar

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

The personal statement usually only has things you’ve done recently. I don’t think I put a single thing I did before Y12 on mine. You’ll do your work experience later down the line. There’s also a strong possibility that you’ll change the degree you want to pursue, which is perfectly fine.

Reply 10

OP

Thanks. Is it possible to do work experience earlier?

Reply 11

nwar

Original post by PRMX

Thanks. Is it possible to do work experience earlier?

Yes, you could do work experience earlier (though unsure how that would work for medicine). If you can, definitely go for it as it can be helpful in deciding what you like/dislike.

Reply 12

OP

What types of Work Experience did you do?

Reply 13

nwar

Original post by PRMX

What types of Work Experience did you do?

In Y9 and 10, engineering, care home and local council (none of which are related to the degree I ended up applying for). In Y12 and 13, law.

Reply 14

KWad

11

1.

If you do end up applying for medicine, don't bother bringing up your maths challenge results in your personal statement, unless it's at the very end in the part where you talk about other stuff like extracurriculars (if in fact you decide to include such a section - I would say you probably shouldn't). Remember, it will be medicine admissions tutors who will be reading your personal statement, and the only thing they are looking for is evidence that you will be well suited to their medicine course. Your achievement in maths challenges says very little, if anything, about your potential as a doctor.

2.

You likely won't get any medicine-specific work experiences at this young an age. Do not worry too much about work experience now. If at all, focus on other supercurriculars like Biology Challenge – UKBC or FameLab Academy UK | Cheltenham Festivals. As said by someone above, pretty much nothing you do at this age in terms of supercurriculars will have any tangible impact on your application by the time you get to year 13. I for one didn't include anything I did prior to y12 in my personal statement (which is very common).

3.

You are a long way away from university admissions. Seriously, don't worry about it yet. y9 is one of the last years where nothing you do academically actually matters in the grand scheme of things. However, if you feel determined to focus on anything at all, focus on your curricular studies. At this stage they are far more important than supercurriculars. Nobody in y9 ever had a CV worth talking about.

Reply 15

Scotney

20

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

Honestly you are only young once so I suggest at this point you enjoy life,develop your people and social skills and don't concern yourself with thinking about cv for at least 2 years.

Reply 16

Muttley79

20

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

The PS is changing so focus on your GCSEs :smile:

Reply 17

stilllearning123

16

Original post by PRMX

So I am in Year 9 (UK), and I really need to start adding some stuff to my CV - it's literally empty lol
What are the things worth doing as work experience or something for a medicine degree?
And should I put scores for things like UKMT, even though I did pretty badly on them?

As many above have said, don't worry now, you shouldn't start thinking about it properly until year 11 minimum.

Only thing I would add, is that Cambridge don't even look at your personal statement and I think it's the same for Oxford. They care much more for how you do in the ucat (basically a mandatory medical iq + ethics test used by all medical schools) and then how you do in interview.
Every competitive Oxbridge applicant has minimum 8s in gcse and A's at A-level so focus on getting good gcses for now.

Best of luck!

Reply 18

study23!

16

Original post by stilllearning123

As many above have said, don't worry now, you shouldn't start thinking about it properly until year 11 minimum.
Only thing I would add, is that Cambridge don't even look at your personal statement and I think it's the same for Oxford. They care much more for how you do in the ucat (basically a mandatory medical iq + ethics test used by all medical schools) and then how you do in interview.
Every competitive Oxbridge applicant has minimum 8s in gcse and A's at A-level so focus on getting good gcses for now.
Best of luck!

Agreed on most of this, except fo Oxbridge not looking at the statement. They do read it, and if you go to any Oxbridge access event they encourage lots of supercurricular exploration which can only be mentioned in your statement. THAT BEING SAID, you are right that the admissions test and grades are SO much more important to them! They look at your statistics first, will read you statement a little bit (not very thoroughly probably), but they will want to see some exploration outside of school academically compared to an applicant who seems to have no interest in their subject at all apart from the basic 'I want to do Med to help others'.

Reply 19

study23!