I have a letter! From Southampton! Telling me that my application is being kept for further consideration. After a little bit of digging around TSR I have found that 2 letters are being sent out. One like mine, and one rejection after interview letter. Not very many rejection letters are going out from what I can gather so not getting too excited just yet. Should be hearing at the end of March (seems like an eternity away).
Exams went ok. Results are out at the beginning of March so will see how this goes!
Drove up to Southampton this morning. It seems really nice! Got there far too early but at least I wasn’t late. There were loads of us there, and someone said the numbers were at around 1000 applications, and 200 interviews. There are 30 places! The odds are against me but oh well. I just keep on thinking “someone has to get in, why not me?”.
I wore a white shirt (Japanese style collar) with a v-neck jumper (sleeves folded up of course) and black pinstriped trousers. There were a few people in suits so hopefully I wasn’t too underdressed!! Hair was in a grippy thing all tied up and hands were in my lap (except when I was waving then about and gesticulating which I did try to keep to a minimum, somewhat unsuccessfully).
I was called in my a very nice gentleman, and was lead to a room with himself and another lady in there. They introduced themselves but I can’t remember who they were, I shook their hands, and from then on is pretty much a blur. I remember at one point, talking so fast that I wasn’t finishing the last word of a sentence before moving onto another. I remember telling myself not to say “fabulous” which is a word I use a lot at the moment, and instead found that I said “sort of” making me seem very indecisive.
I recall being asked ‘why Southampton?’, ‘why BM6?’, and examples of learning independently. There was a question that I had to ask to be clarified about what sources I used, and I waffled on about the internet for a while before going on about how it can be unreliable but backed up by other sources. At one point the chap writing down notes on his little yellow form stopped and looked up at me, nodded a lot, smiled, and carried on writing which really worries me. It was either “omgshuttup” or “omg you’re amazing”… hoping it was the latter!
Other than that I don’t remember much. It definitely didn’t seem 20 minutes long, but we shall see! On the way out the lovely lady at the front wished me well and said she hoped to see me in September which was nice!
Long drive home – definitely not going to commute that. Am going to have to think of something else.
So, here it goes again. Round 2. Except this time, I have insider knowledge of the procedure and no college to take up my hours.
Spent summer working and volunteering at Worthing Blind Society helping those with visual impairments enjoy craft activities which has been great and makes up for not managing to get the application procedure finished for CTH. Have also managed to get some work experience booked for November with a GP who is an old friend of my Nan’s! Dr Smethurst has very kindly agreed to let me sit in on her practice for a day which I am really looking forward to, but until then revision is my life. Resitting Biology and Psychology exams in January which I have booked and revision has therefore commenced!
Reapplication is done. Have gone for BSMS (again), St. George (again) and Southampton (again)! Except this time I have applied for both A100 (BM5 course) and A102 (BM6) which is an access course. It lasts a year and guarantees a place on the BM5 course. It also only requires CCC which I already have, and is aimed at people from less privileged backgrounds and somewhat odd educational/personal backgrounds, like me!! It seems massively over subscribed as there are 30 places for the 1000 or so applicants but oh well! It’s a back up if January does not go as planned!
As with last time, I will stick in my personal statement as a bit of inspiration for anyone doing this miserable task!
As a mature student, I took the time to find a career that would challenge me, seeking academic rigour in an interpersonal environment with a foundation in science. At 16 I left education due to the financial constraints of independent living. During this time I focussed on what career I really wanted to pursue and gained valuable life experiences. Living independently I have overcome many obstacles, balancing homework and housework, education and earning. Since October 2007 I have worked in Worthing Hospital’s Accident and Emergency department. Performing initial triage allows me to see a range of complaints, familiarise myself with a patient orientated environment and develop an understanding of patient confidentiality. Working in a front line multidisciplinary team also gives me an understanding of how every person plays a vital part in maintaining excellent patient care under pressure. Being confronted with often traumatic injuries, I learned the value of organ and blood donations and have now become a regular blood donor. In these sessions I learned how blood is taken and preserved before it is used whole or split into its constituents, for example the plasma is used reverse the effects of anti-coagulants.
Returning to college was a challenge I enjoyed and I quickly settled in. Taking contrasting subjects allowed me to grow my research and essay writing skills but also my problem solving and logic. I have taken advantage of every opportunity available, including leading group study in lessons, organising and running revision classes, and coordinating charity events. This helped to hone my leadership skills and taught me how to bring out the best of everyone in teamwork situations. I accepted a place on the BrightMed course last year where I had the privilege to experience anatomy at its best and observed a dissection. During the session I learned how each cadaver is treated with respect, and the importance of body donation. It was fascinating to see the human body in such detail as to be able to identify the cause of death, in this case a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Inspired by this, I initiated a college visit to the Body Worlds exhibition “The Mirror of Time” which explores human development and aging. Being able to see the intricacies of the human body was fascinating, providing a more detailed understanding of different systems and processes such as the circulatory system and foetal development, both topics that I had enjoyed during my Biology studies.
Having volunteered at Worthing Hospital for over two years, I appreciate the often challenging work that comes with treating individuals with individual needs. I have learned that medicine is often not a simple case of diagnosis and treatment as individuals can have unique symptoms. Talking to patients on the wards showed me how much medicine can improve quality of life which I found thoroughly rewarding. This has led me to take up further volunteering at Worthing Society for the Blind, helping those with vision impairment enjoy a range of craft activities. I found it very humbling to see how people adjusted to the loss of their sight but it was inspiring to see how this was overcome and activities such as knitting were still enjoyed. This firsthand experience of making a difference has reinforced my desire to work in a care environment to improve the lives of others.
My experiences have widened my familiarity with differing levels of care of patients with a range of difficulties. I am keen to learn more I have obtained a work experience placement with a GP in November. Through work experience and college I have a developed an understanding of the demands of a medical career both academically and professionally and feel that my experiences have presented me with the potential to flourish in both.
Southampton had no spaces, and I failed anyway. BBCC is not enough! Although my AS grades are now a pretty AABB. My bio syllabus is not offered any more either so I have January to resit, and then it is over.
Reapplying is going to suck. UKCAT again, personal statement again… references, predicted grades…. Gah!!!
BUT! I WILL do it. This is a small hiccup in the rest of my life. No worries….
Ok, so UCAS has told me that I have 4 rejections. Except So’ton have said I am on their reserves! I am not completely untrainable! Totally wishing that this had come sooner. Totally unprepared for my exams but will do my best. Looks like I will most likely be reapplying next year anyway.
Received some postcards and letters from all but BSMS so far to say thank you and that they have my application. BSMS don’t send these out so DO NOT PANIC like I did!
It’s starting to get tough now. People at college are receiving offers and I am not. It’s difficult, but you just got to stick with it. It’ll be worth it in the end. I personally don’t have a “back up” choice as well which I don’t think helps!
Revision time now, and should really knuckle down but what with coursework, work, housework, volunteering and anxiously checking UCAS there is not much room for doing it! I’ve got a timetable and when I stick to it, it is really helpful:
Blocked out time slots for each day.
Got small multicoloured post-its that fit in the holes.
Each colour represents a subject, and then there are pink ones for things like work, volunteering, relaxing etc so I can be flexible each week as long a I have x number of blues/greens/yellows/purples for my revision!
MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR TUTORS! Their references are quite important, especially when you’ve had some time off with a chest infection, otherwise your attendance will be “satisfactory” and your university will be told that you are “working on it”.
Writing a personal statement is harder than it seems! What do you include and what do you leave out?
I have talked a LOT about my work experience and tried to include what I learned from the experiences but that doesn’t leave much room for much else! It’s the bit I am most proud of at the moment so I guess I’ll just stick with it.
It’s a bit cheesy but I’ll leave it here to perhaps inspire someone who is stuck!
As a mature student, I took the time to find a career that would challenge me. I sought academic rigour in an interpersonal environment with a foundation in science. At 16 I left education for two years due to financial constraints, but during this time I focussed on what career I really wanted to pursue and gained valuable life experiences. My fascination with the complexities of the human body grew when I joined a team setting up a new clinic called the Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment Service (MSK) on behalf of West Sussex Primary Care Trust. The project gave me insightful experience of working in a specialist orthopaedic team and my passion for human anatomy and biology was reinforced with the variety of cases presented. It was here that I decided my return to college would be to strive for medicine.
Working for the MSK developed essential communication and teamwork skills. As a small group, we relied on each other to ensure a smooth progression of each referral from GP, potentially to trauma and orthopaedics at any Sussex hospital. This complicated process relied on the communication between the team across three sites spanning a large and varied demographic area. My role demanded an extended medical vocabulary and the ability to interact with a diverse range of people. This was useful when working in reception of an Accident and Emergency department and my first patient could not speak English! With the careful use of basic sign language and diagrams, the problem was established, the patient reassured and the correct medical care provided. This ability to find simple solutions to presenting problems is an advantage in the emergency department.
Within accident and emergency, the demand for efficient prioritisation is vital, especially with the constant flow of different and often difficult cases ranging in severity. It was here that my skills for prioritising flourished, managing patients, phone calls and maintaining hygiene. I learned how to take a detailed yet concise history of the patient’s condition, key in the triage process and in ensuring the right level of care is provided at the right pace. The variety and complexity of the cases, dealing with both patients and staff and the pace of work was an environment in which I flourished and enjoyed. To widen my experiences of the hospital surroundings, I have undertaken roles in the Radiology and Medical Records department, fulfilling a range of clerical roles. In the last year I have volunteered on wards and soon a children’s hospice.
Recently, I took part in MedEx at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. This gave me the unique opportunity to sample the medicine course and participate in a human dissection session. I also took the opportunity to learn clinical skills, including taking blood pressure, historys, and heart exams. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and it has helped develop my sense of what lies ahead in the path to medicine. Learning clinical skills and being able to partake in a dissection has reinforced my choice to study medicine fervently.
I have lived independent both physically and financially from my family home for three years, successfully maintaining a self supported lifestyle whilst juggling college, volunteering, and an active social life. To unwind I enjoy exercise, participating in holistic classes at my gym, and also making and selling various craft items such as handmade cards and jewellery. Running an independent lifestyle has its own demands, including managing an often tight budget and maintaining a household. Overcoming these challenges has developed me personally, giving me an increased level of maturity and self-determination. Medicine has already become a large part my life and I will not stop until I get there.
So, I’ve made the enormous decision to go back to college and to aim for the stars – medical school. Taking Law, psychology, human biology and chemistry I am feeling very nervous as I have been out of school for nearly 2 years now. But all I can do is try and see how it goes! Wish me luck!