*~ Z ~*

Hey! I’m ‘Z’ (the other poster on this form being ‘M’ ... and no, before you ask we don’t really refer to each other by code names in real life ... well not often anyway :p). Before we get stuck into writing about medical schools, UCAS, personal statements, interviews etc we thought it’d be best if you’d know a little more about both of us. So here it goes:

I applied for medicine last year (October 2006, for entry in September 2007) at Cambridge (Downing College), UCL, King’s College London (GKT) and Leeds. I had interviews at Cambridge (both at Downing College and at New Hall, after being pooled) and at King’s College. As you may have guessed, I was rejected from all 4 medical schools (Cambridge (Jan), Leeds (mid-Feb), GKT (late-Feb) and UCL (late-March).

Before applying, and not to sound big-headed (though I’m guessing it’s going to sound like it anyway!) I was quietly confident with my application. I had a solid academic background (7A*/3A at GCSE, 5A/1B at AS level, predicted 4As, UKCAT average score of 610), a ton of really interesting work experience that I’d had a lot of fun doing and 2 different long term voluntary placements at the local hospital and at the local hospice (no I didn’t just write hospital twice, go back and read it again :p). On top of this, I also had support from all of my teachers/family/friends and so on. So I guess you can say that I was pretty shocked and upset when I got no offers at the end of it all. But what happens, happens, I guess, and I can honestly say that the decision to take a gap year and reapply has been the best one I’ve made in my life (argh! that sounds so cliché!) and I’m in a much better position, now, to enter medical school than I would have been if I got in last year.

After my last rejection (UCL, in March), I really had to decide what I wanted to do. I’d got offers from both UCL (for physics) and Newcastle (for biochemistry) (oh I should point out that in the 2007 admissions cycle, you had 6 choices (only 4 for medicine) overall, not like the 5 choices you have nowadays). Though I really liked both universities, cities and courses, I couldn’t really imagine spending the next 3 years of my life studying either subject. If I’m honest, I only stuck them down on my application for the sake of it, so that I knew I’d at least have the option to chose them if I wanted to, had I not received any offers, since neither university entered into UCAS Extra or UCAS Clearing for those particular courses. After much thinking and talking to various people (my parents, my family, my school principal, my teachers etc) I decided to take a gap year and reapply, since there was never really anything wrong with my application, and I knew I wanted to do medicine, I just seemed to be one of the unlucky ones who came out with no offers.

There was a (albeit very brief!) moment where I considered doing the Clinical Sciences course at Bradford. But then I realised that I didn’t really like Bradford, and that, personally, I didn’t like the course, and since the real chances of transfer where so slim, I ultimately decided against it. And, if I’m honest, there was also a moment of indecision, which I guess every medical school rejectee goes through – ‘is medicine for me?’/’why did I get rejected?’/’does that mean I shouldn’t be a doctor?’etc, but after talking to a lot of people, and getting some advice, I realised that it was what I wanted to do, and that one setback shouldn’t change my feelings and hopes for the future. So I was all set ready to be a reapplicant 2007!

Results day came round (the day before my birthday, isn’t that nice?) and I achieved AAB (in Maths, Biology and Chemistry ... I should point out that I dropped my 4th ALevel, that I was predicted an A in, in the middle of year 13, since I didn’t have time with all my voluntary work, extra curriculars, school work and other commitments). I also had 3 additional AS levels with grades of AAA (in Further Maths, Physics and Critical Thinking, yes in fact I really am a science geek :D). I was pleased; since I had the grades I needed to reapply, but slightly upset that I messed up chemistry. But then, with everything I had gone through in that past year, it was more then I could have hoped for :D.

The day after results day, I started to get my application together. I booked my UKCAT and BMAT (put off doing it before, since I had no guarantee I’d get the grades to be able to reapply), started writing my personal statement, and emailed my school’s vice-principal to ask her to start writing my reference and so on.

I sat the UKCAT in the final week of testing (close shave I know, but I was super busy in September!!), and achieved an average score of 695 (though with the abstract reasoning section take out, this became 700). I COMPLETELEY changed my personal statement (looking back on it now, my 2007 personal statement was very cringe worthy!) as well. I also sat the BMAT, where I received a score of 22.5. It was probably the hardest exam paper I’ve ever taken (and that includes module 5 A2 Chemistry! Ha ha)!

I applied to Manchester, Sheffield, UCL (again!) and St. Andrews. I’ve had interviews at all four: Manchester in November (first day of interviews!), Sheffield in November (third day of interviews!), UCL in January and St. Andrews in March. I received unconditional offers from St. Andrews, Manchester and Sheffield.

In my gap year, I continued with my voluntary work and work experience. I spent two afternoons a week at the hospice, and all day Sunday at the hospital. I also usually had one or two days a week organised to work at a GP practice, or with one of the consultants that I did my first lot of work experience with, at one of the Manchester teaching hospitals (Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester Eye Hospital, Manchester Children’s Hospital, Christie’s and also at my local district general hospital). Along with this, I did a British Sign Language course at my local college, worked a couple of days a week at a GP practice as a receptionist and ... lots more :D I basically tried to fit in as much as I could into my gap year, and tried to keep myself busy! I’d also planned some travelling – in the Middle East in winter 2007, and in the US in spring/summer 2008. While in the US I’ve also been working at some biomedical research labs, and studying at a local university’s extension school (a bit like the Open University, but way more cool :D). I can honestly say that I’ve been having the time of my life on this gap year :)

That’s about as much that I’m going to write at the moment, I can’t think of anything else! More details will be coming soon, but for now, watch out for our posts about everything med school related!

Z.