Firming my choice!!

Yeah so of course I firmed Bristol for medicine with the offer of AAA and my insurance is Queen Mary (University of London) with Biochemistry with the offer of ABB. So a lot of hard work needs to be put in for my journey to be officially complete! Wooo!

Wish me luck!!

OMG OMG OMG

OMG OMG OMG OMG GUESS WHAT!?!?!!?!

I just received an offer from Bristol to study medicine!!!

I have never been so happier in my entire life!! I was literally so close to giving up as well, that is probably one of the reasons why I haven't posted on the blog in so long (and of course, revision stuff). Wow, I really can't believe this. Its dependent on me getting 3 A's, so a LOT of hard work is required. So my journey into medicine is quite close to ending! Hopefully it ends on a good note!!

Since I haven't posted in a while, I guess its time for a mini update as well!

So I'm not sure if I posted that I had an interview at Kings for their EMDP (Extended Medicine Degree Programme) course. It was an MMI (Mini-multiple interview) and I felt it went well but I received a rejection. It was my (essentially) third rejection from a medical school and I was feeling down because I assumed that I would get rejected from Bristol too. I was even beginning to plan my gap year, I was planning all sorts like whether I should apply for post-grad instead and such. I was so down I actually lost all motivation and my revision slowed down to a gradual halt. But I picked myself and thought if I did get rejected whatever like I should move on and focus on getting the grades then this happens!

I feel so good right now! God is good!!! So it looks like I'll be posting even less frequently (sorry guys!) but when I do have time I will post up some tips and advice for MMI's because they are a strange setup but quite good. So please be patient with that. I have 3 A grades to try and achieve!!

Thanks for reading and good luck with your own journeys!!

Satta

Interview tips

So for interviews, the medical school that you have chosen to apply to, will have posted certain criteria they look for in their applicants - this will be in their admissions policy. ALWAYS look there to see if you are suitable for their course, sometimes they hid key pieces of information in there that is not on their website. So check here to minimise the chances of rejection in addition to doing loads of research. This is strictly what they will apply their questions on, and if you know it well, you'll be able to spot what they are looking for in their questions so you can "sell" yourself in a way that shows them you ARE what they are looking for.

Here is an example by using Bristol's criteria:

Criteria for assessing the candidate's performance at interview:

a) Why they wish to study medicine and attributes

b) Ability to communicate

c) Self-confidence and enthusiasm

d) Evidence of extramural activities

e) Awareness of current developments

f) Ability to develop coherent stance on a topical subject

g) Informed about University and course

h) Informed about career

i) Overall impression created by candidate.

This is what they will base their questions on. You can definitely tell what they are looking for in their questions (I did during mine). As long as you answer in a way that shows these things, you are doing really well. So here are my best tips:

• Definitely know why you want to do medicine - be enthusiastic and genuine but obviously if you really want it, it will show!
• Be prepared to discuss your work experience - examples too; be reflective
• Prepare two or three medical/health stories in the news recently that you can discuss at length just in case (BBC News and the Guardian are brilliant!!) so do some extra research alongside the news story.
• Discuss extra curricular - It would be fantastic if you could link what skills you've learnt from your extra curricular activities to how you could use them whilst being a doctor.
• Make sure you know their course inside out! They asked me why Bristol (typical question) and then they asked what how the course is laid out ie what happens during the five years
• Make sure you know what happens after medical school too ie, FY1/2 >>> SpT/CT etc etc; they asked me why do we do the foundation years and how long it takes to become a GP and paediatrician. So it would help if you knew about the progression to becoming a consultant after medical for really popular specialities such as GPs or paediatricians. You never know what specialist doctor could be interviewing you! (You'll find out on the day)
• They also ask an ethical question; my question was on organ donation. So prepare and know typical ethical issues and be prepared to discuss pros & cons and even alternative solutions! So maybe things on organ donation, consent, compentency etc. If you have the popular 150 interview questions by ICS Medical they have some great ones in there.
• Don't forget to SMILE!!!!

But overall, Bristol are extremely, extremely friendly and made me feel so at ease and comfortable. So don't worry and go in there confident (but not over confident, no one likes a cocky prick) and your passion will shine through. I hope this was really helpful.

Overall my advice would be make sure you do research CAREFULLY what medical school you are interested in and what THEY are looking for in an ideal candidate. They will usually post such information on their website if you can't find it do not hesitate to go on The Student Room or just google it up! Because they will tend to ask you questions based on their criteria and if you miss this information, it can come with consequences.

Ok so its been a longgg while!

Wow, it has been a while right?! 

The last time I posted was the 11th January, posting about the interview invite to Bristol and it is now the 6th March (the day before results day) and a lot has happened since then!

Plus I've had over 9000 views on this page! The last time I checked it was like 3000+! I'm really grateful, so thanks for reading! Even though I haven't been posting often. January and February were quite hectic to be fair and I didn't have enough time to post!

Heres a quick overview what happened in January and February:

• Bristol interview on the 28th January! - Went very well to be honest, and I will be posting up some interview tips in the next post (as requested). The interviewers were very friendly and made me comfortable! I won't be hearing any news until mid-April since I've been put on the hold pile but at least there is hope! I can only hope and pray I do get good news in April! Wish me luck!
• I quit my job at the GP, to be honest it was long and draining. It also took away time from my revision and studying, I was behind in nearly all my classes and wasn't doing as well as I should have in my class tests but I'm back on track now! If you're applying for medicine, I wouldn't advise having a job in this period even though money is something we need as teens, your grades are way more important and of course you want to do well to get into medical school! I couldn't handle it and had to choose between my grades and money and obviously I chose my grades which is sad because I need moneyyyy! But I guess it works out for the greater good, right?
• I got rejected from Leeds for medicine a few days ago (4th March) and to be very honest, I was sort of pleased because Leeds is a long way from London, and I wouldn't be able to see my friends or family very often. I wasn't really into their course structure anyway, which is really silly. I shouldn't have wasted such an option.
• I have an interview at Kings College London for their extended medical degree programme, which is 6 years in length (as opposed to the normal 5 year degree). Its on the 11th March which is really close! Its an MMI (Mini Multiple Interview) set-up so I'm really worried how that will pan out as I don't even know how to prepare for it as I've heard some really scary stories about the MMI.

I'm really grateful I've had two interview invites for this  UCAS cycle, I'm really lucky!! I just hope I've done well enough to get an offer this round. 

Good luck to those who have to pick up their results tomorrow!

Satta x

MAJORRRR UPDATEEEE

Sorry for the lack of posts! 

I've been so busy revising for exams, school and work so I don't have time to really post as frequently as I used to! But guess what?!!!

I GOT AN INTERVIEW INVITE FROM BRISTOLLLLLLL

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I have yet to book the actual date though. As I have exams up until the 25th Jan 2013 and the only dates available to book are the 18th and 28th which are a bit soon so I wouldn't feel comfortable or prepared doing it so soon. I received the email on the 10th Jan 2013 during my biology lesson (on my phone). I felt so shocked, I really wasn't expecting it so I didn't know how to react! It was really unexpected because my friend got rejected the night before so I was expecting one too but this is fantastic! Looking forward to it, after exams of course.
Heres the email (well part of it):

Dear Satta,

The admissions team have now considered your application, and I am pleased to invite you to attend an interview at Bristol for Medicine A100.

That feels so good to look at. I'm just really happy because I never really expected it. I assumed I would get rejected from all. Bristol was the last one I'd expect to invite me to an interview!

Then there is bad news (sort of) I got rejected from BSMS (awwwwwww) by letter. I received the later the day (9th Jan 2013) before the interview invite from Bristol so I guess I feel wanted! But they said my application was strong but due to the competition but they've offered me a chance to study an alternative course at either the university of Brighton or Sussex. I've decided to go for Neuroscience with Cognitive Science at Sussex because I really like the sound of it and I believe that Neuroscience is future (cliche, I know). So I have to reply to them by the 23rd Jan otherwise "Unsuccessful" will appear on my UCAS track.

I still have not heard back from Leeds A100 or KCL EMDP.

But fantastic news all in all!

I have to go revise now, so hopefully after exams I will be blogging more! Hopefully more interview prep stuff.

GOOD LUCK FOR A2 and AS EXAMS THIS MONTH!
BRING IT ON!!!

Ok, Its been a while, right!

Woah!

Hey guys, its been a while right?! I've noticed my last post was in November and it is now Dec 27th ! So over  month! And what a month it has been!

I haven't been posting because its been a busy month preparing for Jan exams and mock interviews and stuff. I also had no internet for the last month either and posting on my phone was really annoying. I had mock interviews in Nov/Dec and I went to a lecture at the RSM (Royal Society of Medicine in London - Central, that is) by Max Pemberton himself! I was excited! The famous doctor who wrote "Trust Me, I'm a Junior Doctor" and its sequel, "Where does it hurt?" What an awesome lecture it was. 

And in terms of my UCAS application, nothing so far! I've had a few emails from Leeds saying we wouldn't hear anything until the new year and I'm guessing its the same now for my other medical schools so I really won't be posting until then. Right now, it has just been revision, stalking The Student Room stalking threads and waiting.

Waiting is really draining. Hopefully I get some results in the new year though.

Until then, Happy New Year!

A major post about what I've learnt so far from the job...

So you guys know I got a job at a GP as a receptionist, right? Its pretty good and the pay is decent for my age, the only problem is that its like a (maximum) 2 hour journey to get there! But thats fine, I can live with that. I could do some reading or extra revision on the journey to and from work. But this is a post on things I've learnt whilst working there. This will be a majorly long post, sorry about that! :)

One of the first things I'll talk about is work one Saturday I did. Firstly, there were a few weeks where I'd be left on my own, running the GP with no one to help me. This was quite a scary few weeks as I hadn't received any formal training of any sort. So I had to go with my initiative on things, which of course is really good because this is the way (I believe) you'd learn on the job whilst you're doing your F1/F2 years. Someone isn't going to be there to constantly tell you what to do, so being able to learn how to take initiative during the job has really helped me. I've also learnt to be more of a independent learner as I had to learn certain things pretty quickly. For example, writing up blood test forms for the patients to do blood tests at the local hospital or learning how to use the Vision system (software on the computer) to book or cancel patients' appointments.

Anyway, that day I was working alone as I said earlier. On Saturdays, the clinic usually starts at 1 and ends at 3, so that is when the GP would come in and see all the patients booked in between then. On this particular day, the GP calls 20 minutes before he is due to come in to see the patients and tells me he is going to be late and will be there around 2pm. So it was left to me to call up the patients and try to reschedule their appointments. I used the system to find out who was booked in for that day and I called them up. I told them calmly and reasoned with them if it was possible for them to come in at a later time. But the GP eventually came in at 1:30 so it was kind of an inconvience but at least he wasn't really late. Surprisingly, there were no angry patients and everything went fine for that day.

But it reminds me of another time, when I had to call patients to tell them to reschedule their appointments as the GP for that day had cancelled her appointments due to prior engagements. That was the first time I had to deal with angry patients over the phone, but to be honest it is far easier than dealing with angry patients face to face (as seen in this post..). What had happened is that this patient had an appointment for a certain time, I asked her since the GP was engaged in other things, would it be possible for her to see the doctor at a later time but on the same day. She got really angry! She mentioned how this is not possible as she has kids (which is understandable) and she has to travel a long distance and stuff. I spoke to her in a calm tone and tried to reason with her but she wasn't having it! She eventually got so angry, she dropped the phone on me. I still wonder if she did have her appointment eventually. Through these experiences I learnt that I had to be able to deal with angry people often. In medicine, you will have to work and deal with people with a wide range of emotions. Through this process, you do have to keep a calm and poised exterior even if you are shaking inside (I know I was!) and try to speak in a calm voice. If one of you is calm and collected it makes the situation so much easier to deal with. Try to sympathise with them and see things from their point of view. Eventually this should work and you should be able to sort out everything.

I'll do more posts on what I've learnt and things I've experienced more often actually - well, when I have time to. I had to cut this post quite abruptly because I have a lesson in 5 minutes. I'm actually writing this post from school.

But thanks for reading this post. Comments will be appreciated!

Satta