h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How to get a place at a UK Medical School. - A707645
Author: Zed - U185843

Here it if there's any critism, spelling and grammer mistakes, glaring omissions, please let me know.

Z

Hiya!

Nice start Probably just a few things to add...

> Work experience/shadowing: a mention of why this is advantagous might be good - the whole thing of 'are you cut out for this' and a taste of juggling sports with academia as is per the case when you get in/qualify...

> Some stats on how difficult it is to get into med school - something like 25 people per place I've heard... Also the fact that there aren't comparatively that many medical schools in the UK, compared to, say, unis which do English.

> Interview questions; probably the worst answer you could give to the 'Why do you want to become a doctor?' question (and its varients) is 'Because I want to help people'. Of course, the interviewer, if they are feeling particularly nasty can do this:

'So why don't you become a nurse?'

', because I want the chance to diagnose and treat people whilst using my expertise.'

'Well, in recent years, nurses have been allowed to do that. So why didn't you consider nursing?'



...and so on.

> Vaccinations and Hep B status: rather than just get the jabs, it may be good to mention the status, carrier/otherwise, as this is more important. Other vaccinations such as rubella, meningitis and checking whether you have had chicken pox is a good thing to do.

> Oxbridge: an exception to most things - some mention of how the interview system works/course/application.

> Course: I think that the courses *are* very different in teaching style and examination. For instance, the one thing that put me off applying for one uni was the fact that it was all problem based learning and no lectures. Others give you an option to take a BSc, only one makes it compulsory. Some London colleges are now doing away with vivas. More like the content is the same, but the way that you are taught it and examined varies considerably.

> Overseas students: the entry is very good for how to get into med school if you are from the UK, but some mention of how you can get into a UK med school if you are an overseas student might be a good idea.

> Loans/costs: some indication of how much this is likely to cost you in the long run - I've worked out that by the end of my course that I'll be owing somewhere in the region of £24000 to the govt. should loans and tuition fees remain. And then, there are the travelling expences to the DGHs, accomodation fees, and more importantly, beer money and various analgesics to pay for...

>UCAS form: I was told to send it as early as possible for the best chance of getting in. Bearing in mind that most are rejected at this stage, making sure you're the first one to be read might be nice. Font size 12, 1.5 spaced of course

Feel free to discount everything should you feel so

Again, nice topic!

Stay ,
WD

It may also be worth noting that at Oxford and Cambridge you apply for a 3-year course in the first instance. This is treated the same as any other science degree (with a slight bias towards human biology, naturally...) and you get a BA at the end of it. As you get towards the end of the course, you have to apply to go on to clinical school - most students choose between Oxford, Cambridge and London, although it is theoretically possible to go to other clinical schools. This is getting progressively less easy, as most clinical schools are moving towards courses that are highly integrated between 'pure' science and clinical training right from the start, whereas you will not see a patient for the whole of the 3 years at Oxford or Cambridge. Thus anyone moving from, say, Cambridge to Newcastle, would probably know far more science than their peers but would be at a severe (and possibly disastrous) disadvantage at the bedside.

Thanks for the feedback will work on it tonight and let you know when amended. Good points Witty Ditty, I will add the things on Work Experience. Though as a no-sporty type myself I think I will just put other interests.

Stats change year by year and depend on the places available it's different every year. Actually the number of applicants is falling at the moment. It is somewhat skewed as well. As Nottingham (say) may recieve 23 applianctions for every place, but each of those applicants will have applied to three other medical schools, for instance one may be Birmingham, who will be counted in the figure of ten applicants per place that Birmingham quotes in there prospectus. (have i explained properly) I will try and find some overall stats and add these.

According to my tutours a geniune desire to help people isn't nesscally bad thing as long as it doesn't come across as naive.
"I just want to do some good," is a bit naive, but "I want to put my scienfic knowledge to a practical use, where I can see the direct result of my knowledge, and hopefully to make a difference to some people's lives," would be fine. (Well it got me in.)

I agree the nurse question is an awful one, designed to trick you into saying that you want the money and status.

Vaccinations....A good one will add that, and I will research the details of overseas students.

UCAS forms font/ will put that in..

Get back to me if you don't think this is done properly.

Danny B am researching it now!

Z

Loan's/costs, yes I will add that as well.

Thanks for the feedback will work on it tonight and let you know when amended. Good points Witty Ditty, I will add the things on Work Experience. Though as a no-sporty type myself I think I will just put other interests.

Stats change year by year and depend on the places available it's different every year. Actually the number of applicants is falling at the moment. It is somewhat skewed as well. As Nottingham (say) may recieve 23 applianctions for every place, but each of those applicants will have applied to three other medical schools, for instance one may be Birmingham, who will be counted in the figure of ten applicants per place that Birmingham quotes in there prospectus. (have i explained properly) I will try and find some overall stats and add these.

According to my tutours a geniune desire to help people isn't nesscally bad thing as long as it doesn't come across as naive.
"I just want to do some good," is a bit naive, but "I want to put my scienfic knowledge to a practical use, where I can see the direct result of my knowledge, and hopefully to make a difference to some people's lives," would be fine. (Well it got me in.)

I agree the nurse question is an awful one, designed to trick you into saying that you want the money and status.

Vaccinations....A good one will add that, and I will research the details of overseas students.

UCAS forms font/ will put that in..

Get back to me if you don't think this is done properly.

Danny B am researching it now!

Z

Loan's/costs, yes I will add that as well.

Have you taken a look at A296174 ???

Reading it over might give you some ideas for other bits of info to include, plus it would be a useful thing to link to.

Here's a question -- how long does it take to become a practicing doctor in the UK? It wasn't really clear from the entry.

In the US, you go to a 4-year university for your bachelor's degree after high school (which means your average pre-med student finishes this at around age 22-23).

From there you apply to medical school, which is another four years -- the first two years are mostly academic work, the second two years are almost entirely clinical work (sometimes some research as well). You take the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step I after the first two years, as it covers the academic stuff. You take the USMLE Step II after the second two years, as it covers the basic clinical stuff. At the end of this, you have a medical degree and are entitled to put the "M.D." after your name. (So our hypothetical young doctor is now 26-27).

From there you do an internship -- it's a one-year thing, most often in family practice, internal medicine, or pediatrics. After this year, you can take the USMLE Step III, which is focused on clinical management with case scenarios and whatnot. At the end of this (assuming you've passed all these exams within the 7-year window they give you), you can become a licensed doctor (i.e., you can legally practice medicine on your own). The vast majority of doctors go beyond this, however, as it's difficult to get a job in the US without board certification.
To become board certified, you have to complete a residency. Many residency programs are contiguous with the internship year, and the whole bit may last 3-5 years. After this, you can take your board certification exams. (At this point, our hypothetical doctor is somewhere between 29 and 32).

To become a specialist, you then complete a fellowship program, which is generally 2-3 years, and qualifies you to take the board examinations for the specialty/sub-specialty board. (At this point, the doctor is 31-35).


Mikey

*wipes brow*

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

So here is my new spruced up version. I have added quiet a lot about student funding for UK Students, the career path for Doctors, and information for mature students, differences for Oxbridge, vaccinations, and varations in courses/exams. As well as a link to the article about becoming a Dr in the US.

Witty Ditty as I took up all your suggestions I have added you to the author list- is this ok? if it isn't drop me a line.

Please re read this if your have read the old version.

If there's anything else I've missed out let me know and I'll add it.

Thanks again

Z

Has any one else noticed this? when I went to preview my entry in alabaster I noticed that the pictures were compleatly different the top one is a cauder (symbol of the medical proffesion) instead of a picture of a dr treating a child, and the second is just a heart shaped blob, with no caption rather than a picture of a real heart with "it'll be alright" underneath.

How can I fix this please

Z

Has any one else noticed this? when I went to preview my entry in alabaster I noticed that the pictures were compleatly different the top one is a cauder (symbol of the medical proffesion) instead of a picture of a dr treating a child, and the second is just a heart shaped blob, with no caption rather than a picture of a real heart with "it'll be alright" underneath.

How can I fix this please

Z

I'm suffering from insomnia again

I'll make a more detailed comment on this in the morning... in the meantime, what I would really suggest now is to run the text through a spell checker, e.g. Word, to pick up on those pesky typos.

It's up to you whether you want my name up there in the authors' box with yours, I'd be more than delighted to share - but feel free to kick me off at any time should you want to resume full authorship

I'll look at this again when I'm fully awake

Stay ,
WD

damn, i wrote a long response here but it didnt post?!?!?!?



basically i said.

nice one
could you mention a few other things that will disqualify you i.e. criminal convictions etc
and why ARE all the med students rich?
what is the situation for non 'able bodied' students? a you allowed in with a certain degree of disability but not others?
if you get in and are poor will all the other students be nasty or are they too tired.

Rich?!?

I've been living on pancakes for the past three weeks. Well, it is partly due to the fact that I can't be arsed to get up and buy some food. Also the slighlty less constuctive event of buying too many CDs in one month....

Anyhow, Zed - a run-through as requested:

Content: lots of research! Everything is in there now - just a few links you may want to have:

> Link to the GMC; http://www.gmc-uk.org/
> A link to that Daily Mail article or as reported in BBC news... and Laura Spence's interesting views in the whole damn furore here; http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/education/newsid_1443000/1443063.stm
> Some explaination of what the Daily Mail is...
> Link to New Scientist; http://www.newscientist.com (and in the same section - probably 'develop a balanced opinion' would be good )
> Link to entry on UCAS; A301050
> Link to entry on Applying to University; A626762

An indication of what sort of grades they want from you at A/S and GCSE level would be nice - and also the fact that none of them even consider General Studies to be a proper A level.

Style: As I posted before, put the entry through a spell checker first to filter out most of those nasty typos.

> The bit at the beginning is now a bit too long, although all correct. Perhaps keep it where it is, but stick a header in at 'Becoming a doctor...' and entitle it something like 'Training Route' or 'The Long and Winding Road...' or something, but it needs sectioning off.
> Take the full stop off the entry title
> The following headers; 'International Students', 'Mature Students', 'The Innocuous', 'The Ubitquitous', 'The Terrifying' are probably best as subheaders - it'll make it look prettier
> Pictures: when this is edited, the pictures will be removed - any artwork for an entry is exculsively designed for it, so I shouldn't worry too much about the caudacus looking like a completely different picture... the heart is fine though....

Again - if you feel that I'm talking out the bottom end of my GI tract, feel free to discount

Stay ,
WD

As there are very few Medical Student's from less well of families




should be amended to

As there are very few Medical Student's from less well of families, except witty ditty





FABT

Or - 'By the time you get to your third year, there are very few medical students who are in credit... even the rich ones have problems...'

Actually, I do fib a bit - this academic year I have been mostly good; I might even be in credit at the end of the Easter Holidays for the first time in three years...

...and anyhow I find that making pancakes is very theraputic It's not, of course, that I have 1.5 kg of plain flour left over from pancake day that I don't know what the hell to do with - oh no, not that at all

I think the reason that a lot of medical students appear to be rich is that many have parents who are themselves doctors and are therefore, by that stage in their careers, well paid.

And do medical schools really ask for an entrance exam or other written test these days? Things have definitely changed in the last 10 years...

i think they must be rich because most people couldnt even dream of going through that many years of college. we are all 20,000 down after a bachelors degree.

FABT

Actually, you should take the pictures out -- otherwise the sub-ed will do it for you when this entry gets accepted. Entries in the Edited Guide either don't have pictures at all or have pictures designed/selected by the house staff.

Mikey

Help! I never meant to be so controvesrial, It was only one stentance at the end. I'm going to remove it now because I don't want to offend people. I can't find the actual work rich anywhere in it. Only the words less well off..which I defined as family earnings under £20 000 a year, which incidly the same definiation the college access fund uses.

In my experience, ironically,it can be easy to get by if your parents are on benifits, as Access funds, and scolarships are all there to help. The people who have real finical problems are those whose parents earn enough to be expected to contribute, but not enough to actuallly be able to contribute. I am in the odd stage at the moment where I am hoping that my mother won't get a job because then I will have problems.

The reason that I didn't include the grades is because the system has changed dramaciticlly since cirrumclum 2000 however there is talk of it changing again. So whatever I put in will be soon outdated. As for the "non able bodied" students issue, that is also currently changing, there were until recently refusing to admit non able bodied students, however a they are currently being taken to an industrial tubuial over this.

I have taken on board most of the feedback but it is 1.35am and I have to be up early tomorrow so I will have to leave that for now.

A big thanks again

Hi again thanks for all the feedback everyone I think it's ok now....let me know again...

Zed