Hello cyber-friends,
To be honest, I don't actually have much to say about medical school applications (be it graduate entry or school leaver) at the moment because we are all in the same boat, submitted our application and just waiting to hear.
Slightly snowed under with all this fourth year work at the minute - I know some of you out there will be able to appreciate this so when that calms down I'll maybe post some links to some articles that may be useful for interviews.
In the meantime, just keep hoping for that update email from UCAS and as always, let me know if you have anything interesting to share that either you found helpful... even if its just to have a moan!!!
Dr Wannabe xx
ps: I know this post may have seemed unnecessary but I wanted you all to know I haven't forgotten about you – radio silence is more to do with me having nothing to say (for once!!!)
Monday, 28 October 2013
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
There it goes...
Hello all -
This is just a quick post to congratulate everyone on having submitted their UCAS form... AHHHH
Very scary but pretty exciting - GOOD LUCK with everything my dear cyber followers.
Dr Wannabe xx
This is just a quick post to congratulate everyone on having submitted their UCAS form... AHHHH
Very scary but pretty exciting - GOOD LUCK with everything my dear cyber followers.
Dr Wannabe xx
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Personal Statements
Hello again (now that I left it so long the last time, I'm over-killing it with two posts in one day!!)
I felt I didn't do you justice with my UCAS form post so here's a post all dedicated to PERSONAL STATEMENTS (that's meant to be said with some sort of dramatic music behind it...!)
For a whole website page dedicated to advice about what to write in each section -
Don't worry, I've not gone the easy way out and left it at that!!! I've just jotted down some tips I think you might find helpful
So - your PS needs to hit the following big points:
I felt I didn't do you justice with my UCAS form post so here's a post all dedicated to PERSONAL STATEMENTS (that's meant to be said with some sort of dramatic music behind it...!)
For a whole website page dedicated to advice about what to write in each section -
Don't worry, I've not gone the easy way out and left it at that!!! I've just jotted down some tips I think you might find helpful
So - your PS needs to hit the following big points:
- Why do you want to do medicine?
- Who are you?!
- Why are you applying to graduate entry medicine?
- What have you done to show that you have an accurate expectations about being a doctor? (ie work experience)
- Anything extracurricular
- Anything else you think is worthwhile!!
So points 1-3 should be in the first paragraph and they should be written in a concise and 'punchy' way. As I was told by someone that read my personal statement, you need to make it clear why you want to do medicine NOW (as in why after uni/work and not straight from school). The answer to this questions should have a well thought out and clear answer. Obviously - it should also be the truth because chances are that you'll be questioned about it at interview.
That paragraph has raised to key points to your PS -
- Being Concise - UCAS forms have a character (including spaces) limit of 4,000 so being concise is the only way to be!
- Telling the truth - your personal statement is most likely going to be the basis of your interview (if its a panel style or something along the lines of a 'chat'!!) so what's the point in lying?! In my opinion, you'll get caught out because no-one's entirely themselves at an interview because its a pretty terrifying experience (even if you're the most confident person on the planet!) so keeping up a lie will just make it even more stressful
Then there's the work experience paragraph. This is probably going to be the biggest chunk of your PS because its your chance to explain everything you've done in the run up to your application. It also shows a key point which is that you understand (realistically) what life as a doctor really is. Also - don't be that person that thinks doctors are the only people in the NHS...! We all know that's not true and the reason that healthcare is successful is because of teamwork.
The specifics you include in the work experience and extracurricular paragraphs is obviously entirely dependent on what you've done but whatever it is, explain what you've learned/gained from all these experiences.
Also - don't just list the things you did when you were at school. You're still that same awesome person you were at school so tell them everything you've done since then because, chances are, you've only just gotten better since leaving school (unless, of course, you discovered something that is going to help cure cancer by the age of 16..!!)
As a summary, I've included what Warwick suggests your personal statement should include (a list that is found basically identically on every medical school website) -
- Your motivation for studying medicine at this stage of your career
- Your experience of and capability for team work
- Your activities, interests and life outside of work or university
- An understanding of medicine and what it means to be a doctor
- Hands-on personal care (not of a relative)
Also, don't worry about it. You'll never write a good PS if you're sat there for hours on end staring at a blank screen stressing over what to write. If you're stuck, STOP and go back to it later. And when it comes to proof-reading it and submitting it - be critical but don't go over board. There is such a thing as 'over thinking' your personal statement and that could make it worse, not better. Oh and finally - check your spelling and grammar because it'll just make it look more professional and easier to read - as well as showing you care about your application.
So, that's it really. As always, if you have something to add please comment away.
Dr Wannabe xx
The dreaded UCAS form...
Hey guys!
So I've been the worst blogger ever of late... fourth year freshers came and went and I almost forgot all about this little blog, then I remembered and drafted this little post but, between incessant deadlines I forgot to publish - SORRY!!!
Anyway, as the title suggests, this post is about UCAS with its October 15th deadline looming I thought now is as good a time as any to have a little chat about that dreaded PS and how to fill in UCAS forms.
So - the whole UCAS process for most of us graduate entry applicants will be at least 3/4 years ago if not more! And if your school was anything like mine, you got quite a lot of help on how to fill it in. Well people in cyberspace - this is no longer the case.... something I spent the summer trying to wrap my head around! The good news is that the lovely people at UCAS who answer the phone very quickly (if you phone at a good time) are absolutely great and extremely helpful! When I was done with mine, I gave them a quick call and they went through the various sections of my application with me and I checked that I'd filled in all the right boxes, and had done so correctly. To be honest, its all pretty self-explanatory but there's always that fear that you've screwed it up a little when no-one's there to hold your hand!
Then there's the personal statement (PS from now on because I'm lazy). So although I'm sitting here writing a blog, I actually find it very difficult to write things that aren't Biology essays (sad, I know!!). Even harder is the prospect of writing a whole document all about you! The only advice I have for you here is SELL YOURSELF! You're trying to get into medical school and although you might not think you've done enough to get a place, you probably have so TELL THEM ABOUT IT!!! Another piece of advice is not to make your PS just a long list of stuff - tell a story about yourself/your life/whatever it is you want to say. No-one likes to read lists so make it interesting.
Finally there's your reference - you're no longer in school and you're either in the big wide world of work or at uni. If you're like me and at uni you might be thinking 'but I never talk in lectures so no-one knows who I am'.... I also had that fear but finally realised that lecturers (well most of them!) are more than willing to help so will have a meeting with you and read your PS so they can get to know you and write a reference. My uni has 'advisers' (I think some unis call these 'tutors') and they will definitely know something about them. You have to chose who you think will do you justice but importantly - have you given them enough time to actually write you a good reference?!
Obviously there's that little thing of choosing which four unis your going to be applying to but I've already written about open days and this is a personal choice so I can't help you there.
That's it for now my dears - don't forget the deadline is looming so get to typing.
GOOD LUCK!
Dr Wannabe x
So I've been the worst blogger ever of late... fourth year freshers came and went and I almost forgot all about this little blog, then I remembered and drafted this little post but, between incessant deadlines I forgot to publish - SORRY!!!
Anyway, as the title suggests, this post is about UCAS with its October 15th deadline looming I thought now is as good a time as any to have a little chat about that dreaded PS and how to fill in UCAS forms.
So - the whole UCAS process for most of us graduate entry applicants will be at least 3/4 years ago if not more! And if your school was anything like mine, you got quite a lot of help on how to fill it in. Well people in cyberspace - this is no longer the case.... something I spent the summer trying to wrap my head around! The good news is that the lovely people at UCAS who answer the phone very quickly (if you phone at a good time) are absolutely great and extremely helpful! When I was done with mine, I gave them a quick call and they went through the various sections of my application with me and I checked that I'd filled in all the right boxes, and had done so correctly. To be honest, its all pretty self-explanatory but there's always that fear that you've screwed it up a little when no-one's there to hold your hand!
Then there's the personal statement (PS from now on because I'm lazy). So although I'm sitting here writing a blog, I actually find it very difficult to write things that aren't Biology essays (sad, I know!!). Even harder is the prospect of writing a whole document all about you! The only advice I have for you here is SELL YOURSELF! You're trying to get into medical school and although you might not think you've done enough to get a place, you probably have so TELL THEM ABOUT IT!!! Another piece of advice is not to make your PS just a long list of stuff - tell a story about yourself/your life/whatever it is you want to say. No-one likes to read lists so make it interesting.
I've got another post just after this one for more helpful hints about personal statement writing!
Finally there's your reference - you're no longer in school and you're either in the big wide world of work or at uni. If you're like me and at uni you might be thinking 'but I never talk in lectures so no-one knows who I am'.... I also had that fear but finally realised that lecturers (well most of them!) are more than willing to help so will have a meeting with you and read your PS so they can get to know you and write a reference. My uni has 'advisers' (I think some unis call these 'tutors') and they will definitely know something about them. You have to chose who you think will do you justice but importantly - have you given them enough time to actually write you a good reference?!
Obviously there's that little thing of choosing which four unis your going to be applying to but I've already written about open days and this is a personal choice so I can't help you there.
That's it for now my dears - don't forget the deadline is looming so get to typing.
GOOD LUCK!
Dr Wannabe x
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