How to cope if you don't get into Medical School

I'm writing this blog now, and then I'll post it when I feel like I'm ready to talk about it to people. But I didn't get into med school this year. I know that it's insanely competitive, and I did really well to get to the interview stage, but it's still pretty gutting to get this far only to fall at the last hurdle (In terms of admissions anyway).

So what are my thoughts:

I think they're pretty normal things to think when you're in this situation!

1. 'Can I handle going through this kind of rejection again?' 
It's a massive thing when you aim for your dream only to get told that you can't do it right now, I mean it's really-soul destroying. Things in life don't always go the way you would have hoped for, and sometimes there are massive hurdles, disappointments and moments when you just want to give up, but I think this is part of what makes us human. The important thing is how you react to it. So the answer to the above question is yes. I can handle this. Why? Because I've already handled it before And it's for what I really want, and if I get there all of the disappointment, feeling rejected generally rubbish, and most importantly all of the hard work would have been so worth it. I think it's also important to learn from this situation. Work out the instances in which your application was weak, and improve it - get that extra work experience, improve those interview skills, completely destroy the UKCAT, whatever it takes.

2. 'Am I certain this is really what I want to do?'
Going through this kind of situation really separates applicants with this question. Is it what I want? If you're thinking 'oh well, I'll become a scientist, musician, counsellor, literary genius instead' without much thought or disappointment, then the answer is probably no, and to go and pursue another career path. But if you do what I did and stare at the final rejection email thinking 'but the only thing I want to do is this' then it's probably a good idea to persevere. If you think you'd be just as happy in another career path, that one would probably be easier to pursue!

3. 'What if everyone is disappointed in me?'
Let them be disappointed! The likelihood is that they won't be, medicine is an incredibly hard course to get onto, and many great doctors didn't get in on their first attempt. In all honestly, if you're good enough to even be considered as a potential medical student, then you've done pretty well for yourself.

4. 'What do I do now?'
Now the best situation would be to pursue something that would beef up your application next time around. My personal plan is to hopefully do a masters degree, explore an area of medicine that interests me and also continue setting up a life I could have if I theoretically never got into medicine. This would make me more favourable academically, as well as freeing me up some time to increase the amount of voluntary work on my personal statement which would be great. I think this is a really good plan, however it's not for everyone, so do what you need to do - get a job (medical or not, either can be used to increase skills you'd use as a doctor), go travelling - enriched life experiences look great on a personal statement, especially doing what I did and working in a hospital abroad. The experience is absolutely amazing and I would seriously recommend it to anyone. I went to Thailand with Gap Medics who were particularly good - I'll put a link at the end of this post.

The most important things I can leave you with is to stay positive but be realistic. This isn't a never, it's a not right now, people start medical school at such a variety of ages so not getting in one year isn't catastrophic. It's important to use it as an opportunity to improve yourself and your application for next time, rather than 'you're not good enough'. However it's also important to be prepared, the application process is a difficult start of a long and difficult journey, and it requires commitment and resilience, ironically qualities of good doctors.

Congratulations to everyone who got a place this year and good luck to those (re)applying next year!

XOX

Check them out!  http://www.gapmedics.co.uk/

Interview Response 1: Rejected

I got a response back from the first university I was interviewed for recently, and as I expected it was a no. I can't really say that I'm surprised. I've always come across really well on paper, but when it comes to an interview situation I get really nervous. I can't keep my cool so I forget a lot and don't talk about things I really should or think as coherently as would usually be required of me. Especially when I know exactly what my performance at interview is riding on. I did the same as I did when I got rejected from Kings, and didn't even want to look at my track status. But this time I actually told people, who are amazing and made me feel so much better about the situation. 

I'm feeling a little gutted, but I'm really glad I still have a chance at getting in this year. Currently I'm being considered by two different universities. I've done really well to get to this stage, as competitive as medicine is, it just feels so close that I can almost grasp it, but I'm not quite there. Hopefully one of the other universities will like me enough to offer me a place, but if not I will bulk put my application with more work experience, study for another year and hopefully get myself a masters degree and reapply, working hard on my timekeeping for the UKCAT. 

But for now it's getting close to Easter break, and I have three deadlines to meet before I can get there, and with my dissertation write up due just after, I have a lot of work on my hands. 

Here's to a busy couple of months,

XOX 

Update: March 2014

I haven't blogged for a while, so here's just a short update on how I've been. A good starting place would be to discuss how I got on at the selection centre at Warwick. Well this, despite being nothing at alike I'd imagined, actually wasn't too bad. It seemed like a mix of my Imperial interview, my 'Asda Magic' session and an exam all rolled into one. This sounds absolutely horrendous, but I actually relaxed quite a lot during the session and I think this was a result of doing it as a group. It was interesting to see other prospective medical students and realise that, very much like myself, they haven't actually got it all together and have similar concerns to myself. We're basically all trying our hardest and hoping that somewhere likes us enough to offer us a place. Which is exactly how it works when you go for an insanely competitive course. My interview was for both Warwick and Barts, but I absolutely loved Warwick university. It's a campus, something I completely despised the idea of when I came to Brighton, but seems much more appealing now. I love living in the middle of a city, and I know that I'd absolutely love living in London too, but something appeals about the sense of community there. I guess we'll see if I get an offer!

I think I blogged a lot at the end of last year about how unhappy I was as well. I think it's safe to say that things have changed here, for the better. I promised myself that 2014 was going to be the year that I would be happy, and despite a slightly rocky start, being insanely busy and recovering from the carnage that was 2013, we're a quarter of the way through and I'm  happier than I've been in a really long time, meaning I'm more optimistic and having a much more positive outlook on things. I've stressed about exams of course, and the future, but I feel so much more myself. I'm doing things that I actually just forgot that I do when I'm happy. Like singing around the house (not just in the shower), humming as I cook, smiling at strangers in the street and dancing around the kitchen (you get the idea!). I can actually honestly say I'm content, it's been a while.

Finally I finished my first semester of my final year, and despite not doing quite as well as I'd hoped, I've done okay. My exams were okay. In comparision to the average, I've done pretty damn well, but semester one exams really aren't my best part, so I'm glad my courseworks this year have been pretty good as well. I'm averaging a first overall so I'm off to a great start to try and get my 2:1 at the end of it. But with 3 deadlines in the next few weeks I'm definitely feeling the pressure! It's slightly scary to think in 3 months time I'll be done.

Wish me luck!

XOX

The End of The First Round: Shortlist to Interview

For the universities I've applied for at least, shortlisting for interview is complete. I think it's good to reflect back on the process and learn from what has gone well and what hasn't.

Firstly, I think it's okay to be immensely proud of myself in surviving this stage. So many people, some amazing applicants fall at this hurdle, and I was almost convinced that I would be one of them, so now I would be picking up the pieces and prepping myself for a 2015 entry application cycle. I'm not at this stage yet.

So far I've had 1 rejection, from King's College, London. If I'm completely honest with myself, this was one of my favourites, so I was a little bit gutted to hear this (you can read about this in my post: 'Rejection'). But they were very clear with me, so I completely understand their reasoning. My UKCAT wasn't quite high enough, so I didn't get in based on my mini-panic attack in the exam, causing me to screw up my quantitative reasoning section and miss out 13 questions. But these things happen, and despite this, I'm still doing well.

I had an interview in November at Imperial College, London. I love Imperial as a university, and it's always been one of my favourites. The university has such good standing, and the course looks absolutely fantastic, and completely in tune with my method of learning. The interview itself was strange, and looking back at it now, I wasn't entirely prepared, which is majorly because I didn't really know what to expect. I think some questions I answered really well, others I got flustered and could have answered much better (the kind of answers you consider half an hour later whilst sitting on the tube!). So I guess my standing in comparison to the other applicants will determine if I get made an offer of a place. I should find this out within the next month, which is both incredibly frightening, but also exciting.

Last week, I got an email notifying me I had been shortlisted for interview for the graduate scheme at the university of Warwick. Warwick also looks absolutely amazing, the campus looks so pretty, and the fact that the scheme is entirely for graduates is really appealing. The selection process is a selection day, completely opposite to my experience at Imperial, however I'm hoping the competitive side of me will come out enough for me to appear charismatic, without seeming too overbearing. I have longer to prepare, therefore after my exam, I'll have time to properly research the process and mentally prepare myself for the process, to give myself the best possible chance.

So the day I found this out was absolutely amazing, so to add to my excitement, I got an email from Barts and the London, informing me that they were also considering my application, based on my performance at the selection centre at Warwick. This is amazing. For those who know the medical school selection procedure, Barts and Warwick work together to select candidates to offer places to, however, you only get considered by both, if you are shortlisted by both.

From going from being convinced that I wasn't good enough, 3 of the best universities, and 75% of my choices, have disagreed with me enough to want to take me further. This is really exciting.

The next stage is the interview stage. I'll keep you updated as I go along, and hopefully I'll make it past this stage!

XOX

'Invitation to Selection Centre'

These keep coming when I'm in public places :D
The rise of modern technology means that you can check your emails anywhere, and I very much struggled to keep it cool when reading this over my lunch today.

Yes, I have a second interview, which is amazing, because despite myself not think I'm good enough or that I've done enough to get into medicine, not one but 2 medical schools think differently enough to take my application to the next stage. This is absolutely fantastic. I'm trying not to get really excited, but my dream is feeling closer than ever, and I'm really happy about it. I have a bit more time to prepare this time too. I have over a month until the date so I'm feeling much more relaxed about it than the one I had before. It's a completely different situation this time, I have to go to a selection centre, rather than just sit in front of a panel and talk. This has good and bad points. I always dread these kind of interviews, I hate the not knowing what to expect. However, taking what I can from the group interview I had for my job, seeing my 'competition' motivates me to really try hard to show the assessors my worth. I'm hoping this is what will happen this time. I'm also feeling more confident based on the fact that I've already had an interview, I know a little bit more about what to expect, and I can draw from what went well and what didn't go quite as well to really tailor my performance this time. I'm in a pretty good position.

Anyway, before I can even stress about this, I have exams to pass!

Busy, busy month!

XOX

Rejection

I found out a little while ago that I got rejected from one of the medical schools I applied for. Now this isn't down to anything I did, I just got out-competed, and there wasn't really anything I could have done about it. I got an explanation: My UKCAT wasn't high enough. I had a really good UKCAT, but due to the amount of applicants, I was just below the cutoff, an extraordinary high 772. The downside is, that out of all of them it was my favourite, so I guess you could say I'm a little but gutted about it.

So how did I react? I read the email, remained completely emotionless and didn't tell anyone for about 3 weeks. I've still only mentioned it to one person.
I didn't really expect this, I'm doing okay, I just thought on the inevitability that this would happen, I would feel somewhat different. I thought I'd be more upset, and definitely much more vocal about the whole situation. People keep asking me about how my application is going, and I've just been replying with I haven't heard, not necessarily a lie, I'm still waiting to hear from 2 of my universities, but also it is in this case.

I've coped by focusing my efforts on my uni work, I need to do well, because, as far as I'm aware I'm still a viable candidate for 3 out of my 4 choices. To get into any of these, I need to maintain my high grades, which means copious hours spent in the library and trawling over my coursework, reading countless journal articles and reading for my project.

I'm also continuing volunteering. I'm back at the health clinic tomorrow, and I'm genuinely excited, I've really missed it. I also have my first safespace shift of the year lined up, which is something else to look forward to. I'm lining up a new potential volunteering role as well, working for a scheme that monitors standards of healthcare in the local area and works on patient feedback, which would help me learn so much more about the workings of the NHS, this is potentially really exciting.

On top of this, I'm working on applications for my back up - an MSc in Cardiovascular Science, which is offered by 4 universities in England. Surprisingly the application process for this is more detailed and stressful than going through UCAS for medicine!

So how would I recommend coping with being rejected from a medical school?
Firstly it's important not to see it as the be all and end all of everything. It's gutting to get rejected, but it's a normal part of the application. You have 3 other choices to focus on, therefore work hard and learn from the experience, to better display yourself, should you get an interview for any of the others. If you get rejected from all 4, then look at the feedback given to you by the medical schools to enhance your application next time. If it was your UKCAT, work harder to improve your score. Do more volunteering, more paid work, anything to give you a wider idea of what medicine entails. And remember to apply to your strengths. Different medical schools have different selection criteria, therefore apply to the schools that look for aspects of your application that are particularly strong. Try not to be discouraged.

I hear from the medical school I got an interview for next month and the other schools should give me a decision as to whether or not I get an interview in the next couple of weeks.

Wish me luck!

XOX

Personal Statement Woes

I struggle sometimes with being concise and saying the right thing, so for writing my personal statement I've written myself some questions, some of which I'm going to share:

'Why do I want to be a doctor?

I know it’s always been cliché to say, but I want to be a doctor to help people. I want to make people better, and when this isn’t possible I want to make a difference. Improve a person’s comfort on their last days and provide support by the other people affected by this, for the family, for the friends. I love science, I’ve always loved science, and it’s why I did 4 at A-Level. It’s not just that I really want to have a scientific career, it’s that I couldn’t imagine not having one. So why not research? I love working with people. I volunteer not to make it look good on my medical school application (although it helps), but to see the difference that my actions can make to the lives of others, in a positive way. I like working with people different to myself. People always have different things to offer, and you can learn something from each of them, whether that be an academic with years of studying behind them, of the man you dismissed on your way home when he asked you for change. Every one of them has something to offer. Medicine is one of the only careers you can have where you can engage with such a wide range of people, all with different backgrounds, all with different stories. This is what is so great about the NHS, despite all of its problems, it is inclusive. Everyone has access to free healthcare that they need, something that isn’t present in other countries. Take Thailand for example, where I spent this summer. There people get what they can afford, not just in terms of the quality of treatment, but in whether they can access treatment at all. We are so privileged to live in a country where we can have this amazing creation, despite its well documented problems, that each of us is guilty of taking for granted. I’m passionate about being part of this.

What are the challenges concerned with medical school?

One of the major challenges concerned with medical school is that is a degree, and a degree means you have to work so hard to do well at it. I’ve had experience doing this with my Biomedical Science degree. It isn’t all about being a student and dossing about and being drunk. If you want to do well at a degree you need to put in the effort. However university is also meant to be an amazing experience and if you focus only on the academic side of it, you’re kind of missing the point. Getting actively involved in university is a great way to enhance your experience.  I love being part of a society, mixing the ability to be social with working towards a goal. Being on the first aid society is so rewarding, not only for the experience that come from the volunteering that runs alongside it, but seeing the how far everybody comes in such a short space of time. Its small milestones like this that really enriches your experience. Balancing is so important if you want to finish university successfully. Doing a degree doesn’t mean you have to abandon all interests for 3+ years (even though it may feel like that!) but rather it should be a time in which you be developing them. Take me as an example, I love photography, I love the ability to capture a fleeting moment and commit it to something more permanent. I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the country, why would I pass up that opportunity? It helps you to not get stressed. When I feel like my brain is saturated, I play a classical piece on the piano. Completely different, yet it feels like such a palette cleanser, I wouldn't have it any other way.

What have I done to prepare for the challenges of being a doctor?

I work as a first aider for 2 separate companies. This way I can get patient contact, which isn’t just “oh you’ve treated me, thank you very much, I’ll be leaving”, It’s challenging. Sometimes you can’t help the patient. Often patients are distressed, angry or drunk, sometimes downright aggressive. This isn’t a problem, in many ways it’s understandable. If you don’t understand what’s happening, being a patient can be downright scary. The difference is in how you handle these situations. You can have such a massive impact by acting tactfully. You cannot treat every patient the same and deliver a good standard of care. Every patient has the right to equal treatment, but every patient also needs to be treated tactfully based on their individual situation. This makes the difference in how satisfied your patient is with their treatment.

I’ve worked in a family centre, learning a little on NHS protocol. I’ve also worked in the community, in which I’ve definitely improved in confidence, something that will help me exponentially, should I become a doctor."

24 hours to the deadline!

XOX

Leaving Thailand and Coming Home to New Challenges

A few weeks ago, I left Thailand and headed back to London. I was definitely happy to be going home. I really missed everyone back here, and I'm pretty excited about getting back to uni and starting my final year, but I also wish I was still out there. I met some absolutely amazing people, who will make fantastic doctors/dentists/nurses/midwives, and it was so amazing working in a clinical environment everyday, having regular patient contact and seeing so many medical procedures on a daily basis. I really could have stayed out there an extra week, 2 weeks isn't enough time to see everything!

My last few days in Chiang Mai were great. I finished my placement in orthopaedics, in which I got to see some outpatients appointments, in which I learnt about conditions that I hadn't even heard of before and also helped me to think about some of the challenges that face patients when considering whether or not to take treatment. I also got to see some surgery, which is something I really wanted to experience whilst I was still out there. I got to see knee replacements and hip replacement surgery, lots of endoscopes and key-hole surgery to shoulders and 1 operation to correct polydactyly, so all in all a great placement and worth the 6.30am starts!

Now I'm back in the UK and back to normality! Uni started up again properly last week, so it's about getting back into a routine. Also my medical school application is due tomorrow, so I've been concerned with this!

Wish me luck!

XOX

Stepping Up a Gear

Earlier this month, I spent an entire day looking around London universities for a range of either medicine or post-graduate opportunities. Now I know this blog is about getting into medical school, which I'm still 100% on, but I'm also realistic about the chances of me getting into medicine. I know that I can be an amazing applicant and still not get in. I can have the right academic performance, scores on the admissions exams and a great range of work experience and still not be selected for interview. For those of you who aren't medical applicants, it's just that competitive as a subject, particularly for graduate entry. Therefore I have a plan B and this is it: I'm going to apply for some masters degrees alongside my medical school application, mostly in Cardiovascular science, but also some in Biomedical science with a significant amount of cardiovascular in it's content. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this previously, but I want to eventually be a cardiologist. Therefore if I don't get into medicine this year, then I'll try again next year, hopefully with a masters behind me. Preparations are well on the way. I have my UKCAT exam booked for the beginning of next month. I'm halfway through submitting my UCAS application and I've decided on the universities I want to apply to. I'm continuing my long-term work experience and organising more also. I'm becoming a society member at university next year, which will boost my application and give me some great experience. On top of all this, at the end of next week I'll be jetting off to Thailand! I'm going to be working on a GapMedics placement in Chiang Mai for 2 weeks, which I'm incredibly excited about, and I'm looking forward to blogging about all my experiences out there!!

Things are progressing rapidly now :)

XOX