RCSI Mature Student Medicine Offers

Mr Beaker

Hi Hollingr,

Good to see there are other people from an engineering background who are thinking about changing to something a bit different!

When it comes to the HPAT, do you think they pay attention to the scores you get in the diffferent sections? I did it last year, such a strange exam. Didn't think I could really prepare for it so I just flicked through the practice material to get a feel for timing. Came out thinking it was a complete waste of time, that it had gone terrible, but in the end I got a decent enough mark (I think), 184.

I was just wondering though, I basically got average marks on sections 1 and 3, it was the second section mark that brought the average up. Wondering if they put more weight on different sections or if they're just interested in the overall score?

As for doing anything else to show that med would be right for me, erm...not that much. I did sit the GAMSAT exam for the first time a few weeks ago. Jeepers...I thought the HPAT was bad...the GAMSAT was just plain evil! :P In preperation I did a full course before (Gradmed). Cost a small fortune but I'm hoping that RCSI would take the study I did for it into account.

hollingr

I got 174 last year and I got to interview stage, so it's definitely not the hpat holding you back. Do you have a chance of getting in as an undergraduate at all? Extra points for hons maths this year and all!

I don't think they bother with individual sections of hpat at all, it's more like "ok he's over 160, check. next part of application"

You are probably, like me, weak in the area of "what have you done to show medicine right for you". They know you have the brains, but lack in the experience department. Some volunteer experience would be hugely beneficial to your application, or doctor shadowing. They might think you haven't done much to show you know what you are getting yourself into.

Did you do chem or biology for l.c back in the day? I took them on this year as an external student because I realised that everyone getting in to rcsi is from a sciency background and mature students in rcsi pretty much all skip premed, so if you don't have the science background it is going against you in a big way since you would not be eligible to skip premed.

We are up against people with yrs of experience in healthcare, as healthcare assistants, nurses, porters, people who did sciences after not getting medicine, phd research science graduates with published papers etc etc..

It's an uphill battle but i'm sure all the work you put in to GAMSAT would stand to you. I think gamsat/graduate entry is the traditional route for engineers to get into medicine so hopefully your score in that is up there with the best. I wasn't eligible for gamsat because i got a 2.2

Mr Beaker

Ah...I certainly won't be going in as a standard undergrad. My LC results were rather average. Like a lot of 18 year olds, my main goal was getting out into the real world and having some adventures, traveling around a lot. I'm only starting to settle down now (and I'm no spring-chicken)!

Well, this is my first time applying to RCSI, so who knows...I might get lucky. I'll spend a few hours this week writing up the docs they requested. Hopefully I'll manage to shadow a doc for a bit too, I've been meaning to do this for ages anyways...just got caught up in study for the GAMSAT exam.

It's a real shame that you aren't eligible with the 2.2 degree. I honestly don't think that rule makes any sense at all. I went along to the RCSI open day and the subject came up, apparently RCSI were in favour of the bar being set at a 2.2 degree, it was the other universities that insisted on a 2.1.

I did honours biology for the LC, never did any chemistry. So, trying to study for the GAMSAT...chemistry was like another language. Think I got my head around the basics by the end though.

Sure...I'll cross my fingers and see if anything comes up. GAMSAT results are out in just a few weeks at this stage. That's one five and a half hour exam I won't be in a hurry to put myself through again!!

dtfo

For anyone wondering about fees for mature students, I was talking to someone in RCSI and if you have never attended college before you can avail of the free fees initiative

FairytaleGirl

I only got my letter today, so I only have a few days to get references and stuff before i have to send it to Dublin :O freaking out!

Im kinda confused about the CV, is it a work experience CV they want? Or a job one? Or what? Somehow i doubt my previous job working in an off licence will have much relevance to my application!

notsofar

Mr Beaker wrote: »

Hi Chaps,

Found a letter from RCSI under a load of junk mail, asking me to submit docs for mature entry application by the 30th. Not very confident on getting a place considering the competition that's out there (I'm from an engineering background).

Just wondering, does everyone that applies for the course via CAO get asked to submit these docs, or has there already been some filtering at this stage by HPAT result?

Yeah they say in their web that the first cut for this stage is based on the hpat score, then they cut again with personal statement and cv etc for interview, and then they pick from the interview....

hollingr

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

I only got my letter today, so I only have a few days to get references and stuff before i have to send it to Dublin :O freaking out!

Im kinda confused about the CV, is it a work experience CV they want? Or a job one? Or what? Somehow i doubt my previous job working in an off licence will have much relevance to my application!

play to your strengths I suppose.. you were giving drunks their medicine!

Traderdc

Hi guys - I sat the HPAT in 2011, did virtually no prep and got a poorish score, think it was 158 or something. I didn't get a letter asking me to send an application and supporting docs last year. I applied again this year but due to unforseen circumstances, I didn't sit the HPAT. I obviously didn't expect to hear anything more but then checked the post this morning and saw the letter.

I am just wondering is this a letter that they have sent to everybody this year?? and doesnt really mean anything or does it mean that they are satisfied with my HPAT results and genuniely going to assess my application.

It would be cool if it was a genuine letter but I'm not sure I will be able to get all the info they need in time, does anyone know if there is any flexibilty around this?

It would be great to get an interview but its a pretty big ask, I studied law for a start and have worked as a trader for the last 8 years with no volunteer work although I did study LC biology which appears to have some relevance, anyway any answers to the questions above would be greatly appreciated.

hollingr

I think they will take your application seriously, maybe they lowered the cut off this year or they saw you applied last year too. Once you get the letter its shortlisting based on what you write, so give it your best shot. I was abroad last year when a letter came to my family home so I had about 3 days to do my application and get references together, send it all to my folks to print out and send in for me so I feel your pain!

You're up against people who have done everything they can to show they deserve a place and have been working on their application for the last few months or even years, have been working as volunteers, doing doctor shadowing, working as healthcare assistants, etc etc..

Last year I put together a rushed last minute application, they do pick up on the rushed aspect I think. If you need to ask for flexibility they will immediately know you are just applying last minute and are unprepared, and I think that would reflect badly on you. I wouldn't ask for an extension except in exceptional circumstances, like a death in the family or something like that.

Basically they want to put people in who have the academic ability, have done the most to show they deserve a place, and have relevant experience and understanding of what they are getting themselves into.

Traderdc

Thanks for the quick reply. I will try and get that stuff together in time. How would you go about shadowing a doctor? Is it literally just ringing up a gp and asking them or is it possible to do this in hospitals? Any other kind of volunteer work that you would recommend?

hollingr

No probs, just sitting here studying the old leaving cert.. procrastinating like a boss!

whatever you can get I suppose.. local nursing home probably not a bad place to start, most will jump at having a few volunteers around. Getting in to volunteer at big hospitals is a bit trickier and usually involves filling out forms, probably a bit too short notice for that.

Doctor shadowing can be very difficult to arrange, it's one of those things where if you know someone it's a lot easier unfortunately. I've been trying to get in with a doc lately and he said yes but then has ignored me when I try get in touch with him since!

Traderdc

Has anyone an idea if the banks will do student loans for mature entry medicine as opposed to grad entry??...its a pretty expensive business

hollingr

I think it's pretty doubtful without some kind of collateral or a guarantor or income stream. I've heard of people getting turned down loans in last 2 years when applying as mature students. The banks just aren't taking anything on, yet 5-6 yrs ago they would have been throwing the money at you.. Just bad timing I guess.

Traderdc

Just regarding the personal statement, any guide on to how long this should be? Also on the references, I graduated way back in 2000 and wasn't exactly an outstanding student at the time! so not sure my lecturers will remember me. Are any of you just going to submit the work references or are the academic refs vital?

speeding

Application submitted. Fingers crossed for an interview. Good luck everyone else :-)

Mr Beaker

Bloody heck...that was quick!

I'll be throwing mine through the doors of RCSI at 5:15pm on Monday! :P

speeding

Mr Beaker wrote: »

Bloody heck...that was quick!

I'll be throwing mine through the doors of RCSI at 5:15pm on Monday! :P

Haha have had most of the references sorted after christmas. I put a lot of time into the application before I got the letter. Just hope it was enough.

speeding

just wondering how many references people are going for ?

FairytaleGirl

I'm from the North so I have to have it all in the post by 4:30 tomorrow so its there for Monday, I still have to collect my references (one 40 miles away at Uni) and just finished my CV.

About to start my personal statement after dinner - god help me!!

Any tips on layout etc? I never thought it would be so hard to articulate why i want to do medicine - but it is. How do you explain a 'Pull' to someone when you cant explain it to yourself?!

speeding

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

I'm from the North so I have to have it all in the post by 4:30 tomorrow so its there for Monday, I still have to collect my references (one 40 miles away at Uni) and just finished my CV.

About to start my personal statement after dinner - god help me!!

Any tips on layout etc? I never thought it would be so hard to articulate why i want to do medicine - but it is. How do you explain a 'Pull' to someone when you cant explain it to yourself?!

My opinion is keep it to no more than a page and half. I did one for the ucas this year which got me two offers. Just be honest and write the reasons for wanting to do medicine.

speeding

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

I'm from the North so I have to have it all in the post by 4:30 tomorrow so its there for Monday, I still have to collect my references (one 40 miles away at Uni) and just finished my CV.

About to start my personal statement after dinner - god help me!!

Any tips on layout etc? I never thought it would be so hard to articulate why i want to do medicine - but it is. How do you explain a 'Pull' to someone when you cant explain it to yourself?!

What degree did you study originally ? :-)

FairytaleGirl

I have a 2:2 (down to a ****ty personal time in year 3 and complete lack of interest) In English Literature and Media Studies.

Aye, Im going to just have to be honest! Just dont want to waffle on, you know?

^^ I have 4 References, a doctor i shadowed, my university lecturer, my previous boss and a good friend who let me shadow her as a care assistant.

where have you applied in UK? Thre are a few shools there who'll let me do Grad Med with a 2:2 so il give that a go next year!

speeding

If we're both lucky we might see eachother in september fingers crossed :-p Long long way to go though lol.Good luck with the personal statement :-)

Mr Beaker

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

I have a 2:2 (down to a ****ty personal time in year 3 and complete lack of interest) In English Literature and Media Studies.

Aye, Im going to just have to be honest! Just dont want to waffle on, you know?

^^ I have 4 References, a doctor i shadowed, my university lecturer, my previous boss and a good friend who let me shadow her as a care assistant.

where have you applied in UK? Thre are a few shools there who'll let me do Grad Med with a 2:2 so il give that a go next year!

Well...you're doing better than me!
All I have so far is my local GP! :P

FairytaleGirl

Long way is an understatement!! Good luck to you too!

FairytaleGirl

You didnt study 'The Arts' for 4 years after getting a D in Science!! they'll slaughter me with that if i get to interview :eek:

speeding

How many do they interview ? Is it 30 or are we talking 40 plus for 15 places ?

Mr Beaker

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

You didnt study 'The Arts' for 4 years after getting a D in Science!! they'll slaughter me with that if i get to interview :eek:

Ah heck...I think there's more to practising medicine than a good ability with the scientific subjects. Ok, there'll be a huge amount of Biology and Chemistry but a background in the humanities could certainly give you an advantage and it's something they should be looking for. That's why entrance exams like the GAMSAT put so much emphasis on emotional intelligence and all that jazz.

So...if you get an interview...you should go in feeling confident and hoping for the best. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

FairytaleGirl

I never thought of my background in humanaties as an advantage in medicine?! How so?

(gleaning personal statement tips) :cool:

Mr Beaker

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

I never thought of my background in humanaties as an advantage in medicine?! How so?

(gleaning personal statement tips) :cool:

Well...as an engineer, many people might argue that I have as much training in emotional intelligence as the toaster in my kitchen, so you should probably take anything I'm saying with a pinch (read:handful) of salt! :P

That being said, I sat the GAMSAT exam this year and there's huge importance placed on skills often derived from a background in 'the arts'. In fact, many people have got in to graduate courses mainly due to having good scores in the essay writing and Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences sections.

I think the general idea is that empathy and emotional intelligence are seen as prerequisites to becoming a good doctor. I.E You could be a master of all the related sciences but if you couldn't give a toss how your patient is feeling or are very poor in anticipating how they may feel in certain circumstances...well you probably wouldn't make a great doc. At least...not the type they'd prefer to have on board if they can choose otherwise...and with competition always high, they can.

So...if you're trying to play up the practicality or usefulness of your arts background, it might be an idea to look at it from this angle?

Again...pinch of salt!