I wanted to make a post just about my tips for the year that all of you have ahead. It's just over a month until the deadline for medical school applications, and so I just want to give you some advice on what to expect and how to deal with it.
1. Once you submit your UCAS form, do not expect a track update within 30 seconds. I know I'm going to tell you this and you'll all do it anyway, but you're not going to get an offer the next day! On your phone, switch your email updates to manual, so that you only get notifications for emails if you're on the actual email app. It means you're not going to constantly check your email because you won't be getting the notifications.
2. Ignore other peoples offers. I know how hard it is when your friends who haven't applied for medicine are getting offers every other day, and you're having to sit there with no decisions on your UCAS track except maybe your back-up offer. (Which you should celebrate! You still have an offer!). But be happy for your friends! You'd want them to be happy for you, so be happy for them.
3. Talk to your fellow medical applicant friends. When waiting for offers/interviews, it is soooo nice to be able to rant to someone and for them to understand. Medicine applicants don't get bored of talking about their medicine applications, so instead of boring your friends who haven't applied to medicine, speak to people who understand what you're going through! This also comes in really useful leading up to results day. Rant to your medicine friends about how you're terrified you won't get the grades and won't get in and will have to wait at least three years to study medicine. Trust me, it will help A LOT.
4. Keep looking at the websites of the medical schools you've applied to, or the medical school you've firmed. When it comes to revision, this keeps you so motivated, because it reminds you of what you're working for! I found if I just looked on the websites it made me so excited about studying medicine that I wanted to work so hard so that I could definitely get in.
5. Work for your interviews. I cannot stress this enough. Work so hard for your interviews. Your interview is down to YOU and noone else. It's no longer up to the medical school to decide whether your grades/UKCAT are good enough for you to get an interview. At the majority of medical schools, after the interview no other factors are considered, so make sure that you don't cause all that time you spent on your personal statement to be wasted by not trying for your interview.
6. Take rejections in your stride. It's okay to cry over a rejection for a few hours, but don't let it ruin everything! If it's not your final rejection, then you still have a chance. It's not over until all of your decisions on UCAS have been made.
7. WORK! Don't assume if you get the offer you'll get the grades. Work so hard. If you get the grades then even if you get 4 rejections, you will get into medical school one day. Work for your interviews, work for your mocks, work for class tests, work for your exams! Work for everything. It's one year of your life, which will determine the rest of your life. Enjoy what you're learning and make sure that there is no way that you will not get those 3As or not impress your interviewers. Let yourself get a little (or a lot) competitive - it's good for you! Just don't go overboard.
8. Lastly, stay positive. I know how painstaking it is waiting for those track emails. I know that sometimes it's literally all you can think about, and it stops you from sleeping. I know it makes you upset when your friend gets an offer and you don't (trust me, the day my friend got an offer I watched Marley & Me and cried for about half an hour). Let yourself be a bit upset but then pick yourself up and don't let it affect your work or anything. You will know when you know - don't let it take over your life.
Massive, massive good luck for all of your applications. I really hope that all of you get in where you want to, and receive at least that one golden offer.
Bye!xxx
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