Monday 20 February 2012

I'm dreaming of...

Its been just under a week since my interview and I am obsessing. All I can think about is Medicine.
And I have repeatedly thought what I would do while I was on the degree.

Well first of all I'll be spending five years minimum at Barts.
Then I may want to intercalate in something like Medical Education.
I definitely want to be a Sabbatical Officer at Barts.
I also want to be the editor of Student BMJ for a year.

So currently, that's eight years in medical school. Am I crazy?
Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up like this till I know if I've got an offer.

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Interview

"Why do you want to come to Barts?"

"Well it's in East London, and there is a brilliant 24 hour bagel shop in Shoreditch"

I shit you not.

But they loved it.

Sunday 12 February 2012

Interview in Two Days...

Excited. Nervous. Eating chocolate fingers by the truck load. I don't normal binge eat from nerves. Odd.

So I have met with three medical students. One the Student Union President. I have read the following two books cover to cover:
Medical School Interviews - Lee, Picard
Succeed in Your Medical School Interview - Dr See
I prefer the second one by Dr See. He writes from experience and I found that his questions were much more open, making you consider where they could go and what the panel were looking for. Picard seems to waste a lot of questions on what they could ask you in the NHS. This could have been set as a learning point and several pages saved. If you plan to buy any books, I recommend both for the key motivation questions, but if you are short for cash then the second one is the better of the two.

I'm getting too excited. I'm imagining everything I am going to do as a med student. As a doctor. This is bad. I was devastated in August 2009 and three years on, I know that if I don't get this, I will be devastated again. I'll get over it. But being told no to a career that I've given a lot already is... trying to say the least.

Several of my friends and course mates have also got interviews for both undergraduate and graduate medicine at Barts. I think we originally all agreed, non-verbally, not to mention the interviews but as it has got closer, it dominates our conversations. Even friends who aren't applying are probably sick of me talking about it. Without being cocky, I may not be the strongest academic candidate by far, but I have the best extracurriculars. I have a life and all these skills will relate to medicine. My personal tutor at Queen Mary once told me that Barts love people who are well rounded. They look beyond the grades.

The only thing I can hope is that my passion will show at interview. I need to remember to smile. And related EVERYTHING back to Barts. I think I finally understand what X-Factor contests mean when they say "I really want this". I really want this. So much. Wish me luck.

Wednesday 1 February 2012

1st of the Month

Pinch Punch.

Up early. Off to talk to the Presidents of Barts and the London Student Association (BLSA) for interview tips. I love visiting Whitechapel!