COWA Access to Medicine 2010/11

**Nurse1988** · 22-02-2010, 07:16 PM

Grrrr I wish they'd yey or nay me already

**jw87** · 22-02-2010, 09:44 PM

I would call to check. I wasnt actually informed I had an interview until I called.

They said they had sent a letter in the post but I still havent recieved anything. It would be gutting to miss out this way.

**Nurse1988** · 24-02-2010, 08:14 PM

Thanks for advice. I phoned the other day and apparently it's with the board of directors. I'm not positive. Stow are interviewing now to and I havn't heard anything from them either.

**klowe171** · 26-02-2010, 03:14 AM

Does anyone know the interview to acceptance ratio or anything? i dont seem to know of anybody bein rejected yet so im guessin an interview pretty much means they just want to make sure your commited to the cause and check out your grades for real?

**Ali_zee** · 06-03-2010, 06:34 AM

So i finally had my interview and managed to get a place for 2011 entry, i was hoping for 2010 but the interviewer (she was really nice but i can't remember her name, i think it was Dr Helen McGregger) said that i needed at least 1 year NHS work experience in order to be really considered by universities. also, she told me to practice my UKCAT as many universities have raised there cut off point to around 700 (this was her own words, i had only managed a 640 last year and was told that this wouldn't have been sufficient).

I stayed at the ramada hotel for around £50 a night for a double room, it was really nice and about 5 mins drive to the college incase anyone was wondering. (the hotel does wakeup call incase you were worried about missing your interview)

Some advice:

- Read up on the course content/Syllabus
- Turn up early (i was there at 8:15 and my interview was meant to start at 8:30).
- Dress Smartly, i wore a suit (i think i was the only one wearing a suit, but not everyone who was being interviewed was applying for A2M)
- Remember your certificates and passport (They are needed as she will most likely make a photocopy)

Hoped this helped and goodluck

**cocopop** · 06-03-2010, 04:34 PM

Hey there Ali Zee. I'm on the course this year and I just wanted to say something about what you were
told by Helen McGarry. Obviously it puts you in a better position to have as much NHS experience as possible
and to have as strong a UKCAT score you can manage achieve.

Helen would like all her applicants to be as competitive in these areas as possible. However it really isn't accurate to say that you'll need a UKCAT score of 700 and a year's NHS experience in order to get a place at medical school.

Firstly it's what you learn from the experience and not the length of time that is important, and each university uses the UKCAT in very different ways. If you
have any intention of applying to King's GEP, Oxford, or Sheffield, then yes you may well need a UKCAT score of
around 700 or above.

But on the flipside, I have a UKCAT score of 630 and have an offer from Hull-York, and have
interviews at UEA and Leicester. My girlfriend has score of 600 and also has a place at Hull-York, and has
received interviews for UEA, Leeds, and St. Andrews (albeit she has a blistering C.V.).

So by all means gain as much work experience as you can and do as well as you can do on your UKCAT,
but don't think that if you fall a little short on these two areas that you essentially have no chance of
getting a place at university because it isn't true.

**Ali_zee** · 07-03-2010, 06:29 AM

Thanks for the reply, i'm quite happy you said that because 700 is a hard target for UKCAT, i only just managed to get a 640.

**Nurse1988** · 08-03-2010, 07:49 PM

Got email with interview letter today. So why am I not happy about it? :< stupid dissertation, ruins everything

**klowe171** · 09-03-2010, 01:04 AM

congrats! whens ya interview date? does anyone have a feeling that maybe were already accepted? cause with taht email we got a list of possible accomodation in the area......kind of feels like this interview is just of way of making the course feel a bit more important?!