School is closed!? Now what?! Here's what to do Year 12'S

I know for many of us this is such a confusing time, especially for students. A levels and GCSEs in general can be stressful and at the moment there is an added element of stress. Additionally, applying to or thinking about applying to medicine/dentistry is a challenge in itself.

Here is a miniseries of advice, tips, do’s and don’ts to help you get through and make this time a little easier. This is my own personal advice, somewhat based on my experience and research. (Do clarify any questions with your teachers)

Here’s some advice for Year 12’s.

Year 12 is a major transitional year. You suddenly have more independence in your learning, and you are faced with new challenging content to learn. For many the change from secondary school to sixth form/college can be scary yet exciting. Everything may seem a little more serious and a little stressful, especially at the moment.

After GCSEs the application process for medicine/dentistry really starts in year 12, balancing tricky A level content, work experience, volunteering and the Ucat/Bmat is something to look towards. In the meantime, here is some advice to ease you into the process. Feel free to email or contact me on Instagram for any questions.

Learn Your Content

DO continue learning the As/A level content as ‘usual’ to the best of your ability. Follow along with any online lessons and teacher assignments you may have. There are concepts in biology or chemistry you need to understand for Year 13 and A level examinations. You can write a schedule of areas you wish to go over and learn whilst studying remotely using the specification. There are many resources out there to help you learn your content. I personally did OCR A level Biology and Chemistry and have an array of resources I found useful.

Keep Organised

DO schedule your time to keep organised. There are plenty of online planner templates to help with this. This can help you keep on top of things, making you feel more relaxed.

Chill/Relax

DO take time out of your day to relax, whether this be cracking open a new book, delving into a new Netflix series or/and doing daily exercise. This can benefit your mental health.

Revision Techniques

DO practice good revision techniques such as active recall and practice questions you can implement into your studies. You will use this throughout the year and into year 13 to achieve your aspired grades.

Insight into Medicine, Personal Statement and Work Experience

DO start looking for an insight into medicine so you can start building up a profile for your personal statement. This can include searching and reading research papers, articles or journals that relate to medicine/ any new areas of medical research that may interest you. Wider reading can be included in your personal statements and you may be asked about it in any interviews. Currently, there are plenty of online lectures and seminars you can sign up for and join. I will be linking any I find on my Instagram and will be saved on my highlights.

Ideally, you should try and find and undergo work experience/volunteering opportunities. Finding in-person experience can be quite challenging given the current situation, and there is flexibility around this. There are virtual opportunities also here are some ideas and I will link any upcoming opportunities on my Instagram. Using media platforms such as Facebook can help you search for an array of opportunities.

- SpringPod x NHS virtual work experience for North West London Trusts

-Medic Mentor x University of University Hospitals Birmingham

- Medic mentors virtual medical society

-St John Ambulance Covid-19 Vaccination Programme

- Medical Podcasts

-educationprojects.co.uk webinars such as ‘Day in the life of a Surgeon’

-Virtual work experience: Get into medicine with i-medics

Feeling Guilty

DON’T feel guilty for not being productive or working all the time. Looking and following productivity or ‘study’ pages can sometimes be off putting as there is often an unrealistic standard portrayed that you must be working all the time which is not the case.

Don't start Ucat Prep

This year most applicants will sit the Ucat/Bmat entrance exam to medical school. This happens in August/September and early October. I advise you to begin preparation for this exam 6-8 weeks before it is sat to prevent burnout. So, at the moment you do not need to worry about beginning preparation for this.

Trust the Process

DON’T let Medicine consume you. By this I mean do not spend your time worrying about university and the course. You have A levels to get through first. Also, trust in the process and believe in yourself, you have worked so hard already to get here. Enjoy the journey!

Year 11's be on the lookout for some advice which will follow next in the series!