Just a quick update so i can read back on this and weep once exams are over and realise how little revision or preparation i have done.
First exam... thursday.. Biology of Cancer.. im bringing 17.9% (out of 20%) coursework mark forward to the exam, so i need to obtain 50% to secure a high 2.1 .. .but 50/80 is not easy..
...........especially when i saw "Mothers against decapentaplegic" and thought it sounded like some sort of campaign......before i read on and realised its role in TGF-beta superfamily signalling pathway... but in terms of interesting proteins involved in the signalling pathway.. "frizzled" of the Wnt signalling pathway is by far my favourite.. it always reminds me of bacon.. for no apparent reason other than sounding like sizzled, and that the text book had coloured it pink..
now its cramming for 3 days before i start weeping!
Monday, 5 May 2008
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
2008 Application feedback
After my attempt last week to get feedback from the unis i applied to this year...BSMS were the first to reply.
I was really surprised by their email, as it seemed very personal, and described part by part of my application, and the guy writing the feedback even had a look at my reference and refered to it in the email. This is the second time i've applied to bsms.. and i have to admit..for 2 applications running.. bsms has provided the most personal/useful feedback!
They first described the selection process, and then went on to explain that i had a score of 22 from one assessor, and 21 from another.. giving me a final score of 21.5... which to be honest is quite an improvement from my a-level application when they gave me a grand score of 13.5 ......but then the email went on to mention that the cut-off for an interview was 22... which meant i had missed out on the opportunity of having an interview by 0.5 points..... gutted!!
UCL were second to reply with pretty much a "copy and pasted" generic reply, and mentioned i should try to get a higher score in the section 3 of the bmat.. and by the looks of it on the NMM forum..that seems to be their suggestion to every candidate asking for feedback.. well at least they replied!
BARTs and Manchester...well i'm still currently still waiting.. so will see what they say.. i am slightly worried about BARTs though.. as i know for some unis, if an applicant is rejected after interview, the medical school will not consider further applications from the student... (this is true for manchester), and i sure hope this will not be the case for barts, as it is definately a medical school i would like to apply to again next year.. but i will just have to wait till i hear back and see if i am eligible to apply again next year.
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Revision is not going so well, and i have yet to hear back from my MRes application, the director of the course sent me an email asking if i will be able to support myself through the course.. i said yes..and he has never got back to me.. so i guess my application is still "being considered by the application panel".
I was really surprised by their email, as it seemed very personal, and described part by part of my application, and the guy writing the feedback even had a look at my reference and refered to it in the email. This is the second time i've applied to bsms.. and i have to admit..for 2 applications running.. bsms has provided the most personal/useful feedback!
They first described the selection process, and then went on to explain that i had a score of 22 from one assessor, and 21 from another.. giving me a final score of 21.5... which to be honest is quite an improvement from my a-level application when they gave me a grand score of 13.5 ......but then the email went on to mention that the cut-off for an interview was 22... which meant i had missed out on the opportunity of having an interview by 0.5 points..... gutted!!
UCL were second to reply with pretty much a "copy and pasted" generic reply, and mentioned i should try to get a higher score in the section 3 of the bmat.. and by the looks of it on the NMM forum..that seems to be their suggestion to every candidate asking for feedback.. well at least they replied!
BARTs and Manchester...well i'm still currently still waiting.. so will see what they say.. i am slightly worried about BARTs though.. as i know for some unis, if an applicant is rejected after interview, the medical school will not consider further applications from the student... (this is true for manchester), and i sure hope this will not be the case for barts, as it is definately a medical school i would like to apply to again next year.. but i will just have to wait till i hear back and see if i am eligible to apply again next year.
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Revision is not going so well, and i have yet to hear back from my MRes application, the director of the course sent me an email asking if i will be able to support myself through the course.. i said yes..and he has never got back to me.. so i guess my application is still "being considered by the application panel".
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
UKCAT 2008 key dates update
UKCAT 2008 Key dates
UKCAT registration opens:
1 May 2008
UKCAT testing begins:
07 Jul 2008
Bursary and voucher application deadline:
26 Sept 2008
UKCAT registration deadline:
26 Sept 2008
UKCAT testing deadline:
10 Oct 2008
UCAS application deadline:
15 Oct 2008
source: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/home/aboutus/key-dates/
ahhhh...the dreaded ukcat returns! now... for an early exam date or a later one... hm....
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Revision started well and slowly grounded to a halt as i dossed away the weekend eating too much junk and watching too much tv..
.... though reading back on an old post of mine, from april last year... i realised its not a one-off..and infact this seems to happen this time of year... EVERY YEAR...
Hence, i decided to change my revision tactics, and opt for the same option as last year.. to go into the library and revise at night when the telly is good, thus being at the library i avoid all temptations to watch tv (i will be missing desperate housewives tonight!!!), and sleep during the day. This will definantly ruin my sleep pattern, but hey.. if it gets the work done, then its well worth it.
however...this wouldn't be possible without the presence of the fantastic 24 hour library facilities on every kcl campus! up until uni i never really felt the need to use the library other than to borrow books, and i have to admit.. i was one of them annoying immature teenage kids who used the library as a social club, with revision as a bad excuse to meet in groups at the library to work (a little), and chat (a lot).
I guess having grown up a little bit, being at the library definately sets a different atmosphere with added pressure to be working and, of course being away from temptations such as the television or the computer really helps me to settle down into working mode. Hopefully all the hard work this year will be reflected in my results, but only time will tell.
-----------------------------------------------
UKCAT registration opens:
1 May 2008
UKCAT testing begins:
07 Jul 2008
Bursary and voucher application deadline:
26 Sept 2008
UKCAT registration deadline:
26 Sept 2008
UKCAT testing deadline:
10 Oct 2008
UCAS application deadline:
15 Oct 2008
source: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/home/aboutus/key-dates/
ahhhh...the dreaded ukcat returns! now... for an early exam date or a later one... hm....
--------------------------------------------------
Revision started well and slowly grounded to a halt as i dossed away the weekend eating too much junk and watching too much tv..
.... though reading back on an old post of mine, from april last year... i realised its not a one-off..and infact this seems to happen this time of year... EVERY YEAR...
Hence, i decided to change my revision tactics, and opt for the same option as last year.. to go into the library and revise at night when the telly is good, thus being at the library i avoid all temptations to watch tv (i will be missing desperate housewives tonight!!!), and sleep during the day. This will definantly ruin my sleep pattern, but hey.. if it gets the work done, then its well worth it.
however...this wouldn't be possible without the presence of the fantastic 24 hour library facilities on every kcl campus! up until uni i never really felt the need to use the library other than to borrow books, and i have to admit.. i was one of them annoying immature teenage kids who used the library as a social club, with revision as a bad excuse to meet in groups at the library to work (a little), and chat (a lot).
I guess having grown up a little bit, being at the library definately sets a different atmosphere with added pressure to be working and, of course being away from temptations such as the television or the computer really helps me to settle down into working mode. Hopefully all the hard work this year will be reflected in my results, but only time will tell.
-----------------------------------------------
Monday, 31 March 2008
BB0333 revision
Today protein folding has officially become my favourite protein topic and i bloody well hope it comes up this summer!!
Although i've always done well in protein modules, attaining at least a high 2.1 in protein related modules during both years, its definately one of my least favourite modules, and indeed it sometimes makes me question whether i should have stuck with medical biochemistry which has a great immunology component (and no protein !!)... but then again immunology is very very hard.. and if i ever get into medical school, i know its the topic i'd be dreading most!
Today, after almost 3 years of studying biochemistry, i sat down and had a good chew through protein folding, and i'm starting to appreciate protein structure a lot more. I guess in the past years i literally passed exams by regurgitating a lot of facts and notes (i have a very good short term memory), and then forgetting it after the exams; but i think today i managed to grasp the key concepts of protein folding, and now thinking back, i regret not prioritising "learning" over "remembering facts" during the past 2 years.
though when it comes to looking up answers, i go back to my lazy way of researching online.
whilst having a dig about online for "Anfinsen's Dogma", i found a fun and interesting blog of a biochemistry lecturer i'd like to reccomend:
http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/
Although i've always done well in protein modules, attaining at least a high 2.1 in protein related modules during both years, its definately one of my least favourite modules, and indeed it sometimes makes me question whether i should have stuck with medical biochemistry which has a great immunology component (and no protein !!)... but then again immunology is very very hard.. and if i ever get into medical school, i know its the topic i'd be dreading most!
Today, after almost 3 years of studying biochemistry, i sat down and had a good chew through protein folding, and i'm starting to appreciate protein structure a lot more. I guess in the past years i literally passed exams by regurgitating a lot of facts and notes (i have a very good short term memory), and then forgetting it after the exams; but i think today i managed to grasp the key concepts of protein folding, and now thinking back, i regret not prioritising "learning" over "remembering facts" during the past 2 years.
though when it comes to looking up answers, i go back to my lazy way of researching online.
whilst having a dig about online for "Anfinsen's Dogma", i found a fun and interesting blog of a biochemistry lecturer i'd like to reccomend:
http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Revision Day 1
Lab project was due yesterday, i was quite happy with it ..up until i saw the other projects... some student even found photos of amsterdam to stick on her front cover .. i did ask her why she had decided to stick a photo on her project cover... only to hear her tell me "i thought the photo looked quite nice".. her project was on air pollutants...
if only i knew other people were going to make fancy title pages.. i would have stuck homer simpson and a mouse on the front of mine! well.. ok perhaps just the mouse.. i don't think the examiner would have appreciated my take on "homer 1b/c" protein expression in the brain.
Final Year Revision ~!
The perfect student would have written their notes after each lecture, and have a full set of notes, articles and journals this late into the academic year... but i am not (far from) the perfect student.. in fact if making notes classifies a student...then ..well i've only become a sudent today.
The exam timetable is quite revision friendly this year, theres biology of cancer on the 8th, biology of ageing on the 13th, protein structure and design on the 15th, and a nice week before free radical in health and disease on the 22nd... so theoretically with the time left i have about a week to revise for each module during april, and then have a relax-ish may inbetween exams.. well so i hope!!
if only i knew other people were going to make fancy title pages.. i would have stuck homer simpson and a mouse on the front of mine! well.. ok perhaps just the mouse.. i don't think the examiner would have appreciated my take on "homer 1b/c" protein expression in the brain.
Final Year Revision ~!
The perfect student would have written their notes after each lecture, and have a full set of notes, articles and journals this late into the academic year... but i am not (far from) the perfect student.. in fact if making notes classifies a student...then ..well i've only become a sudent today.
The exam timetable is quite revision friendly this year, theres biology of cancer on the 8th, biology of ageing on the 13th, protein structure and design on the 15th, and a nice week before free radical in health and disease on the 22nd... so theoretically with the time left i have about a week to revise for each module during april, and then have a relax-ish may inbetween exams.. well so i hope!!
Sunday, 16 March 2008
10 days 9 hours and 13 minutes remaining!
Theoretically it's only the 1 day 19 hours and 57 minutes till my last ever lecture at KCL (!!!), and although im quite excited to finish the lectures, im not too pleased with the measly 10 days 9 hours and 13 minutes left until my dissertation is due in.
I do wonder why the biochemistry students have such an early dissertation deadline.. whilst the other biomedical health sciences have until mid-april !!
That said... i am just over half way with my dissertation now, the materials and method section was quite a nice part to write up, as i literally described the experimental procedures...BUT..the introduction was HELL! its only just over 2000 words..but it has taken every last bit of my patience, and my forehead has suffered immensly - thre are 4 visible red bumps where clear skin used to be !
A little off track, i've signed up for the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK, on the 19th of july..which should hopefully give me enough time to get into shape and adequate fitness to face the 5km run. Admittedly 5km is quite a wimpy distance, but im not exactly the fittest of people out there!... and so hopefully i'll find some time in between revision to go for a few jogs in the park.
Not heard from any post-grad applications yet, though at the moment, its on the bottum of my list, where as the long awaited exam timetable is right at the top!
2 days 17 hours 56 minutes until the exam timetable is posted
and just the...
50 days 17 hours and 55 minutes until the start of exam season !
I do wonder why the biochemistry students have such an early dissertation deadline.. whilst the other biomedical health sciences have until mid-april !!
That said... i am just over half way with my dissertation now, the materials and method section was quite a nice part to write up, as i literally described the experimental procedures...BUT..the introduction was HELL! its only just over 2000 words..but it has taken every last bit of my patience, and my forehead has suffered immensly - thre are 4 visible red bumps where clear skin used to be !
A little off track, i've signed up for the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK, on the 19th of july..which should hopefully give me enough time to get into shape and adequate fitness to face the 5km run. Admittedly 5km is quite a wimpy distance, but im not exactly the fittest of people out there!... and so hopefully i'll find some time in between revision to go for a few jogs in the park.
Not heard from any post-grad applications yet, though at the moment, its on the bottum of my list, where as the long awaited exam timetable is right at the top!
2 days 17 hours 56 minutes until the exam timetable is posted
and just the...
50 days 17 hours and 55 minutes until the start of exam season !
Sunday, 9 March 2008
No more western blotting!!
After the past 3 grueling weeks of early starts and late finishes at the Wolfson CARD, i can finally say after over 100+ western blots... i have finally finished the lab based component of the project, and can sit down and work on the write up..!!
Though... after all the hard work and effort.. i managed to prove my hypothesis doesn't work.. and my experiment showed no difference what-so-ever... so im going to have to spend the next 17days writing up my 10k paper and explain and back-up why it did not work.. ! >.<
Post-grad applications are sent now, so its just going to be a long wait (hopefully not toooo long) before i hear back..
Though... after all the hard work and effort.. i managed to prove my hypothesis doesn't work.. and my experiment showed no difference what-so-ever... so im going to have to spend the next 17days writing up my 10k paper and explain and back-up why it did not work.. ! >.<
The weather picked up a few days ago, so i decided to have a walk along the river after i finished my last experiment.. well it was more a walk to visit someone.. and walking there seemed like a good idea as i had an hour to spare, but a little stroll ended up as a walking tour between the 3 main campuses at kings.
Started my walk at New Hunt's House (Guy's Campus, london bridge), made a quick stop at borough market to pick up a sarnie, then headed off along the river side, past the tate modern, then on to the royal festival hall where i got a peek at the Franklin Wilkins Builing (waterloo campus, waterloo), and finally up and across waterloo bridge where i caught sight of the london eye, big ben and the houses of parliament. At the other end of the bridge was the Strand campus (Strand)..and from then i gave up and jumped onto a bus to get to my destination..
if you are un/lucky enough to come to kcl and so happen to be an international student turning up to the induction day..this will be a walk you'll be taken on..so remember to wear comfortable shoes ^^
Started my walk at New Hunt's House (Guy's Campus, london bridge), made a quick stop at borough market to pick up a sarnie, then headed off along the river side, past the tate modern, then on to the royal festival hall where i got a peek at the Franklin Wilkins Builing (waterloo campus, waterloo), and finally up and across waterloo bridge where i caught sight of the london eye, big ben and the houses of parliament. At the other end of the bridge was the Strand campus (Strand)..and from then i gave up and jumped onto a bus to get to my destination..
if you are un/lucky enough to come to kcl and so happen to be an international student turning up to the induction day..this will be a walk you'll be taken on..so remember to wear comfortable shoes ^^
sorry the photos are taken with my phone..so they are a bit out of focus >.<
Post-grad applications are sent now, so its just going to be a long wait (hopefully not toooo long) before i hear back..
17 days left until dissertation deadline.. and only 9 more days until my final lecture at KCL ..!! Graduation date has also been set for the 23rd-july-2008 ..with the new very snazzy KCL vivienne westwood designed gowns and the new kcl certificates... even though the gown sounds very nice.. i really can't imagine a gown looking any different..and if it did look very different from what gowns traditionally look like.. i may not like it.. even if it is supposidly "designer".... however.. i think i should be worrying about the final exams (less than 60 days away!) as opposed to the design of the gown!!
As for medicine application 2009.. anyone up for taking part in a BMAT revision class in london?? .. i guess its going to be quite unlikely seeing as most people taking it will already be doing 3 sciences at alevel.. whilst i'll be stuck with questions on basic gcse physics!!
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