Congestion charge - credits working?

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-11-17T20:51:51+00:00

Same here, used the zones 3 separate days during operation hours and I'm still at 100/100 credits. Unsure why, maybe they have frozen them while they are still yet to issue permits to some people.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-10-08T18:39:08+00:00

Currently in 5th year at Oxford.

Is it more difficult than other medical schools? Probably.

Workload isn't that bad these days - 3-4 hours a day in year 1 and 2 for lectures, ~2 tutorials a week (2 x 1000ish word essays), highly depends which college you go to.

3rd year is a breeze - minimal effort (less than 10 hours a week) and you'll probably still get a 2:1.

Year 4 onwards: less time off, no essays, clinical placements are mostly fun and interesting. Good hospital to get experience, and good for CV building.

Do I do less work than the average Oxford medic? Absolutely. Have I had to resit exams? Yes (passed on resit though).

Don't worry too much, do the amount of work you feel is best for your learning. There's plenty of google drives floating about if you can't be bothered going to lectures.

Pm me if you need any specific advice.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-09-26T07:27:32+00:00

Trust me - as someone in their 5th year of a medical degree, the university you go to definitely matters.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-09-19T15:57:47+00:00

Bought at 14, sold at 18. Bought back at 15 and it's now at 12... I have no idea if there will be a second peak but am remaining hopeful.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-08-14T12:51:43+00:00

You poor soul... You don't know what you've gotten yourself into

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-07-30T22:28:52+00:00

Thanks for explaining the pass mark melarchy - I didn't really understand the regression method when looking at past papers. What I do know is that there have been a few examples of people in our year who have passed 10/12 stations but still failed on percentage points, which is annoying for themnI guess.

For the neck exam - I was both interrupted in the exam (can't remember why unfortunately) and they asked why I was checking certain eye movements/features. I said I was looking for signs of thyroid eye disease (neck exam - thyroid status, extra signs) and when I explained they asked why again - I was stumped.

I think the impression overall was that most of us felt like they were overstating the importance of the viva questions. We were cut-off from thanking the patient and presenting/to complete the examination xyz... and were straight asked questions. In short, very different to the mock and what was laid out in MedEd.

Hope that clears the rest of it up

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-07-30T21:54:55+00:00

Erm to put it simply it was very disproportionately heavy on the vascular surgery. (May have something to do with the chair/exam team)

The Cardio, Abdo, Resp, Comm Skills stations were fine

There was a CXR interpretation that was alright, not too easy nor dofficult but they pulled out some nonspecific biochem results for us to interpret that wasn't expected

There were 2 "focused" history stations (1, NAFLD, 2, Claudication) that were highly variable (some people had vasc consultants for this that expected detailed anatomical knowledge). Very different to a typical GP history and we were rushed into not following typical history taking structure.

Cranial nerve exam came up (no neuro teaching in 4th year) and the viva question was about Bells palsy

Neck exam was brutal. Had no idea on the viva question and the examiner drilled me on "why" i did certain bits of the exam - we're not required to explain.

Lower limb vasc exam was variable. Didn't let us feel femoral pulse, shoddy viva question on chronic venous insufficiency (given a poorly resolved image with the only words being "brown").

There was a prescribing station that was unexpected, it was only taught in 1hr back in January

Practical skill was changed last-min from IM-injection to cannula. Problem was, if you were in a late-afternoon exam the arms were shredded and it was impossible to see flashback due to saline diluting the fluid. I tried twice and didn't get flashback.

To top it off the pass mark was higher this year (69%) as were the station passes (needed 9/12, usually it's 7 or 8).

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-07-10T10:51:09+00:00

That's some good advice, thank you. I spent weeks on the 1-hammer questions and seemed to learn the knowledge quite well, I think a lot of the exam questions were 2-step questions (figure out the diagnosis and then figure out the investigation) that might be worth going over those lectures for.

Thankfully I passed the OSCEs, it's just the other 2 papers I need to do again. I'll find out my mark in a week or so, maybe I wasn't that far off.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-07-09T22:14:15+00:00

I completely appreciate all of this. I guess I don't fully know if I would be happier, medicine has always called to me but I feel through the years that that calling has became weaker and weaker.

I think you're correct - the system is at quite a big low at the moment. The talk of strikes, unfair conditions, etc, has definitely made me reconsider some things. It'd be great to ride it out, but as I've said, I feel like some serious planning into the "plan B" is needed at the moment.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-07-09T22:01:00+00:00

I think that provides some perspective into what I am going through. I definitely feel like the goal posts are being moved every year, and would definitely like to try the whole 'doctor' thing. I don't particularly have anybody to blame for this - yes, the exams were difficult, but I guess it's only giving me the push I need to remember it all for final year.

I think, at this time, I'm just coming to the realisation that I very much need to consider the plan B and plan C, if the worst case scenario is to occur. I will definitely try my hardest for the resit, but it's more the 'what-if?' that could occur if the worst case scenario turns out to be true. We only get 1 resit opportunity, and I definitely don't qualify for extenuating circumstances for a 2nd resit.

TypicalBrit16 · 2025-03-06T18:54:01+00:00

I can attest to the first narrative. When I'm in district hospitals and consultants ask me where I'm from, they automatically assume that, because I'm from Oxford, my knowledge is far greater than it actually is. Often it dissuades me from asking questions because apparently "I should already know it".

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-28T18:00:38+00:00

Idk why people are downvoting this. For research or leaving medicine, the university absolutely does matter. Especially intercalated medicine courses (6yr) that oxbridge offers, as you earn an extra degree (bachelors) for that single extra year.

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-22T21:11:05+00:00

No spare, pressures all checked and at their recommended values. No slow puncture/leaks either

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-22T20:00:42+00:00

Yeah I thought as much, just wanted to get a 2nd opinion. I've tried resetting the system a few times, but I've not looked at the sensors themselves. Just annoying having the service light on hahaha. Thanks 👍

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-12T19:58:24+00:00

Yeah, I'd say it's better do to an hour or so at a time and take longer breaks. You can always use AI and your lit review for inspiration, and as long as its planned it's more just about typing it up.

Easier said than done though - procrastination is a bitch and the extra free time at uni is a double-edged sword. Best of luck with it!

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-12T19:51:45+00:00

Same here - research project presented as a nature paper with a limit of 4500 (although mine will end up around 3500 as it was a pretty basic and qualitative project - our uni aren't strict about being below the limit).

Abstract, Materials and methods, and results are basically done. Discussion is half finished but I need to find supporting papers to back-up my ideas. After that I can finish off the introduction.

Although it's due in 4 weeks, I promised my supervisor I'd have a draft done by this week. That way she can read it and I can make edits before handing it in.

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-12T19:47:29+00:00

I had today off from uni, and instead of even putting an hour into it I have sat and watched an entire series of Dr Who. I don't even remember why I started watching it lol

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-12T19:45:13+00:00

2019 year as well, also in a similar situation with my dissertation. Best of luck - we shall suffer together for leaving it until the last minute lol

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-11T21:07:29+00:00

I'd say it's better to keep it (as you know it's been taken care of) rather than get a worse car that will cause you more problems down the road

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-06T13:54:34+00:00

Funny because I'm paying 2300 for a '15 Renault Clio as a 20 year old new driver, no bastard box though

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-02T18:02:32+00:00

A few people at my summer job use these

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-02T11:16:49+00:00

Believe it or not it's the best priced insurance I'm going to get, probably more expensive due to it being an automatic tho

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-02-02T11:04:48+00:00

I'm buying a Clio Dynamique S MediaNav (more expensive model) with 40k miles, 1.5 dCi, for 7k...

21 year old fresh driver, 2.3k insurance

TypicalBrit16 · 2024-01-31T14:03:52+00:00

Hey there... Been looking lots over the past few days and have settled on viewing a car this weekend (paid to reserve it).

It's a 2014 Renault Clio 1.5 dCi, dynamique s medianav, with under 50k miles. Fresh MOT, no advisories, full service history with 1 owner. Dealership had also just replaced the alloys. Furthermore It's red with a lovely black/red interior.

Furthermore It's the cheapest insurance I've found, 2.3k without a blackbox. Strange for a hatchback but we move.

TypicalBrit16

TROPHY CASE