UWE

Anyone going?!

Unfortunately I was unsuccessful for this year but will hopefully be there next year.

Hope you don't mind me asking, but how have you found the course so far? What have been the best and worst parts? What is the workload like? (I am assuming that you are a UWE student).

In all honesty, the course took a while to get interesting - but was hard from the start - if that makes sense?! I'm guessing how supportive it feels depends very much on your co-hort leader - think I might have been on the unlucky side! Having said that, there are one or two gems of lecturers there - so if you get one of them you'll wonder what I'm on about!

I've been really lucky that I have had a broad range of experiences so far - but then I do also put myself 'out there' - there are plenty of others who haven't been so lucky - yet!

The work load is immense for the first 4-6 months - of each year from what I can tell! But after that it's fine really - though there's probably lots of reading you'll want to do to make sense of the placements!

It's great learning lots though and feeling like your becoming a competent future practitioner!

Good luck with it - keep me posted!

Yeah I am due to be starting in Sept - big thanks to this site otherwise prob would have got rejected!!

Had an interview on Monday and found out few hours later that they had a place for me to start straight away. Little overwhelmed now as seems like there is a lot i have to do to be prepared in the next few weeks!!

Anyone else starting their first year in Sept??

Oh well done Jo84, your head must be spinning!!! You'll have to get shopping my favourite bit. No time to get too nervous!!

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Coffeebean xx


Student Midwife

Congratulations!! We had a couple in our year that it happened for them like that right before they had to start!

I'm not aware of anyone else here that are starting in a few short weeks but there is a girl who started with us last year that had to step off quite early and is starting with you and also, I have an old school friend that is starting too!!

Who interviewed you? Your so lucky you found out so quickly and are starting so quickly - no time sitting around waiting for the verdict - and no time to get too stressed beforehand either! Just enjoy these next few weeks - you'll never know you had so much free time once you've started!

xx

***** interviewed me - she seemed lovely.

Yeah was fab that I found out straight away as otherwise I would have ended up being a size zero!! I was sooooo nervous.

Any advice then on what I should be buying in preperation? I too love shopping but dont know what I should be buying? I am a little concerned that I am not gonna be ready as go on hol now for two weeks and literally come back the morn I start - think im gonna be sleeping in the back of the lecture room!!

I know that i need to buy some flat black shoes - any advice on what they need to be like? dont wanna get something that would be wrong.

Should I buy books before hand or wait until the course starts?

As far as UWE is concerned my log in still shows as unsuccessful (long story) but is incorrect. But have not got bursary or anything sorted. Hope they start sending some stuff out to me otherwise gonna be very poor!

How are you finding the course?

***** is lovely! Ummm, no advise really - just don't worry - go with the flow! You absolutely don't need to buy anything at this stage - if you want a book - Mayes or Myles won't take you far wrong! Though unless a very strong point for you - a good anatomy and physiology book would be good - you can get them specialising in childbearing if you prefer....

Don't worry about falling asleep - the adrenalin will keep you going! That first week is knackering anyway so no-one will notice the difference in you I'm sure! Being on holiday right up until you go is good too - I got married the weekend before I started and it certainly didn't give me much time to get stressed out about it all and dwell on the scary stuff!

On community placement I just wear whatever - so long as they are smartish and definately comfy! Easy to get on and off is a good idea too for the houses where they like you to take your shoes off etc.

On the wards - black and flat - as you've said - comfy is the most important thing as you can walk miles in a day on the wards!

On anywhere that you wear scrubs - you need another set of shoes - that are only worn there and not outside - you can get away with trainer type things - nothing flashy - mine are just navy (got a dark colour so the blood doesn't show!) cost about four quid and they somehow stink more than any of the others!!

They have an emergency loan system for folk who aren't sorted to tide you over for a couple of weeks - think it's about £300...

Where abouts do you live? Which zone are you in? Have you had any info on how the year is going to run for you? They've changed it I think since last year....

I live in cheltenham but tend to spend most of my time in bristol.

My placement is in Cheltenham & Gloucester. Where abouts is your placement? i have a timetable but even that looks very complicated!

Prob best that you got married before - sounds like wouldnt be able to afford it once getting started!

Should I be doing anything about injections? do I need to have tests before I start? I am trying not to worry too much but would just hate to get there and them be annoyed with me cos I havent done something I should have...

There doesnt seem to be anyone on here who is starting at UWE this year which seems a shame... Thanks for your replies tho... greatly appreciated.

Do you manage to work part time at all? I have a job at the mo and they can be flexible but little concerned that may not be able to manage the job too...

I live just outside glos - but placement zone is north bristol - long story!

They seem to specialise in making the timetables look more complicated than they really are! I'm still trying to work ours out for this year!

It's definately just as well we did it before - sod the money - wouldn't have had the time this year either!

I'm not sure about injections - think they may have changed it - we didn't have to have them done before starting - it was sorted out for us once we got there... If you have to do it now - just get them booked - they won't be expecting you to have had it all done - because you had a late offer etc you won't have had a chance - they'll be fine about that... If in any doubt though - call **** - I phoned her about 10 times before we started last year!

I'm the only uwe'un I know of on here full stop - so good to finally have another!

I'm not working at the mo - but only because I wasn't working before starting and they make it difficult for you once you've started as they don't like you working... There are those that do though and I've just had a mentor who's said she'll be a reference for me so will be going on the bank at glos and southmead soon hopefully! It's definately doable! How many hours will you have to work??