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*MEGATHREAD* - The GEM "Am I Good Enough?" General Questions & Advice Megathread

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Hey guys.

I'm interested in graduate medicine, and the Uni of Nottingham is one of my choices, along with Swansea potentially, and both want you to sit the GAMSAT.

I was interested in knowing of there was any kind of scheme that reduces cost a bit, for people from disadvantaged backgrounds and such. The test is a whopper of a price, about £200 or something, and combined with the price of travel to get to one of the very few centres in the UK that offer it, and possibly having to stay overnight. Plus a lot of the preparation literature is ridiculously expensive too, so if the fee of the course can be reduced somehow, it would help greatly! I know UKCAT offer that kinda scheme which covers the fee for people who get full maintenance grant and stuff. I can't seem to find much information (in general) about the GAMSAT, it's all very vague.
I am applying for a GEM programme for next year and was wondering whether it is worth doing an Access to Science course this year.

I am a mature student with a law background and an MA but have not studied Sciences since GCSE. I was thinking that perhaps the Med Schools may look favourably upon my enthusiasm to study for it? Or perhaps I am better off gaining work experience related to Medicine?

Please advise.
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Original post by Butterymoon
I am applying for a GEM programme for next year and was wondering whether it is worth doing an Access to Science course this year.

I am a mature student with a law background and an MA but have not studied Sciences since GCSE. I was thinking that perhaps the Med Schools may look favourably upon my enthusiasm to study for it? Or perhaps I am better off gaining work experience related to Medicine?

Please advise.
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You NEED work experience.

If you apply to GEPs that you're already eligible for then a science access course will make no difference at all.

Email some med schools if you're unsure.
Reply 223
Original post by DrWise
Would love to, but I still haven't recovered from last years bout with the GAMSAT :smile:


Hey, sorry to pester, as you've done the GAMSAT last year. Can I ask what material you used for prep?
Reply 224
As all of us who will be sitting it have found out, its a mind f**k of a paper. Still, even after some revision I don't feel confident. I was wondering what other material people are using to help them revise.

If you're a veteran and have secured a decent mark, please chip in and let me+ others know what books/material you used to get your marks.

I'm just using old Alevel books + UCAS book store. Should I be looking at anything else?

Finally, the gamsat gold prep available from Amazon, is it worth it?

Thanks in advanced

A
Reply 225
Original post by Aneurysm
Hey, sorry to pester, as you've done the GAMSAT last year. Can I ask what material you used for prep?


Not a problem. I used Griffiths, ACER questions (got all 3 off ebay for £30) and my sister's A level letts study guides to brush up.
Original post by Aneurysm
As all of us who will be sitting it have found out, its a mind f**k of a paper. Still, even after some revision I don't feel confident. I was wondering what other material people are using to help them revise.

If you're a veteran and have secured a decent mark, please chip in and let me+ others know what books/material you used to get your marks.

I'm just using old Alevel books + UCAS book store. Should I be looking at anything else?

Finally, the gamsat gold prep available from Amazon, is it worth it?

Thanks in advanced

A


GAMSAT Gold prep is very good but if you don't want to buy the whole course or the book, you can still buy access to the science videos online. The book has all the science you need to know for the exam though. But it is expensive. Have a look on their website for the other things they offer.
Reply 227
hi, i'm planning to apply for the 2012 cycle but i'm confused about my options. I've been looking at the undergraduate courses as well as the GEM courses. i think the GEM requirements are stated pretty clearly however i'm confused by the requirements for the 5 yr courses for graduate applicants. Some of the unis i've emailed haven't been very helpful...i did the IB and so anything on the medical school websites doesn't give a IB points requirement (unless it explicitly states requires are the same as school leavers). Could anyone give me some advice on medical schools that i could apply to?

btw if this helps, i got 34 in the IB in 09 :/ , Predicted a 1st in med biochem, gcses: 7 A*, 2 A, 2 B, 1 C (dunno if this is needed). oh and i did the ukcat yesterday and got an avg of 727.5: VR 720, QR 800, AR 630 (terrible), DA 760.

thanks
Original post by Ronove
Balls... I haven't registered for UCAS this cycle yet, I used my old UCAS ID. Guess we'll find out what's gonna happen...


It doesn't matter. Your ucas ID reverts back to your old one anyway. :biggrin:
Reply 229
Original post by Seham
It doesn't matter. Your ucas ID reverts back to your old one anyway. :biggrin:

How/when? I'm guessing when you finally submit it and they realise you've been registered before?
Original post by Ronove
How/when? I'm guessing when you finally submit it and they realise you've been registered before?


When you submit your application via ucas apply you will get a new UCAS ID. However, when you receive the welcome letter (usually within a week of applying), it reverts back to your old ID.
Reply 231
Original post by Seham
When you submit your application via ucas apply you will get a new UCAS ID. However, when you receive the welcome letter (usually within a week of applying), it reverts back to your old ID.

OK thanks! :biggrin:
Hi guys, just a quick question regarding funding. What is the situation for English students applying to Scottish or Welsh universities for 5 year courses as a graduate. Do we have to pay 9000 a year or are they still just under 4000 a year?
Original post by annaroberts20
Hi guys, just a quick question regarding funding. What is the situation for English students applying to Scottish or Welsh universities for 5 year courses as a graduate. Do we have to pay 9000 a year or are they still just under 4000 a year?


They should be 9000 a year unless you are Scottish.
Reply 234
Hi all :smile:

I'm thinking of applying for graduate medicine for 2012 entry. I say "thinking" because I've yet to sit my UKCAT, and there is little hope I will obtain 750+.

But anyway, I digress.

How much work experience are the admissions people looking for in graduate applicants?

My work experience to date:
- SJA
- volunteered in a hospice for a few days
- shadowed a nurse in a GP surgery
- shadowed a nurse in the baby clinic

I'm applying for HCA jobs but the average time it takes from interview to actual practice is about 2 months. So it's not like it can be mentioned in the personal statement.

I feel that as a graduate applicant, there should be more work experience under my belt. :s-smilie:

Advice please! :frown:
Hi,

I'm considering reapplying for graduate medicine 2012 entry. I applied last year during the final year of my degree and had 1 interview at HYMS (I narrowly missed an offer from them by 1 point! :frown: ) but in the end I received 4 rejections.

I thought about reapplying to medical school but I didn't do very well in my A levels - I got BBC (in Bio, French and Chem respectively) and although I wanted to reapply to HYMS they have now upped their minimum A level requirement to ABB at the 1st sitting.

However I did quite well in my degree, I got a high 2:1 in BSc Medical Sciences from the University of Leeds, and my GCSEs are okish (3A*, 2A and 3Bs).

In the meantime I have been accepted for a 6 year MD Medicine course at Charles University in Prague, starting from October, but I would obviously really like to be able to stay in the UK!! So I'm hoping to apply to transfer back to start med school in the UK. My family will find it difficult to finance me out there :frown:

I have yet to sit my UKCAT for this year, last year I got 625, but I hope I can improve my score this time! Given that I have a place at med school in Prague, what options are open to me? Does anyone think I have a realistic chance of being accepted by UK medschools now that I have been accepted abroad?
Also which med schools are my best bet to apply to, given my poor A level results (especially in Chem :frown: )?

I know I'm in a kindaa unique situation, but hope someone might have a good idea of what I can do!
Thanks!! :smile:
Hey:smile:

I'm between Social Sciences and Medicine now... :/
I know I can get to Social Sciences much easier but I think I want Medicine more.
Now I'm thinking if I should choose Chemistry or not... I really don't want it and anyways, I know, I wouldn't be able to get into Medicine directly after high school since I'm not from the UK. So is that possible to graduate from Biology/Biomedicine/Medical Sciences etc. in the UK and then try to apply for Medicine?
Reply 237
Original post by shutthedoor
Hey:smile:

I'm between Social Sciences and Medicine now... :/
I know I can get to Social Sciences much easier but I think I want Medicine more.
Now I'm thinking if I should choose Chemistry or not... I really don't want it and anyways, I know, I wouldn't be able to get into Medicine directly after high school since I'm not from the UK. So is that possible to graduate from Biology/Biomedicine/Medical Sciences etc. in the UK and then try to apply for Medicine?


Why wont you be able to? Im an international applicant straight from high school and im going to study medicine in september.
Original post by Vulpes
Why wont you be able to? Im an international applicant straight from high school and im going to study medicine in september.


Most of European countries don't like Lithuanian high-school's diplomas... So it's probably the same about the UK. Probably I should contact some universities to make sure...
Reply 239
Original post by metachic
Hi all :smile:

I'm thinking of applying for graduate medicine for 2012 entry. I say "thinking" because I've yet to sit my UKCAT, and there is little hope I will obtain 750+.

But anyway, I digress.

How much work experience are the admissions people looking for in graduate applicants?

My work experience to date:
- SJA
- volunteered in a hospice for a few days
- shadowed a nurse in a GP surgery
- shadowed a nurse in the baby clinic

I'm applying for HCA jobs but the average time it takes from interview to actual practice is about 2 months. So it's not like it can be mentioned in the personal statement.

I feel that as a graduate applicant, there should be more work experience under my belt. :s-smilie:

Advice please! :frown:


Your experience is not bad, however remember that it's about how you put it across in your PS. Long term volunteering is valued but being able to show that you have reflected upon and drawn from these experiences in your PS is key.

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