medicine gap year
so, unfortunately i've been rejected without interview from all my choices.
i am looking to take a gap year and reapply for the following cycle. i would be grateful if anyone who is or has been in the same position as me to give me some general advice. also feel free to post any general ideas and we could brainstorm and help each other out
i am looking to take a gap year and reapply for the following cycle. i would be grateful if anyone who is or has been in the same position as me to give me some general advice. also feel free to post any general ideas and we could brainstorm and help each other out
I'm sorry to hear about that.
The best thing to do is to do a lot of medical related work experience/volunteering.
What did you get at GCSE / A levels?
The best thing to do is to do a lot of medical related work experience/volunteering.
What did you get at GCSE / A levels?
Original post by willbrowny
I'm sorry to hear about that.
The best thing to do is to do a lot of medical related work experience/volunteering.
What did you get at GCSE / A levels?
The best thing to do is to do a lot of medical related work experience/volunteering.
What did you get at GCSE / A levels?
yeh my initial thoughts are to go abroad and do some voluntary work, maybe somewhere like africa. i was also thinking of getting a job for a few months in england. im pretty clueless overall i need a game plan, ive ordered a few brochures from some websites so i hope to get better insight from them
and my academics etcc are in my sig
Original post by kimmey
so, unfortunately i've been rejected without interview from all my choices.
i am looking to take a gap year and reapply for the following cycle. i would be grateful if anyone who is or has been in the same position as me to give me some general advice. also feel free to post any general ideas and we could brainstorm and help each other out
i am looking to take a gap year and reapply for the following cycle. i would be grateful if anyone who is or has been in the same position as me to give me some general advice. also feel free to post any general ideas and we could brainstorm and help each other out
Hi I'm in a similar position, I've only got one of my choices left and so I could be taking a gap year and reapply.
I think in a gap year I would: Get a few weeks of work experience, find a part time paid job to save up for med school, start revising earlier for the UKCAT/BMAT, keep up voluntary work e.g. St John ambulance, do something extracurricular e.g. DofE Gold, joining a sports team, cycle from here to Switzerland (I know someone who did this
).Where are you thinking of applying next cycle?
Original post by Insanity514
Hi I'm in a similar position, I've only got one of my choices left and so I could be taking a gap year and reapply.
I think in a gap year I would: Get a few weeks of work experience, find a part time paid job to save up for med school, start revising earlier for the UKCAT/BMAT, keep up voluntary work e.g. St John ambulance, do something extracurricular e.g. DofE Gold, joining a sports team, cycle from here to Switzerland (I know someone who did this).
Where are you thinking of applying next cycle?
I think in a gap year I would: Get a few weeks of work experience, find a part time paid job to save up for med school, start revising earlier for the UKCAT/BMAT, keep up voluntary work e.g. St John ambulance, do something extracurricular e.g. DofE Gold, joining a sports team, cycle from here to Switzerland (I know someone who did this
).Where are you thinking of applying next cycle?
im not really too sure the only definite would probably be southampton
i definately wont apply to bristol or leeds but apart from that my options are open.
i might even consider bmat unis but its too early to tell yet.
Hi I was in the same position last year (except I changed my mind in December from apply to biomed to applying to medicine so had to apply this cycle.)
Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I managed to get loads of work experience - over three weeks at six different institutions and do loads of volunteering. Although you can do these things whilst still at school, having the flexibility has allowed me to really get involved and have some very interesting experiences. Having the time also allowed me to realise that medicine was what I really wanted to do as I didn't have any pressure from the school making me go on to further education.
I also started working full time in October. Although my job is totally un-medical related it does involve working as part of a team and dealing with members of the public. I feel I have matured so much in the last year and am now much more confident. Also unlike school I have to work with people who are a lot older than I am and it definately opens your mind up to what the real world is about.
Overall I would say make sure you don't get bored. Get as much work experience as you can - you will find this easier as you don't have to fit it around your school life. Also find yourself a job or a long term volunteer post. It will help so much when it comes to the anxious wait for offers that you have something else to focus on.
Make sure you enjoy your year - a break from studying is quite nice. Look on it as a positive opportunity - I did and although I found it quite hard in September when everyone left for uni and I was still at home, I kept telling myself that medicine was my dream and that this was the right decision for me.
And in the end it was as I have just received an offer to study medicine. It is the best feeling in the world and I have no regrets at all about taking a gap year.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I managed to get loads of work experience - over three weeks at six different institutions and do loads of volunteering. Although you can do these things whilst still at school, having the flexibility has allowed me to really get involved and have some very interesting experiences. Having the time also allowed me to realise that medicine was what I really wanted to do as I didn't have any pressure from the school making me go on to further education.
I also started working full time in October. Although my job is totally un-medical related it does involve working as part of a team and dealing with members of the public. I feel I have matured so much in the last year and am now much more confident. Also unlike school I have to work with people who are a lot older than I am and it definately opens your mind up to what the real world is about.
Overall I would say make sure you don't get bored. Get as much work experience as you can - you will find this easier as you don't have to fit it around your school life. Also find yourself a job or a long term volunteer post. It will help so much when it comes to the anxious wait for offers that you have something else to focus on.
Make sure you enjoy your year - a break from studying is quite nice. Look on it as a positive opportunity - I did and although I found it quite hard in September when everyone left for uni and I was still at home, I kept telling myself that medicine was my dream and that this was the right decision for me.
And in the end it was as I have just received an offer to study medicine. It is the best feeling in the world and I have no regrets at all about taking a gap year.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by jam_jam
Hi I was in the same position last year (except I changed my mind in December from apply to biomed to applying to medicine so had to apply this cycle.)
Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I managed to get loads of work experience - over three weeks at six different institutions and do loads of volunteering. Although you can do these things whilst still at school, having the flexibility has allowed me to really get involved and have some very interesting experiences. Having the time also allowed me to realise that medicine was what I really wanted to do as I didn't have any pressure from the school making me go on to further education.
I also started working full time in October. Although my job is totally un-medical related it does involve working as part of a team and dealing with members of the public. I feel I have matured so much in the last year and am now much more confident. Also unlike school I have to work with people who are a lot older than I am and it definately opens your mind up to what the real world is about.
Overall I would say make sure you don't get bored. Get as much work experience as you can - you will find this easier as you don't have to fit it around your school life. Also find yourself a job or a long term volunteer post. It will help so much when it comes to the anxious wait for offers that you have something else to focus on.
Make sure you enjoy your year - a break from studying is quite nice. Look on it as a positive opportunity - I did and although I found it quite hard in September when everyone left for uni and I was still at home, I kept telling myself that medicine was my dream and that this was the right decision for me.
And in the end it was as I have just received an offer to study medicine. It is the best feeling in the world and I have no regrets at all about taking a gap year.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I managed to get loads of work experience - over three weeks at six different institutions and do loads of volunteering. Although you can do these things whilst still at school, having the flexibility has allowed me to really get involved and have some very interesting experiences. Having the time also allowed me to realise that medicine was what I really wanted to do as I didn't have any pressure from the school making me go on to further education.
I also started working full time in October. Although my job is totally un-medical related it does involve working as part of a team and dealing with members of the public. I feel I have matured so much in the last year and am now much more confident. Also unlike school I have to work with people who are a lot older than I am and it definately opens your mind up to what the real world is about.
Overall I would say make sure you don't get bored. Get as much work experience as you can - you will find this easier as you don't have to fit it around your school life. Also find yourself a job or a long term volunteer post. It will help so much when it comes to the anxious wait for offers that you have something else to focus on.
Make sure you enjoy your year - a break from studying is quite nice. Look on it as a positive opportunity - I did and although I found it quite hard in September when everyone left for uni and I was still at home, I kept telling myself that medicine was my dream and that this was the right decision for me.
And in the end it was as I have just received an offer to study medicine. It is the best feeling in the world and I have no regrets at all about taking a gap year.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
wow your experience sounds wonderful, when it came to writing your personal statement did you include your plans for the gap year ? and well done on getting an offer, may i ask where it was from ?
Original post by kimmey
wow your experience sounds wonderful, when it came to writing your personal statement did you include your plans for the gap year ? and well done on getting an offer, may i ask where it was from ?
Hi I just put a small paragraph that I was going to continue my programme of work placements and volunteering at the care home and Red Cross. I also mentioned that I was doing some first aid training with mountain rescue. It was literally a couple of lines.
Yeah it has been a really fun learning experience and lots of teachers who I spoke to before hand said they wished they had taken one. Another advantage is you have all your grades.
And my offer is from Edinburgh
Where did you apply this year?Original post by jam_jam
Hi I just put a small paragraph that I was going to continue my programme of work placements and volunteering at the care home and Red Cross. I also mentioned that I was doing some first aid training with mountain rescue. It was literally a couple of lines.
Yeah it has been a really fun learning experience and lots of teachers who I spoke to before hand said they wished they had taken one. Another advantage is you have all your grades.
And my offer is from Edinburgh Where did you apply this year?
Yeah it has been a really fun learning experience and lots of teachers who I spoke to before hand said they wished they had taken one. Another advantage is you have all your grades.
And my offer is from Edinburgh
Where did you apply this year?ok that makes sense, so how similar was your personal statement to the one you made the previous year ? i applied to leeds, notts, bristol and liverpool
Original post by kimmey
ok that makes sense, so how similar was your personal statement to the one you made the previous year ? i applied to leeds, notts, bristol and liverpool
It was similar-ish but I started completely from scratch. I had done a lot of things in a year since applying the first time so had a lot more relevant things to right about. It was also a lot better written just due to being more mature and having a better idea of how I wanted it to sound.
I'm on a gap year at the moment! I've spent the first part of the year working at ASDA and as a care assistant at a nursing home just to save money I am going to Madagascar in June for two and a half months to volunteer in a hospital (as well as see Lemurs :P). From my experience, medical schools like to see you doing something productive with your gap year, it doesn't have to be medically related but I suppose that probably looks good!
Any work experience you do though would need to be done before you apply though really, because otherwise they don't really count it.. (from my experience)
Just do something you have always wanted to do!!
I am going to Madagascar in June for two and a half months to volunteer in a hospital (as well as see Lemurs :P). From my experience, medical schools like to see you doing something productive with your gap year, it doesn't have to be medically related but I suppose that probably looks good!Any work experience you do though would need to be done before you apply though really, because otherwise they don't really count it.. (from my experience)
Just do something you have always wanted to do!!
i really want a care assistant job in a care home but cant seem to find one :| do you have any advice? i've tried contacting local care homes but none of them have replied back and most say its essential to have a full-driving license which i dont have 
I got 4 rejections last year, but after re-applying I now have an offer now from Imperial.
Just use the year to prepare more for the BMAT/UKCAT. And improve your application, as there is now more time to get work experience, I even went abroad. Also, you have time to have a break from study and to earn some money that will be very helpful at university.
I didn't really want to take a gap year, but things have really worked out well, and now I'm glad I didn't get in the first time round.
Another thing to consider is how the different medical schools assess people, to increase your chances of an offer.
For now, just make sure you get your 3 A's so that you have this option. Good luck.
Just use the year to prepare more for the BMAT/UKCAT. And improve your application, as there is now more time to get work experience, I even went abroad. Also, you have time to have a break from study and to earn some money that will be very helpful at university.
I didn't really want to take a gap year, but things have really worked out well, and now I'm glad I didn't get in the first time round.
Another thing to consider is how the different medical schools assess people, to increase your chances of an offer.
For now, just make sure you get your 3 A's so that you have this option. Good luck.
Original post by blueclearsky
i really want a care assistant job in a care home but cant seem to find one :| do you have any advice? i've tried contacting local care homes but none of them have replied back and most say its essential to have a full-driving license which i dont have
Are you really set on a care home, or would you be happy in a hospital as well? Because NHS jobs is a good place to look for care assistant jobs.
Why do you need a full driving license?
Ukcat practice, and work experience. The only two things you need! Study the living hell out of the ukcat, it seems like it is counting for more and more every year! :/ Work experience speak for itself, try and get a variety of quality work experience, (hospitals, st johns abulance etc.)
Also with a gap year, you have more time to research the courses you apply to, so come the interview you'll be totally clued up!
Study the living hell out of the ukcat, it seems like it is counting for more and more every year! :/ Work experience speak for itself, try and get a variety of quality work experience, (hospitals, st johns abulance etc.)Also with a gap year, you have more time to research the courses you apply to, so come the interview you'll be totally clued up!
Original post by kimmey
im looking to get a paid job, could anyone give me a good type of job to try and apply for. by "good" i mean will look good on the ps and will be favoured by interviewers ?
A care assistant is a good job to try for - the NHS often have HCA jobs going in hospitals and local care homes will sometimes have jobs, even if it is just bank work (which is what I have done). If you have a car, you can do home visits as a care assistant, and there are often lots of those jobs going
I have found, being able to talk about my experiences as a care assistant, as well as personally learning a lot that will help me at med school made my interviews go better!Most jobs though can be made to seem useful e.g. a shop assistant has customer contact, dealing with angry customers (-.-), time management etc. A secretary has organisation skills... if you are finding it hard to get a job, apply for whatever there is and then fit it into the personal statement
Original post by 1overcosc
A care assistant is a good job to try for - the NHS often have HCA jobs going in hospitals and local care homes will sometimes have jobs, even if it is just bank work (which is what I have done). If you have a car, you can do home visits as a care assistant, and there are often lots of those jobs going I have found, being able to talk about my experiences as a care assistant, as well as personally learning a lot that will help me at med school made my interviews go better!
Most jobs though can be made to seem useful e.g. a shop assistant has customer contact, dealing with angry customers (-.-), time management etc. A secretary has organisation skills... if you are finding it hard to get a job, apply for whatever there is and then fit it into the personal statement
I have found, being able to talk about my experiences as a care assistant, as well as personally learning a lot that will help me at med school made my interviews go better!Most jobs though can be made to seem useful e.g. a shop assistant has customer contact, dealing with angry customers (-.-), time management etc. A secretary has organisation skills... if you are finding it hard to get a job, apply for whatever there is and then fit it into the personal statement
How did you get Bank work, in lincolnshire they seem to want you to have a years experience as a HCA (I don't have a year
)Quick Reply
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