PA school or medicine?

I will be graduating next year with a biology degree and I am looking to do either medicine or physician associate school. I am not sure which to choose yet medicine is both long and expensive (i.e. no loan for doing the five year course as a graduate and I would be 27 years old on graduation) on the other hand PA school is shorter and therefore cheaper but the career progression doesn't seem too great (i.e. capped at band 7 and few jobs advertised on NHS jobs website)
Is there anyone studying medicine as a graduate or at PA school? What is it like? How did you fund the degree?
Any help would be awesome thank you!

Reply 1

liam__

7

Check out Graduate Entry Medicine courses, you can get student finance loans for them and they're only 4 years long.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15889-graduate-entry-medicine-a-guide

Reply 2

harl123

OP

Original post by liam__

Check out Graduate Entry Medicine courses, you can get student finance loans for them and they're only 4 years long.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15889-graduate-entry-medicine-a-guide

Thanks man! Going to apply for one in Southampton. Ive done some research and apparently because they are shorter they are much more intense and so it is difficult to work part time. The applicants to place ratio is supposed to be awful too as so many people apply (from a huge range of degree disciplines). Also I heard that if you do a 4 year course it limits what type of specialties you can go into. Not sure how true that is. Will NHS funding disappear with them too?

Reply 3

ForestCat

18

Original post by harl123

Thanks man! Going to apply for one in Southampton. Ive done some research and apparently because they are shorter they are much more intense and so it is difficult to work part time. The applicants to place ratio is supposed to be awful too as so many people apply (from a huge range of degree disciplines). Also I heard that if you do a 4 year course it limits what type of specialties you can go into. Not sure how true that is. Will NHS funding disappear with them too?

You come out with the same medical degree, so it certainly won't limit you in the future.
Yes, its competitive. But as they are (currently) funded, GEM courses are a much more viable for most grads. Yes the first year/18 months is intense, but its certainly doable.

Reply 4

JenniB22

13

Original post by harl123

Thanks man! Going to apply for one in Southampton. Ive done some research and apparently because they are shorter they are much more intense and so it is difficult to work part time. The applicants to place ratio is supposed to be awful too as so many people apply (from a huge range of degree disciplines). Also I heard that if you do a 4 year course it limits what type of specialties you can go into. Not sure how true that is. Will NHS funding disappear with them too?

I'm a current 1st year gem at Southampton if you have any questions! And plenty of people work part time, it's definitely doable so don't worry about that :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

Etomidate

15

Original post by harl123

Also I heard that if you do a 4 year course it limits what type of specialties you can go into. Not sure how true that is. Will NHS funding disappear with them too?

Not even vaguely true. They both ultimately have similar contact hours in total.

Reply 6

harl123

OP

Original post by JenniB22

I'm a current 1st year gem at Southampton if you have any questions! And plenty of people work part time, it's definitely doable so don't worry about that :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

No way! i want to apply for southampton any tips to getting in?
Whats it like? are you staying in halls?
What degree and experience did you have before applying?

Thank you in advance :smile:

Reply 7

JenniB22

13

Original post by harl123

No way! i want to apply for southampton any tips to getting in?
Whats it like? are you staying in halls?
What degree and experience did you have before applying?

Thank you in advance :smile:

Tips for getting in: smash the UKCAT. That's literally the best thing to do as you're guaranteed an interview if you do well enough!

I live in a house share, as do most others, although a few people are in halls. so far I'm really enjoying the course, we get loads of clinical contact so it's really fun and helps to contextualise the learning, which I find really helpful! We also have pbl sessions twice a week which are supplemented by lectures etc, so it's a really good mix of learning styles :smile:

I have a 2.1 in classics and had 6 months of St. John ambulance plus tutoring for a charity in London, and a week of shadowing in a hospital, but that was enough. You see people saying that only hca work will do, but it's 100% not true. I could have left my well paid city job to be an hca but I didn't and I'm glad I didn't as I was able to save money for the course which has been a lifesaver and meant I haven't had to work in term time at all :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

PA school or medicine?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you