GEM 2017 entry?

Hi all, thought I'd start a new thread to try and get those of us looking at applying for Graduate Entry Medicine in 2017, all in the same place. If like me your thinking of this then I'm guessing you first thought turns to the entrance exam (which ever your chosen Uni prefers). I'm looking at Liverpool so it's the GAMSAT for me, which I aim to sit in March 17' and I aim to start my preparation in the coming weeks if not before!

Hopefully this can be a place we can help each other out, share advice and tips and spur each other on into a new career in medicine! I'd be happy to chat to whoever and would like to hear from anyone looking at Liverpool next year :smile:

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Reply 1

Marathi

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3047657

Reply 2

Peace4life

Hi there, I am hoping to do medicine too next year. My background is in pharmacy and just finishing my pre registration year in January. I'm looking to apply to unis in London. I'm originally from London. Kings, Queen mary London,Cambridge and Oxford. Gonna have to sit the bmat and the ukcat test. How about yourself? What degree did you study?

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Reply 3

Peace4life

Also, can the gamsat be sat in march even though the deadline for applications is in October because that was what put me off applying to st George london

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Reply 4

DRCUK

Original post by Peace4life

My background is Nursing, been qualified three years this Sept. Spoke to a couple of Consultants who did graduate entry and both have been very supportive. I did hear from someone else that the uni I'm looking at applying to is very difficult to get on the 4yr course, but I'll head down for the open day and see, bit deflated so far!

Reply 5

Peace4life

Liverpool seems like an okay uni. My friend got into Manchester uni after becoming a pharmacist this year and he scored quite highly (ukcat 700) on his Ukcat score. Its the entrance exams that are the difficult to do well in but after that it's all about the interview in my opinion. He actually got two offers. The other was from barts (queen Mary london) but he decided not to accept the offer because they were too far. Its still worth applying and putting all the effort in the entrance exams. I'm not applying to Oxford and Cambridge anymore because of the competition. I don't think I can face up to that sort of competition tbh. But honestly, I've known people who have done biomedical science degrees from rubbish uni and still got into GEM medicine. You applying as a nurse will put you in a great position as you have the biggest experience out of everyone else on what life as a doctor is

Reply 6

ForestCat

Original post by DRCUK

Its definitely possible but it also depends on the rest of your academic background. Nursing, sadly, doesn't always open as many doors as we'd like, GEM wise, but its definitely possible.

Reply 7

Soph_SEM

Hi All,

I'm a Physiotherapist with a MSc in Sport & Exercise Medicine. I'm hoping to sit the March 2017 test. I'm about to start my revision and got all the books and PDFs ready. I'm not sure which Unviersity but I'm keen on Cardiff/Swansea or Exeter possibly St Georges.

Reply 8

Peace4life

Rubbish day today. 595 ukcat. The worst possible score. Very deflated atm. Guess I'm gonna have to apply to bmat and gamsat unis. For ppl who haven't done it, the QR is actually easier than any practice you would have ever done beforehand.

Reply 9

kwalsfaa

Hey!

I'm looking at sitting the GAMSAT. If I sit the one after March is that still for 2017 entry?

I can only apply to Nottingham, Plymouth and Exeter due to my previous grades and my degree I got a 2.2 for personal circumstances so I know I need to absolutely smash the GAMSAT.

What prep are you doing?!

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Reply 10

Marathi

Original post by kwalsfaa

If you didn't sit the September 2016 GAMSAT you won't be able to apply for 2017 entry.

Ireland March 2017 and UK September 2017 tests will be for 2018 entry.

Nottingham is the only GEM course that accepts 2.2 now (unless you have a postgrad qualification as well, that opens more doors and as a fellow 2.2 holder I would highly recommend doing one if you're serious about GEM) and the score is really high for a 2.2 holder. 5 points doesn't sound like a big difference between scores but it is a jump of about 10-15% when analysing the score graphs.

Reply 11

kwalsfaa

Exeter and Plymouth also accept 2.2s. I've had email confirmation for them this year. Although these are the standard 5 year courses.

I am looking into what masters I can take :smile:

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Reply 12

PhilboBaggins

Hey guys, just came across this while procrastinating. I'm currently a GEM medic at Nottingham (1st year) and thought it might be helpful to those applying.
I'm a Biomedical Science grad and managed to get interviews (all MMIs) at Liverpool, Nottingham and St. George's.
- Liverpool is really tough to get into, i'd say possibly the hardest for GAMSAT as they only accept Bio-based degrees. At interview the proportion of those who get in or not is about 1 in 12 (only 25-ish places) so you need to make sure you're good at interviewing otherwise you might want to look at another option.
- The St. George's interview is a bit different as they ask a question and expect you to talk for the entire time. They will rarely smile or ask anything resembling a normal conversation. There were 50 places on the course this year and they used to entirety of the waiting list.
- Nottingham is a more relaxed interview as you have more time to answer and actually have conversations with you. In regards to those of you with a 2:2 it's very tough to get in. i know of 1 person in my year who got in with a 2:2 who smashed GAMSAT and had a shed load of experience behind him.

I wish you all the best in your applications!

Reply 13

username2721128

Hi all,

I'm looking to apply for a GEM place for '18 entry, but I'd really like to go on a fact finding mission now to give myself the best possible shot at a successful application. I've tried to research the funding opportunities as thoroughly as possible but I keep drawing a blank for my situation. I already hold a bachelor's and a master's, so would I still be entitled to funding? I spoke to someone at SFE about funding for BSc diagnostic radiography, and they said that because I would be applying for a course below the degree level I currently hold, I wouldn't be entitled to any SFE funding, even though it's classed as an allied health profession. As GEM is technically a bachelor's degree, does the same hold true? I spoke to a head radiographer on my placement and he said that NHS bursaries are being cut too, but it would seem only for allied professions.

I'd be really grateful if anyone could advise me on this.

Reply 14

PhilboBaggins

Original post by Icarus23

GEM funding is slightly confusing but is partially funded by SFE. Tuition fees cover £5500 but you'll need to pay £3500 for the first year. Maintenance is completely loan now (no grants) but also able to be gotten.
After year 1 (for years 2-4) SFE pays ~£2300 towards maintenance and £5500 for tuition. NHS pays the remaining £3500 tuition as well as a bursary.
Bursaries from uni's and other societies and charities can be also awarded.

Hope that helps

Reply 15

username2721128

Original post by PhilboBaggins

Thanks for this, but I was thinking in terms of my eligibility given my already holding a master's. I read in another thread that you get this funding regardless of level of education, but it was from 2012 so I was wondering if this still applies.

Reply 16

geiw92

Original post by Icarus23

I have a masters and SFE pay my maintenance and I was also eligible to have tuition fee help for the GEM

Reply 17

username2721128

Original post by geiw92

I have a masters and SFE pay my maintenance and I was also eligible to have tuition fee help for the GEM

Thanks for this. Finding out this kind of info from SFE is like drawing blood from a stone sometimes!

Reply 18

tryingtolearn95

Goodluck to everyone doing Gamsat this year! I did it twice too - its one of the most draining exams i have ever taken
First time i did it I used old A2 books and notes from first year of University - basically anything i could find online
Second time i went on the Gradmed intensive course - scored much better and am looking forward to starting Medschool in September 2017.
I am selling all the material they gave me plus a few essays of my own - this is all 2016 material. Please check out my listing on ebay or forward to someone who you know needs these... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/282486730224?

GRADMED teachers have basically sat these exams and remembered the questions year after year and made these books with questions coming straight out of gamsat exams. Do I think you need to go on the Gradmed course in London? No. The full prep course costs £2650 while the intense course costs £1265. I paid for the intensive course. I cannot fault the teachers at all and I appreciated that learning environment but they basically taught from these books. The questions we did in class were mainly from the booklets pictured and then they told us to do the questions in the books at home. I went because I knew I needed these books and no one was selling the most updated versions.Definitely worth paying less and getting the books and all notes. These books have been well looked after and are basically like new. You may find the odd pencil mark where i've circled an answer or made a note of something - I will do my best to remove as much of the pencil markings of answers as I can (i will leave the notes i've made if i think they will be useful) Section 1 essay writing I found very hard - my top tip for this is www.ted.com, the news and practice! Write out essays and keep up to date as much as you can. I will also include a print out of my essays that I wrote out on common topics that crop up in the exam. FREE DELIVERY UK MAINLAND ONLY - Books are in Birmingham if you want to collect

Reply 19

FarazKhan1993

Hi, I am interested in applying to Nottingham's GEM program. However, I cannot seem to decide on which type and how much work experience I should undertake in readiness for the October 2018 UCAS cycle. Please could you help me out guys!, im running out of time loool