Biomed + "Fast-Track" Medicine

Heya.
I've applied to Biomedicine to Surrey and Imperial and I was hoping to go into Medicine after the 3-year course. What do you think? I really want to do medicine but i was thinking if i don't get into uni with that course i might aswell do biomed and then go into graduate Medicine.
I don't think it should be that different...i've heard it isn't.

Any thoughts? :confused:

Reply 1

Elles

my thoughts:

- are your Biomedicine courses accredited in any way? i.e. would you be able to work as a Biomedical Scientist afterwards? would be a very useful fallback/near immediate job/money earner.

- have you applied to any medicine courses? numerically graduate medical courses are much much harder to get into than as an A level/school leaver/18 year old - plus candidates will be coming from all sorts of diverse impressive backgrounds = it's really not an easy route in!

- do you think you'll enjoy Biomedicine? if you're viewing it purely as a route to "then go into graduate medicine" then ideally you'd want a 1st to keep your options open = hard work at the best of times, if you're not enjoying the course it would been even harder.

- are there any more "pure" science courses you think you might enjoy more or just as much? (e.g. - Anatomy, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Genetics...) have heard from some admissions tutors these have the edge over Biomedicine which is the standard course people do if they want graduate medicine = you don't stand out & won't necessarily get much credit for having done it later on, because you'd effectively have done preclinical medicine twice.. so there's perhaps something to be said for specialising more/being more diverse in your first degree.

just my 2p of thoughts. :smile:

Reply 2

Pinkchica

Elles

my thoughts:

hey thanx! Yes i've applied to Medicine, and I'm sure i woudl like the Biomed course. it's very bio and very medicine. ANd i love bio, and i'm sure i'll like medicine. It sounds really appealing so i'm sure i'll like it. I know i shoudl be more specific about my course, but I dont'know yet... maybe i'll find out when im in uni. My aim is of course to get into Medicine, but if I don't ... do you think I should take the Biomed course or should i take a gap year? This is mostly because i'm only 16 now... And I do'nt know whether to take that chance in the gap year or reapply later on... i really hope i do get into med tho...i'd of course prefer that. :smile:

anything else you could advise? Thank you!!!!!

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And yes, after my course I could do quite a lot of things if i wanted to... from biomedical person to some sort of bio business worker...

Reply 3

*River

^I'm not 100% sure on this, but I thought you had to be 18 when you start a medicine course?

Reply 4

Elles

Pinkchica

My aim is of course to get into Medicine, but if I don't ... do you think I should take the Biomed course or should i take a gap year? This is mostly because i'm only 16 now... And I do'nt know whether to take that chance in the gap year or reapply later on....

just my 2p again - but i'd definitely take a gap year & reapply!

as i said up there..GEP medicine is far more competitive than applying after A levels/equivalents. & especially if you're a year up - so get your fab grades first time round then you'd really have nothing to lose from a gap year career wise or anything - but plenty to gain in terms of general experience (i thought the same as heninacoop, some med schools do want you to be 18 - which could have limited your options?) / improving your application / earning money etc. :smile:

Reply 5

Fluffy

Agree with Elles on all fronts.

Reply 6

Pinkchica

well that's the problem...that's why i prob didnt'get accepted where i wanted to. I hate the fact taht i can't do med at 17...bah

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problem is, what if i'm not accepted after my gap year???? :frown: