Gap year or Biomedical Sciences for a year?

Will studying biomedical sciences for 1 year (at Newcastle), rather than taking a gap year, decrease my chances of getting into medicine the following year?
I would do work experience and voluntary work during this year.

Reply 1

Democracy

20

Original post by l2ob

Will studying biomedical sciences for 1 year (at Newcastle), rather than taking a gap year, decrease my chances of getting into medicine the following year?
I would do work experience and voluntary work during this year.

Do you have the right A level grades for medicine?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

kimsiclez

12

If your grades are fine (AAA or higher) then I would take a gap year. You'd have the advantage of having your grades in your hand and a much better application overall as you'll have a lot more time to spend on your personal statement etc. and you'll also have a lot of work experience and voluntary work (provided you do this adequately).

Grad entry medicine is very difficult as it seems to be almost even more competitive than undergrad medicine to get into. Also, there are some universities that just will not accept students who have not completed a degree for grad entry. If you find that you're unsuccessful after your first year you'll then be stuck doing biomed for the next two years as well without a guarantee of a medicine offer at the end. There's also a finance issue where you may not be funded appropriately if taking up a second degree.

I would personally suggest taking a gap year because that's what I'm considering doing if I'm unsuccessful this cycle but it's honestly up to you. Good Luck!

Reply 3

l2ob

OP

Original post by kimsiclez

If your grades are fine (AAA or higher) then I would take a gap year. You'd have the advantage of having your grades in your hand and a much better application overall as you'll have a lot more time to spend on your personal statement etc. and you'll also have a lot of work experience and voluntary work (provided you do this adequately).

Grad entry medicine is very difficult as it seems to be almost even more competitive than undergrad medicine to get into. Also, there are some universities that just will not accept students who have not completed a degree for grad entry. If you find that you're unsuccessful after your first year you'll then be stuck doing biomed for the next two years as well without a guarantee of a medicine offer at the end. There's also a finance issue where you may not be funded appropriately if taking up a second degree.

I would personally suggest taking a gap year because that's what I'm considering doing if I'm unsuccessful this cycle but it's honestly up to you. Good Luck!

hmm okay thanks. Think I'll try to transfer - so if everything fails I can still have a degree.

Reply 4

bluemax

16

do you have enough money to study for a year and then drop out of that course?

Reply 5

JadeN92

17

Original post by kimsiclez

If your grades are fine (AAA or higher) then I would take a gap year. You'd have the advantage of having your grades in your hand and a much better application overall as you'll have a lot more time to spend on your personal statement etc. and you'll also have a lot of work experience and voluntary work (provided you do this adequately).

Grad entry medicine is very difficult as it seems to be almost even more competitive than undergrad medicine to get into. Also, there are some universities that just will not accept students who have not completed a degree for grad entry. If you find that you're unsuccessful after your first year you'll then be stuck doing biomed for the next two years as well without a guarantee of a medicine offer at the end. There's also a finance issue where you may not be funded appropriately if taking up a second degree.

I would personally suggest taking a gap year because that's what I'm considering doing if I'm unsuccessful this cycle but it's honestly up to you. Good Luck!

well why would they? if they didn't have a degree then they wouldn't be graduates???

Reply 6

kimsiclez

12

Original post by gapyearstudent

well why would they? if they didn't have a degree then they wouldn't be graduates???

Some people try to do a year of biomed and then apply for grad entry or transfer before having completed their biomed degree. In that case, they wouldn't have completed a degree.

Reply 7

JadeN92

17

Original post by kimsiclez

Some people try to do a year of biomed and then apply for grad entry or transfer before having completed their biomed degree. In that case, they wouldn't have completed a degree.

ohh i didn't know they allowed you to do that!

Reply 8

Democracy

20

Original post by gapyearstudent

ohh i didn't know they allowed you to do that!

They don't. It's impossible to transfer from year 1/2 of a degree into a GEP.

People rarely transfer from other degrees to the A100 course but that's not grad entry.

Reply 9

halfadoc

I'd advise Gap year quite strongly if like others have said you have the necessary grades, you can always do biomedical route next time if that is unsuccessful. I think taking a gap year and showing you are willing spend another year trying again (and so putting your life on hold in a way), boosting your cv because you are that passionate about medicine that it is all you want to do probably shows more commitment to medical schools than someone who has already started something else (albeit related) and has just done a bit more work experience alongside.

Try and get a job as an HCA or something - that way lots of medical exposure plus saving up for hopefully starting medical school next year. (and one less year of debt)

Just my opinion though :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 10

Sherbet

8

Original post by bluemax

do you have enough money to study for a year and then drop out of that course?

Transferring onto medicine is very rare, unless you're on a course such as Bradford clinical sciences. Why are you so scared of a gap year?

There's no massive advantage as a doctor to have 2 degrees and getting into a 4 year GEP is far harder than getting onto a 5 year course as a school leaver. Not to mention that many years at uni is very expensive.

If you have AAA or above. Take a gap year. You won't regret it if you make the most of it, I've loved mine!

Reply 11

bluemax

16

Original post by Sherbet

Transferring onto medicine is very rare, unless you're on a course such as Bradford clinical sciences. Why are you so scared of a gap year?

There's no massive advantage as a doctor to have 2 degrees and getting into a 4 year GEP is far harder than getting onto a 5 year course as a school leaver. Not to mention that many years at uni is very expensive.

If you have AAA or above. Take a gap year. You won't regret it if you make the most of it, I've loved mine!

you've quoted the wrong guy. Im not the OP

Reply 12

Martaay

I strongly recommend a gap year a million times over compared to jumping into a degree. Don't be scared by the idea of it, doing a degree is so very much more work, and a lot of money these days. If you have the grades, there's nothing to stop you applying for medicine in a years time! In the mean time you can get work experience, volunteering, get a job and earn some money, go travelling somewhere awesome, and just generally get a better feel for how the world works (I know I did!)