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Is there any point pursuing graduate medicine?

Hi,

I graduate with a 2.1 in a humanities subject in 2012. Since then I did a couple of internships in a sector I thought I wanted to work in but then realized it wasn't really for me. I then went abroad to teach english which I am currently doing. Ideally I want to spend another year teaching english then I think I'll probably go back to the UK and hopefully do teach first. Next year I also want to spend some time doing a volunteer project abroad.

I have been thinking about doing medicine for a while now but never really thought it was an option until I learnt about graduate entry medicine. I don't know whether I'm being stupid though. I know I would have to do well in the gamsat to have any chance of getting in but I think I have a good work ethic and I have about 2 years to revise :/ . I only have some very limited experience of volunteering in a hospice. I will hopefully do some volunteering abroad next year in elderly care or with special needs children. Will this be good for a potential application? I will also get work experience once I am back in the UK.

I just don't know if I'm being stupid. If all went to plan and I got in first go I'd be 26. This means I'd be 30 by the time I graduate. I don't know whether I want to be a poor student at this point and I do also want to start a family and don't want to leave it too late. I don't know if I should go back to the UK next year and start getting work experience. Help :frown:
I would apply if I were you.
Original post by nemnem
Hi,

I graduate with a 2.1 in a humanities subject in 2012. Since then I did a couple of internships in a sector I thought I wanted to work in but then realized it wasn't really for me. I then went abroad to teach english which I am currently doing. Ideally I want to spend another year teaching english then I think I'll probably go back to the UK and hopefully do teach first. Next year I also want to spend some time doing a volunteer project abroad.

I have been thinking about doing medicine for a while now but never really thought it was an option until I learnt about graduate entry medicine. I don't know whether I'm being stupid though. I know I would have to do well in the gamsat to have any chance of getting in but I think I have a good work ethic and I have about 2 years to revise :/ . I only have some very limited experience of volunteering in a hospice. I will hopefully do some volunteering abroad next year in elderly care or with special needs children. Will this be good for a potential application? I will also get work experience once I am back in the UK.

I just don't know if I'm being stupid. If all went to plan and I got in first go I'd be 26. This means I'd be 30 by the time I graduate. I don't know whether I want to be a poor student at this point and I do also want to start a family and don't want to leave it too late. I don't know if I should go back to the UK next year and start getting work experience. Help :frown:


Apply if it is something you are passionate about.

Don't just default into medicine because it appears to be a highly rewarding career. Try and get more work experience so that you can make a more informed decision.
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nemnem
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I've lined up some shadowing and volunteering for 3 months over the summer when I'm back since my new teaching contract wouldn't start until September so that should be good.

I'm just really torn between going abroad again or staying in the UK and working towards this. I know it sounds stupid but 30 sounds so old. Even being 29 when I graduate sounds better, just that one year. If I stayed in the UK I could either try to get a job in healthcare or something else and volunteer at the same time. It's almost impossible for me to find work experience in the country I'm in now due to the language barrier. Plus I need to be in the UK to sit the GAMSAT.

I don't know whether to stay in the UK sit the GAMSAT this year and see how I do (I have done a bit of revision already and would have plenty of spare time over the summer to revise more though still unsure about how well I'd do) then apply on the off chance I get in but really be working towards 2016 entry. If I got accepted I could always travel between being accepted and starting. Then again if I get onto teach first I don't want to quite after the first year so wouldn't be starting to 2017 anyway. I just don't know what to do :frown: I really like travelling and I like living abroad but at the same time I do want to start working towards something. Doing teach first would be good because considering how competitive medicine is I'm not guaranteed to ever get in so it would be good to have something to fall back on.

How much work experience should I have to have a competitive chance of getting in? And is it true that there is a limit of 3 times that you can apply and after that you can't apply anymore?

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