to those who took a gap year and got into medicine...

x

So, I seem to fit the bill pretty perfectly. I am now a 4th year, so don't give up hope!

I was late to consider medicine, and as such my personal statement was a bit flakey and my work experience lacking somewhat. My UKCAT was mediocre (~630), and my choices of university not well researched (i.e. "I would quite like to live in Southampton or Bristol = apply to Southampton and Bristol without realising how unrealistic this was).

Naturally I did not get invited to any interviews (despite good grades), and I was forced into an unplanned Gap Yah.

During my gap year I got some solid work experience as bank staff in a care home. I also had fun .etc usual gap year stuff.

The second time around I focused on getting a good UKCAT. I went on a course (expensive and of dubious benefit), and managed a score of 730.

With this in mind I studied the competitiveness ratio to each med school, as well as how much emphasis they put on UKCAT. Also beware of other requirements (read the fine print, you don't want to waste one of your precious 4 choices). i.e. I had a B at GCSE english, and one med school wanted an A. I imagine that would get you into the discard pile.

I picked med schools that liked the UKCAT, and were less competitive to get into. And that I would be happy to go to. Sheffield, UEA, King's and somewhere else.
I got 3 interviews, fluffed the first one (shef) as I had never actually had an interview before, so performed poorly, got an offer fro the second (UEA), and didn't bother with the third, as I was very happy to go to UEA.

TL;DR: Perfect your application, choose strategically, and don't be a snob about wanting to get into Oxbridge / Russel group. The newer med schools are just fine.

Hiya, I hope you don't mind me asking, I'm currently a year 12 student, who's keen to get into medicine in the near future, what grades did you get at GCSE and a level? Also, what sort of work experience did you do? Thank you so much


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Hiya, I hope you don't mind me asking, I'm currently a year 12 student, who's keen to get into medicine in the near future, what grades did you get at GCSE and a level? Also, what sort of work experience did you do? Thank you so much


Posted from TSR Mobile

Errm, GCSE's are a bit hazy as they were like ... 7 years ago. I think it was 4A*, 5A 2B?
A level was 4A (Bio, chem, phys, tech) + A in General studies (not sure if that counts).

In terms of work exp, all experience is good experience.
I believe it's a struggle to get work exp if you go through the official route, so pull in obscure friend / family contacts. My favorite work experience was orthopaedic surgery organised through my mother's distant cousin's med-school friend's brother.

I also got to spend some time in a radiotherapy unit (they seem to be one of the easier places to get work exp), and a little time (one or 2 days) following a GP around.

In gap year I did paid work as a care worker for severely autistic teenagers and adults.

Hope this helps.

So, I seem to fit the bill pretty perfectly. I am now a 4th year, so don't give up hope!

I was late to consider medicine, and as such my personal statement was a bit flakey and my work experience lacking somewhat. My UKCAT was mediocre (~630), and my choices of university not well researched (i.e. "I would quite like to live in Southampton or Bristol = apply to Southampton and Bristol without realising how unrealistic this was).

Naturally I did not get invited to any interviews (despite good grades), and I was forced into an unplanned Gap Yah.

During my gap year I got some solid work experience as bank staff in a care home. I also had fun .etc usual gap year stuff.

The second time around I focused on getting a good UKCAT. I went on a course (expensive and of dubious benefit), and managed a score of 730.

With this in mind I studied the competitiveness ratio to each med school, as well as how much emphasis they put on UKCAT. Also beware of other requirements (read the fine print, you don't want to waste one of your precious 4 choices). i.e. I had a B at GCSE english, and one med school wanted an A. I imagine that would get you into the discard pile.

I picked med schools that liked the UKCAT, and were less competitive to get into. And that I would be happy to go to. Sheffield, UEA, King's and somewhere else.
I got 3 interviews, fluffed the first one (shef) as I had never actually had an interview before, so performed poorly, got an offer fro the second (UEA), and didn't bother with the third, as I was very happy to go to UEA.

TL;DR: Perfect your application, choose strategically, and don't be a snob about wanting to get into Oxbridge / Russel group. The newer med schools are just fine.

thanks for your reply. Wow, thats a great improvement in the ukcat! what course was this... was it kaplan??