URGENT ADVICE for applying to Medicine!

Just finished my gap year and already hold an offer to do Chemistry however im now thinking I want to do Medicine, that would of course mean taking another year out to apply. Do Med Schools mind if you take 2 years out of study? Can you also put down work experience you plan to do on your PS? Grades are AAA no resits, I have some experience but gap year wasnt very medically related (went travelling for 4 months, worked) Is it too much of a risk?

Reply 1

M1996

Hi, a lot of medics dont get accepted onto the course first time around so i dont think they would mind you taking a year out as long as you completed your A levels within 2 years. At my interview there was a student who applied 4 times before he got in. Your experience might be an issue since the application process is based around medical work experience and what you learnt from it so I dont think you can put down work experience you plan to do. I suggest you do some research on medicine and being a doctor and come to a definite decision. If its what you want to do then its best to take a year out to gain medical related work experience and apply for sept 2017 entry. It would be quite difficult to gain a place for Sept 2016 without the experience i'm afraid. Although its worth emailing universities directly and checking their entry requirements.
Hope this helped :smile:

Reply 2

UEH

Original post by M1996

Will do thanks!

Reply 3

Doc2be

The application deadline isn't til October so you still have plenty of time to get some medically related work experience. Ideally try and shadow a doctor so you can explain that you understand the role of a doctor. Would also be good if you could get some volunteer work in a nursing home or something. What is the work you have spent the last year doing? Even if it's not medical it will still have transferable skills which can be applied to medicine so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Try your best, and there is no harm in sending in an application and see what happens.

You will also have to do admissions tests -UKCAT, gamsat,BMAT which have application deadlines so you will want to start preparing and registering for whichever of those you chose to do (look at what unis you think you have a best chance of getting into first and see what tests they ask for).

Best of luck!

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Reply 4

UEH

Original post by Doc2be

Hey yeah I worked at a supervisor at a bubble tea shop, I can get the experience whic isnt a problem, its just do you think I stand a good chance, especially with taking a year out and all...

Reply 5

Zorg

Original post by UEH

Hey yeah I worked at a supervisor at a bubble tea shop, I can get the experience whic isnt a problem, its just do you think I stand a good chance, especially with taking a year out and all...

Year out makes no difference. Care work/volunteering is more important than shadowing. You will sit the BMAT, the UKCAT, neither or both, but definitely not the GAMSAT. Otherwise what Doc2be said.

This does seem like a decision made in haste though, you'll want to actually explore the profession first. By all means apply for 2016 and get to know the system as that will help. But realistically you're looking at going to uni in 2017.

Reply 6

Doc2be

Original post by UEH

Hey yeah I worked at a supervisor at a bubble tea shop, I can get the experience whic isnt a problem, its just do you think I stand a good chance, especially with taking a year out and all...

Unis don't care how long you have been out of school. As long as you haven't spent that time sitting on your back side, if anything it will make you stand out more as a candidate cause you will have more to say in your PS and at interviews.

It's impossible to know how good your chances are for 2016 entry but no harm in giving it a go, get lots of work experience this year and if you don't get any offers then your application will be very strong for applying for the year after. It will also show unis that you haven't rushed into this decision and you fully understand the commitment you are making to medicine, as it may currently look that way.

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Reply 7

UEH

Original post by Doc2be

Are you able to put down work experience you plan to do on your PS, or experience you are currently doing?

Reply 8

Doc2be

You can mention it in a short paragraph especially as you are taking a gap year as they like to see you have stuff planned for your year but they are more interested in seeing what you learnt from your work experience, not in what you are planning on doing.

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Reply 9

UEH

Original post by Doc2be

Which Unis care less about the quantity of work experience, seeing as I have so little.

Reply 10

nexttime

Original post by UEH

Which Unis care less about the quantity of work experience, seeing as I have so little.

Its pretty vital for all of them - you need to get some! Volunteering in a care-setting is also ok, arguably better, but you should be intending to do it for a few months not just a week.

Oxbridge look at it less but you don't meet their grade requirements.

Reply 11

Dr Gin

Original post by UEH

Which Unis care less about the quantity of work experience, seeing as I have so little.

Plymouth (Peninsula) and Exeter both claim not to read the PS so this would potentially give you until interview day to find interesting medicine/care-related experiences to talk about. Exeter seem to be after A*AA these days though :frown: