Having doubts about applying for medicine next year

I'm taking a gap year due to poor Ukcat score preventing me from applying last year for 2016 entry. Usually I'm really positive about medicine, enthusiastic about getting AAA+ etc. however I suddenly feel so overwhelmed! There are loads of amazingly intelligent people who don't have to work hard all the time and still achieve great grades. I feel like no matter how hard I work, I'll never be able to compete with them and it's just naive to get my hopes up. On top of this, I'm very quiet and I'm always reminded of this by my teachers, who seem to see it as a trait that will prevent me from becoming a doctor. I'm just starting to doubt if I'm intelligent enough for it. I also have no idea what else I would study as the prospect of getting into medical school is what has been fuelling all of my hard work/ motivation to keep going for the past 6 months or so.

Reply 1

Democracy

Original post by Lularose83

These are some points which are worth bearing in mind in my opinion:

Regarding "people who don't have to work hard all the time and still achieve amazing grades" - yes, it can be pretty daunting to meet people like this. However, it should not affect your ambitions. Some people are naturally better at grasping a topic very quickly and with minimal effort. Other people (myself included) need to take more time to mull it over and find a good way of ensuring it stays in their long term memory. In my opinion, this is a difference in learning styles, not intelligence. So long as you're also getting the right grades and can go to bed at night and honestly say that you've done your best, the rest is irrelevant. There's no need to compete with them - you do your thing, and let them do theirs.

It's also worth bearing in mind that some people like to give off the impression of not doing much work whilst still getting great grades, but in reality they're working just as hard as you - it's just that they don't want to admit it.

That said, it would be silly to deny that some people naturally are just more intelligent than you. This isn't something to get depressed about though - you don't need to be exceptional or a genius to be a good medical student or a doctor. So again, I'd just try to live and let live.

As for being quiet, I don't really understand why this should be an issue - some doctors are very sociable and extroverted, others are quiet and introverted. So long as you are basically interested in people, can make reasonable eye contact, and are keen to learn, you can be as quiet as you like in your private life or in sixth form classes.

tl;dr: your worries are very common and understandable, but definitely not a bar to you being suitable for medicine. Just carry on, get AAA, modify your technique for the UKCAT, and re-apply.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2

Vodka

There are loads of amazingly intelligent people who don't have to work hard all the time and still achieve great grades. I feel like no matter how hard I work, I'll never be able to compete with them and it's just naive to get my hopes up.

Welcome to the real world. Get used to the fact that not everyone is born equal intellectually, economically, physically etc. It's also hard to judge whether those people really worked hard or not. Some people revise hours every day but they just don't brag about it in school. Instead of comparing yourself to others, work on achieving what you desire. Ignore the others and focus on achieving the AAA+ for medical school next year. Take your gap year as an opportunity to enhance and improve your application.

Oh and last I checked, talkativeness isn't a criterion for studying medicine

Reply 3

Quilverine

UKCAT scores can easily be improved. Even just sitting the rest once can really help as you are more familiar with it. Practice gently, hard-core cramming can be stressful but gradually getting faster at reading from a pc monitor and doing maths using an on screen simple calculator will really help.

Try get some shadowing/taster days to help with maintaining your motivation and determination. The experiences will also really help at interview. Good luck, keep trying and enjoy your gap year.

Reply 4

emem2011

Original post by Democracy

It's also worth bearing in mind that some people like to give off the impression of not doing much work whilst still getting great grades, but in reality they're working just as hard as you - it's just that they don't want to admit it.

This is so true. The number of people who lie about revising is overwhelming and actually quite sad. It's not seen as 'cool' to admit that you've revised for an exam or you've spent numerous evenings working towards a test, although I guarantee that pretty much all of those people are working as hard as you are. They just don't want to admit it! I have seen so many people lie to their friends about how they haven't revised for a test yet they have made loads of revision notes.

From what you have said, I believe you should make your application to study Medicine next year. Being quiet isn't always a bad thing- to me, you sound more as though you need a little bit more confidence in yourself and as you become more confident I am sure that you will not be as quiet. Just focus on what you need to get and not on what the others around you are doing- it will benefit you in the long run :smile:

Reply 5

raconner

Don't be put off by the BMAT either, more universities are using it now and unlike the UKCAT, you can prepare for it.

The UKCAT is very hit and miss. They're adding a test section to it this time, so you'll only have to focus on 3 sections (VR/QR/AR) rather than 4 this time. Though try do as good as you can on the new section, to get the hang of it if you ever have to take the ukcat in the future

Reply 6

Freyr

The content of medicine isn't difficult, jsut requires hard work. That you're able to achieve good grades shows to an extent you have the ability to work hard.
To be honest UKCAT (in my opinion) doesn't show whether someone will be a good or bad doctor. Its merely one of the hurdles applicants have to jump through, and is primarily used by medical schools to cut down the cumbers they need to interview.
Furthermore, it doesn't matter if you're a quiet person, I consider myself quiet, however I am able to be friendly and professional with patients, it a matter of getting comfortable, and also not every patient wants to do small talk, some like to go in, have their test done, or answer questions doctors ask (for medical history etc.) and get out, strictly professional only.
What I thin kyou should do is, do as many practice questions you can possibly do for UKCAT, resit the test, if your score is still low, sign up to do the BMAT, this is basicly learned knowledge that you can study and work hard for. A significant portion of the BMAt you probably have covered too in your ALevels.
So work hard on UKCAT, sit it early and that gives you an option to do the BMAT after. BUT only if you want to be a doctor! I'm sure the fac that you considered medicine and applied once already, means you have researched the profession properly and decided you could see yourself doing that. So if thats what you want to do, apply again! don't let others get you down, work hard!! I've worked in other areas before deciding to study medicine, and was never happy, and even though i'm still a student, I know I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Good luck!

Reply 7

Ghotay

Original post by Lularose83

In sixth form I was one of those people who effortlessly got great grades. Didn't do any work all year, revised for a few days before the exam, and pulled 'A's all round no problem. I was probably the type of person who is dispiriting you right now

When I got to med school all of that went down the drain. I fell apart, I couldn't keep up with the work, I finished bottom decile in first year. I didn't have discipline, I didn't know how to put consistent effort in, I was totally lacking in work ethic. I have pulled things together significantly since then, but am still very much an average student

I am firmly of the opinion that, while intelligence helps, doing well in medical school (and life) is much more about hard work and diligence than 'talent'. I put it to you that in a few years time you may well be the envy of some of your more 'intelligent' peers who wish they knew how to work as hard as you do. Take courage, reapply and you keep doing you.