Hope for those trying to get into med, particularly for the foundation course

Basically, I’d like to spread a little hope for all those applying this year, in particular for the foundation medicine course- its tough to get in, and competition is fierce, but if you want it enough, its far from impossible to get a place. Take me for example…

Basically I got decent GCSE’s. Then I decided I wanted to be a radiographer and applied to do radiography. I got in. But whilst on work experience for radiography I saw lots of docs, and decided that was the job for me, so I turned down my radiography offers. Problem was, I had a year to kill before I could apply again through UCAS, and I had the wrong A-levels as whilst I was choosing my A-levels I was set on Radiography and for this I didn’t need two sciences so I didn’t take two (I did get the right grades only I got them in Biology, Art and Design and English lit).

The other thing was, I love art. So during my first year out after school I started an art diploma (they don’t use UCAS) to see if perhaps maybe art and not medicine would be my thing…I thought wrong and dropped out- although art is still a great hobby of mine. I’ve carried on living away from home and with students however I got a job with Balck Horse finance to fund my expedition to Belize this summer (I went to Borneo on a conservation expedition straight after school last year and loved it). All whilst re-applying to UCAS. I applied to Manchester, Cardiff, Sheffield and Kings for foundation medicine and to Lancaster and Herts for Paramedic Sci as a back up (I didn’t get in for either para sci- it may have something to do with the fact that my entire personal statement was about medicine because you cant change it for each uni application).

I did however get in to Cardiff and Manchester. I got rejected before interview from both Kings and Sheffield, however Sheffield rang me up two days ago (how late can you be?!) and asked could I go for an interview, which was a bit odd (I declined- I’ve already got my two offers). When I come back from Belize I’m taking my second year out (I applied for deferred entry) to go travelling.

So, the moral of this long winded story is…if you really want it enough and are prepared to put time and effort into it, although the road may be long and windy, if you have a half decent brain you’ll get there in the end.
Rhi.

Reply 1

SarahJayne

Always good to hear a success story, well done!

Reply 2

Saffie

11

I dont think it's so much about having a half decent brain, but the assertion that you have showed.

I'm jealous of your story...

Reply 3

_Rhi_

OP

Cheers Sarah :smile:

Why jelous Saffie?! You're already a med student- I'm jelous of you! Although I don't regret the way I've gone about things as I feel I've done and seen so much in this last year, and I've still got another free year to go, I've just done some growing up really and made sure that medicine is right for me...but still its been a long, expensive and at times hard way round of doing things so I'm not sure I'd reccomend it. I'll also be almost 30 before I'm a fully qualified doc.

I've just put Manchester as my firm and Cardiff as my insurance. Scary stuf. I've lived in and loved Cardiff for the last year, but I think I'll need a change if I'm going to be living somewhere for six years.

Reply 4

Saffie

11

_Rhi_

Why jelous Saffie?! You're already a med student- I'm jelous of you! Although I don't regret the way I've gone about things as I feel I've done and seen so much in this last year, and I've still got another free year to go, I've just done some growing up really and made sure that medicine is right for me...but still its been a long, expensive and at times hard way round of doing things so I'm not sure I'd reccomend it. I'll also be almost 30 before I'm a fully qualified doc.Because you get to see the world, perhaps more than me. And you won't be that old when you graduate. For me it's rarer to meet someone doing medicine who's straight from school than anything else.

Reply 5

SarahJayne

I hope to have a similar story this time next year - I'm applying for the foundation course this Sep/Oct - so it's reassuring to see that everything has worked out for you! Not sure whether I'll apply for deferred entry or not yet...there are so many places I want to go and things I want to do, so perhaps it would be wise. Who knows :smile:

Reply 6

vv2006

2

I also wanted to apply for the foundation year.

However, i think i messed up in some of my exams due to family problems. i think i may get AABC in ict, business, r.e. and maths. i am confident that i can push them grades up in jan resits.

However, if i apply to foundation med, will the universities have to see my AS grades?

advice appreciated

Reply 7

Philosoraptor

18

vv2006

will the uniz hav 2 c my AS grades?

*chuckles to self*

Reply 8

vv2006

2

orite for sum who hav already got their place.

Reply 9

edcourageous

1

Theres nothing wrong with AABC. I got 3 interviews with AABBB (and one of the A's was in general studies!)

Don't worry so much about the grades, as long as they can see you can achieve the AAB/ABB offer then that is fine. Just get work experience etc. done, you'll be stuck if you can't explain why you changed to medicine, or if you can't show a good understanding of the profession.

Reply 10

_Rhi_

OP

Saffie, you'll get time to travel once you've finished, and by then you could mix work and travel which I reckon would be amazing (I'm doing an expedition management BTEC in Madagascar next year so that eventually I want to get into expedition medicine).

Good luck Sarah! Even if you don't defer there's always the uni holidays which AFAIK are a reasonable length for the first few years of the course.

vv2006, unis definately didn't see my AS grades or I wouldn't have got in- I got all C's, D's E's and U's (I was lazy for the whole year and resat everything) so I couldn't say for sure, but I think they only look at predicted grades.

Rhi.

Reply 11

Saffie

11

_Rhi_

Saffie, you'll get time to travel once you've finished, and by then you could mix work and travel which I reckon would be amazing (I'm doing an expedition management BTEC in Madagascar next year so that eventually I want to get into expedition medicine).

Hmm, when i graduate i'll be flung into FY1, FY2.. so forth. I guess I have the Summers.

Expedition medicine sounds like it could get repetitive. But I think it really helped having someone on my expedition who seemed to know what they were doing (although taking a drunk persons pulse every half an hour all night is still beyond me) And you get to go on expeditions I assume, which would be ace!

Reply 12

Renal

17

Saffie

Hmm, when i graduate i'll be flung into FY1, FY2.. so forth. I guess I have the Summers.

Expedition medicine sounds like it could get repetitive. But I think it really helped having someone on my expedition who seemed to know what they were doing (although taking a drunk persons pulse every half an hour all night is still beyond me) And you get to go on expeditions I assume, which would be ace!