Medicine as a second degree

I'd argue that going back to do another degree, with a perfectly good science degree that could earn me more money in the city, but turning it down to do something you feel is right, shows MORE than sufficient commitment to your cause.

Reply 22

RobbieC

I'd argue that going back to do another degree, with a perfectly good science degree that could earn me more money in the city, but turning it down to do something you feel is right, shows MORE than sufficient commitment to your cause.

What about the other 10 + applicants trying to secure the place you're after?

Reply 23

fairy spangles

1

Medicine is my second degree.
I applied to one four year GEP course but i didnt get it - however interestingly i got 2 offers from 5 year courses!
Its costly though - flipping heck is it!
I had quite a bit of experience but not as much as people on here!

Reply 24

RobbieC

OP

Fluffy

What about the other 10 + applicants trying to secure the place you're after?

Well I don't imagine they got 6A grades at A level, or that they all went to better Universities than I did. That should weedle out about 8+ of the 10+...

Now for the other two... where's my piano wire?!

Reply 25

RobbieC

OP

fairy spangles

Medicine is my second degree.
I applied to one four year GEP course but i didnt get it - however interestingly i got 2 offers from 5 year courses!
Its costly though - flipping heck is it!
I had quite a bit of experience but not as much as people on here!

Hey, thanks for the reply... your username is familiar somehow :biggrin:

Would you mind giving me more detail on your experience and where you applied etc... by PM if you'd prefer. I'd just like to know the broadest range possible to give me an idea of where I stand!

Thanks!!

Reply 26

nas7232

19

On one website I saw that KCL have 62.5 applicants per place. I can't believe how competitive something can be! I see it as

Getting the right grades
Getting a good UKCAT
" " PS
" " Referee

& That's only for an interview lol then hell more are rejected than accepted from interviews. I believe hard work and luck counts for a lot.. with the work experience.. do as much as you can I'm sure people do one day a week for 6 months and state they have 6 months experience. Whereas some people do everyday so don't worry about it.

Reply 27

graemematt

12

RobbieC

Well I don't imagine they got 6A grades at A level, or that they all went to better Universities than I did. That should weedle out about 8+ of the 10+...

Gotta be honest with you my amigo, that won't weedle out any of your competition unless you're very similar to some of your opposition after all other factors are considered. Most GEPs don't carry an A-level prerequisite (but some do! be careful!) and chances are your degree won't give you a major advantage over other applicants either (amazingly, I kinda thought it would, but from experience it would seem not).

You may wanna concentrate on writing your personal statement already, I know it seems like AGES until you have to apply, but it'll help you not only end up with an awesome PS, but also it'll help you get your prioirities set straight and confirm in your mind that medicine is/isn't right for you :smile:

Reply 28

RobbieC

Well I don't imagine they got 6A grades at A level, or that they all went to better Universities than I did. That should weedle out about 8+ of the 10+...

Now for the other two... where's my piano wire?!

Think again. I can say that from seeing the UCAS forms of graduates applying for our 5 year course (while interviewing)...

On the first day I interviewed, almost EVERYONE had all A's at A-Level and first class degrees. They also had FANTASTIC work experience. One of them was a nurse, AAAAA at A-level, first class nursing degree, who had spent 18 months working with HIV/AIDs orphans in Africa among lots of other stuff. She interviewed bloody well and left me feeling rather inadequate.

I felt even more inadequate when I realised out of the 10 graduates we interviewed that day, only 1 had a 2i (the rest were all firsts from good unis), and 1 had less than AAA at alevel (AAB)...

Grades are, however, only part of the story, and if all you have to offer are grades, you probably won't get anywhere.

Reply 29

craggy

I agree, your A-levels and the fact you went to Durham won't necessarily mean you are looked upon favourably. The whole point of GEP is to widen access to medicine, ie give those people who weren't so dedicated at 18/went to a bad school a second chance.

However, there is still some academic snobbery with GEP courses, I imagine Oxford and Cambridge will like your academic portfolio. Plus Birmingham will only accept first class honours (except Oxbridge graduates who will do with a 2.1)!!!

Reply 30

RobbieC

The most I can really get on board now is some shadowing work (maybe up to a month in total), and perhaps some hospice/carer work part time for a few months maybe 6-12... Doesn't seem all so promising. I spent a year as a counsellor at school, but that doesn't really count for much other than enhancing my communication skills/empathy.

Of course it counts, that's something really good to talk about. If you are applying to Leicester for instance they will lap that up because they go in for all the social and psychological issues you get along with medicine, i know this from someone that does the course. If you are applying for 2009 entry then you still have plenty of time for experience, even if it is only one day a week. In your PS you can just write that your experience is ongoing and you will continue it through your last year at uni.

I have (somehow!) managed to get a place on the 4 year course at Warwick, and my work experience was VERY varied although i didn't have a lot of it. I spent about 4 weeks (not in one go) working in about 4 different hospitals on different wards every day, watched surgery another day, went to GP surgeries, went to old peoples homes, going out on call with midwives etc. and what you can't make up in length of work experience, make up for it in how you talk about it at the interview.

E.g: I went on for ages how working with so many members of a team (nurses, midwives, anaesthetists, GPs, surgeons, HCAs, radiologists, porters, etc. not just doctors) i had worked with, which i think they liked, and also what i got out of it and how it had changed me as a person. Also i did some volunteer work with kids when i was a teenager which i think helped.

My point is that you need to get as much varied work as possible. One week in one GP surgery will not do you many favours when applying for GEP. Also the fact that you got good grades and went to a good uni will NOT knock out 8/10 other candidates. Places like Warwick don't look at A levels (lucky for me), and i went to Uni of Liverpool which isn't in the top 20 unis (i dont think) so my interview technique must have worked.

Anyway if you are serious about it and aren't put off already (please don't be!) then good luck :smile:

Reply 31

snail_87

Of course it counts, that's something really good to talk about. If you are applying to Leicester for instance they will lap that up because they go in for all the social and psychological issues you get along with medicine, i know this from someone that does the course.

Depends on the place though - Warwick don't count counselling, as I found out to my cost with my first application.

Reply 32

Apologies for double posting, but realised i forgot to mention the finance- i have written it so many times now on TSR but the 4 year course is soooo much cheaper. You don't get student loans for a second degree so the 5 year course will cripple you, £3000 x 5 = £15000, plus no help with money for accomodation etc.

4 year = £3000 fees first year, years 2,3,4 paid for you by NHS. Also NHS give a bursary which (don't quote me on this) is a few hundred pounds a month in years 2,3,4.

In short, if you can get on the 4 year, then do it.

Reply 33

Fluffy

Depends on the place though - Warwick don't count counselling, as I found out to my cost with my first application.

Oh ok. Yeh fair point, it depends where you apply. OP make sure you research things like this when you do apply otherwise you will effectively waste choices, like i did when i applied to Birmingham GEP only to realise they wanted 8 A* at GCSE. Ooops!

Reply 34

snail_87

.
4 year = £3000 fees first year, years 2,3,4 paid for you by NHS. Also NHS give a bursary which (don't quote me on this) is a few hundred pounds a month in years 2,3,4.

In short, if you can get on the 4 year, then do it.

Again, that depends on your background. The DH bursary is means tested, and also means you can not apply for the means tested part of the student loan. The full DH bursary is also less than the means tested part of the student loan, so you always end up with a relative shortfall.

I have GEP friends who get no bursary due to parental occupation/income; and the effect of not having to pay fees is wiped out by the amount of money they have had to borrow from the bank. I also have GEP friends who get the full bursary.

You really need to sit down and work out what you can and cant afford, as GEP isn't always the cheapest route at the time (although overall the extra year of wages makes it so, but not helpful if you can't afford to qualify).

Reply 35

craggy

snail_87 I did the same degree as you, I graduated a couple of years ago now. Does prof Crompton still do all that mind numbing primate stuff.... I remember the tears trying to make that make sense, dull, dull, dull.

Reply 36

craggy

snail_87 I did the same degree as you, I graduated a couple of years ago now. Does prof Crompton still do all that mind numbing primate stuff.... I remember the tears trying to make that make sense, dull, dull, dull.

Oh thank goodness somebody else feels my pain! Hehe. Yes he does, we did a module with him in 2nd year which was bearable, but we did a module this year which was literally every kind of primate in existence, how they poo, what shape their teeth are etc. It's interesting up to a point, and that point arrives very quickly!

Did you do Bob's vertebrate module as well? With dinosaurs and reptiles and osteolepis? Bit of a legend he is.

What are you up to now craggy?

Reply 37

craggy

Yeah, that was well interesting. Bob is a legend, he came and had several drinks with us after our last exam. I don't think he can pass a pub without having a drink (I remember he used to finish lectres early cos he was getting "thirsty"), yet somehow manages to continue as a prof, great stuff.

I'm an auxiliary at the mo, gonna be starting Bham's GEP in Sep. I applied to Warwick also, course looks good, think you start earlier than us though.

Reply 38