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Advice Please on Medecine

Hi I was just wondering if you clever, wonderful people can give me some advice.

Iv applied to mathematics and economics courses for 2005 and received 6 offers. I put down warwick as my first choice (MORSE) and Newcastle as my insurance. The offers are AAA and ABC respetively. My A-Levels are Maths, F.Maths, Economics, Chemistry, General Studies ( which I should get straights As in at A2 this summer)

Although I have had a total change of heart and really want to do medicine. I have done general work experience at schools and old peoples homes, so now a little about communication skills if not medical pratices. So my real question is what should I do now?

I have thought about dropping out UCAS this year and reapllying for medicine next year, but then ill have to pay top up fees.

Advice please MickyFinn

Reply 1

Elles

hmm, well - looks like either drop out of UCAS & reapply or try the graduate entry route (i.e. do maths & economics degree, then apply to a 4 year medicine course).

if you have financial concerns though - i think the GEP route may be even harder - not sure how it'll work in the future, but currently there's no guaranteed LEA support, so you pay full fees & i think are ineligible for a loan, plus the holidays may be too short to take on a holiday job & finally you'll already have the debt from your first degree! not to mention GEPs are incredibly competitive & your choice of degree may well limit where you can apply..

a longshot would be to try medicine / foundation year through clearing. though with maths & chemistry i wonder whether you'd be eligible for foundation courses.. but with the lcak of biology you limit the current medical schools you could apply to (check the thread at the top of this)

TBH, i'd be inclined to say withdraw from UCAS & apply for medicine next year if you're determined. i don't think the different financial situation will be that bad, given although there will be top up fees, there'll also be all sorts of new bursaries & funds! & the debt will still be less than the total you'd accumulate with 2 degrees.. plus in your GAP year you could save up some money.

but.. there is a risk you would have to take in that you might not get into medicine - so i'd want to make sure i absolutely maximised my chances - plenty of work experience & perhaps even take Biology.

hope these comments may provide some things for you to think about.. there are plenty of students on here who have gone the graduate route & some who've taken gap years to apply for medicine.. but none of us can really be absolutely certain about the financial situation yet..

Reply 2

Fluffy

GEP medicine is competative (more so that school leaver entry), and not every qualified for the DoH bursary as it's 100% means tested on your parental income if you're under 25, or on your own (and any partners) if your over 25...

Most graduates studying medicine do so on a 5 year course. Medicine and Dentalism are the only 'academic' degrees that allow 2nd degree-ers to pay 'home fees' (if you did vet med as a graduate you would have to pay the full international fee level...)

As Elles said, if money is a concern, do it now! It's not easy being old and broke :wink: