Graduate Entry Medicine

Are GEM courses aimed more at those who have done a degree, gone down a particular career path and then decided to switch to medicine or do people who have gone straight from A levels into a degree and now want to do medicine have the same kind of chances? At the end of the day, a lot of GEM applicants are those who didn't have the right grades at A level so how can they compete with someone who has more life experience, a career and in many cases even a PhD?

Reply 1

Beska

21

Original post by annaroberts20

Are GEM courses aimed more at those who have done a degree, gone down a particular career path and then decided to switch to medicine or do people who have gone straight from A levels into a degree and now want to do medicine have the same kind of chances? At the end of the day, a lot of GEM applicants are those who didn't have the right grades at A level so how can they compete with someone who has more life experience, a career and in many cases even a PhD?

I am pretty sure GEM caters for both of those categories. I don't think having a PhD etc. necessarily means that an applicant would make a better doctor than a standard graduate (or a school leaver for that matter).

As for somebody who has started a career etc. and then chosen to study medicine down the line, I believe some medical schools require something like "evidence of academic endeavour within the last 3 years", so it isn't always possible for a career-person to go into GEM. I think the GEM applicants could speak better than me, though.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 2

winter_mute

9

Original post by annaroberts20

Are GEM courses aimed more at those who have done a degree, gone down a particular career path and then decided to switch to medicine or do people who have gone straight from A levels into a degree and now want to do medicine have the same kind of chances? At the end of the day, a lot of GEM applicants are those who didn't have the right grades at A level so how can they compete with someone who has more life experience, a career and in many cases even a PhD?

Hello,

First off it would have been better to post this into the TSR Graduate medic thread, Hygeia will probably move it there anyway :smile:

The answer is both. Post graduate degrees are only ever really considered if you have 2.2 bachelors or below. GEP courses tend to focus on entrance exam results, experience gaining in the healthcare industry and even more focus on the interview. SGUL for example don't consider A level results for GEP, give no weighting to degree classifications (eg. a 1:1 is as good as 2:2) and don't even look at your PS.

Reply 3

GodspeedGehenna

3

Original post by winter_mute

Hello,

First off it would have been better to post this into the TSR Graduate medic thread, Hygeia will probably move it there anyway :smile:

The answer is both. Post graduate degrees are only ever really considered if you have 2.2 bachelors or below. GEP courses tend to focus on entrance exam results, experience gaining in the healthcare industry and even more focus on the interview. SGUL for example don't consider A level results for GEP, give no weighting to degree classifications (eg. a 1:1 is as good as 2:2) and don't even look at your PS.