From Nurse to Doctor (via Access course and Nursing degree)

I am currently in my second year of an Adult Nursing degree and I am seriously considering applying for Medicine a year or two after qualifying.

The university I am considering requires a 2:1 degree for it's postgraduate course. I am however wondering if anybody here has or is currently studying Medicine via a previous degree and Access course.

School was hellish as a teenager and I left with terrible grades. Years later I completed my Access course with entirely distinctions and although I am thoroughly enjoying my course and am passionate about nursing, I am not finding it as challenging as I would like and intend to go on further to become a Doctor.

I believe experience is vital. I have worked in healthcare for six years, three in a nursing home (palliative care and complex needs) and I currently work on the bank in two separate hospitals and two rehabilitaition units as a HCA. I will continue to work as a bank nurse during my studying whilst at med school.

I was shocked to see a statement on another post that anybody studying medicine with an Access course is a joke. Has anybody here gone this route or can offer some advice?

Thank you.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

em.d_4

Hi sorry not to answer your question but more ask one! I've applied for medicine but if I am unsuccessful I'm thinking of nursing, then doing medicine later on. do you know how universities look upon a nursing degree compared perhaps with something like biomedicine?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

Fishmeister1

Hi Emma. I can't speak for how universities would view biomedicine vs nursing degrees when considering applications. However, the university I am looking at (Warwick) states that they require at least a 2:1 in ANY subject. Needless to say, experience is undoubtedly essential when considering applying for a course such as medicine as competition is high. There are many individuals on my nursing course who have little or even no experience in healthcare, the vast majority are doing just fine.

If you are set on medicine then by all means go for the shorter route and apply directly if you think you have the qualifications (and perhaps some experience either as a volunteer or working in a healthcare setting; this may however not be essential I stress to add). If you wish to go the nursing route then this is indeed a little long-winded although you will knock some years off the medicine course. Good luck with whatever you choose and feel free to ask any questions you wish about the Adult Nursing degree.

Reply 3

em.d_4

Original post by Fishmeister1

I've had an interview for medicine but obviously may not achieve the grades this year so am trying to plan a back up path. It's the patients etc and the healthcare that really interests me hence my preference for nursing over a science style degree :smile:

thanks for the tips

Reply 4

Dandefe

Do a lot of homework before considering an access course. It's a whole year of your life and there are no guarantees it will be considered by universities in application cycles to come.

Reply 5

polldoll

Why don't you focus on getting a 1st or 2:1 in nursing rather than thinking access? It is my understanding (and I may be wrong) that you won't get access place if you have a degree??

As a nurse who is doing medicine, the two careers/degrees aren't as interchangeable as you might think. Nursing is not a good backup as a stepping stone to medicine, especially when you are competing for places with highly academic science degrees.

Happy to answer any other nurse/medic questions!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

KA125

Don't bother with access course, do the GAMSAT and do postgrad

Reply 7

Fishmeister1

Thank you for all the answers so far, there is however a little confusion, it may be the way I worded my question.

Im not referring to the med school access course, I am talking about the access to higher education I did to gain ny place at university on my nursing degree.

I intend to do the UKCAT (or similar) in probably 2016.

I will be applying to med school with the following qualifications..

-Access to higher education award (equivalent to 3 A-Levels) plus GCSE Maths and English
-Degree in Adult Nursing
-UKCAT (or equivalent)
-I also have other healthcare qualifications such as NVQ 3, may not be important?

Im just curious if this is sufficient.

Posted from TSR Mobile