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Graduate Entry Medicine: 2016 Entry

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My uni allows you to complete awards alongside your degree and quite a few are very similar to UKCAT and GAMSAT and I've been in the 50-70 percentile on average. I'm trying to improve on it and thankfully you can do it multiple times.

I'm about to apply for work experience at my local NHS Trust and I think they put you in a shadowing position but only for a week. I also have a friend who is a carer (about to start her nursing degree) so I'll see if I can shadow/get experience with her soon.

Non medical related I work as a helper (in its most basic terms), helping freshers settle in, be a friendly face and generally be around for them mainly when they arrive but throughout their first year. I'm also thinking about becoming a student warden to save some money and take on greater responsibilities. Anyone know if this will help in my application? I feel like it has been forever since I wrote my personal statement for my first undergrad.
Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I'm a medical school interview tutor currently accepting students (undergrad and postgrad). PM if interested, and good luck with applications
Original post by Kicimedicine
Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I'm a medical school interview tutor currently accepting students (undergrad and postgrad). PM if interested, and good luck with applications


What university do you work for? If you cant tell us can you give us a clue :colondollar:
Reply 43
Original post by Quilverine
From what I can tell overseas students are eligible for the loan and you are tied into a 5 year working contract post graduation. It's not like going to the states where you need a quarter of a mil up front and ready to go. It only requires significant personal financial resources if you wish to break the 5 year contract- you have to buy your way out. It all rests on my partner working out there though. If his contract isn't likely to keep him in Singapore for years I am not sure if I should commit to a 10 year stay. It's a shame they switched to the American system, it used to be modelled on UK medical schools and took the GAMSAT.


Loan or not, you still have £100K of debt to pay back, and perhaps also your undergrad loan if you took one out, all that plus interest. Them giving you a loan doesn't make it any 'cheaper', it's just a way to make it seem good value for money, but it all begins to sink in once you graduate and realise you're in six-figures worth of debt.

I'm not comfortable even paying the £9K here, but I know I'll get more financial help here than any other country.

Duke is an American university partnership so it makes sense on their system; and because of that returning to the UK won't be that straightforward either - expect another round of assessments/exams.
Original post by J1mmy
Loan or not, you still have £100K of debt to pay back, and perhaps also your undergrad loan if you took one out, all that plus interest. Them giving you a loan doesn't make it any 'cheaper', it's just a way to make it seem good value for money, but it all begins to sink in once you graduate and realise you're in six-figures worth of debt.

I'm not comfortable even paying the £9K here, but I know I'll get more financial help here than any other country.

Duke is an American university partnership so it makes sense on their system; and because of that returning to the UK won't be that straightforward either - expect another round of assessments/exams.


All doctors have yearly exams and assessments unless they go Trust Grade, even then there is 5 yearly revalidation required for those who have CCT'd or come out of a training programme. It doesn't end with medical school. The UK takes doctors from all over the world, the list of institutions recognised by the GMC is pretty extensive.

Educational debt in this country is a time capped tax rather than traditional debt so I am not really concerned about that. It would not affect being able to get another mortgage, emigrate or leave me destitute if I can't work.

My preference is to study in the UK but I have decided this is important enough to me to consider broader options. I also love my partner, if I could get into a programme that allows living in the same country then I will go for it. It would only become an issue if I went to Duke and they got moved on before I had finished the fixed term. I don't much fancy my chances with the MCAT though. Time to ramp up the prep!
(edited 9 years ago)
Hey, I'm studying Biomedical Science at KCL and am in my second year planning to apply as well. :smile:
I'm totally lost with what to do about work experience. I'm really struggling trying to find a doctor to shadow. Any advice????
I think I'm applying to KCL, Barts and the London, Imperial, and St George's, although I'm not sure if they're too optimistic. Also, I'm not completely sure about St George's yet as that's the only university I'd be applying to which requires the GAMSAT hmmmmm.
Reply 46
Original post by DoeADeer
Hey, I'm studying Biomedical Science at KCL and am in my second year planning to apply as well. :smile:
I'm totally lost with what to do about work experience. I'm really struggling trying to find a doctor to shadow. Any advice????
I think I'm applying to KCL, Barts and the London, Imperial, and St George's, although I'm not sure if they're too optimistic. Also, I'm not completely sure about St George's yet as that's the only university I'd be applying to which requires the GAMSAT hmmmmm.


You do know that imperial have changed their 4 year course to a 5 year one?
I'm also not wanting to do the GAMSAT which does limit my choices but I would rather not do it as people on tsr applying this year have put me off haha.



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Original post by tw781
You do know that imperial have changed their 4 year course to a 5 year one?
I'm also not wanting to do the GAMSAT which does limit my choices but I would rather not do it as people on tsr applying this year have put me off haha.



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Oh yeah, I did read that on their website. Cheers for the reminder, forgot about that. I'll have to take it into consideration nearer to the time I'm applying.
Yeah, but if I completely end up messing up the UKCAT and do well in the GAMSAT I may have a chance at securing one interview haha.
Reply 48
Original post by DoeADeer
Oh yeah, I did read that on their website. Cheers for the reminder, forgot about that. I'll have to take it into consideration nearer to the time I'm applying.
Yeah, but if I completely end up messing up the UKCAT and do well in the GAMSAT I may have a chance at securing one interview haha.


That's true! I'm just so put off with the revision as well as working at that time. But if I am not successful next year then I will definitely be sitting the GAMSAT the year after!

Also, I really want to get into kings! What's it like?


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Original post by tw781
That's true! I'm just so put off with the revision as well as working at that time. But if I am not successful next year then I will definitely be sitting the GAMSAT the year after!

Also, I really want to get into kings! What's it like?


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That's a good idea! I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'm probably going to have to do a gap year as I still don't have enough work experience especially in regards to shadowing a doctor... I don't even know what I'd do in a gap year. A four month break over the summer seemed to drag on for agessss.
King's is pretty good, although not as good as I thought it would have been. Over the summer, they decided it would be a good idea to make about 40 members of teaching/research staff in the health schools redundant in order to have more money to spend on infrastructure. I haven't noticed a huge change from it yet. For medicine, it seems decent, although it is a huge medical school, so take that as you will.


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Reply 50
Original post by DoeADeer
That's a good idea! I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'm probably going to have to do a gap year as I still don't have enough work experience especially in regards to shadowing a doctor... I don't even know what I'd do in a gap year. A four month break over the summer seemed to drag on for agessss.
King's is pretty good, although not as good as I thought it would have been. Over the summer, they decided it would be a good idea to make about 40 members of teaching/research staff in the health schools redundant in order to have more money to spend on infrastructure. I haven't noticed a huge change from it yet. For medicine, it seems decent, although it is a huge medical school, so take that as you will.


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Do you have any family friends or friends parents who are doctors? That's how I got my experience. I've contacted a lot of doctors but they just seem to ignore you.

Also, I think med schools would prefer for you to have hands on experience as opposed to one day shadowing a doctor. Have you thought about working as a hca/carer in your gap year?


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Original post by tw781
Do you have any family friends or friends parents who are doctors? That's how I got my experience. I've contacted a lot of doctors but they just seem to ignore you.

Also, I think med schools would prefer for you to have hands on experience as opposed to one day shadowing a doctor. Have you thought about working as a hca/carer in your gap year?


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No, I don't actually unfortunately. :/
Yeah, that seems like a good idea. I have volunteered in a care home for six months, and that's about it. D: Have you heard of gap medics? I'm considering doing that in the summer for two weeks, but don't think it'll be enough.

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Reply 52
Original post by DoeADeer
No, I don't actually unfortunately. :/
Yeah, that seems like a good idea. I have volunteered in a care home for six months, and that's about it. D: Have you heard of gap medics? I'm considering doing that in the summer for two weeks, but don't think it'll be enough.

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Well that's a good start!
I've never heard of it, no, but I have just looked it up! Looks very interesting, though I can't afford to pay for my expletive when needing to save for medicine haha


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Reply 53
What courses are you currently taking right now at the undergraduate level?
Original post by tw781
Well that's a good start!
I've never heard of it, no, but I have just looked it up! Looks very interesting, though I can't afford to pay for my expletive when needing to save for medicine haha


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Yeah, I'm having second thoughts about it actually, considering how much it is!!! I'll do it if I end up doing a gap year I guess. Yeah I know, medicine itself is going to be so expensive! :frown:
Reply 55
Original post by Foaly09
What courses are you currently taking right now at the undergraduate level?


Psychology at University of York.


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Is anyone considering applying to any 5 year courses?
Original post by DoeADeer
Is anyone considering applying to any 5 year courses?


Yeah, I'm currently in the process of working out exactly how to broach the subject with my bank manager.... England isn't currently in the habit of giving students loans that sit in the 5-6 figure region.:redface:

(Edit- if you exclude the standard SFE student loan that isn't available for grads doing A100)
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Quilverine
Yeah, I'm currently in the process of working out exactly how to broach the subject with my bank manager.... England isn't currently in the habit of giving students loans that sit in the 5-6 figure region.:redface:

(Edit- if you exclude the standard SFE student loan that isn't available for grads doing A100)


Yeah, I was aware of us not being entitled to the SFE loan. Kinda sucks really. :frown: How would the other loan you're considering getting be paid back? We're going to be so poor!! Yippeee. Just think, deferred gratification 'n' all that, hopefully. D:
Original post by DoeADeer
Yeah, I was aware of us not being entitled to the SFE loan. Kinda sucks really. :frown: How would the other loan you're considering getting be paid back? We're going to be so poor!! Yippeee. Just think, deferred gratification 'n' all that, hopefully. D:


Painfully. Still feeling a bit unsure if it's a good move. Going back into education has been a pretty selfish move so far, I'm a single parent and a lot of my money has gone on costs relating to my education. It would take me until my daughter had finished school to repay a private loan of the magnitude needed for some of the options I have looked at. Actually just typing that has made me realised I would be a terrible mother to put financial stress on us for her entire childhood. :frown: I need to go rethink my priorities.
(edited 9 years ago)

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