Graduate Entry Medicine at Cambridge?

Hi everyone,

Needed some info on GEM in general and how I can start preparing now so i look like a strong candidate when I apply.
Currently doing last year of A-Levels in Bio,Chem and Maths and I'm striving to get 3 A*'s. I've applied for medicine this year and I still need to hear from some Uni's but I've also been rejected by some to, so it's not looking great. I do have an offer to study BioMed though at a redbrick and hopefully go on and do GEM.

I know it's really early times but I do want to apply to Cambridge for GEM. GEM is competitive enough as it is so I'm assuming I'm going to need all the prep I need to get in. So if anyone is doing GEM at the moment (or is even doing GEM at Cambridge) any advice on how to look as a strong candidate would be great!

Thanks

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Dont do gem. Its long, with funding and places being cut significantly every year.

Basically. Youre gonna be doing 3 years biomed paying 9k plus accom. Then 4 or 5 years (most likely 5) cos theyre moving to scrap the 4 year accelerated course and only have 5 year courses. Places are being cut. Competition is tough. You have a better chance at A Levels and if you dont get in but have the grades take a gap year, even two if necessary. Dont go the long way round. Thats my advice.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hi everyone,

Needed some info on GEM in general and how I can start preparing now so i look like a strong candidate when I apply.
Currently doing last year of A-Levels in Bio,Chem and Maths and I'm striving to get 3 A*'s. I've applied for medicine this year and I still need to hear from some Uni's but I've also been rejected by some to, so it's not looking great. I do have an offer to study BioMed though at a redbrick and hopefully go on and do GEM.

I know it's really early times but I do want to apply to Cambridge for GEM. GEM is competitive enough as it is so I'm assuming I'm going to need all the prep I need to get in. So if anyone is doing GEM at the moment (or is even doing GEM at Cambridge) any advice on how to look as a strong candidate would be great!

Thanks

My advice to you is if you get at least three A's this year you might as well take a gap year and reapply for Medicine. You're much more likely to get interviews and hence an unconditional offer. All you'd have to do is prep for the interview. Meanwhile you could extra work experience/volunteering during your gap year to strengthen your personal statement.

Going through GEM is a very long process and you're much more unlikely to get a place as grad entry is much much more competitive than undergad. Hopefully it doesn't come to that though and you do get an interview and hence an offer. Best of luck.

Cheers, that's good advice. I reckon the thing that was holding me back this year was the UKCAT, but hopefully if I do better next year i should get some offers.

Don't forget there's a lot of unis that don't consider the UKCAT and focus more on GCSE's, especially Liverpool, so take that into account if you do end up reapplying. Also, even if you don't get three A's you may still have a shot at foundation courses. It's only 1 year extra but still you get the same degree at the end of it all. Just some food for thought.

You see my GCSE grades aren't amazing - they're just good. Therefore, I was trying to use the UKCAT this year to compensate but it got a bit mucked up. But I didn't know about the foundation year course with med! Which Uni's do that??

Nottingham, Southampton, Kings College London (who also allow you to retake exams when applying to the EMDP programme) and generally a few others who I've forgotten but it wouldn't hurt to do some research.

I also know that Liverpool and Lancaster allow retakes so it's not all gloom and doom as there are about 6/7 or so unis which would provide you with an alternative option, all respectable unis too but doing Medicine is an achievement anyway regardless of where you apply to.

I personally have reapplied to KCL this year with grades lower than AAA and I've got an interview in March, so yeah hopefully I can ace the interview and get an offer.

Wow, much impress. Well, I guess I may do that...Good luck with you interview, mate!

I don't know if this board is still active but I applied to the GEM course at Cambridge for 2015 entry. I am on the waiting list.... Not sure how to feel about this but it means I was a relatively strong applicant.
I've had little luck this year elsewhere so I am happy Cambridge are considering me. It's a good uni to apply to if your not amazing at the medical school exams.

I did Bsc Biology and I got a 1st.
To be honest the only thing I would suggest is to work hard for the medical entry exams. I know Cambridge GEM does not require any and I think this is one of the reasons I got so far with them.
I did not revise hard enough for the exams and therefore did not get interviews at two of the medical schools I applied to.
Academically and work experience wise I think I tick the boxes.
Obviously when you can get as much experience as you can. I shadowed 3 different doctors for 2 weeks, worked for a charity for 4 months and since graduating I have been working in a hospital for 8 months.
Message me privately if you want any more advice, I would be happy to help!