Graduate Entry Medicine: 2016 Entry

Original post by Absorbaloff

I'm both surprised and not surprised at how many nurses are wanting to go into medicine.

Yeah, there does seem to be a few at the moment. It's good to see.

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Reply 861

JenniB22

13

Original post by EssBee_92

Hello all,

I'm applying for GEM this year, I sat the UKCAT last week and got a score of 767.5 and I took the Irish GAMSAT in March and got 60.
I have a 2.1 in biomedical sciences and have worked as a HCA for a few months since graduating and a care assistant in a nursing home most weekends and holidays during my degree.
I think I'm definitely putting Warwick down though as one of my choices, I loved it on the open day last year so I'm hoping my UKCAT score will make up for not having a masters or a Phd. I would like to apply to Southampton and Barts too but I think I may be cutting it fine with my ukcat score, I have a total score of 3070...

Your UKCAT score would definitely have got you an interview at southampton, Warwick, and Newcastle last year, but obviously the scores come out differently across the board every year. I would say that unless the deciles change massively this year you'd be very safe applying to Southampton (don't know about barts because I didn't apply there).

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Reply 862

Absorbaloff

5

Original post by ForestCat

Yeah, there does seem to be a few at the moment. It's good to see.

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Good for nurses, but bad for the nhs. Hopefully if they see a large enough number of nurses moving into medicine then maybe changes can be made to retain the nurses who want to move away from nursing

Reply 863

Original post by judegirl

I am currently finishing my nursing undergraduate, i dont have good GCSE OR A- LEVEL. Am applying to st georges, imperial, southampton, queen mary, for graduate entry. Any advice,

I have to take all the 3 different test- not sure how i feel about it.

HELP Somebody. this is all new to me.

Are there any particular reasons why you're applying to those 4? Could you not limit yourself to just UKCAT universities or just GAMSAT? Imperial with BMAT is an interesting choice and will cost you £9000 a year as there is no GEM tuition support as it's a 5 year programme (despite being for graduates only).

Doing all three tests for the first time is going to be a big challenge. Not impossible, but I'd strongly encourage you to try and focus your options unless you have no other choice.

Original post by dougal1975

Hi,
I'm interested in applying to Warwick - for a variety of reasons but one is that it's close and I could commute to and from....
I'm a qualified nurse with degrees in Biology and Nursing and a Masters in Nursing but I am bricking it about the UKcat - I've done a prep course with BMJ which I found easy compared with the practice tests on the UKcat site which I found quite hard. My UKcat is on the 1st August and on the one hand I just want to get it done and on the other I'm feeling a bit of a chicken. It is a life changing step for me (and my family) but I do want to succeed.

Many thanks

Good luck

Have a look at Medify, it was really helpful to be able to practice in a similar format to the real exam.

Original post by EssBee_92

Hello all,

I'm applying for GEM this year, I sat the UKCAT last week and got a score of 767.5 and I took the Irish GAMSAT in March and got 60.
I have a 2.1 in biomedical sciences and have worked as a HCA for a few months since graduating and a care assistant in a nursing home most weekends and holidays during my degree.
I think I'm definitely putting Warwick down though as one of my choices, I loved it on the open day last year so I'm hoping my UKCAT score will make up for not having a masters or a Phd. I would like to apply to Southampton and Barts too but I think I may be cutting it fine with my ukcat score, I have a total score of 3070...

With a 60 in the GAMSAT I'd definitely look towards Nottingham too. 60 in most years with a 2:1 will get you an interview -- only rarely has it been a higher cutoff I believe. 767.5 should be fine for Barts but see how things play out for the rest of testing.

Original post by tw781

This UKCAT 😡😡 no matter how much I practice I still can't figure out the patterns for AR

It'll come with practice. Be systematic. I recommend looking up some of the acronym's for remembering patterns and writing that down at the start on the whiteboard. If you don't get it, flag it and come back at the end and go through the acronym on it.

Original post by PkT1991

Hi everyone,

After being a long-time lurker of this thread, I just wanted to ask, what are peoples’ opinion on the 7-day NHS reform and the reports about low morale within the NHS driving doctors out of their profession?

And do you think realistically this will affect your desire/application to wanting to pursue a career in medicine?

Surely the cliché line of wanting to help people can't solely justify your application.

Thanks,
Teki

It's definitely a problem but it's a regulatory one rather than a career-driven concern. Job satisfaction is a major part of people's lives but ultimately I've tried working in other professions and feel no happier. Medicine will be stressful and very, very hard work but it still has a lot of benefits. With added job security and pretty good remuneration for your efforts.

Original post by Absorbaloff

Good for nurses, but bad for the nhs. Hopefully if they see a large enough number of nurses moving into medicine then maybe changes can be made to retain the nurses who want to move away from nursing

I think the numbers applying are still a drop in the ocean compared to the total number of nurses coming through the system. Hardly at a critical point yet. It's an interesting trend though!

Reply 864

Absorbaloff

5

Original post by MJK91

I think the numbers applying are still a drop in the ocean compared to the total number of nurses coming through the system. Hardly at a critical point yet. It's an interesting trend though!

I think the conversion to degree's and a higher standard of applicants coming through will probably cause a large number of nurses/students to move away from nursing. There are quite a few of us 3rd years who aren't committing to nursing. Some are going into midwifery (lead practitioners for normal births, more autonomy), physiotherapy (quicker and easier to move up the ladder, more diagnostic/treating involvement in a patients physiological health) and some are even going into the physicians associate course, overall I'd say about 30 of us are not going into nursing. I did student ambassador stuff last year for new students, and sadly a few informed they wanted to go into midwifery (which isn't uncommon), or as a pre-cursor to moving abroad. I do feel like there needs to be changes in a lot of different area's of nursing to retain nurses. Medicine doesn't have this problem. Once people get into medicine, they pretty much stick to it for life.

Reply 865

Hello all,

For grad schools looking at UKCAT what are the cut off scores from last year or 2015 entry? I can't find much when I look online. Is it safe to assume that if you don't get 750+ in UKCAT you shouldn't apply for GEM UKCAT schools?

Reply 866

liam__

Original post by HCAssistant93

Hello all,

For grad schools looking at UKCAT what are the cut off scores from last year or 2015 entry? I can't find much when I look online. Is it safe to assume that if you don't get 750+ in UKCAT you shouldn't apply for GEM UKCAT schools?

Not really. Warwick's cutoff is usually around 700, Newcastle's is typically around 725, but we're at the mercy of how everyone else does (meaning the cutoff could fluctuate). If you want to be super safe, then 750+ is ideal, but a lower score doesn't necessarily mean it's game over.

Reply 867

am1992

6

Original post by HCAssistant93

Hello all,

For grad schools looking at UKCAT what are the cut off scores from last year or 2015 entry? I can't find much when I look online. Is it safe to assume that if you don't get 750+ in UKCAT you shouldn't apply for GEM UKCAT schools?

Warwick was 700. Not sure about the others. Usual qualification that scores change every year so can only be a guide etc etc.

Reply 868

Ye I figured this would be the case. I'm looking at places such as kings, queen Mary's and st barts. Does anyone know what their cut offs are like? Thanks

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Reply 869

liam__

Original post by HCAssistant93

Ye I figured this would be the case. I'm looking at places such as kings, queen Mary's and st barts. Does anyone know what their cut offs are like? Thanks

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Kings was around 725 last year, but with their change in entry requirements (science degrees only) there would logically be a smaller pool of applicants and therefore a lower cutoff score.

Don't know about the others, sorry.

Reply 870

Ahhh ok thank you. I have a 2.1 in physiology so I meet that criteria. Doing my UKCAT in 3 weeks so I'll see.

Reply 871

Chqr

Hi everyone. Did my UKCAT today and finished with an average score of 637.5 (500, 760, 610, 680). I am going into my third year of my Biomedical Science degree currently sitting on a 1st.

I totally understand that 4 year UKCAT programmes are out of reach and my A-levels - BCC (B in Chemistry, Cs in Biology and Maths) don't favour most A-level dependent 5 year courses but how risky would it be to apply to solely 5 year programmes that take the UKCAT?

Fortunately, I will have a medical interview at my existing university for their 5 year programme and this will be one of my 4 choices.

I understand that the GAMSAT is an option for the remaining three but I initially planned to focus my time in August on planning my 3rd year dissertation.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 872

Original post by Chqr

Hi everyone. Did my UKCAT today and finished with an average score of 637.5 (500, 760, 610, 680). I am going into my third year of my Biomedical Science degree currently sitting on a 1st.

I totally understand that 4 year UKCAT programmes are out of reach and my A-levels - BCC (B in Chemistry, Cs in Biology and Maths) don't favour most A-level dependent 5 year courses but how risky would it be to apply to solely 5 year programmes that take the UKCAT? I have identified Leicester, Barts and Southampton.

Fortunately, I will have a medical interview at my existing university for their 5 year programme and this will be one of my 4 choices.

I understand that the GAMSAT is an option for the remaining three but I initially planned to focus my time in August on planning my 3rd year dissertation.

I think undertaking a 5-year medical degree is a significant financial investment even if you are unsuccessful for GEM in your first application. People are known to improve significantly on multiple attempts of the UKCAT so it may be worth holding out for another year to reapply (in which case you will only have to pay £3465 or so in your first year only, rather than £9000 in tuition every year for 5-year courses).

If money is no issue then it's certainly worth applying, at least, to those courses you mentioned. Worth a shot (and it costs you little to send off an application).

But my logical advice would be to wait another year. Some of us spend many years getting into GEM (first time I sat the UKCAT I got around 600 by the way!) so 1 year out of your degree isn't a huge deal breaker for most people.

As you mention the GAMSAT is an option, especially if you're from a science background as that makes preparation easier.

Reply 873

Chqr

Original post by MJK91

I think undertaking a 5-year medical degree is a significant financial investment even if you are unsuccessful for GEM in your first application. People are known to improve significantly on multiple attempts of the UKCAT so it may be worth holding out for another year to reapply (in which case you will only have to pay £3465 or so in your first year only, rather than £9000 in tuition every year for 5-year courses).

If money is no issue then it's certainly worth applying, at least, to those courses you mentioned. Worth a shot (and it costs you little to send off an application).

But my logical advice would be to wait another year. Some of us spend many years getting into GEM (first time I sat the UKCAT I got around 600 by the way!) so 1 year out of your degree isn't a huge deal breaker for most people.

As you mention the GAMSAT is an option, especially if you're from a science background as that makes preparation easier.

For sure, it is something I have considered and I first sat the UKCAT back in 2012 as a Sixth-former and scored 610.

My back-up plan was and still is to take a Masters and have another crack at applying.

Its just, right now, whether or not I should pursue the GAMSAT.

On a side note, congratulations on your place at Warwick. I do stalk threads quite a lot and very pleased for you once you finally heard news.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 874

Original post by Chqr

For sure, it is something I have considered and I first sat the UKCAT back in 2012 as a Sixth-former and scored 610.

My back-up plan was and still is to take a Masters and have another crack at applying.

Its just, right now, whether or not I should pursue the GAMSAT.

On a side note, congratulations on your place at Warwick. I do stalk threads quite a lot and very pleased for you once you finally heard news.

I'd definitely recommend the reapplication route. What resources did you use for the UKCAT? I found Medify and the 600Q books pretty sufficient but also bought a random VR one (general, not just UKCAT) off Amazon which was quite helpful. Will have to hunt it down and let you know.

The GAMSAT is expensive, but if money isn't an issue it's a very good shot. If you do well on it the ratios for interviews are much more pleasant.

And thanks! Took a while but got there in the end :smile:

Reply 875

Grand Pepito

Hi everyone!

Just did my UKCAT and achieved
VR 580 (annoying)
QR 750
AR 750
DA 640

Overall 680

Will the universities give any indication of cut off points before we send off our applications?
I'll be sitting the GAMSAT but just not sure whether to waste any applications on a UKCAT based GEM university right now.

Reply 876

Chqr

Original post by MJK91

I'd definitely recommend the reapplication route. What resources did you use for the UKCAT? I found Medify and the 600Q books pretty sufficient but also bought a random VR one (general, not just UKCAT) off Amazon which was quite helpful. Will have to hunt it down and let you know.

The GAMSAT is expensive, but if money isn't an issue it's a very good shot. If you do well on it the ratios for interviews are much more pleasant.

And thanks! Took a while but got there in the end :smile:

Kaplan course, 600Q and Kaplan Score Higher Book. I just had a bad day doing VR and AR.

Certainly appears as if DA is a lot harder this year.

Reply 877

DA seems to be a lot harder this year and it is my best section! What's different?

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Reply 878

Probably using the confidence ratings for the first time? Best guess. Traditionally it's been the easiest section so they've probably clamped down on it haha.

Reply 879

liam__