Graduate Entry Medicine 2017

They keep saying they've yet to receive a reference from a referee and I keep giving them the contact details but then they say in a couple of weeks that they're still waiting for a reference and I've asked my referee and he says he hasn't been contacted about references at all.

Should I just apply to volunteer at a different hospital?

Perhaps you could forward the email address of your contact at voluntary services to your referee so they can send the reference on now rather than waiting for a request. It may be the same at a different hospital so rather than risk another few empty months of waiting just get super proactive with the process you already started. Also contact OH by email to see what they need from you. The other option would be to go in and speak to the team in person which would cut down on time waiting for emails that might get forgotten about for a while.

Good luck with your volunteering, it's a shame it isn't smooth running but it will pay off in the long run.

Would it be okay to forward the email on so my referee can send the reference quickly? He's going abroad soon too so after next week he won't be able to send a reference for another month. Or should I email the lady first and let her know I'll forward the email convo to my referee so he can send a reference? just so she knows and isn't confused or anything.

Thanks. I'll find the contact info for Occupational health.

Some universities have decided to stop offering GEM because they don't feel they can cover the syllabus in the shorter time frame. At present (with F1 being under provisional registration) GEM courses still fit within the guidelines set by the EU. Should full registration move to graduation rather than after F1 it may be that 4 year GEM courses have to be replaced with 5 year courses. Whether or not the funding is adjusted to accommodate this no one knows.

Also with the financial pressures universities are under- better to get 5 or 6 normal years of funding out of a student than 4 with an intensive, longer first year that costs more to provide than a standard first year. I really hope it continues to be an option as it is an amazing way to widen participation.

Does that mean you do 5 years of med school and then you do FY1 and FY2? Would they not be able to incorporate FY1 into the 5 year program so you go straight into FY2?

Drop your contact an email explaining that your referee hasn't heard from the service and is due to leave the country shortly. Also say that you hope that it is okay to forward on the contact details so that your application process isn't drawn out longer than it has to be. So long as you come across as enthusiastic and dedicated and not impatient or critical I am sure that it would be fine.

Sadly a lot of hospital administrative services are really overstretched. Whilst volunteers are an important part of providing a good, cost-effective service sometimes it can be quite a challenge to get volunteers in, screened and trained. Just stick with it, there can be big waiting lists for voluntary positions so it it's great that they are interested in you and what you can bring to the service.

Hey everyone! Does anyone have any friends who have applied this year and got in/not got in!? I am currently studying in my 3rd year at UCL studying Molecular Biology with predicted 1st/2.1 and am hoping to apply next year. Currently freaking out a little as some of our top students haven't got in to GEM. From any friends you know who have got in have any of you seen particular aspects of their application that really made them stand out (maybe in terms of work experience/personality). Sorry for the freakout post, need some hope

Does anyone know with the universities that require a specific number of hours such as Warwick, in what capacity they want the hours?

Would a mixture of work experience and volunteering count or do they want 70 hours at a specific place i.e. 70 hours volunteering in a hospital? It isn't clear on the website.

Hey! I've been reading through the comments to see if there's anyone in a similar position - Medicine was always an option for me but ended up changing my mind in year 12 and did Accounting and Finance at university whilst being sponsored by one of the big 4 and just ended up getting stuck into the job. I'm now a fully qualified Chartered Accountant for one of the big 4. I've been working for 3 years and in a really good job but I'm not really happy...I always keep thinking about having done medicine instead!

I'm currently still working but seriously considering starting my application for GEM 2017!

Are you still working in your Finance job? Are you planning to continue your job and do the medicine application on the side?

Feels like almost everyone on here has YEARS worth of full time paid experience with patients 😫 How are weekly volunteers supposed to compete!


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It's more about how you're reflected on what you've experienced. Not how much you've experienced. Plenty of people who've only been weekly volunteers have been accepted onto GEM courses.

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Hey I am a qualified mental health nurse with 3 years' experience of mental health nursing under my belt. I am sticking to applying to the universitities which require ukcat as I don't think I would I would have the time to study for gamsat as well as preparing for ukcat as well as working a 37.5 hour week. Am strongly leaning to towards Newcastle and Warwick those would be my ideal choices but looking at Birmingham and Southampton. I must add that whilst I have a BSc in health sciences and an MA in Nursing I don't have A levels and I achieved very average GCSEs. I didn't even make a C in Science. So I do think I am still at a disadvantage.

I am staying positive because I am quite confident in my clinical skills and knowledge my ability to work with people from all walks of life and I am hoping to emphasise this in my application.
My preparation will involve a lot of reading over the next few months, especially with the ukcat. I also want to get to grips with the MMI and write a good personal statement where I can show that I am an apt health practitioner.

Saying all this it is scary but I have a passion for healthcare and for medicine so I am going to put my all into my application over the next year.