Graduate Entry Medicine 2017

Hi everyone!

I need some advice - I graduated last year with a BSc Biotechnology so I've had a year of various types of work experience since then, but I'm concerned that I don't have enough experience in a healthcare setting.

I've spent 3 months volunteering in Nicaragua living in a poverty stricken community, mostly helping individuals with business plans, but I also initiated a project there to raise awareness of the health implications of burning rubbish. I also have three months experience working in PR for various health organisations, which was very interesting and I got a lot of insight into the NHS. I have also been editing scientific medical papers on a freelance basis since December last year and I have also started volunteering with a charity for blind people last month one day a week, where I mostly help out at a lunch club, assisting people in moving around, chatting with them and serving food.

I'm not sure what sort of experience I should be looking for now. I have an additional dilemma because I'm actually supposed to be spending next year in Spain from October working as a language assistant, but I'm not sure how this would come across on my application - obviously language skills and experience working with kids would be beneficial, but with my lack of experience in a healthcare setting, I'm not too sure.

Sorry for the essay! Any advice would be really appreciated!

Hello guys,

I've graduated in Biomedical Science and I've been working as a Scientist in an NHS hospital for a year now. Before that I was an MLA at a NHS hospital for 6 months.

I have some patient contact and work closely with phlebotomy. I have a family and it's my full-time job. Does anyone know if this experience will be enough for GEM or will universities be expecting I do more clinical based experience?

Hiya all, just finished my Bsc in Biomedical Science (1st) and also snagged the President's Prize for best student as well. Been volunteering in a major hospital for 2 years now weekly on various wards including Neurosurgery and Renal Dialysis, and just got a job that should start anytime now as a bank HCA at another major hospital across town across all of the wards and some community shifts as well. Gonna try and kiss up to a few JD's or consultants after a few weeks on the job and see if I can't come in on a day off here and there and just... Follow them like a smell. That'll tick of shadowing experience within a clinical setting and should overall give me a good range of experience. Struggled to get any GP shadowing due to all the red tape 😫

Sitting the GAMSAT in September with the intention of getting into Notts almost solely, but also applying for SGUL and Swansea. Looking forward to what the next 9 months bring!

Except for GAMSAT. Nobody looks forward to sitting the damn GAMSAT 😂


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I really wouldn't bother with the shadowing, as long you have some form of care I the clinic setting that'll be enough. As it is more quality of the experience over quantity.
Notts said you don't need it at the open day, Swansea definitely don't want it and from what I remember SGUL didn't want any (but I won't be applying there due to their awful awful interview style).

Guys

I've done so much research but I still can't decide between one of these three:

1. Take a gap year
2. Study biomedical science and apply for GEM
3. Study Medicine in Europe

Can someone tell me, are all medical degrees regardless of where you've studied treated equal when applying for a job?

For example, ofcourse Cambridge is excellent, but would a medical degree from Cambridge be taken as equal consideration as someone's degree from somewhere like Pleven or Sofia Medical school? (provided other factors are the same)

Hey! I took a gap year and it was the best year of my life so would always recommend it. In terms of biomed science followed by GEM it's a HUGE commitment. A three/four year degree in something that may be 'second-best' to you is tough but if you're passionate enough then go for it! I'm studying medical science at Leeds and absolutely loving it after moping about the entire summer before that I wasn't going to be studying medicine. Tbh I'm glad the way it's worked out for me, I've loved the content of the course and I've had more time to get involved in societies and volunteering, but maybe I'm just lucky

In terms of applying for medicine in Europe I've had a look but it never really appealed to me, I've had my heart set on studying in the UK so I'm afraid I can't really help you there. If you plan an awesome gap year and rebuild your application I promise you won't regret it even if you don't get in (I can speak from experience )

All of this is my opinion though so have a think all the best x

Hiya all, just finished my Bsc in Biomedical Science (1st) and also snagged the President's Prize for best student as well. Been volunteering in a major hospital for 2 years now weekly on various wards including Neurosurgery and Renal Dialysis, and just got a job that should start anytime now as a bank HCA at another major hospital across town across all of the wards and some community shifts as well. Gonna try and kiss up to a few JD's or consultants after a few weeks on the job and see if I can't come in on a day off here and there and just... Follow them like a smell. That'll tick of shadowing experience within a clinical setting and should overall give me a good range of experience. Struggled to get any GP shadowing due to all the red tape 😫

Sitting the GAMSAT in September with the intention of getting into Notts almost solely, but also applying for SGUL and Swansea. Looking forward to what the next 9 months bring!

Except for GAMSAT. Nobody looks forward to sitting the damn GAMSAT 😂


Posted from TSR Mobile

Hey Everyone,*

Need some help, as always!

Do i need to have the 70hrs work experience before October if I am to apply to Warwick Medical School?

Because if I have understood correctly, Warwick do not look at your personal statement, which means you are called for an interview entirely based on your UKCAT score. Then if you are successful and will be called for the selection process/interview it is at that point we are asked to provide work experience details.

Have i understood this right?

Thanks guys! :-)**

I'd definitely advise you to find some hands on healthcare experience. HCA work in a hospital, a carer in a nursing home/hospice, a support worker supporting those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Many of these jobs are available full or part-time and with hospitals you have the option to do bank work which is great for flexibility if you have other commitments.

Your experiences are broad and it will be good to showcase this variety and that you have pushed yourself out of your comfort zone to work abroad. However, without any hands on experience I think your application would suffer a lot I'm afraid.

Hey Everyone,*

Need some help, as always!

Do i need to have the 70hrs work experience before October if I am to apply to Warwick Medical School?

Because if I have understood correctly, Warwick do not look at your personal statement, which means you are called for an interview entirely based on your UKCAT score. Then if you are successful and will be called for the selection process/interview it is at that point we are asked to provide work experience details.

Have i understood this right?

Thanks guys! :-)**

Thanks so much for your response. The volunteer work I'm doing with blind people is actually in a care home setting, but yeah I see what you're saying - I'm sure I will be up against applicants with a lot more relevant experience.

Do you reckon I would be eligible for HCA jobs etc with my experience?

I thought they sent the form after you applied and before giving out interviews?


I still haven't started my HCA job. I've only just found out that the hospital didn't send me the required pre-employment forms and that they've been waiting over a month for my former manager to provide a reference and he still hasn't done it so now I've got to turn up at my former workplace to speak to him again. I wouldn't have a problem with him if he hadn't been such a bully when I was working. I think I'm going to have to maybe apply next year because it doesn't look like I'm going to get the relevant experience before October because the only experience I have is as a ward volunteer.

They ask for work experience info between the application closing date and interview. At least that's what was said at the open day.

Thanks so much for your response. The volunteer work I'm doing with blind people is actually in a care home setting, but yeah I see what you're saying - I'm sure I will be up against applicants with a lot more relevant experience.

Do you reckon I would be eligible for HCA jobs etc with my experience?