Graduate Entry Medicine 2017

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I have taken Chemistry A-level and Biology AS in London as an external candidate, and I will be starting GEM in a month. So happy to answer questions on the logistics of A-levels.

Hi! Thanks for replying, did you do the alevels whilst at uni or not? If you don't mind, which medical school will you be going to? ☺️

Reply 1201

eemooz

Hello everyone, I'm new on this thread, but could do with some advice :smile:

I did my UKCAT a few days ago, and got an average of 716.7 with the following for each section:
VR: 600
QR: 850
AR:700
Band 1.

What universities would be the best options for me? I am ideally looking at graduate unis, as I don't really have 36k laying about, but could look into some undergraduate options if its between that or no medicine!

Thanks in advance!**

Reply 1202

nisha devi

Original post by eemooz

Hello everyone, I'm new on this thread, but could do with some advice :smile:

hey congrats.
any tips for QR?

Reply 1203

mindlesss

Original post by immaa

Which unis did you apply to and where did you get offers from, if you don't mind me asking?

Original post by georgialharper

Hi! Thanks for replying, did you do the alevels whilst at uni or not? If you don't mind, which medical school will you be going to? ☺️

I took A-levels while working, as I graduated from the uni a few years ago. I applied to Warwick, Southampton, Cambridge for GEM and Kings 5-year (I have a non-science degree, so was not eligible for their 4-year course). Going to Cambridge wohoo. I also had an offer from Kings.

Reply 1204

map1989

Original post by mindlesss

Wow! Congrats! Any advice for getting into Cambridge? Do they have any special requirements?

Was the Kings course the undergraduate course? And what was your UKCAT score? Thanks

Reply 1205

mindlesss

Original post by map1989

Wow! Congrats! Any advice for getting into Cambridge? Do they have any special requirements?

Was the Kings course the undergraduate course? And what was your UKCAT score? Thanks

Kings was undergraduate, yes. My UKCAT was 775, but keep in mind I took it in the previous year as well, and it definitely helped to secure a good score.

Cambridge has quite a lot of specific requirements - you have to have three science A-levels or AS, including full Chemistry A-level at grade A (or you have to plan to take them in the year prior to the start of the course). They are saying that to be competitive you would have AAA (although they don't seem to mind if people retake a few modules, unlike for the undergraduate degree).
You also need another reference in addition to the UCAS reference, and you have to submit an additional application form which can be found on their website. Having a varied healthcare experience would definitely help, both for the additional application form and for the interviews.

As for any school - make sure you look at their website in detail, as all the requirements are listed there (and they can change from year to year, so don't only rely on the forums for info!)

Also, in my experience, Cambridge has a FANTASTIC team of admissions tutors who are very willing to answer any questions (there is a thread here on TCR where a Lucy Cavendish tutor is answering mature students' questions). If you are unsure whether you satisfy some particular requirement - I would recommend emailing or messaging an admissions tutor and asking.

Reply 1206

Bovla

Does anyone know when the ukcat deciles get published?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1207

Quilverine

Original post by Bovla

Does anyone know when the ukcat deciles get published?

I think it was very late in October last year. Well after the UCAS deadline anyway but it means you don't get interview invites until November at the earliest for UKCAT unis.

Reply 1208

mindlesss

Original post by Bovla

Does anyone know when the ukcat deciles get published?

This is what the UKCAT website says: UKCAT will issue interim score statistics in late-September 2016 and final test statistics in early October 2016. If following testing, candidates are unsure about how they have performed in relation to other candidates they may wish to wait until they have had sight of these scores before submitting their application.

http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/about-the-test/applications/

Reply 1209

anonymouspie227

sitting ukcat iN late september!

Reply 1210

nisha devi

Hi guyss.

Any ideas where can i get online ukcat mock test? I have done medify ones? Any more ?

Thankyou

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Reply 1211

saward1988

Does anyone know where we can get hold of the Des O'Neill GAMSAT mocks these days?

Reply 1212

Humz7

Looks like I'm a little late to the party, guys, but I'm pretty interested in applying for the GEM. Just to clarify, do all uni's require the standard AAA etc. A-levels, irrespective of graduate and postgraduate degrees?

Reply 1213

Marathi

Original post by Humz7

No, some do, but there are many which don't consider your A-levels or GCSE's or whether your undergraduate degree was even science based. However if you have strong A-levels it may be preferable to apply to such a school as there will likely be less competition due to the amount of grads going into GEM because they fell short at A-level (if that makes sense!).

Reply 1214

Taekwondo Girl

I just graduated this year with a 2:1 in Biomedical Science. I was going to apply this year for 2017 entry but I feel like I need some experience under my belt and some time off to focus on some other stuff so will apply 2017 for 2018 entry. :-) goodluck to everyone!

Reply 1215

Baylo1

Hey guys,

I'm applying this year, and just got 716.7 on the UKCAT. I have AAA Bio/Chem/Maths at A-level, and a 1st in Optometry. Been working as an optometrist the last year, so tricky to get lots of work experience. I have a week in a hospital eye clinic and a day shadowing a GP, alongside my work itself.

My grades are fine, but do I have enough work experience/a high enough UKCAT for GEM? :redface:

Looking at KCL, Birmingham, Southampton and Newcastle!

Reply 1216

sean0219

Original post by Baylo1

Looking at KCL, Birmingham, Southampton and Newcastle!

Avoid KCL and Newcastle in my opinion, unless the averages drop this year. Consider Warwick and Barts instead maybe

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Reply 1217

Baylo1

Original post by sean0219

Avoid KCL and Newcastle in my opinion, unless the averages drop this year. Consider Warwick and Barts instead maybe

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I thought of the 4, Newcastle and Southampton had the highest UKCAT thresholds? ;o

EDIT: Tbf, I don't have any choice anyway, as I'm applying deferred and neither Barts nor Warick accept deferred entry.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1218

sean0219

Original post by Baylo1

Tends to be Newcastle and KCL I think. Southampton cut off is usually around what you've scored

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Reply 1219

Marathi

Not 100% sure how to tackle this one.

Finished all my MA work now and currently waiting for provisional dissertation marks in mid-September before final course marks mid-October. Need to get a reference from my MA and I haven't mentioned a single thing about medicine whilst studying aside from me working at a hospital, none of my work has been tailored towards medicine.

I am planning to meet with the course leader (who was not the original leader as she has left which is a bit of a relief) to discuss the reference and why I am planning to go into medicine and that I need my final marks to be sent to Warwick prior to the UCAS deadline. At this time I am worried about the questions and whether this will have irked anyone as I have kept all this to myself despite me only pursuing this MA to help with my GEM plans. Perhaps its just me feeling a bit guilty for keeping the truth from my tutors over the year but I have a feeling that they may be displeased. Due to this I plan to meet with the course leader after the provisional dissertation marks have been released and I will tell him that around Easter time, having had some experience as to what working at a hospital is like, I decided I wanted to pursue medicine but felt that I was too far into the course to start changing my dissertation, etc. and that the MA would help benefit me in my application.

I'm probably just being paranoid, and they probably don't care what I'll go onto do after I leave unless it was a PhD at the same uni ha! But do people feel that this is a good plan of action?