The Student Room Group

Staff Nurse looking to study medicine...

Hi,

I am a newly qualified staff nurse. I have always had a secret dream to become a doctor. My dad is a retired GP and some other family members are also doctors. The thing is, I had a troubled upbringing and struggled to study at school, resulting in me leaving with only a C in English GCSE. I had my daughter when I was 19 and when she was old enough I went on to study Functional Skills level 2 Maths which at the time was equivalent to a C GCSE. I then gained a teaching assistant level 2 qualification and worked in a school for a few months. Not feeling challenged enough I enrolled on to a Foundation Science Degree. I received a 60% overall grade for this which I believe is around a 2:1. I then decided to pursue a Nursing Degree. I graduated with a 1st around April and I'm currently working part-time as a staff nurse on MAU.


I still have dreams of studying medicine. But there are many things I am considering in regards to this:


1. Are the qualifications I have sufficient to apply for medical school?
2.Is it feasible, considering the fact I have my daughter to bring up on my own?
3. Is it feasible financially and how do people go about funding themselves?
4. How do I apply?

Any input from anyone would be appreciated. Thank you
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by NewlyQualifiedRN
Hi,

I am a newly qualified staff nurse. I have always had a secret dream to become a doctor. My dad is a retired GP and some other family members are also doctors. The thing is, I had a troubled upbringing and struggled to study at school, resulting in me leaving with only a C in English GCSE. I had my daughter when I was 19 and when she was old enough I went on to study Functional Skills level 2 Maths which at the time was equivalent to a C GCSE. I then gained a teaching assistant level 2 qualification and worked in a school for a few months. Not feeling challenged enough I enrolled on to a Foundation Science Degree. I received a 60% overall grade for this which I believe is around a 2:1. I then decided to pursue a Nursing Degree. I graduated with a 1st around April and I'm currently working part-time as a staff nurse on MAU.


I still have dreams of studying medicine. But there are many things I am considering in regards to this:


1. Are the qualifications I have sufficient to apply for medical school?
2.Is it feasible, considering the fact I have my daughter to bring up on my own?
3. Is it feasible financially and how do people go about funding themselves?
4. How do I apply?

Any input from anyone would be appreciated. Thank you


What research have you done so far?
Reply 2
Original post by NewlyQualifiedRN

1. Are the qualifications I have sufficient to apply for medical school?
2.Is it feasible, considering the fact I have my daughter to bring up on my own?
3. Is it feasible financially and how do people go about funding themselves?
4. How do I apply?


1. Yes, there’s a number of graduate medical courses which just require a degree for entry. Alongside appropriate entrance exam and work experience.

2. This will be the most challenging aspect imo. At Warwick our first year was incredibly intense. There is a single mother in the year above me with a young child but I don’t know what kind of support she receives.

3. There’s is help from SFE and the NHS (to get max amount you need to have proved 3 years of independent living), however I believe there is additional help for parents, especially single parents.

4. Via UCAS, you will need to have completed the necessary exams first though.
Wait what? This is an actual thing?
Original post by Volibear
What? Applying to medicine as a graduate?


As a graduate nurse.
Original post by AppleB
As a graduate nurse.


Why is this a problem?
Original post by black tea
Why is this a problem?


Please don’t assume I think it’s a problem. I’m shocked by this as I didn’t think this was possible. This is great :biggrin: it must be highly competitive though.
Original post by AppleB
Please don’t assume I think it’s a problem. I’m shocked by this as I didn’t think this was possible. This is great :biggrin: it must be highly competitive though.


Why would it be more competitive for a nurse than another graduate?
Original post by black tea
Why would it be more competitive


High volume of applicants.
Original post by NewlyQualifiedRN
Hi,

I am a newly qualified staff nurse. I have always had a secret dream to become a doctor. My dad is a retired GP and some other family members are also doctors. The thing is, I had a troubled upbringing and struggled to study at school, resulting in me leaving with only a C in English GCSE. I had my daughter when I was 19 and when she was old enough I went on to study Functional Skills level 2 Maths which at the time was equivalent to a C GCSE. I then gained a teaching assistant level 2 qualification and worked in a school for a few months. Not feeling challenged enough I enrolled on to a Foundation Science Degree. I received a 60% overall grade for this which I believe is around a 2:1. I then decided to pursue a Nursing Degree. I graduated with a 1st around April and I'm currently working part-time as a staff nurse on MAU.


I still have dreams of studying medicine. But there are many things I am considering in regards to this:


1. Are the qualifications I have sufficient to apply for medical school?
2.Is it feasible, considering the fact I have my daughter to bring up on my own?
3. Is it feasible financially and how do people go about funding themselves?
4. How do I apply?

Any input from anyone would be appreciated. Thank you


1. You got a 1st in nursing which should be enough for you to apply to most graduate entry medicine schools in the UK, provided you also meet the GCSE, A-level and admissions tests scores and requirements

2. This will be the most challenging aspect; it's not something I can advise on personally but I know you get extra money from SFE if you have a dependent.

3. You'll need about £3600 (can't remember the exact figure) for a four year GEM course which you pay yourself in the first year, the rest if paid for by SFE. In subsequent years the NHS picks up the tab. You may be entitled to Maintenance Loan and part time work in the first two years may be an option. In subsequent years it may be very difficult to work though

4. You will need to apply through UCAS as you would any other course before the 15th October cut off date (which is for medicine and Oxbridge applications)
Original post by AppleB
High volume of applicants.


Competion is the same regardless of what degree you studied.
Thank you to those of you who replied, you have been very helpful :smile:
Original post by ConfusedGEM
Competion is the same regardless of what degree you studied.


https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/graduate-entry-medicine/


What am I supposed to be looking at? It doesn't say anywhere that applying as a graduate nurse means you're up against more competition.
Why are a few of you trying to bait an argument where there isn’t one? Nobody is claiming GEM is more or less competitive for a nurse.
Original post by Etomidate
Why are a few of you trying to bait an argument where there isn’t one? Nobody is claiming GEM is more or less competitive for a nurse.


Thank you :smile:
Original post by AppleB
Wait what? This is an actual thing?


Very much so. Not nearly as common as biomed etc but it does happen
Original post by ForestCat
Very much so. Not nearly as common as biomed etc but it does happen


Okay thank you :biggrin:

Quick Reply

Latest