Official Thread: Graduate Entry Medicine 2022 Entry

So far, I’m interested in applying to Birmingham for gem. I’m also considering applying for the 5yr med course, anyone else? Would that put me at a disadvantage?

I’ve seen posts saying that people are preparing and booking places for GAMSAT this year? Does it need to be done this early for 2021 applicants? Can a score received this year be used for 2022 entry? (If it can, I might try and get mine done early!)

Have a look at Birmingham's scoring system for GEM - they heavily weight achieved degrees, with a pretty strong preference for 1sts, and also put a lot of value on full time work exp (I.e. not alongside a degree), so it may not be a good choice for you (unless you're final year now, and if you are close to a 1st that would help). I don't know about the 5 year course though. You'd be good for most other GEM courses (except QMUL) depending on your entrance exam scores tho.

The 2020 Sept GAMSAT sitting can be used for 2021 (last sitting valid for this) or 2022 entry, so yes and yes to your questions on that.

Hi Guys,
I am currently finishing first year adult nursing and I want to apply to Medicine (I did initially apply to it but I didn't get in so the only other route I could take is doing adult nursing since my grades were not good enough for another course)
I got:
Biology C
Chemistry D
Maths E

I am getting 2:1's in my assignments currently, does anybody know of universities that don't look at A-Levels?
I have a list but just looking for any that have missed, really want to do medicine.
I am aware that perhaps nursing was not the best premed route but I didn't have any other option.

Thanks in advance

Hello! Please excuse how naive my post is going to be :/ I am hoping to apply for medicine for 2022 entry and had a few questions. I graduated in 2016 with a First in English and did a master's in 2018. I did Biology AS-Level, but that's the limit of my scientific qualifications. I believe that the universities I can apply to without the relevant A Levels are Swansea, St George's, Warwick, Southampton and Newcastle.Would be very grateful for advice on any of the following:

1. Would it be better to sink the ££ and time into getting Chemistry and Biology A-Levels in order to broaden the number of Universities I can apply to?

2. I was due to start volunteering at a mental health centre before lockdown hit. I might be able to plead for some work experience before applications are due in September, but I wouldn't be able to evidence longterm commitment to medicine. I could just about squeeze in the UCAT and the GAMSAT, so two questions: 1) Without a science background, do I have enough time to revise for both tests between now and September?! How have people without science/maths found the tests 2) Would it be better to send in an application as a test year, or should I wait for 2021, when I will hopefully have built up some experience etc.? I'm conscious that time is passing!

3. Grateful for any wisdom from non-science grads on the impossibility or possibility of this dream!

Thank you.

Hi Everyone!

Total newbie here but I just wanted to try and get some general advice. I think I'm even further ahead in my mental planning as I will be looking to apply after 2022 I think given my current situation
In a nutshell about me - I have an integrated masters in Physics and I'm currently studying towards a PhD in Physics (just coming towards the end of my first year). I'm 30 and so I'm heading into a third life crisis Fully plan on making the most of it!

In the future, I know that I want to apply to study medicine (I should have done it years ago but obviously younger me had other plans!). I have worked full-time in nursing care for 18 months so I do have a lot of hand-on experience that I will continue with until I have finished my PhD. I also plan on getting an A-level in chemistry that I've been sneakily studying on the side as I don't have A-levels. I did a foundation year for my degree that are A-level equivalent to Maths, Further Maths and Physics and I've been told by Oxford and Cambridge so far that they will accept this as A level equivalent. I think I emailed them to be ambitious/curious, but I'm really interested in looking through what each medical school has to offer and if there are any personal preferences.

Anyway....my main question(s) is where on earth do you start?! How did everyone pick which (4) universities to apply to? Just looking for any bits of advice big or small that people could throw my way, and any personal experiences that people could draw on. I think it will be a case of getting some kind of spreadsheet going and trawling through the entry requirements as well as personal preferences. I am still unsure as to whether I should focus on graduate entry medicine or a combination of applying for both grad and standard courses - does anyone have any experience with this? I think overall I'm just hoping to hear anything from anyone with a similar experience !

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice x

Hi, I’m also applying for medicine for 2022 entry as a graduate!

I’m by no means an expert etc., but I’ll let you know what my plan is (so far)!

I have no idea what you can do about A Levels however, as I already have them.

I’m planning on sitting the GAMSAT in March 2021. I’ve just started (lightly) preparing and I think September feels far too close. Plus, it’s a lot of money so I want to get it right first time! I also plan on sitting ucat in September 2021, and so my two entrance exams are spread out a bit. Idk about you, but for me, preparing for two exams now for September would not go well😂

As for work experience, I’d just try and get what, and as much as, you can. A few places are doing virtual work experience - this might be easier to get hold of(?). If you’re applying in 2021, you have a while to build up work experience. I’ve just got a job as a hca and volunteer in a hospital.

I think it’s definitely possible to do if you’re not a science grad!! Check out Instagram - there are a lot of med students and gem applicants giving advice and documenting their journey. It’s helped me a lot so far! @juliathemedic is a music grad who’s been offered a place to study med at Warwick in September. Lots of people seem to have to apply more than once - so don’t lose hope if you don’t get in first time!

This is so helpful, thank you! Looked up @juliathemedic and she seems to have a lot of good advice. Can I ask, with your HCA job, whether you needed a lot of experience to get it? Thank you!

Yeah, I got onto A100! For A101, you need to score at least 700 average most years afaik, in addition to having a first class degree for a good chance at interview. With your score for last year, as long as you were predicted/ achieved a first you would have likely got an interview. I don't know what your degree classification is, but for GEM, Barts seldom accept students with a 2:1, unless they have a UCAT of around 825-850 average, which you can see via the various Freedom of Information requests online. For graduates applying to A100, I do not think much is known about what degree classification and UCAT score is needed for an interview, but I would assume if there are not many students with a first class applying, they may allow students with a 2:1 to get an interview if their UCAT score is good enough.

Hi David, thanks for your helpful info
How important do you reckon research experience is to QMUL? Asking as all the people that i have come across that have offers for QMUL medicine as a graduate have either a year out working as HCA or have a sandwich degree with 1 yr of research. I will be applying next year for A101 and will bring a 1st (predicted as ive just finished 1st year) and (hopefully) good UCAT score, do you reckon my lack of HCA work or research experience will hinder my chances of getting an offer? It sounds like you also have plenty of research and HCA work before you received an offer. thanks in advance

Hi there,

It's hard to say, as it's not widely known how exactly Barts assess degree classification in the 50% weighting, or if they check whether candidates have research or healthcare experience before interview. The only time I can be certain research experience will benefit your application if you use it correctly, is when you have a chance to talk about it at an interview. I really appreciated my research experience for academic/ personal reasons, so I would recommend you get involved in any case!

I assume you've just finished your second year, so I would suggest keeping your head down and studying well in your final year (to make sure you get that first). That's the most important thing, as you can always take a gap year and reapply or change career paths with a good degree. Work experience is important only at the interview for the majority of medical schools (Warwick and Birmingham GEM are notable exceptions). However, if you can manage it (obviously difficult due to Coronavirus), I would recommend at least two relevant work experiences (part-time/ bank HCA/ shadowing experience/ research assistant etc) before you submit your UCAS application this year for 2021 entry. It's really important to get two "hands on" work experience, not only because it will ensure you meet the work experience requirements of pretty much all med schools (particularly Warwick), but to also make sure you have a realistic view of what it's like to work as a doctor. Bank HCA or clinical support worker roles are probably the best for this sort of thing as a student/ on a gap year, but if you can't get experience, you'd need to just have excellent examples of transferrable skills that you've reflected on if you get an interview!

I hope this helps, good luck!

Thanks soooo much. Ive just finished 1st year (so still have some time before my 2021 application), i will take your advice on board! Thank you once again

Sorry, I wasn't sure if I misunderstood you, but students can only apply to medicine if they're in final year or have achieved their degree. There are extremely few medical schools that except transfers (if any, as there is very little data that I know of), so are you sure you don't mean 2022?

Hey,
Yep, im applying in 2021 for 2022 entry. Just been following along with this thread of the 2020 cycle because its quite useful.