How hard would it be to get into Grad medicine?

OP

Original post by hungrysalamander

Graduate entry medicine will always be more competitive than standard entry. A lot of it also comes down to your UCAT/GAMSAT scores and you will need to check whether medical schools will accept non-stem degrees.

Hi, thanks for you response

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Incidentaloma

It would be possible, but difficult. A lot would depend on your UCAT/GAMSAT score, as @hungrysalamander said. Many GEM courses still require particular A-levels. Going from engineering to law to medicine would also raise questions about your motivation, so you'd need a bit of relevant experience (care work, shadowing, etc.) if you haven't got any already.

hi , thanks for the response

Reply 5

OP

Hi thanks for the response ,

Would you say it would be basically impossible to get in without doing A levels with my academics? I have some shadowing work experiance but thats about it . I also woulnd't mind sitting the tests that the users above has stated about.

Reply 6

OP

So realistically , I have very little chance. Lol this has been quite eye opening.

I would think my exceptional law degree would allow me to walk into any GEM course but it seems i was very naive.Thanks for taking the time to write this up aswell.

Reply 7

Democracy

20

Original post by GlueSniffer

So realistically , I have very little chance. Lol this has been quite eye opening.

I would think my exceptional law degree would allow me to walk into any GEM course but it seems i was very naive.Thanks for taking the time to write this up aswell.

Well, perhaps not walk into it but such a concept does not exist in medical school admissions, even for students with all A*s.

However, with a few adjustments you might still stand a reasonable chance.

Is it worth resitting maths and/or English language? You have clearly managed to motivate yourself into getting a high first in law, maybe you could do the same with a few of your GCSEs?

The list ecolier has provided gives you the minimum four choices you need (entrance exams permitting). Resitting a few of your GCSEs would expand that list further, so I wouldn't lose hope.

(GEP graduate)

Reply 8

OP

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Democracy

Well, perhaps not walk into it but such a concept does not exist in medical school admissions, even for students with all A*s.

However, with a few adjustments you might still stand a reasonable chance.

Is it worth resitting maths and/or English language? You have clearly managed to motivate yourself into getting a high first in law, maybe you could do the same with a few of your GCSEs?

The list ecolier has provided gives you the minimum four choices you need (entrance exams permitting). Resitting a few of your GCSEs would expand that list further, so I wouldn't lose hope.

(GEP graduate)

Okay thanks for taking the time to write this,

Can I ask though , what would be the point in doing my english GCSE's again when I did very good in a writing-style degree(law)?

Reply 9

artful_lounger

21

Original post by GlueSniffer

Okay thanks for taking the time to write this,

Can I ask though , what would be the point in doing my english GCSE's again when I did very good in a writing-style degree(law)?

Because GCSEs are often used as minimum requirements for degrees (including GEM), and so they are a necessary condition for entry into the course. If you don't have it, you just don't get progressed - and they have enough applicants they have no reason to try and equivocate with your degree.

In general GCSE Maths and English are also used as a standard literacy/numeracy target by the government and hence by many universities and employers. So you may want to look into retaking those even if you don't plan to apply to GEM, as a lot of jobs might well require that anyway.

Reply 10

OP

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by artful_lounger

Because GCSEs are often used as minimum requirements for degrees (including GEM), and so they are a necessary condition for entry into the course. If you don't have it, you just don't get progressed - and they have enough applicants they have no reason to try and equivocate with your degree.

In general GCSE Maths and English are also used as a standard literacy/numeracy target by the government and hence by many universities and employers. So you may want to look into retaking those even if you don't plan to apply to GEM, as a lot of jobs might well require that anyway.

Thanks for the response ,

Apparently it takes 12-18 months to get exam ready for GCSE's . that seems like awful long time for something I did like 6 years ago lol

Reply 11

artful_lounger

21

Original post by GlueSniffer

Thanks for the response ,

Apparently it takes 12-18 months to get exam ready for GCSE's . that seems like awful long time for something I did like 6 years ago lol

I doubt it would take that long for a grad, for English language you probably could just take a few weeks to prepare by looking over past papers, the assessment objectives/criteria and using your general academic skills based on your prior study. For maths it may take a bit longer depending on when you last did any maths but in principle the same approach would apply (if you haven't done any maths in a long time it may be worth getting a tutor for it though).

Bear in mind a C equivalent grade is not a huge ask - and since these are usually minimum requirements, unless they otherwise score GCSEs (and obviously you want to avoid those medical schools anyway), provided you meet the minimum grade it doesn't matter what grade you actually got, so having an A* wouldn't be any better than having a C. You could probably prepare in time for this summer's GCSE sitting. The harder part might be finding an exam centre and making the necessary arrangements to sit the actual exam in the first place.

In any case, however long it takes it's probably a minimum requirement you need for most jobs outside medicine, and evidently would be advisable to do for medicine as well. So just do it anyway; you can't change what happened in the past so you can just now remedy that by retaking it (however many times may be necessary). It's a tick box so just, do what you need to do in order to tick it.

Reply 12

medicphd

13

Original post by GlueSniffer

So realistically , I have very little chance. Lol this has been quite eye opening.

I would think my exceptional law degree would allow me to walk into any GEM course but it seems i was very naive.Thanks for taking the time to write this up aswell.

Hi there, just to reiterate what a lot of people have said already - medical schools have so many highly qualified people that they make no exceptions. They set a minimum requirement and anyone who doesn't meet this gets automatically rejected. Even if you've shown your academic prowess elsewhere.

As an example, I am currently doing a PhD within the medical sciences at a top uni and I have an MSc in genetics, however because of my undergrad degree (2:2), there are only 5 unis I can apply to.

But if it's something you really want to do, there are ways to be able to do it!

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 13

L-K

15

Original post by medicphd

Hi there, just to reiterate what a lot of people have said already - medical schools have so many highly qualified people that they make no exceptions. They set a minimum requirement and anyone who doesn't meet this gets automatically rejected. Even if you've shown your academic prowess elsewhere.

As an example, I am currently doing a PhD within the medical sciences at a top uni and I have an MSc in genetics, however because of my undergrad degree (2:2), there are only 5 unis I can apply to.

But if it's something you really want to do, there are ways to be able to do it!

Yes I definitely agree with this. I have a degree in biochemistry (2.1) and was considering GEM but as my a level grades were only BBC (I was really lazy) I was hugely restricted on which universities I could apply for, despite the fact that at that time I was going to apply I was actually teaching A level Chemistry and Biology to A* level.
Universities don't care about the exceptions, they get so many applicants that they need these cut offs!

Reply 14

Democracy

20

Original post by GlueSniffer

Okay thanks for taking the time to write this,

Can I ask though , what would be the point in doing my english GCSE's again when I did very good in a writing-style degree(law)?

I can see where you're coming from but the rule with medical admissions is take it or leave it :tongue:

But if you didn't want to do it you've still got four choices.

Reply 15

harrysbar

21

Original post by GlueSniffer

Okay thanks for taking the time to write this,

Can I ask though , what would be the point in doing my english GCSE's again when I did very good in a writing-style degree(law)?

Tbh you might have got your Law degree at a very poor uni. GCSEs are a more standardised way of assessing a person's ability in say English compared to other people in the country taking exactly the same exam

Reply 16

For physician associate you need a bioscience or healthcare related degree to enter, so I’m assuming that wouldn’t be an option

Reply 17

Yes I think I’ve decided PA is a better option for me. I’m interested in working at a GP surgery, and not sure if it’s worth studying 9 more years to get there when I can get there in two years with pa. I could build on my knowledge on the job, and be seeing pretty much the same patients as a GP at general practice. Also I want to have a life outside medicine and open a business, which I believe pa route will allow me.

Reply 18

How do you think the pa role will develope in GP practices. As far as I’m aware GPs do not deal with complex cases at general practice, so how different do you think the role of a pa and a gp would be at general practice?

Reply 19