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Biochemistry to grad entry medicine? Or gap year and then straight into medicine?

Hi I really need some help on deciding the next 6-7years of my life :biggrin:

I really want to do medicine but did not have the grades this year to apply. However I did apply for biochemistry; have offers at Nottingham, Southampton, East Anglia, Sussex and an interview at Essex. Btw am doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths A-level. So I now have two options.

I can take a gap year and reapply to medicine next year and I will definitely get the grades! :smile:

In this gap year I plan to travel about 3/4 months, volunteer in Africa for about a month, work as heath and social care assistant, and do an intensive six months physic a-level (already done AS). Plus get some hopefully get some work experience hospitals etc. I already have one and have been volunteering at an old people’s home and at a scouts group for the past 6 months. So I have a lot so things that I think will look good on my ps just need to get the grades now. Sadly most of my friends will be going to uni so... some will also take gap year. But when I go to uni I almost everyone will be younger me. I no its stupid but it the though feels odd; since in 13 year of school life been with ppl my age+! Then again can make new friends and have old ones =) So do I care :tongue:

? (7 years)

Or I go into university and then do biochemistry and do a graduate entry in to medicine. Either way I am going to accept the offers just in case everything does not go as planned. (6 years)

Firstly cost is not a massive issue; I no that the fees are going up by ridiculously and am fine-ish with that. Secondly does doing a degree in biochem and then post grad medicine is it worth more? As in does it look better when applying for pre-clinical/clinical years and so on? And just in general what should I do?

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me!!! :biggrin:

Nabid

Reply 1

Beska

21

1. Lots of people get rejected/don't get the grades/etc. and take a gap year and reapply. You being one year older than people is really no big deal because I can guarantee that there will be other people your age and even older as many graduates also apply for the 5-year courses. Not that it really matters.

2. Graduate entry medicine (GEM) is a route many people also take. However, it is very competitive (more competitive than standard entry medicine) and takes longer. You must also ensure that you really want to do your biochemistry degree because you run the risk of not enjoying it, burning out and getting a bad classification which means you cannot apply for GEM. Technically, having an undergraduate degree under your belt is beneficial when applying for foundation year training posts however many people intercalate during their medical degree to get the same level of benefit (and do so only costing themselves 1 year time wise), so it is a so-so benefit.

Just fyi, it isn't post grad medicine; it is graduate entry medicine. It is another undergraduate degree.

Reply 2

nabid7

OP

Original post

by Beska

Thanks that really does help, I know I will enjoy biochem its just that i dnt want to work in a lab, or teach in the end.
would u no how many years it will take to do GEM after biochem? I know biochem is 3 year and for GEM I think is also 3 years but not sure if that is like that everywhere.

Thanks!

Reply 3

Beska

21

Original post

by nabid7

Thanks that really does help, I know I will enjoy biochem its just that i dnt want to work in a lab, or teach in the end.
would u no how many years it will take to do GEM after biochem? I know biochem is 3 year and for GEM I think is also 3 years but not sure if that is like that everywhere.

Thanks!

Biochem is a 3 year degree (I think some places it is 4 years if you do a sandwich year or something) and GEM is a 4 year degree. Makes the total 7 years, with the NHS paying for the final 3 years of your GEM degree. You will have to pay the first year of your GEM degree (on the higher tuition cost of up to 9k) out of your own pocket because I believe the SLC do not pay because it is classed as a second undergraduate degree.

Reply 4

goodboy4444

1

Congrats on getting those offers. :smile:

1)If you get AAA next year...take a year out and reapply.If you get rejected from all your medical schools accept your 5th offer.Do a 3 year degree and applyfor GEM(4 years) or standard course(5 years).

If you apply next year and get accepted(hopefully) it will be 6 years in total.If you do a biochemistry degree next year its going to be 3+4/5=7/8 years.Your chances are much better if you apply during your gap year becuase universities like it as it shows commitment.Good luck :biggrin:

Reply 5

nabid7

OP

Original post

by goodboy4444

I think if i get the grades gap year is looking like the best thing to do. Thanks beska and goodboy444 :smile:

Reply 6

Beska

21

Just a fyi, I am pretty sure that if you are a graduate and you go on to study on a standard 5-year course you have to pay all the fees yourself because it is classed as a second undergraduate degree. That coupled with fees going up soon to up to £9000 might make it a little expensive!

Reply 7

felt_monkey

12

Being 1 year older is nothing. This 'everyone will be younger than me' attitude is rubbish. At Soton we have ~210 in our BM5 year, and someone told me 90 are postgrad/mature. So taking all the others into account, about 40 are straight school leavers, excluding internationals. What seems to be the case is that the 18 year olds feel too young, not 19+ feel too old.

Reply 8

apotoftea

19

Original post

by Beska

Biochem is a 3 year degree (I think some places it is 4 years if you do a sandwich year or something) and GEM is a 4 year degree. Makes the total 7 years, with the NHS paying for the final 3 years of your GEM degree. You will have to pay the first year of your GEM degree (on the higher tuition cost of up to 9k) out of your own pocket because I believe the SLC do not pay because it is classed as a second undergraduate degree.

Currently, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of the GEP 4 year courses are paid for by the NHS. The student only pays the first year's fees :smile:

Reply 9

Beska

21

Original post

by apotoftea

Currently, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of the GEP 4 year courses are paid for by the NHS. The student only pays the first year's fees :smile:

That's what I said. :p:

Reply 10

apotoftea

19

Original post

by Beska

That's what I said. :p:

So you did :doh:

Reply 11

Beska

21

Original post

by apotoftea

So you did :doh:

Haha.

Reply 12

apotoftea

19

Original post

by Beska

Haha.

Reply 13

winter_mute

9

Original post

by apotoftea

Oh you kids! :biggrin:

Reply 14

annaroberts20

don't do grad entry if you don't absolutely have to. Keeping grades up at uni is tough, a lot harder than at A level so if you get the right A levels, try a gap year. But if you do end up doing grad entry, then work hard throughout your degree and get all the work experience you can!

Reply 15

ScrubZ

12

Original post

by Beska

Biochem is a 3 year degree (I think some places it is 4 years if you do a sandwich year or something) and GEM is a 4 year degree. Makes the total 7 years, with the NHS paying for the final 3 years of your GEM degree. You will have to pay the first year of your GEM degree (on the higher tuition cost of up to 9k) out of your own pocket because I believe the SLC do not pay because it is classed as a second undergraduate degree.

You can get student finance for up to four years in higher ed, wouldn't that mean they'd pay for the first year of a GEM course if you'd come out of a 3 yr degree?

Reply 16

winter_mute

9

Original post

by xy7690*

hey , i do biochem at UCL and am applying for medicine and i strongly advise against grad med.. the only reason one should do grad med is if they dont have the grades to get into undergrad med (like me).

a degree is soo much more detailed, harder, intense than alevels... i have had to work about 10 x as harder as i did on my alevels just to get a 2.1 in my degree

and yes 4 year courses are funded by NHS. but these 4 year ones are incredibly competitive,
with fees going up, these 4 year courses will become even more compeititve as more people will apply for them- ie they will require very high ukcat scores e.g for imperial, qmul, kings grad courses..or GAMSAT.

also your going to be financially worse off...but the main thing is the competition, they also expect more off graduates

so if you get the grades, take a gap year :smile:

To be honest I think as lot of people will be put off, having to stump up the 9k for the first year themselves (as it stands). This is why I'm so angry about the fee rise. I'm so lucky to be in a position where my parents can help me finance it, but I know a lot of people won't be.

Reply 17

winter_mute

9

Original post

by ScrubZ

You can get student finance for up to four years in higher ed, wouldn't that mean they'd pay for the first year of a GEM course if you'd come out of a 3 yr degree?

It has to be 4 years towards your first undergrad degree.

Reply 18

ScrubZ

12

Original post

by winter_mute

It has to be 4 years towards your first undergrad degree.

ah gutted. So they won't help finance a second degree but will help finance a masters even if it's done in a different uni to the Bsc/BA or w/e?

Reply 19

winter_mute

9

Original post

by ScrubZ

ah gutted. So they won't help finance a second degree but will help finance a masters even if it's done in a different uni to the Bsc/BA or w/e?

You can't get financing for Masters either. You can get research grants/scholarships but these are private and not from the SLC.

Biochemistry to grad entry medicine? Or gap year and then straight into medicine?

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