Graduate Entry Medicine: 2016 Entry

I'd say that us, as potential graduate entry applicants we probably won't ever pay it off. I already have somewhere in the region of £30k debt anyway, that added onto another 4 years of uni...looking at maybe £60/70 in total if not more..

But it doesn't bother me, I'm already paying back my first loan at a rate of £80 ish a month, while that £80 would be nice to have its not breaking the bank and I'm not a particularly high earner at all.

Anyone else here struggling with the timing for the quantitative reasoning section of the UKCAT? I'm finding it difficult to take in all the data and then calculate the answer (using the calculator) in time. Any tips?

Anyone else here struggling with the timing for the quantitative reasoning section of the UKCAT? I'm finding it difficult to take in all the data and then calculate the answer (using the calculator) in time. Any tips?

Thanks so much for the advice. I'll try using pen and paper in combo with the calculator and flagging the ones which just look too complex off the bat. Getting a very average score on this section and it's very frustrating!

I thought it'd be my worst but it ended up being one of my strongest, so don't worry too much. Just make sure you're very very familiar with how to perform simple calculations. If you can complete everything on Bitesize with ease then you'll be fine really.

Good luck!

I saw you mentioned bitesize? You mean the BBC bitesize for maths? At GCSE level?

I'm struggling with QR and timing a lot, so I'll do anything to boost my chances!

How much do they focus on work experience for graduate entry?
I've only got 6 months at a care home (which I did back in 2013) as well as shadowing a plastic surgeon and I may be shadowing another doctor soon. Would this be enough? It's just that I know others who have way more work experience and I've struggled enough already to get the shadowing experience.
Not done the UKCAT yet, but did it a couple of years ago and got 707.5 so hopefully that will run smoothly again...
Also, I'm only being predicted a 2.1...
Cheers!

Even if you're a consultant earning £71k, you're only paying back £360 a month from a roughly £4000 per month salary. Not bad really!

I have another question, apologies...
My ultimate goal is to eventually become a surgeon. Is it a good idea to mention this in my personal statement and give reasons for why I want to be one (e.g. I play the flute and piano therefore I have good manual dexterity which is a trait surgeons need). Or should I just leave this out?

I have another question, apologies...
My ultimate goal is to eventually become a surgeon. Is it a good idea to mention this in my personal statement and give reasons for why I want to be one (e.g. I play the flute and piano therefore I have good manual dexterity which is a trait surgeons need). Or should I just leave this out?

Don't mention it... They can grill you why you want to be one. And actually without having experienced it on placement as a medical student you don't really know what it's really like and then i know people who were so keen on surgery pre-clinicals and now they aren't at all.
I never thought I'd enjoy surgery but I'm loving it and am now really considering it as a future career, now tailoring my CV a bit in medical school i.e. publications etc.
Just be open minded and don't specifically say you want to do 1 thing. Use your usic playing as an example of interests outside of medicine (as its really important! I'd go crazy if i didn't have my hobbies)

You could mention that from your previous experience you are particularly interested in exploring surgery further, it would show focus and a desire for the career of a doctor beyond medical school since medicine is a professional qualification, but I would be careful about seeming too set on one area. Part of studying medicine is about exploring the different specialties and a lot of people graduate wanting to work in a completely different specialty than they originally thought, so if you do mention it then I would try and make it clear that although at the moment you are particularly interested in surgery, you also want to explore other specialties that you haven't had a chance to experience yet. I wouldn't focus your entire personal statement around it because the degree is medicine and surgery .