Graduate Entry Medicine: 2016 Entry

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I have 6 months care work and am waiting to hear from various HCA jobs in hospitals.

Look in to working for your bank as a HCA or agencies. They usually require care work experience, 6 months in most cases. The pay is also much better.

Original post by sampowell92

Speaking of GEM in London, does anyone know if we get any extra financial assistance being students in London than we would at a uni elsewhere?

Yes, however given the changes in grants and funding for 2016 I would expect big changes, hopefully for the better.

Reply 921

tw781

Original post by Zorg

Look in to working for your bank as a HCA or agencies. They usually require care work experience, 6 months in most cases. The pay is also much better.

The bank near me isn't taking applications. There's plenty of HCA jobs near me I'm just waiting to hear from them. I got an interview for one in surgery but I was on holiday :-/ I'm so gutted as I haven't heard anything else from other HCA! I'll get one eventually :-)

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Reply 922

JenniB22

Original post by tw781

I am literally so scared that I'm not going to get between 700-800 on the UKCAT. I've finished the Kaplan book and I feel only slightly better about it. AR and Quant is still so hard for me! I have it on the 10th, and about to book Medify. I've already rescheduled, but I think I might reschedule again as I just don't feel ready. Was anyone else this close to their test still feeling uneasy about it?

I've also decided that I am only going to apply to two places (Warwick and Newcastle) this is because I feel that Southampton is just too far away and Barts I won't be able to afford to live on LDN. I know this is a risk only applying to two places, but if I don't get in then I will use the year to revise for the GAMSAT. I just hope my UKCAT will improve and will be enough for Warwick, and I have shadowed a lot of different departments, only lacking in GP shadowing! I have 6 months care work and am waiting to hear from various HCA jobs in hospitals.

I'm really starting to doubt myself whether I'm smart enough for medicine after this UKCAT is not going great. Someone please tell me I will improve once I started Medify 😩

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If you fulfil the entry requirements for Southampton and barts, it seems completely daft to me to restrict yourself to only 2 universities, given how competitive gem is!!

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Reply 923

HCAssistant93

Original post by sampowell92

600Q book definitely is a lot harder. I don't know whether the Kaplan book and Medify were that much harder than the real questions (perhaps a bit) but i've taken the test twice thinking I wouldn't do well in QR and gotten 800+..

Most of the questions in the UKCAT are one-step answers and deal with pretty simple graphs/data. Practising and getting comfortable with the calculator and number pad is key, as is sticking to the 30 second limit per question. Of course, this all comes with practise!

Isn't is 40 seconds per question for QR?

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Reply 924

Ebuwa

If anyone is interested there is an event titled 'Exploring Graduate Entry to Medicine'. BMA, Admission tutors, medical students will be present to give talks. It will take place in September in London.

www.gradsintocareers.co.uk/events/meet-employers/medicine.aspx

Reply 925

tw781

Original post by JenniB22

If you fulfil the entry requirements for Southampton and barts, it seems completely daft to me to restrict yourself to only 2 universities, given how competitive gem is!!

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I don't, I have to do chemistry A level to apply to those two. But I can't see myself ever affording to live in LDN

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Reply 926

PkT1991

Is anyone else struggling with the VR section and are there any other extra tips someone can give?

Reply 927

ali.s1002

Hi guys I'm entering my 3rd year of Biochemistry at the University of Nottingham, applying for the sept 2016 entry.

I was going to apply for medicine at first when I was doing my A-levels but I chickened out, but when I came to uni, even though I really enjoyed biochemistry and am thrilled by research, I just feel like I have to do a medical degree even if I still end up going on to doing research (but I have an aim to do clinical practice as well). I was motivated fully by seeing a lot of my friends who are in medical school... seeing what they learn is just fascinating and I feel like I won't be fulfilled without this degree!

Planning on applying to Notts (1st choice by far), Warwick, St george, and either liverpool/southampton depending which one is easier to get into...

I'm so sad about the funding rules and wish they would do funding for the 5 year course but I guess that would make it harder for the college students to get in with elevated competition with graduates haha

Reply 928

MickyVee

Original post by ali.s1002

Have you thought about Oxford? I remember reading on their website that they want their graduate entry applicants to have a large interest in research

Reply 929

Choco Chip

Hey guys, im currently studying biomed (2nd year), got 37 points in IB, 7A* and 4As at GCSE, looking to study GEM at kings, george's, possibly cambridge (??) and something else.
I feel so lost with my application, I don't know if i'm good enough or if i'm being realistic with my application at all. Like, how do i know if im good enough for GEM at cambridge? or GEM in general... because i know that its crazy competitive.
I am currently working as a phlebotomist, i've worked as a carer before, but i just dont know if all of this is good enough. how do you think i could improve my application to make it more competitive? Seriously guys i feel at a loss here and i dont want to take a gap year when i finish my degree....

Reply 930

Brachioradialis

Original post by Choco Chip

Any particular reason for those schools? It's a difficult set to apply to. By all means go for it if you have good reasons but most of those schools have high entry requirements in terms of admissions scores or grades/research/life experience (Cambridge are fussy). You'd also have to do both the UKCAT and the GAMSAT for Kings and St Georges respectively. There are also not a huge number of places available for those three universities (only St Georges has a decent intake and it's been reduced last couple of years).

Have you looked at some of the other schools? Warwick is the largest in terms of places, and arguably the 'easiest' to get onto in terms of UKCAT score and experience required. Newcastle/Barts also popular and both use UKCAT.

Phlebotomy is fine for care experience. Try and get some shadowing so you can talk about life as a doctor too.

If you get the grades and have experience, you're competitive. The single biggest factor for you is a good admissions test score in the UKCAT or GAMSAT (depending on your ultimate choice of universities to apply to).

Reply 931

Zorg

Original post by Choco Chip

I wouldn't worry about being good enough, there's enough stress in this process without adding more yourself.

Consider Bristol, though I'm not sure where they stand with IB. Just make certain your degree is acceptable, a friend was rejected from them and held a Physiology degree from Oxford :s

Entrance exams are your biggest hurdle right now, so go smash the UKCAT. With a good biomed degree, you should be able to prepare for GAMSAT quite easily, but with a little under 2 months to go you'd have to start preparing soon. If you do sit the GAMSAT consider Notts or Swansea as the competition ratios are much lower when at interview. SGUL is much more competitive these days due to the reduced number of places.

Reply 932

sampowell92

Original post by MJK91

I'd be highly surprised if that wasn't sufficient for interviews at Warwick, Barts and Newcastle. As ForestCat said I'd still wait for the preliminary report for certainty but short of a huge error you should be safe. May also have a shout at King's but wait and see how the other scores seem to pan out.

Well done! Hopefully see you at Warwick :wink:

(definitely not canvassing applicants...)

First of all congratulations on your offer!

I'm beginning to look into which 4 universities I want to apply to. As you're starting at Warwick soon, I was wondering what it was that drew you to that university and also what the selection process ,i.e. the interview, was like..

Reply 933

Brachioradialis

Original post by sampowell92

What drew me to the university? If I'm honest, the number of places and the fact they gave me an interview! :P But I did visit a couple of years prior to see the campus and the setup which helped, it's a lovely campus and all the staff seemed lovely and committed to making it a great course.

The interview, well it was the first year of using MMIs and I think, to be frank, we had a little bit of an easy ride this year. I suspect they were getting to grips with the new process. Something like 62% of people who were interviewed got offers this year, which was immensely fortunate! I think next year it may be tightened a bit, but probably still the most open GEM school in terms of admissions requirements. MMIs this year were straightforward. Can't reveal the questions but literally be yourself, be humorous to a small a degree, and prepare with pretty much any MMI resource and you'll be fine.

So long as you've worked in healthcare/done a caring role, and know what a doctor does, it should be fine :smile:

Good luck!

Reply 934

ali.s1002

Original post by MickyVee

Have you thought about Oxford? I remember reading on their website that they want their graduate entry applicants to have a large interest in research

That would require me to do BMAT, I'm already doing UKCAT and GAMSAT and 1 more would just be way too much for me to handle :/ maybe next application cycle if i don't get in this time round!

Reply 935

tw781

I just started my UCAS application ahh. But it doesn't let me add my degree in education? Undergraduate isn't there in qualifications - how do I do this?

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Reply 936

liam__

Original post by tw781

I just started my UCAS application ahh. But it doesn't let me add my degree in education? Undergraduate isn't there in qualifications - how do I do this?

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It definitely is there, search for your university.

Reply 937

santi_92

Original post by Natha_Lite

Hey! First post on this thread. Currently a 2nd year Biomedical Science student. I've just finished sitting the UKCAT today and scored 740 average.

I'm looking at applying to Warwick and KCL, but I'm not too sure if KCL is a smart choice since I hear they have ridiculously high cutoffs.

You're probably safe with Warwick. KCL is sort of hit and miss. Your score could get you an interview as KCL consider more than just UKCAT scores, they also look at your personal statement.

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Reply 938

cebex

Which Unis should I consider If i got 2:2 undergrad in biochemistry from reputable London Uni and 2:1 from Masters in Biological Sciences and UKCAT of 750?

Cheers

Reply 939

HCAssistant93

Original post by cebex

Which Unis should I consider If i got 2:2 undergrad in biochemistry from reputable London Uni and 2:1 from Masters in Biological Sciences and UKCAT of 750?

Cheers

I think Nottingham accept 2.2 with a masters but you need GAMSAT and a score of about 64+ maybe higher. Not sure if any UKCAT unis that take 2.2 degree. But maybe someone else can help!

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