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Official Thread: Graduate Entry Medicine 2022 Entry

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Original post by abh27sss
Hello,

I need your advice on whether I should even try considering my background (mostly lack of experience).

No hands-on experience in healthcare but virtual work experience (Observe GP, BSMS) and other work experience in the non-medical related sector (i.e. education)

2:1 in Mathematics from a prestigious university and now doing a master's degree due to finish in September 2021 (non-science).

Very confident in getting over 3000 in UCAT (took a few practice test papers).

Ideal unis: Warwick, Newcastle, Southampton, ScotGEM and Glasgow A100.

Also, I am thinking about applying to a PGCE course this year while waiting to start medical school in 2022 (hopefully) and if I don't get in, I will stay in education and reapply for 2023 entry.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

There's no reason why you wouldn't have a strong application. It's been mentioned about Warwick's work experience requirement, but the other medical school will also have expected you to have gone out of your way to get some experience too even if they don't have a formal requirement. Virtual work experience is a great starting point but is really designed for school-leavers. As a graduate you have many more opportunities to get hands-on experience simply because you're over 18. If I was an interviewer I'd want to know why you only did virtual experience when you could have got a HCA job or volunteered at a testing centre etc. I'd also be prepared for some pretty direct questions at interview asking why you decided to continue with a PGCE if you knew you wanted to do medicine.

So yes, while you might be able to draw on your teaching experience for some aspects of the application (like leadership for example), not having experience of healthcare will be a major weakness for you. There's still plenty of time before the application deadline so if you wanted to go down the medicine route there's nothing stopping you from getting more experience before then. Hope this helps.

Anna
Y3 Southampton GEM
Medic Mind
Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for your valuable suggestions.

To summarise, I should:

1. Not apply for a PGCE.
2. Try to gain as much experience in healthcare as possible and be really sure if medicine is for me.
3. Do really well in UCAT.

I will be back with an update in a few months. Once again, THANK YOU so much. Good luck with your applications.
as a nurse I hope to go to Warwick, can 50hours be from my job, and then 20 hours from elsewhere? thanks
Original post by meghan007
as a nurse I hope to go to Warwick, can 50hours be from my job, and then 20 hours from elsewhere? thanks

Yes exactly, no one experience can make up the full 70 hrs, so you can do 50 hrs from your nursing job, and then get the extra 20 hrs from elsewhere. Good luck :smile:
Reply 784
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Original post by medicphd
Yes exactly, no one experience can make up the full 70 hrs, so you can do 50 hrs from your nursing job, and then get the extra 20 hrs from elsewhere. Good luck :smile:

Hi, my 50 hours is from domiciliary care work and 20 hours from virtual and pharmacy work experience. I have work experience from a few years ago, however I have been finding it difficult to get HCA job at the moment, do you think this will be an issue when I apply?
Original post by RR5
Hi, my 50 hours is from domiciliary care work and 20 hours from virtual and pharmacy work experience. I have work experience from a few years ago, however I have been finding it difficult to get HCA job at the moment, do you think this will be an issue when I apply?

I emailed them a few weeks ago about online experience, this is what they replied: ' We we will be accepting the BSMS programme for 10 hours of the 20 we allow for shadowing as long as you have completed the reflective essay and have a certificate of attendance/completion for the programme.'

For the care work you're best to email them directly to ask if it's applicable, usually they say it is as long as you're providing some actual hands on care.

I've also been having issues getting HCA work, it just seems impossible to get any HCA or support work roles with no experience.
Reply 786
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Original post by medicphd
I emailed them a few weeks ago about online experience, this is what they replied: ' We we will be accepting the BSMS programme for 10 hours of the 20 we allow for shadowing as long as you have completed the reflective essay and have a certificate of attendance/completion for the programme.'

For the care work you're best to email them directly to ask if it's applicable, usually they say it is as long as you're providing some actual hands on care.

I've also been having issues getting HCA work, it just seems impossible to get any HCA or support work roles with no experience.

Oh okay, my experience was hands on so that will be okay for 50 hours I guess. Yeah same because I don’t have experience I can’t be able to get any bank hca or even full time jobs. I am scared my lack of work experience will be an issue when I get an interview or even when writing my personal statement.
Original post by RR5
Oh okay, my experience was hands on so that will be okay for 50 hours I guess. Yeah same because I don’t have experience I can’t be able to get any bank hca or even full time jobs. I am scared my lack of work experience will be an issue when I get an interview or even when writing my personal statement.

Yeah same, I think that (hopefully) it won't be too much of an issue with other universities. Most universities have said something about not being disadvantaged by not having hands-on experience because of COVID. It only seems to be Warwick that, although they've relaxed it slightly, have kept such rigid work experience cut-offs.

I'm hoping I can find something soon. 50 hrs is really only ~8 shifts of work so once you find something it shouldn't take too long to rack up the hours.
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Original post by medicphd
Yeah same, I think that (hopefully) it won't be too much of an issue with other universities. Most universities have said something about not being disadvantaged by not having hands-on experience because of COVID. It only seems to be Warwick that, although they've relaxed it slightly, have kept such rigid work experience cut-offs.

I'm hoping I can find something soon. 50 hrs is really only ~8 shifts of work so once you find something it shouldn't take too long to rack up the hours.

Yeah most universities have been lenient , but it’s still good to have as much work experience as possible I guess to have something to talk about in the interview.

How many hours of work experience do you have? If you want look into becoming domiciliary carer, I found that job very quickly last year when I was applying for 2021 entry. They are always looking for people.
Original post by RR5
Yeah most universities have been lenient , but it’s still good to have as much work experience as possible I guess to have something to talk about in the interview.

How many hours of work experience do you have? If you want look into becoming domiciliary carer, I found that job very quickly last year when I was applying for 2021 entry. They are always looking for people.

I have very little experience. I have a years full-time experience of the NHS because I worked in a diagnostic lab in a hospital. It involved going around the wards sometimes but because it was non-patient facing I doubt it counts for much. I also got accepted to be an NHS COVID vaccinator but I've only just got my date for face-to-face training so who knows if I'll actually get any shifts.

Did you apply to private organisations? I applied for some mental health support worker roles at private organisations but I never heard back...
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Original post by medicphd
I have very little experience. I have a years full-time experience of the NHS because I worked in a diagnostic lab in a hospital. It involved going around the wards sometimes but because it was non-patient facing I doubt it counts for much. I also got accepted to be an NHS COVID vaccinator but I've only just got my date for face-to-face training so who knows if I'll actually get any shifts.

Did you apply to private organisations? I applied for some mental health support worker roles at private organisations but I never heard back...

Oh, same I got accepted as a COVID vaccinator volunteer but I haven’t been given any shifts even though I applied for quite a lot.

Yeah, search for domiciliary care jobs and there would be a list of companies that will be offering it. I applied through a job website and then got contacted within the hour of applying and began working within 2 weeks. I have applied for jobs privately too but they are looking for experience, which is why I haven’t been able to secure any jobs through the NHS website either.
Original post by RR5
Hi, my 50 hours is from domiciliary care work and 20 hours from virtual and pharmacy work experience. I have work experience from a few years ago, however I have been finding it difficult to get HCA job at the moment, do you think this will be an issue when I apply?


Warwick usually ask for work experience to be in the last three years, though they relaxed that to 4 years for 2021 entry due to Covid. You will need to check the website to see what they are asking for the 2022 entry, but they may well keep the more relaxed timing
Original post by RR5
Oh, same I got accepted as a COVID vaccinator volunteer but I haven’t been given any shifts even though I applied for quite a lot.

Yeah, search for domiciliary care jobs and there would be a list of companies that will be offering it. I applied through a job website and then got contacted within the hour of applying and began working within 2 weeks. I have applied for jobs privately too but they are looking for experience, which is why I haven’t been able to secure any jobs through the NHS website either.

Ok brill thanks for the tip, I'll have a look into it!
Original post by Ramipril
It's a GEM thing lol. I'm a second year and can confirm it's still not brilliant, even when you are a student :lol:

Hey, just a side question.

For the gem entry do you spend most of the first 2 years at qmc or derby??
Original post by sabertxxth99
Hey, just a side question.

For the gem entry do you spend most of the first 2 years at qmc or derby??

First 18 months are at Royal Derby hospital
Original post by tinglybananaman
First 18 months are at Royal Derby hospital

And what happens for the remaining months?
Original post by sabertxxth99
And what happens for the remaining months?

F3F81FF6-0AE9-4D58-B655-94B239D07F82.jpghttps://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/course/Graduate-Entry-Medicine-BMBS#yearsmodules

You can also get more in-depth information through youtube vloggers at the uni ☺️

*Just realised you said last few months - and I’m not too sure actually
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by ThatGirlLiz
F3F81FF6-0AE9-4D58-B655-94B239D07F82.jpghttps://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/course/Graduate-Entry-Medicine-BMBS#yearsmodules

You can also get more in-depth information through youtube vloggers at the uni ☺️

*Just realised you said last few months - and I’m not too sure actually

thanks for the reply!

what's the name of the uni vloggers?

considering applying next year so starting to get my research together :smile:
Original post by sabertxxth99
thanks for the reply!

what's the name of the uni vloggers?

considering applying next year so starting to get my research together :smile:

Lucy Brett (5-Year Undergrad Vlogger)
Aymara Anahi (5-Year Undergrad Vlogger)
Sarah Nicholls (4-Year Course, Junior Doc vlogger)
Hello, I was wondering if standard courses are easier than GEM courses?

Is it right to say that people on GEM courses learn less or have less hospital exposure compared to people on standard courses?

If I can afford a 5-year course, is it advisable to do that instead of GEM? I am just worried that if studying a 5-year course is hard enough, how is GEM possible?

Thanks.

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