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Graduate Entry Medicine Advice

Hi, I am thinking about applying for GEM and wanted to reach out on here to see if this could be a viable route for me.

I am 22 and in the second year of an undergraduate course, I actually go to a brand new university (called LIS) but that’s a bit by the by. In short it’s an interdisciplinary course, everything is problem based learning (focused on things like AI or climate change) and we are expected to have a broad breadth of knowledge (I’ve done bits and bobs from law, to data science, to history, to neuroscience - you get the idea).

I am on track for a 2.1 but think if I work hard from here on in I could maybe maybe scrape a 1st. There is a very good chance that I would still get a high 2.1 though.

Before starting this course I was really set on a career in healthcare, and applied and got in for both nursing and paramedic science. But neither really felt right, and I was dissuaded from medicine because my grades weren’t good enough. In the end I decided to just jump at the chance to come to a radical new university (it’s a bit like minerva in the US). I am glad that I did and have had the opportunity to study so many things in my undergrad, but don’t think I will be at all fulfilled by the kinds of jobs we’re being set up for (start ups, entrepreneurship, finance, consultancy…). So… Now I am reconsidering medicine and maybe just maybe this is something I could actually do.

My A-Levels are AAB (As in maths and philosophy, B in biology). I am thinking I could possibly retake my biology + do chemistry next year (I actually did chemistry for most of my time in sixth form but dropped without doing AS level due to work commitments at the time / covid). Is this a good idea? Is it necessary to improve my chances or will the GAMSAT be the only thing that counts??

Before I came to uni I worked for a year as a HCA in a district nursing team which was a pretty full on / realistic introduction to healthcare. I was responsible for visiting patients on my own in their homes, was trained in clinical skills like venepuncture / obs / wound care / injections, and had to communicate with GPs / physios / specialist nurses / dieticians etc to manage patients. I think this could stand me in good stead and am also hoping to get a job as a HCA in a hospital over the summer so I will have some experience of both primary and secondary healthcare. I have reflected quite a bit on my time as a HCA in the district nursing team, party because I was put in a few situations that I shouldn’t have been as an unqualified 19-year old. But think this has given me a proper taste of what it means to both advocate for yourself and your patients safety in a difficult situation. Despite this, I really enjoyed the role. Caring for people is a privilege, and I think medicine is the perfect intersection of caring, intellectual challenge, and the opportunity to perhaps help shape some of the things wrong in healthcare later on in my career. I’m particularly interested in women’s health, nutrition, mental health, and reframing healthcare for the elderly.

My current plan would be to finish the current degree, do the GAMSAT next September, then apply to start 2025. I would be 24 by the time I start. The unis I’m thinking of applying to are Cambridge, Nottingham, St Georges, Swansea and Warwick. But really I want to get into St Georges as I live in London at the moment and that is where my friends / boyfriend / sister are.

Does this sound at all doable?? I know GEM is hella competitive, and if I don’t get in I would be happy to set my sights elsewhere, perhaps as a dual qualified nurse (KCL do a combined adult and mental health program). But I really do want to give this my best shot!

Thank you so much to anyone who made it to the end of that - it’s much appreciated :smile: xxx

Reply 1

Hey there, thanks for posting a question in the Medicine forum. :biggrin:

The Medicine forum gets a high volume of questions being posted, and some of these are already answered by the resources and Megathreads that members of the community and volunteers have created. This is an automatic post which is designed to highlight these resources. Below is a list of threads and articles that could answer your question (you should be looking in the original post of the megathreads). If one of the below threads is a more relevant place to ask your question, please post a reply in that thread to ask your question. If your query is answered by one of the Megathreads or articles linked below, and you would like us to close this thread for you, please reply to this thread with just the words "thank you". A member of our team will then get it locked.

Megathreads
(Please read the first post, before then posting any further questions you have within that thread.)
The "Which Medical School Should I Apply To?" Uberthread
The Ultimate 'Am I Good Enough For Medicine?' Angst Thread
Medicine A-Level subjects queries
Work Experience and Voluntary Work

2023 Applicants:
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2023 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2023 Entry
Medicine 2023 entry for resit / retake / gap year applicants
A100 Medicine for International Students 2023 Entry
Medicine Interview discussion 2023 Entry
2023 entry A100 / A101 Medicine fastest and slowest offer senders
Index of Individual Medical School Applicants' threads 2023 Entry

2024 Applicants :
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2024 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2024 Entry
GAMSAT 2024 / 2025 entry discussions megathread
UCAT 2024 Entry Discussions Megathread

Other application years:
Graduate Entry Medicine 2025 Entry
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2025 Entry

Useful Articles:
GCSE Requirements for Medicine
Everything you need to know about the BMAT
Work Experience as a Graduate or Mature student
Medicine Personal Statement Advice
Medicine Personal Statement Advice (Graduate Entry)
Interview Frequently Asked Questions
MMI Medicine Interview Tips
What to do after an unsuccessful first application

If your query is answered by one of the Megathreads or articles linked above, and you would like us to close this thread for you, please reply to this thread with just the words "thank you". A member of our team will then get it locked.

Reply 2

Original post by Sarahsmiles_
Hi, I am thinking about applying for GEM and wanted to reach out on here to see if this could be a viable route for me.
I am 22 and in the second year of an undergraduate course, I actually go to a brand new university (called LIS) but that’s a bit by the by. In short it’s an interdisciplinary course, everything is problem based learning (focused on things like AI or climate change) and we are expected to have a broad breadth of knowledge (I’ve done bits and bobs from law, to data science, to history, to neuroscience - you get the idea).
I am on track for a 2.1 but think if I work hard from here on in I could maybe maybe scrape a 1st. There is a very good chance that I would still get a high 2.1 though.
Before starting this course I was really set on a career in healthcare, and applied and got in for both nursing and paramedic science. But neither really felt right, and I was dissuaded from medicine because my grades weren’t good enough. In the end I decided to just jump at the chance to come to a radical new university (it’s a bit like minerva in the US). I am glad that I did and have had the opportunity to study so many things in my undergrad, but don’t think I will be at all fulfilled by the kinds of jobs we’re being set up for (start ups, entrepreneurship, finance, consultancy…). So… Now I am reconsidering medicine and maybe just maybe this is something I could actually do.
My A-Levels are AAB (As in maths and philosophy, B in biology). I am thinking I could possibly retake my biology + do chemistry next year (I actually did chemistry for most of my time in sixth form but dropped without doing AS level due to work commitments at the time / covid). Is this a good idea? Is it necessary to improve my chances or will the GAMSAT be the only thing that counts??
Before I came to uni I worked for a year as a HCA in a district nursing team which was a pretty full on / realistic introduction to healthcare. I was responsible for visiting patients on my own in their homes, was trained in clinical skills like venepuncture / obs / wound care / injections, and had to communicate with GPs / physios / specialist nurses / dieticians etc to manage patients. I think this could stand me in good stead and am also hoping to get a job as a HCA in a hospital over the summer so I will have some experience of both primary and secondary healthcare. I have reflected quite a bit on my time as a HCA in the district nursing team, party because I was put in a few situations that I shouldn’t have been as an unqualified 19-year old. But think this has given me a proper taste of what it means to both advocate for yourself and your patients safety in a difficult situation. Despite this, I really enjoyed the role. Caring for people is a privilege, and I think medicine is the perfect intersection of caring, intellectual challenge, and the opportunity to perhaps help shape some of the things wrong in healthcare later on in my career. I’m particularly interested in women’s health, nutrition, mental health, and reframing healthcare for the elderly.
My current plan would be to finish the current degree, do the GAMSAT next September, then apply to start 2025. I would be 24 by the time I start. The unis I’m thinking of applying to are Cambridge, Nottingham, St Georges, Swansea and Warwick. But really I want to get into St Georges as I live in London at the moment and that is where my friends / boyfriend / sister are.
Does this sound at all doable?? I know GEM is hella competitive, and if I don’t get in I would be happy to set my sights elsewhere, perhaps as a dual qualified nurse (KCL do a combined adult and mental health program). But I really do want to give this my best shot!
Thank you so much to anyone who made it to the end of that - it’s much appreciated :smile: xxx

Hey, I'm starting GEM this year at Swansea, and yes it certainly sounds doable. Your stats are great, and the fact that you're thinking about this now is great. You've got this, and if you don't, you can always try again. 24 is young... I'm 30!

The key things you need are a good degree (which you're on track for), good work experience (which it sounds like you have, although Warwick for example is very strict on having recent experience), and strong results in your entrance tests (tbc).

You can only apply to four medicine courses. If you're set on St George's then you'll need GAMSAT, which I'd start preparing for sooner rather than later - it's a horrible exam and the scariest thing is just getting used to it! The best resources I used were Des O'Neill for Section 3, as it has loads of questions and it's really tricky, so helped get my head around scientific concepts and the type of thinking required. Then Medify was great closer to the actual exam as this is most similar to the real thing.

If you want to apply to Warwick (and many others), you'll need to sit UCAT. Doesn't need as much prep (maybe 4-6 weeks), and again Medify is great for this. Suggest sitting this early in testing season so you know your mark early on and then can forget about it and get back onto GAMSAT prep.

The other key thing is applying strategically to maximise your chances of getting at least one offer from somewhere. It'll be a bit trickier for you as you won't know your GAMSAT score before applying through UCAS, but if you do UCAT early you will know that score, so if you smash it then apply to some more UCAT unis and if you don't then apply to more GAMSAT unis. Read the minimum requirements carefully before applying, e.g. some unis may want Chemistry A-Level. Most should be fine though... personally I wouldn't bother focusing on A-Levels.

So I'd focus on GAMSAT now (although not to the detriment of your degree), then UCAT in summer, then back to GAMSAT. Try and get a couple more weeks of relevant hands-on experience if you can before the UCAS deadline. All of that will hopefully convert to a few interviews, which you can worry about in the winter! Good luck!

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