Architecture degree to Graduate entry Medicine???

Currently in my first year bsc studying architecture but have an interest in applying to GEM once I graduate. Do they look down upon architecture as a degree as I've heard they don't like anything other than science related degrees or do they just care about getting a first? Do they also look at A-levels heavily? I didn’t do amazingly in my A-levels and I also resat a couple of papers during my gap year. Will this affect my chances of getting into a GEM course? I’m also curious to how what the funding is like for a postgrad course. Will I have to fund it myself or can I get student finance loans like I’m currently doing for my undergrad? I’ll graduate in 2028 at 22 and I’m also worried it might be too late to switch careers. Ultimately I don’t see Architecture as a stable career and frankly don’t see myself continuing but I’m in a position where I can’t really apply for undergraduate medicine whilst in uni due to my A-levels being A*BB with resits (with BB in bio and chem). Looking for anyone who’s been in this position before to give me some advice😭🙏

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

If they state they accept any degree then they accept any degree without prejudice. Plenty of GEM courses will accept any degree, although most require the GAMSAT (but not all, for example Southampton and possibly Warwick accept any degree but just require the UCAT if memory serves). You just need to find the GEM courses that accept all degree subjects. Obviously you wouldn't be able to apply to those which require a bioscience or science degree, but as noted that does not encompass all GEM courses.

In terms of A-level results, most don't seem to consider them but a few do (usually ones that require you to have some level of pass in certain science A-levels if you didn't do a science degree; again, this is not all though, and I suspect the Bs in bio and chem would meet those requirements anyway for most that do require it). I suspect if they don't look at A-levels for shortlisting they won't care about resits in A-levels some 3+ years before :redface:

As for funding for GEM, the current way the model works (which to be fair, may change in the next couple years as they introduce this life learning fund thing?) is that for a 4 year accelerated GEM course, in 1st year you receive SFE funding for maintenance loan and most of the tuition fees, but have to pay ~£3k of the tuition fees out of pocket. For years 2-4 they're funded by NHS bursary (which covers all tuition costs) and you can get maintenance support from the NHS bursary - dependent on your household income I think you can also apply for "top-up" maintenance loan funding from SFE as well.

If 22 is too late to switch careers then the entire world will have ended already. I appreciate that you have a slightly more limnited view of that and understand it can feel like you're somehow "running out of time" but I can assure you, the idea that 22 is "too late" to do anything is honestly a little preposterous :redface:

It's absolutely fine, in fact 22 is probably the youngest age most GEM students would be. I think the average age of GEM students is around 26 or so and they are quite variable with students doing GEM while much older too :smile:

Overall I think you're making a lot of assumptions without evidence to base them on :redface:

Medicine admissions (including for GEM) are very much not homogeneous and vary widely between individual medical schools. Part of the entire process of applying to medicine is going out and doing the research, checking the requirements of the medical schools, seeing how they shortlist and score applicants, and then from that cutting down to a shortlist of medical schools which your background maximises the metrics they actually score for those specific medical schools, and choosing 4 among them to apply to.

Medical school admissions are also extremely transparent in the UK. They will make explicitly clear what their requirements are (and there are not any hidden "preferences") and how they shortlist and score applicants :smile:

Reply 2