To think I can apply for post grad med school with a 2.2 in languages from 15 years ago?

[Changednameadviceneededxx]

Please be nice to me 🙈

Name changed but I'm a mumsnet lover.

I've been thinking about studying medicine. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor. But I just never thought it possible.

I've got an english language degree and by the time i apply, would (fingers crossed) have a c2 cert in French.

But i only got a 2.2 😔, and I haven't worked since a corporate grad job that I did after uni, and haven't worked for close to a decade due to raising dc.

I'm a single mum so would study around raiding dc. I can't currently get work experience whilst I raise them, but would be able to study.

How crazy am I to think that a med school, somewhere in London, would accept me, with these circumstances.

I don't have science a levels either, just languages.

Tia x

Just messaged DD. She can't reply. She is at work. Of course. OP is this really compatible with your family life.

Thanks everyone xx

How about volunteering at your local hospital or hospice ?

Or

Getting a part time job at your local hospital

This is not true.
Some GEM courses will take entrants with a 2.2 in any subject.

As I said.
Theres advice on the MedStudentPortal

A 2:1 is the accepted minimum for nearly all courses
But there are ways as suggested on the Portal. So for example if you’ve worked in healthcare, if you have a Masters or PhD, if you do a foundation course first ( OP wasn’t asking about that though).

The chances of getting in with lower than a 2:1 without any of the extras is small not least due to the large numbers transferring with the minimum anyway and the limited numbers available due to cost.

When I was younger, there was a series called Doctors to be on BBC following students through med school application to becoming doctors. (early 90s I think). One lady (Fey) was a mother of 4 at age 26 and a single parent.

Times have no doubt changed but may be an interesting watch for you if you could find it somewhere. There will be more modern programmes but it may give you some insight as I’m sure a lot of the challenges remain the same.

Fey is now an A&E consultant. A book to accompany the series is on Amazon. Was a very good series. I wanted to be a doctor but ended up in big pharma (better hours and earning power and overall easier life!!).

I came here to say I would recommend finding out more about what Operating Department Practitioners (ODP) do. Although I see @Greybeardy got in first with the sound and sensible advice I have come to expect whenever I see your username!

I think an ODP role could be right up your street OP- lots of variety possible, shorter training programme, still long hours but you could possibly work eg in day surgery units without weekend/ night commitments. I couldn’t work without my amazing ODP colleagues.

I doubt you would get in. Nursing may be more attainable. Both would be very hard work with lots of placements. Being a junior doctor is notoriously difficult and you would be expected to work when and where you were told.

i believe it says on the website they accept people with a 2:2 if they have a masters. Maybe it could be possible to do a masters first, dip your toes back I to education to see how you feel ?
when I was in med school one of my fellow students was a grandad by the end of it (admittedly only early 40s but he was very proud of his new grandson), so if you want it and are aware of the realities there is no reason why you cant consider it

🥰 thanks all

I've put it down to that surge of ambition you get

The focus is on improving in languages but will take a look at science a levels to see if I could start there

No you will not be accepted. You at least need science A Levels.

How old are your DC? No way would I study medicine with small children; the hours are terrible.

What will you live on while you’re studying?

May I ask what puts you off about nursing? The reason l ask is that my brother is one and now holds a VERY senior role. People often see "nurse" and automatically think of a ward nurse. It really isn't like that

You may be post grad but medical s hook plus access course would take 7 years. Plus 2 years foundation.

(And the medical degree would be undergraduate)

You’d have to do science a levels first. A friend of mine decided to becomA a doctor aged 30 with an English lit degree. She had to get science a levels before she could do the medicine degree. Her first degree was a First from Oxford though. She spent more than 15 years grafting away through the A levels, degree, and junior years of training and now at 48 works like a dog for not much money in a busy London hospital.

I agree. Even if you get onto the course (which is highly unlikely with the wrong A Levels, no work experience and a 2:2 languages degree), you will have to work extremely long hours, likely relocate for your placements, end up in HUGE debt and all for a junior doctor job that pays little, has very little flexibility and extremely long hours. You will never see your kids.

I am older (graduated in 1990s), but when I was doing undergraduate studies at an RG uni, in my year approx 2 people got firsts, then the rest were split evenly between 2:1 and 2:2. So pretty much 50 per cent of the year got 2:2. Have things changed so much now?

Surely it was like that for him when he started, though.

I don't know, but my late 80s/early 90s experience mirrors yours. I believe its probably not so much that things have changed as that the poster you are replying to has decided to act the arsehole for reasons best known to them.

Agree

In the past, plenty of people came away rightly very proud and happy with their 2.2 degrees

I do get the impression 2.1 is more common now, which perhaps devalues them a little?

Well, there are a hell of a lot more universities than there used to be as well. So competition might be a factor - if you can show a higher percentage of your students get a 2.1, more students might come, especially overseas students, who usually pay the bills.
Of course the OP got their degree 15 years ago, so what really matters is what the situation was then.

I still don't understand why you think studying medicine will be fine with childcare but working wouldn't?

If you're thinking you can just study 10-2 on school days, you'll find it almost impossible to find a course that enables this, unless you go for online/distance learning eg with the OU.

Any standard degree will frequently have classes over those times. And anything healthcare related will have placements (so not sure why a PP recommended physio etc as those courses will also be 9-5 most days in uni, and have lots of placements, although some will have fewer antisocial hours than medicine). If you're able to accommodate 9-5, surely this will be much easier to do in a job where you're earning money than a degree where you're paying to study?

DD had GP placements from her first year. None over the five year course was in her University City. After a first year of really struggling to get to the first one on time (leave at 6.30 top get the bus that allowed her to catch the once and hour bus) she got a small car, but even then it was often long journeys to get to rural placements. And GP was always at a different location to her placement hospital, with a requirement to lift share if you wanted to reclaim expenses.

Medical schools each use different criteria to recruit. In practice you can only consider ones where the fit between what they are looking for and what you offer is best. You will need to work out who might consider you, and if it is Derry/Londonderry that is where you will have to relocate. Or St Georges Tooting and the extras costs of living in London.

Again there are lots of really interesting health care jobs which are not as demanding and for such little reward. Foundation hours are long and DD claims that per hour she earns less than minimum wage per hour. (Note you may not get to choose where you do your foundation years and some Deaneries, because health is a devolved issue, pay less and have different contract terms. Given nights and weekends you may struggle to pay childcare.) And again it would be quite unusual to only work in one hospital during your foundation.

@Changednameadviceneededxx
I agree with PP including @Adelstrop to dig into why you want to do this, as the solution may be easier than you think!

Do you want the prestige/kudos/pillar of community aspect that comes with saying “I’m a doctor..” as there are many other (potentially more accessible) professions that would give you that sense of pride and prestige.

Or do you want to salve your feelings around your 2:2? In that case I’d go and do a part time MA or something at a prestigious university, neutralise any feelings around your degree and give yourself an intellectual boost. You could then aim for a PhD.

If it’s the healing / helping aspect, how about volunteering with St John Ambulance or in a hospital and doing elderly visits?

Or maybe it’s just about making an impact or contributing to society? How about working with young people/teens/taking your skills to teach in a PRU school or something?

Or if you’re set on the medical route, how about becoming a paramedic which looks slightly less long & intense?

Good luck!

The son of a friend of mine had a first class STEM degree, maths & physics A levels and still had to go back & get a Chemistry A level to be accepted onto a medical course.