Graduate Medicine

[MummytoCSJH]

I'm about to start my second year of a forensic anthropology degree. I have always wanted to be a doctor (surgeon actually!) but due to my circumstances including having a baby young and now having a long term illness I didn't do the a-levels I needed to do medicine at uni. I did well in my a-levels and I'm on track to get a high 2:1 if not a 1st. I've now found out about graduate entry medicine and I really want to do it! But... everything I've read says how hard it is to fit in around children, the shifts etc, I'm not a single parent as such as my son does have his Dad too but we're not together and we live quite far away from each other. Does anyone have experience of doing a graduate entry medicine degree and can advise? By the time I finish my first degree my son will be 8. For most GEM degrees you need healthcare experience. My degree is a 4 year course and 3rd year is a placement year, so I want to look into working in orthopaedics to gain some experience, but I need to start planning now as applications start in September, I don't want to waste my time gaining the wrong experience if it turns out to be impossible.

Wanted to add I'm only 21, so I'll be 24 when I finish this course/start the new course. Then that course is 4 years.

Happy for PMs, my DH was a GEM and I did undergrad so between us we have done both routes.
We had no dependents and did the courses full time, they were very full on. When you start working the shifts are awful but you can work part time, I'm doing that now and with a job share we haven't struggled with childcare or work life balance. Your heart has to be in it to put up with a lot of the crap and depending on speciality you may end up moving your family around the country to follow your dreams.

Thank you hiphop. I've definitely put a lot of thought into it, I've looked into jobs I can do after my degree, there are things I enjoy on my course and things I'd like to get more experience in but I can't think of any job I'd really be happy doing forever compared to how much I've always wanted to be a doctor. I feel like my whole outlook on life recently has changed since I found out about this route of entry, so I would say my heart is in it. I will be doing the full time course, it looks like just a case of making sure reliable childcare is sorted out. That sounds easier than it is though of course
I used to work at a law firm and although my hours were 9-5 I was working from around 6am at home, going to the office at 7am, working all day until 7pm then coming home, collecting my son and working at home on an evening too, so the long days aren't too much of a worry for me at this point.

The medical school I work in has many students who are graduates with young children. It is definitely not easy but it is possible with the right support. Is there a medical school with graduate entry near where your son's dad lives? Remember that you will have to travel to placements and might have to relocate or commute for part of your time in medical school.

If you are applying this year, though, bear in mind that you'll need to take UCAT before 05 Oct and/or GAMSAT on 11 Sep.

There isn't I'm afraid, they're all a fair distance. I'm near Leeds and he's near Hull. I'm thinking Nottingham which would mean the drive wouldn't be too different to now! I should have passed my driving test by the end of this year (and no, not this year, will be applying 2022) so that will make things easier.

If you want to live at home and don't have a life sciences degree I guess you're limited to Nottingham (GAMSAT) and Newcastle (UCAT). It's quite a distance in either direction. Is relocating (e.g. Warwick or Swansea) an option?

I will have a life sciences degree by the time I apply :) I'm hoping for Nottingham anyway!

Relocating won't be too bad, I was thinking I'd relocate to wherever I go rather than stay here. That's not an issue. I'll obviously apply to more than one, I just like the look of that course and uni.

GEM is actually taught in Derby, not Nottingham. Undergrad runs in Nottingham. Factor it in when looking at where you might live! Then placements from second half of year 2 onwards can be Derby, Nottingham, Mansfield, Lincoln or even Boston! It's a large area!!!

Or Chesterfield, missed that one. Occasionally Grantham too I think.