Wanting to start a career in medicine please read! :D

[brandy]

Hi everyone,
Sorry to interrupt but I am in a similar situation and would like some advice please.
I am a 35yr old with 6 years hospital experience as a health care assistant. I have a DipHE in Biomedical sciences, Access to Health and Science and have 7 gcse's (English, Biology and Agricultural science included). I have always wanted to study medicine but thought I had no chance due to my age.
I understand age is no longer an issue so I am asking you lovely people to advice me on what to do to get into medical school.
Thanks.

[Mamba]

Hi Paul and Brandy,

im 27 and I got to 2 interviews after doing an Access Med course. I start Medicine in September. My GCSE's were bad and my a levels didnt happen. If you just go for it and fight for it. It will happen. Dont think twice, do it !

[brandy]

Thanks Mamba, that sounds quite encouraging.

[Zappanatic]

This is very encouraging

I'm really glad I happened upon this forum. I wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid, I was fantastic at science at school and still am, but my ma was very overbearing and she made it out to be more important than me having friends and actually being happy...so I screwed up the A levels, and have moved to Guildford and have studied a BTEC, and HND in contemporary music practice for the past 2 years!

I've had the twinge of wanting to go back into medicine for about a year now, and has become a real desire to me again. I'm looking at the foundation course at St. Georges, so I'll have to apply to start in 2009, but I'm really happy that I found this

Z

[Jamesiguess]

I didnt really have any GCSE's or A-levels due to not applying myself at school when i should have!
I have been speaking to COWA on the phone though and they said as long as you have 5 GCSE's A-C then you have as good a chance as any for getting into COWA.
so off i go this year to redo my GCSE's and not make an ass of myself at college!

Just goes to show though you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it!

[Sherbert]

My friend knows someone who's 48 and in 3rd year medicine. Anyone can do it!

[Little Miss Laura May]

Hi I found this nd thought it might help you:

Access Courses
Access courses are designed for those people who don't have the correct qualifications to enter a medical degree (either grades or subjects). They are usually offered by further education colleges and are not qualifications in medicine. Some medical schools accept them instead of A. levels, but you must check this out before applying, as the medical schools may only accept one or two! Also, some may have specific requirements e.g., come from the local area haven't done a science degree etc. People who go through access routes still have to write a personal statement and go for interview if they want to apply for medicine. Here are a list of institutions who provide access qualifications (links open in new windows):

* University of Bradford
* University of Leeds
* Lambeth College
* City College Norwich
* Manchester College of Arts and Technology
* Birkbeck College, University of London
* Sussex Downs College
* College of West Anglia
* City and Islington College
* University of Lincoln
* St. Martin's College (Lancaster)

[elz]

ring up some med schools and ask what they'd recommend you do to get in. its a shame but ud prob hav to do access to medicine as the access to health isnt specific enough

[ryjo]

Hi all, Im new here so sorry if this has been asked before.
I start an access course in MANCAT in September but was wondering how much work experience those who have been accepted to University have got? I am 24 and have been working in a non-medical career so I am wondering how much is needed? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[elz]

hi, im 23 did the access course and have worked in the nhs for over 3 yrs wards and theatre. my friend didnt have a health care background though and somehow he very jammily got in having just done some volunteering on a ward while at college doing the access course.

but generally they expect as a mature student that you will have more work experience then school leavers and hence thoroughly explored the option to make sure u wanna do medicine.