Barts GEP 2010-2014 facebook group

[NewMedic'10]

Hi i really need some adivce!
I have got into Barts GEP and Kings 5 year and am stuck at choosing between them.
Any advice?
Thanks for any help!

[Brettk1986]

Why wouldn't you choose the 4 year barts over 5 year Kings?? it works out much cheaper and is a year less...for me it would be a no brainer... what reasons have you for maybe choosing kings 5 year?

[AlaCourt]

I'd have to agree with Brett1986. Honestly, I think there is really VERY little difference between the different medical schools (in London anyway), so I wouldn't think an extra year would be worth it just because Kings MIGHT JUST BE *SLIGHTLY* better!!
Also, I think the hospitals is where you're going to get almost ALL of your knowledge (really, I reckon you're going to learn WAYYY more in the final years, in comparison to the first ones!), and so the hospitals are the important things. The hospitals that Barts has (I reckon) WOULD give you a much more varied experience patient-wise, and I think *THAT'S* the important thing.
Perhaps a third thing would be if you're surrounded by other more mature students, they could drive you on to study harder and better, coming out the other side a better doctor. Also, what they were saying at the Barts Open day, that the doctors love the ol' GEPs, and any extra attention/trust that they put into because of that could REALLY give you some valuable experience.
Maybe you'd want to have 5 years to soak it up, maybe have a bit less stress, something like that, and if you do, fair enough and go with that. But honestly, I would have NO hesitation if I had to make the decision you have to.
Hope that helped!

[NewMedic'10]

Hi thanks for your help, and i completely agree with what you’ve said.
what drew me to kings is probably that i got an offer from them months before barts and so that’s where I’d psyched myself up to going.
Also i am pretty sure i want to go into psychiatry and i know that kings have good international status there because of its institute of psychiatry which is where i work now and so kings’ links with psychiatry compared with barts which focuses more on social aspects is hard to ignore. although i admit that where i study medicine will probably have little effect on my chances of getting into psychiatry and future opportunities.
Also i have lovely parents who have told me not to let the financial side sway me, so I’m lucky there.
Because of this i think i just felt i had more of affinity with kings but i really dont know if i can turn down such a great offer of a graduate course and being on a course with other graduates is definitely something i'd prefer.
its hard to chose between two amazing med schools.

[Brettk1986]

Those are some good points, but like you said i don't think the fact that the IoP is based at king's will really make much difference whilst you are a medical student. You can always apply to work their afterwards. It seems the general consensus about GEPs is that they do better throughout medical school and in early years practice... so i reckon you might even have a better chance getting into psych at IoP if you are a GEP rather than an undergraduate medic..... so yeah in the words of Blind date... the choice is yours...

Ps if you choose Barts... i'll see you in september!

[AlaCourt]

Being honest now, pretty much EVERYONE goes into medicine thinking they REALLY want to be physician or a surgeon, but for the ppl coming out the other end, between 50-70% of them go on to become GPs. I just mention that, because LOADS of ppl change their minds once they actually try the different specialities (working as a doctor). I mention this because there is a real chance that in few years that could happen to you, and then you’ll feel very silly going for Kings! ;-p
An on the GEP front, furthering the point, showing that you’re coming off a GEP course (which is bloody hard to get onto), that would probably look a LOT better than coming off a 5 year as a graduate. Not to mention all the rest of the benefits of being a GEP (which I think we’ve already covered).
And to echo Brettk1986, a major advantage of the GEP course in Barts is that you’ll be rocking out with us for the next 4 years!!
Hope that helped!

[elise_h]

Hi NewMedic
I had the same dilemma as you, choosing between Kings 5-year and Barts GEP. I applied to Kings GEP but got offered the 5-year course instead. I had a couple of months between getting the Kings offer and the Barts GEP offer, so weighed up the pros and cons of each and let them simmer in my unconscious for a while. There were some things I really liked about Kings, such as the Gordon Museum which I'll be sad not to make use of, and I was impressed by the "Academic Health Sciences Centre" concept, links with top overseas hospitals for electives, prestige of being part of King's College London etc etc.

But when it came to it, the Barts GEP won easily for me for a number of reasons:
1. I liked the idea of being part of a small, graduate, learning community - only 40 of us studying the course together and many of us living together in halls to start with. On the Kings 5-year I thought I might get lost in a group of 300 plus undergrads, mostly much younger than me.
2. The vibrancy of the East End and diversity of clinical exposure in the associated hospitals. Plus I've spent a lot of time in South Asia over the past few years with my work, so I feel really at home in the area compared to South London.
3. My experience at interview - I had 2 interviews at Barts, as I applied to the 5-year as well (which was my first offer). Both times I felt there was a really friendly and supportive atmosphere, and I like the fact the teaching buildings are so close to the hospital as well.
4. Doing an accelerated course, finishing one year earlier and having the NHS bursary are definitely a huge bonus too.

You'll have your reasons. These were mine. Hope it helps - it wasn't difficult in the end for me to choose, as I followed my heart.
Best of luck with your decision!

[kizdxb]

GEP is harrrrrrd