Gamsat Science for Arts Grads

[lawyertodoctor]

Thanks guys, some good advice there about the work experience side, all noted. I start my first medicine related work placement on Monday at 08.30 with my local GP! Should be an eye opener. Should start my hospital voluntary work shortly afterwards subject to interview.

So from what you say Nick, my UCAS personal statement is quite important. I better put lots of time into it I suppose. For the 2007 GEP, is there any advantage in getting UCAS forms in early this year i.e. July/August or do you reckon I should wait until, say, September/early October to build up more knowledge/experience to put into the PS?

[aspirant doc]

Originally Posted by lawyertodoctor

So from what you say Nick, my UCAS personal statement is quite important. I better put lots of time into it I suppose. For the 2007 GEP, is there any advantage in getting UCAS forms in early this year i.e. July/August or do you reckon I should wait until, say, September/early October to build up more knowledge/experience to put into the PS?

It's important cos it is the one thing that sells you and makes your application stand out from the crowd of other good applications. It will shape how your interviews go and what questions they will ask you, in all but the fully structured ones like George's.

I would advise submitting it when it is as good as you can make it! It's not really about time - no preference of any sort is given to those who get it in early. I developed mine over a number of months, adding stuff from work experience and vol work, getting doctor friends to look at it, tweaking here and there. It is not the only way to do it, a good friend did hers one afternoon and starts a GEP this year.

I would advise starting the rest of the UCAS form early, getting all the precise info of month/year for all exams etc takes a while.

Identifying the right referee for you is crucial too - I found one who clearly understood what criteria medical selection panels use (it helped that his wife was going to apply for a GEP), and knew me well enough to be able to show how I was suited to those even if my career was something completely different. Some GEPs insist on an academic referee, easy if you've recently left uni but I left 11 years ago and the tutor at the local tech college I did some bio and chem with wasn't really up to it! So you have the (admittedly slightly devious) option of getting a glowing reference that is not specifically academic, and then when the uni asks you for an academic one, you get someone to do that as well. In effect you can get an extra reference brought to their attention.

[W12 doc]

Ah, thanks guys - this was all really useful for me. I'm currently in advertising, following a degree in Social Anthropology, so science is definitely lost on me. I have been planning on studying for the GAMSAT for 7 months, but my A-Level textbooks have been getting very dusty as I just don't find time to do it. Seriously thinking about resigning, just so I have time to do this properly. Tricky decision!

[lawyertodoctor]

Hullo W12 Doc, did you decide to go for it this year in the end or still thinking? Sorry I haven't replied to this thread for so long, lost access to the internet for a while which aint good timing. If you haven't yet committed to GAMSAT and work experience, I suppose the thing to bear in mind is that you only get two shots at applying to certain med-schools I think (inc. St Georges) so it's best only to apply when you're sure you wanna go do it and can put the time aside to study and get experience. The flip side of that is that life is short and we're not getting any younger so if you think you would make a good doc, just go for it! I've managed to get my head down to study the sciences (I can't say "revise" because it's the first time I've looked at the stuff!) over the last couple of months and gradually getting through the basics.. Be wary of my advice because I've never taken GAMSAT but I'd recommend self-learning guides (Wiley's guides) to get started because they're snappy and make it all interesting. I need to get my hands on more past papers because I guess that's key. Try to do get some work exp. too at your local hospital or GP surgery to see what it's like. Anyway, good luck if you do apply this year, go for it!

[midnite-oil]

Originally Posted by aspirant doc

Another way of looking at it is that you need to have done enough by the time you send your UCAS application to show you are serious/have genuinely thought about it and learnt from it so that you survive the PS chop; then you have between then and interviews to do more to give you plenty to talk about in interview.

.

Just for info lawyer - SGUL GEP don't bother with a PS chop - they rely on GAMSAT cut-offs to do that for them.

I got most of my w/e between GAMSAT and interview (early April). But I'm probably unusual as I only applied for the one course.

As others have said, it's worth entering all the info about exam grades etc nice and early, as it will take longer than you think.

[W12 doc]

Thanks for your reply. Well, I've definitely decided to take the plunge. Was looking at Kings and thinking probably a good idea to do their foundation year and then try and progress to the fast-track course. Will still try for St George's but it does seem like my chances of getting in are slim to none!
My plan is to resign and then spend the next 4 months getting work experience and sign up for Gradmed.

Does anyone have any tips of how to go about getting work experience? I've got family friends who are GPs, but I'd love to get in the thick of it in a hospital - I have asked in my local hospital but no-one seems to have a clue...

[midnite-oil]

Originally Posted by W12 doc

Does anyone have any tips of how to go about getting work experience? I've got family friends who are GPs, but I'd love to get in the thick of it in a hospital - I have asked in my local hospital but no-one seems to have a clue...

Our hospital had a Director of Voluntary Services who organised work experience.

Keep trying! Perhaps you could write a begging letter to a named consultant in a specialty you are interested in?

[lawyertodoctor]

Glad to hear you're going for medicine W12.. good luck. I guess if you're devoting 100% of your time to study and other things, you might be allright! I'm working on and off as a solicitor so will try to make the time up somehow.

Thanks for the advice about the chop Midnight Oil, I suppose GAMSAT is a good enough means of chopping regardless of what you write on your PS! But for peeps like me and W12, who are coming from v diff careers, I suppose it's a good idea to get work exp. ASAP in any case, just to get an idea what being a doc is like now rather later. W12.. I spoke to the voluntary services person at my local hospital and got work that way.. they're pretty short staffed in the dept I'm working in so I'm kept busy! I found shadowng a local GP was v good exp too.

W12.. you mentioned the foundation year, what's that all about then. At the mo, I'm only applying to Kings and SG for the 4 year GEP. Anyone know any other places in London who will take a non-science student?

Cheers.

[Simon]

Hi lawyertodoctor,

a friend of mine who did theology and philosophy when we are at st andrews is starting at ucl in september. so they definitely take arts' grads, but she did have to sit BMAT too. however, i think she had 4 A's at A-Levels in sciences and maths, so i don't think she found that too taxing :-)

all the best,

simon.

[W12 doc]

Lawyertodoc,
As far as I know, and I have spent quite some time running through each uni's website, just Kings and St George's accept non-science students. The last time I studied science was age 15 with my dual-award GSCE, and no-one else seems to be interested!
Kings have a one-year foundation course for non-science students and they encourage you to move straight on to fast-track course - sounds perfect for me.
I just need to crack on and get work experience. Thanks for all your advice, I have contacted the voluntary departments of my local hospitals, so fingers crossed I'll be able to secure something through them.