GAMSAT prep having just finished bio / chem based degree

**cptKernow** · 26-07-2012, 08:31 PM

Up until yesterday I was happily expecting to be taking my UKCAT next week to apply for a 4 yr grad dentistry course at Peninsula. They have now pulled the course and it will be a 5 yr course with graduates required to take the GAMSAT.

Having had the goal posts move endlessly since starting to get my application together nearly 3 years ago I'm pretty much at the end of my tether and the thought of another hoop to jump through plus an extra year and £15k in fees alone is making me consider throwing in the towel.

To cut to the question; I have just finished a degree which was around 60% bio, 30% chem and the rest was general science - mostly physics. I got a 1st and the chemistry exam was only last month, along with the a general science end of module assessment. So, I'm relatively up to speed.
Basically, I'm not prepared to ruin my summer revising for yet another test when I am in 2 minds as to whether I can now justify applying.

So, to those who know, will this put me in good stead and reduce my preparation to a bearable level?

Thanks

**Iceman10** · 26-07-2012, 10:31 PM

I'm not really in the know but I think your degree will help but I don't really think you should ignore revision. The science section is only part of the paper anyway, you still have the other two sections.

The Peninsula course will cost more than an extra 15k... The fees next year will be £9k a piece, before the change to 5 year you would have received tuition funding for the graduate course. You won't apart from the final year on a 5 year course. If you can afford it then fair enough but I wasn't sure you were aware of the fee increase. Altogether you are looking at £36k paid upfront on fees alone.

The 4 graduate courses left have just over 90 places which means competition will be through the roof. I hope someone can answer your question as I'd like to know too as I hope to sit the March exam.

**jcak** · 26-07-2012, 10:44 PM

If medicine is really what you want to do then the extra revision shouldn't really be a question, let alone a problem. The funding- on 5 year courses you don't get funded at all until the 5th year, nothing from the NHS and I don't think you get student finance either as a grad. However, you might be eligible for a loan from the bank for professional development or whatever they call it nowadays.
A100=4*9k fees, so £36k not including living expenses (rent, food etc...) for the entire 5 years.

If you're having doubts about whether or not going into debt is worth it, maybe you don't want to do medicine as much as the admissions tutors expect you to?

Your degree will help in a GAMSAT exam, that much is evident, however you still need to practice. You shouldn't take this lightly just because you've done some work before for it at degree level.

**cptKernow** · 27-07-2012, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by Iceman10

The Peninsula course will cost more than an extra 15k... The fees next year will be £9k a piece, before the change to 5 year you would have received tuition funding for the graduate course.

I was working on the fees for the 4 year course being £9k p/a of which the NHS paid around £3k and I think that was only for 3 out of 4 years. Hence £27k.

For the 4yr it would be 4 years at £9k and then some sort of subsidy in the final year.

Originally Posted by jcak

If you're having doubts about whether or not going into debt is worth it, maybe you don't want to do medicine as much as the admissions tutors expect you to?

My problem with the cost is I am 40 - if I was 10 years younger I wouldn't think twice about it. I also have a problem with having to do an extra year, in that I have young kids and will be away from home during the week. When you figure this into the equation it makes it a little more complicated than just how much you want something.

At the end of the day I will probably do what it takes in terms of revision. Just a bit sick of it all now that I just finished my 3rd degree specifically to apply for a grad course...

**Iceman10** · 27-07-2012, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by cptKernow

I was working on the fees for the 4 year course being £9k p/a of which the NHS paid around £3k and I think that was only for 3 out of 4 years. Hence £27k.

For the 4yr it would be 4 years at £9k and then some sort of subsidy in the final year.

Yes you're right, I had wrongly assumed you weren't aware of the £9k fees. Most graduate applicants are priced out of the 5 year courses as the money is upfront and they are not eligible for a loan.

To compare, a 4 year graduate course will come to:

Year 1 - £9k
Years 2-4 5535 x 3 = £16605
Total = £25,605 of which £3465 has to be paid up front in year one.

A 5 year course will cost £36k up front.

I think you should still go for it, if you are on your third degree and it was taken specifically for medicine it makes sense to follow it through. I'm one degree down on you and I started my second degree with the same intentions as you. Is Peninsula (Plymouth) the only institution that interests you?

Good luck with the GAMSAT

**cptKernow** · 27-07-2012, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by Iceman10

Is Peninsula (Plymouth) the only institution that interests you?

Afraid so. Family won't relocate so I'll be up and down to West Cornwall all the time. Also there is a good portion of the course in Truro which is commuting distance.

I can front the £36k but it kills me to think that 3 years ago the course would have cost a tenth of that

Will start looking into how much work the GAMSAT is going to be and make a plan...

**kingdizzii** · 27-07-2012, 01:40 AM

Originally Posted by cptKernow

Afraid so. Family won't relocate so I'll be up and down to West Cornwall all the time. Also there is a good portion of the course in Truro which is commuting distance.

I can front the £36k but it kills me to think that 3 years ago the course would have cost a tenth of that

Will start looking into how much work the GAMSAT is going to be and make a plan...

My cousin in America will be paying $40K every year for her medical degree so a total of at least $160k, even though you will be paying £36k it's still nothing compared to other countries. I know it's bad compared to before but what can you do?

I know very well money is not everything but mate you are going to earn that £36K back very quickly as a dentist, take that from me as someone who has dentists in the family. I guess the other factor is the loss of earnings in those 5 years of uni but again you can earn a lot of money in dentistry, just 9-5 is good but working weekends, privately etc is extremely lucrative. If it's really what you want to do and have the money don't let money be the factor, a positive spin I would say is that I would think you will have much less competition now due to fees and GAMSAT.

You're 40, that's nothing. My parents are over 50 and they still have a lot of years at work left, sadly retiring before 60 in this country is a pipe dream.

Good luck whatever you do!