Wanting to enter Medicine, currently doing Medical Sciences...

**IZZOLaker8** · 11-03-2005, 01:50 AM

Hi, new here so I just want to say hi to everyone.

I'm currently on my 1st year of Medical Sciences at Leeds University. I wanted to go into Medicine eversince I can remember. However CCD in Biology, Chemistry and Maths (respectivly) kind of put that on halt.

I plan on doing work experience this summer, hopefully going onto the nursing bank (?).

Is there anything that anyone can reccomend me to do to improve my chances while I can? I figure if I can get as much information now I stand a better chance at getting onto the course that has been my dream.

Thanks in advance.

Mac5800 · 11-03-2005, 03:11 AM

the best advice would be to try and get a 2.1 min but a 1st preferably this year and next so that you get a good degree prediction. Also spend time getting to know your tutor (supervisor next year) because it will be 1 of them that writes your ref. Also get plenty of work exp in holiday time and also involved at uni (help run open days, peer guide....)-because that counts too! Crucially nxt year really research the unis-NEVER EVER apply based purley on what u read in the prospectus!!
Gd luck
rory

**Yoda** · 13-03-2005, 07:48 PM

Hi everyone! Izzo, Mac offers sound advice.

I am a 1st year undergraduate reading Medical Microbiology at the University of Surrey, Guildford, and I too want to read Medicine after graduation. My interests lie in the laboratory sciences, and not necessarily as a clinical microbiologist...but histopathology (maybe). Long story

A few years ago I undertook a work experience placement for 3-months within a department of anatomical pathology (mortuary) and its associated laboratories (histology and cytology), and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of that work, despite the fact I no longer wanted to read a pure anatomical sciences degree programme (so indecisive back then). My thoughts quickly turned to microbiology and the prospect of working in a clinical setting, but now I am lured back to medicine. Hmmm.

After spending 2 and a half weeks as an in-patient after having an acute cholecystectomy and pancreatitis back in January, I began to re-evaluate my future plans. Time will tell. Good luck with your studies.

**FUNERAL4AFREIND ROCK** · 14-03-2005, 01:10 AM

Hey Laker, all I can say is that if you want to do medicine, then work your assss off and go for it. I got BCC at a level, was dishearted, works soooo hard doing Physiology Bsc, got predicted a first and have an offer from barts. All I can say is when u do apply try and apply for 2GEP and 2 5yr courses, GEP courses are frightingly competitive ( unless your good at entrance exams!

which im not!) Anyways good luck. and oh ya Barts 5 yrs is reallly nice to grads btw.
Good luck

**IZZOLaker8** · 15-03-2005, 01:54 AM

Thanks for the advice, means a lot. I'm going to work as hard as I can then in the easter I'll be on the bank which will be good work experience for me I hope.

**sammy21** · 15-03-2005, 08:14 PM

hi izzo!
well im in my final yr of med sci at leeds! its all very stressful and applied to med but no luck so far and not very hopeful. the tutors gave me crap advice (cant mention names) and made it sound so easy to get into medicine after our course and well its not! so many people have applied that are good and able students on 2.1/1sts and have been rejected. if i cud go back i would resit my alevels u got more of a chance than being a mature student it makes it more competitive with all these gep courses.
my advice is work hard from now! make sure ur on a good 2.1 or even a 1st at the end of 2nd yr. choose a good research project for ur final yr, get lots and lots of experience in health care setting (i work as a HCA in leeds) and get involved in uni from now. go to lots societies and join in and volunteering work (action is great for that). oh and do the rountine follow round a doc shadowing thing. ur a mature student so will need to shine from the rest cos u have those few extra yrs behind u. start from now wen the work pressure is less. good luck and hope u enjoy the course. Im personally glad to be out of it soon, just dont know what to do with the rest of my life, may just become a bum!
take care and ne more questions then pm me,
Sammy

**fatcat** · 15-03-2005, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by sammy21

hi izzo!
well im in my final yr of med sci at leeds! its all very stressful and applied to med but no luck so far and not very hopeful. the tutors gave me crap advice (cant mention names) and made it sound so easy to get into medicine after our course and well its not! so many people have applied that are good and able students on 2.1/1sts and have been rejected. if i cud go back i would resit my alevels u got more of a chance than being a mature student it makes it more competitive with all these gep courses.
my advice is work hard from now! make sure ur on a good 2.1 or even a 1st at the end of 2nd yr. choose a good research project for ur final yr, get lots and lots of experience in health care setting (i work as a HCA in leeds) and get involved in uni from now. go to lots societies and join in and volunteering work (action is great for that). oh and do the rountine follow round a doc shadowing thing. ur a mature student so will need to shine from the rest cos u have those few extra yrs behind u. start from now wen the work pressure is less. good luck and hope u enjoy the course. Im personally glad to be out of it soon, just dont know what to do with the rest of my life, may just become a bum!
take care and ne more questions then pm me,
Sammy

Looks like sound advice! Sammy - I saw your other post (about UCAS extra). Sounds a like a bit of a crap situation I have to say. Anyway, if you have no luck this year, go for it next year with the incresed experience you'll have (follow your own advice!). And don't worry, 23 is still really young, something you'll appreciate greatly as the years get closer to 30 (and even that's not too bad, really)!