Going into medicine after another degree

**Confused.com** · 22-05-2007, 05:59 PM

Hi

Im just writing to ask people who did a non medical related degree then went into medicine how they are finding it?.

I am a grad finished uni in 2005 business studies been sitting behind a desk ever since. I come from a medical family and couldnt get into medicine as my school grades werent that good. However after phoning a few medical school namly Durham,KCL,Newcastle and Dundee that if u have a 2.1 and get good work experience u stand a chance.

I really hate sitting behind a desk, its the total lack of interaction and challenge( im a civil servant). People keep saying to me do you really want to be a doctor or are you just running away from your desk job.
I was just wondering if there are any people like me who have gone into medicine after doing something else?

How have you found it? do you ever regret your decision? Can you give me any advice into the best med schools for someone in my situation( bad school leaving grades) .

Any help greatly appreciated! :

Thank you

**wishing_on_a_star** · 22-05-2007, 07:58 PM

Hi,

I can't say whether going into medicine is the right thing just yet - I start in September, but I wanted to reply to part of your question.

I also have a business degree, but worked as a floor manager, so had a lot of contact with customers and staff - my main motivation for wanting to do my first degree and something I wanted to continue with medicine. When I decided I wanted to do medicine I got a job as an HCA (pay cut, but great experience) and really that's what got me into uni this time around. My A level grades aren't great and I only have a 2:2 in my degree, so I applied to St George's and Notts GEPs and Peninsula 5 year programmes and got offers from all three - none of them looked at my school grades, they just wanted a certain score in GAMSAT and for the GEPs, a 2:2.

For me work experience was the key though - it made me sure that this was what I wanted and it's great for interviews.

Good luck - it's certainly possible, no matter what school grades you have or what your degree is in!

**BarneyB** · 23-05-2007, 03:30 PM

Hi

I am in the same position as wishing_on_a_star, in that I haven't started yet. But I did a Philosophy degree and have been working in Local Governmet for the past 3 years - all the while wanting to be studying medicine - so I think we probably have had similar experiences.

My work has been mainly policy-based around homeless services commissioning. Although this was mainy office-based research and analysis (sounds as thrilling as it is! ;-), I got the chance to get involved with homeless charities and support groups - I started volunteering in homeless sporting events and spent time with outreach teams. I also got the chance to do a project commissioning (non-medical) HIV support services - and, although relatively short, this was really got me serious about medicine (I spent time with people with HIV, and in treatment and care services). I also come from a medical family, and have got a lot of work experience through that route. If i'm honest though it was the HIV work that grabbed me, and it was all the interviewers wanted to talk about - and what got me the offers (I got none last year, but looking back I don't think I deserved any then!) I suppose my point is you don't have to do loads of work experience to impress interviewers - it's much more about what you take from it.

In short - it doesn't matter that you have a non-medically-related degree. In my experience they want to know that you are sure you want to work as a doctor and that you have the motivation to stick at it.

In terms of grades, there are a number of schools that won't even look at them (King's certainly don't, along with the others you mentioned) George's GEP don't even look at your personal statement unless you are borderline for an offer after interview.

Hope that helps - bit of a ramble! I'm sure you know if you're making the right decision...and if you are then that should come across at interview.

Best of luck!

ps - something that was really useful for me in terms of 'reading around' was the GMC 'good practice' guidelines - basically a job description for doctors, and contains a lot of info on ethical and political decisions you will have to make. 'tomorrow's doctors' is also good. Also - make sure you know what a junior doc does. Partly because they may well ask you at interview, but mainly because you'll be doing it yourself in 4 or 5 years time!

**aspirant doc** · 23-05-2007, 05:15 PM

Well, I did an arts degree then spent ten years in the army; in other words, your career does not make you an unlikely candidate, it's what you got out of it that's related to medicine that counts. In many ways that set me up for medschool, bizarre though it sounds; there are plenty of things in your current job that you could phrase the right way in your UCAS form to get an interview, all the soft skills. I'm glad I've done it now, having thought about if for years. If you're not sure, take time to decide. You have plenty of time to decide (loads of folk start medschool in thier 30s), and it's best to decide at the right time than not decide at all or to decide at the wrong time. I wasn't ready to commit to it when I first thought about it in my early 20s; I loved my job, it all seemed a bit far fetched, I had to redo school science exams as I ditched science early, all these things....but one day after a truly horrendous and crap day in the army overseas I woke up and decided enough is enough and that I'd do it. I don't regret it for one moment, but if I said it was all great, I'd be lying.

**catch22** · 24-05-2007, 03:40 AM

Hi,

Just want to encourage you not to give up, if you want to do medicine that badly. I was working for an internet company before entering medical school at 29. My degree results weren't that great either. What got me noticed was my work experience and all the other stuff I'd done on my CV after university.

I can't be happier now, although yes, it's very tough going...moreso I think because I'm not on a graduate entry programme, and I'm quite a bit older than everyone else on the course. I really miss being around people my own age. My advice is to get on a GEP if you can. It'll also save you a lot of money in the long run.

Best of luck

**georgiajl** · 17-07-2011, 06:06 PM

Hi

I'm 18 and just starting university, I had wanted to be a doctor since i was around 11 years old, however my A Level grades didn't pan out as expected, so I transferred to a Human Biology degree, I then came across this website as I was looking into going into medical school after my degree has finished.

I was wondering if any of you had any advice or could tell me what its like from your perspective?
I'm hoping with a human biology degree behind me I may find it a little easier.

Thanks
Georgia

**fortysixandtwo** · 17-07-2011, 06:39 PM

Hey,

I finished uni in 2007 (with a BSc and an MA) and decided a few years later that I wanted to study medicine. I'm just after finishing my first year and I love it. I have no regrets whatsoever and I think I'm really fortunate to be going in a slightly later stage in my life. I feel a lot more mature and I'm loving all the studying.

My advice would be to do plenty of research, talk to people in these forums, talk to doctors, talk to nurses, and try get some work experience. If, after all that, you feel that medicine is a career you'd like to pursue then go for it 110%! You'll not regret it.

**georgiajl** · 17-07-2011, 06:46 PM

Awesome, thanks!

Was it hard getting into medicine though?
I was told it would be harder and more competitive than at undergraduate, so I'm worried I may not get a place.

**batdad** · 20-07-2011, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by georgiajl

Awesome, thanks!

Was it hard getting into medicine though?
I was told it would be harder and more competitive than at undergraduate, so I'm worried I may not get a place.

Nah, you're more experienced and rounded than when you were 18/19.

For me, my skills in researching that I acquired from my first non-medical degree were the reason I got accepted into medical school. I carefully targeted which schools to apply to, which ways to achieve a good score in entrance exams and how to better prepare myself for interviews etc. I cant say for sure but the 18yo me would have done none of those things and tried to play it by ear.

As it was, I found myself leaving nothing to chance and being meticulous in my research and preparation - which ultimately got me in.

**nkta.li** · 23-07-2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by batdad

Nah, you're more experienced and rounded than when you were 18/19.

For me, my skills in researching that I acquired from my first non-medical degree were the reason I got accepted into medical school. I carefully targeted which schools to apply to, which ways to achieve a good score in entrance exams and how to better prepare myself for interviews etc. I cant say for sure but the 18yo me would have done none of those things and tried to play it by ear.

As it was, I found myself leaving nothing to chance and being meticulous in my research and preparation - which ultimately got me in.

you mentioned specific targetting of potential schools. How exactly did you go about it? did you look at maybe their entrance requirements, called them up individually, looked at their syllabus/teching methods or something else? Help would be greatly greatly appreciated. Thanks