Life changing decisions. Please help.

**Zabier** · 15-12-2008, 05:20 AM

Hello, Zabier here,
I've posted here before and I have to say this is an excellent forum, thankyou so much for all the time people put into this!

I'm at a turning point in my life right now. I'm so unsure of the realism of my dreams and I desperately need the opinions of those in the know.

So here goes....

I am a 19 year old - 2nd year- university student, I have good GCSE's and 3 A-levels (Biology - B, Physics - C and Theatre studies - A). I am currently at university studying Diagnostic Radiography and I hope to attain probably a 2:1 or god forbid a 1st!

I am a member of St.Johns Ambulance and I work as a health care assistant.

I'm sure I have lots of merit that I can show to universities if I just take the plunge.....

I started my degree in September 2007, so to apply to medicine I will have to apply by early October 2009.

Phew! Well thats me summed up as a human being!

What I would really like to know is, is this a reasonable plan?

Am I mad?

I could apply for 2 graduate (4year) courses and 2 5 year courses at the start of my 3rd year before october 2009.

But would I get in?

If not should I apply for an entry to medicine course like the one at Kings lynn to make up for my A-levels and then apply?

I'm so plagued by self doubt!

Please help me!

**terpineol** · 15-12-2008, 05:55 AM

I would phone around and ask. What admissions think in various places. I think here would in theory consider you with a 2.1

It may be best to limit yourself to two grad courses (its silly for anyone to apply for grad courses only really).

**Zabier** · 15-12-2008, 06:17 AM

Thanks first of all for your reply, Im realy thankful for any advice.
Do you mean your university might consider me?
I should phone around, thanks. By phone would be the best way to describe my situation.

Thanks again. Any other advice would me brilliant.

**Pammy** · 15-12-2008, 06:23 AM

You might just want to look into doing an external chemistry A-level? Quite a few people do that...

A lot of unis don't look at A-level results that much for GEPs (it's not like you got EEE) and if you can show you're on target for getting at least a 2.1, then formally there'll probably quite a few GEPs open to you...Just go through them all and have a look, takes a while, but you'll know!

**Zabier** · 15-12-2008, 06:28 AM

Thankyou.
It's nice to confirm I'm not hopelessly out of touch!
I think I should try the ukcat come jully 2009. Ready for the Uni's who want it, which seems to be everybody!

**terpineol** · 15-12-2008, 06:30 AM

Phone admissions and ask, but i believe your application would make it past the first binning stage.

**Zabier** · 15-12-2008, 06:34 AM

That's good! I think I should do ok in an interview, I've got experience in hospital from radiography and hca work. I will post back here after some calls when I have a chance. Thanks again.

**giella** · 15-12-2008, 07:22 AM

You don't have chemistry, which is the main drawback. UEA would definitely consider you for their 5 year course, as they don't require it. It is a problem though, for most universities. Your experiences would be fantastic fodder for your application, but it won't get you in on its own.
Try 6 year premed courses like Dundee, Keele, Cardiff and Bristol and a few other places I can't remember. They're 6 year courses which would fill you in. King's would probably be an excellent place to contact as they're renowned for the variety of entry schemes they run.
There is one other thing you could consider. Contact the chemistry department and your own department at your university and investigate the possibility of studying some chemistry modules. It's not a completely unrealistic proposition, so I would definitely consider that if I were you.
You would not be eligible for GEPs without a significant chemistry component to your degree or without some study of chemistry at further or higher levels of education.

You do say that you "have to apply by 2009". Why? Is there a timer counting down to this point in time, after which you have no more lives left? You have plenty of time to prepare your application and get the prerequisite chemistry requirements for these courses.
I would also point out that you may be jeopardising your application by applying before you finish your degree. Many courses now require that graduate applicants actually be graduates by the time they apply. It makes it easier on their admissions teams because they prefer handing out unconditional offers to conditional offers. It's easier to know where they are with their numbers that way. At the stage you'll be at by applying in 2009, you'll be in little stronger a position to apply than a school leaver, excepting your experience.

Go to the careers department at your university, call the universities and talk with your department, see what they all say. Just bear in mind that you need to set out some clear objectives for the coming year and set a more realistic time scale for your application. You're only 19, and you'll only be 21 when you graduate. It's not going to harm your career one bit by adding an extra year or so onto that, and you have to budget for not getting into medicine first time around anyway.

**Dragunov** · 15-12-2008, 07:27 AM

You have a lot of time on your hands. What a long post.

**giella** · 15-12-2008, 07:39 AM

What Swifty? You want to add some criticism to the fact that I'm:
1) a fast typist
2) a chronic insomniac
3) waiting to start 3 new jobs and therefore do have time on my hands in between all my voluntary commitments and studying for the BMAT?
4) like to offer constructive and helpful advice instead of simply deriding people for being stupid when they have find working for their A-levels difficult

I'll also point out to everyone that you must have set up about 12 email addresses in the last 2 months just so that you can be a DPD troll on this board having had your accounts frozen so many times? The irony of hearing this from the person who devotes hours of his life to deliberately irritating and upsetting other people!