Help please?

**chickenlittle** · 29-01-2012, 05:57 PM

Hello all,

I graduated with a BSc (Hons.) in Biomedical Sciences (2.1) in 2008. Since then I have gotten married and have had a baby. I am 25 and hoping to start medical school in 2014 or 2015 when my 2 year old starts school full time.

I have been away from work and education for almost 4 years now (Full time wife and mummy) but have always wanted to study medicine. I do believe in myself and if given an opportunity, will prove my capabilities. What I'm not sure of is would the medical schools take me seriously as I have not worked (paid or voluntary) in the past 4 years? All I have to say to that is I was busy adapting to my new role as a wife and mum, and since I was new to the UK, it was all a bit too much to take on at that time. Is that acceptable? I recently made my mind up about applying to medical school, so will be seriously looking to do some volunteering etc and get some good work experience. How can I convincingly explain the absence of doing any work and can this be used to my disadvantage? Are there any men/women on here who have been in a similar situation (being a full time mum and then applying to med school)

? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

**Joanna2012** · 29-01-2012, 09:20 PM

Yes, they will take you seriously!

I've just applied as a mum of 4 kids, I haven't had a proper full-time job for years. I only applied to one medical school but I have reached the interview stage. If you are not applying until 2013 you'll have plenty of time to do volunteering and get some work experience. You really don't need to worry, being a full-time mum shouldn't be a disadvantage at all as long as you have some relevant work experience by the time you apply. Good luck

**chickenlittle** · 29-01-2012, 09:32 PM

Thanks so much, Joanna!

I do have quite a lot of time before I apply, so it should be alright, with respect to the work experience. Which school have you applied to? All the best for your interview!

**FairytaleGirl** · 29-01-2012, 10:54 PM

GO FOR IT.

Youre at an advantage more than anything with a BioMed Degree! The only thing they may ask is how you plan to manage being away from your child so much - how you'll balance your workload with being a mother, that sort of thing. But I dont think youre at a disadvantage at all - Shoot for the Moon

**chickenlittle** · 29-01-2012, 11:28 PM

Thanks soo much, FairytaleGirl. I still have a long time to go before I am ready to apply, so plenty of time to think over these things. How about yourself? Are you an applicant too?

**Joanna2012** · 30-01-2012, 12:04 AM

Thanks chickenlittle, I've only applied to Swansea as it's reasonably close to where I live.

As far as I'm aware, they can't ask you anything about your childcare arrangements, how you'll cope with the workload being a mother, etc, as it could be seen as discrimination. You can bring these issues up yourself in the interview if you wish, but they can't ask about them. Personally I wouldn't mind being asked, it would leave less time in the interview for them to ask me difficult questions

**chickenlittle** · 30-01-2012, 07:08 AM

Ahh I see. When is your interview? Good luck with it. I am in Manchester and the thought of applying to only MMS seems a bit daunting. Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield are all within a 60 mile radius, just not sure if I'd like to commute especially with the little one in nursery.

**Profanius** · 30-01-2012, 03:42 PM

Hello chickenlittle

A word of warning but Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield don't offer post-graduate medicine. This means you would have to apply to the 5 year course and as a graduate you would not be eligible for tuition fee loans - you would have to pay £9k per year for the first four years yourself. Keele and Liverpool are the only Universities in your area to offer post graduate medicine, for which tution fee loans are available. Slightly further afield there is Nottingham or Birmingham.

There are plenty of people on here who have started medicine degree with children so I wouldn't let that put you off. As Joanna points out under the Equality Act 2010 it is potentially illegal for any interviewer to ask questions about managing childcare etc. as this could be construed as discriminatory. However, you'll probably get interviewed by doctors/clinical lecturers who will have little discrimination training, or if my Imperial interview was anything to go by - no training whatsoever. In short the question will probably come up so it's best to raise it yourself and put a positive spin on parenthood e.g. repsonsibility, expereince, time-management.

The only weakness in your application might be a lack of recent academic study/achievement which many Unis insist upon. To ameliorate this you could try a post graduate diploma/degree with the OU as you'll be eligible for entry and could fit this part-time around your existing family life.

Good Luck.

**chickenlittle** · 30-01-2012, 05:55 PM

Hi Profanius, thanks so much for your reply!

I am aware about the fact that graduate students who have had a student loan taken out in the past for their first degree would not be eligible to take it out again for their second degree. However, my first degree was self-funded (being an international student), so I have been under the impression that if I apply to the five-year courses now (I am considered a home student now), I would be able to take a student loan out to fund my study ; please correct me here if I am wrong?

Or is it that the student loans are not available to graduates applying to the 5 year courses regardless of the fact that they have never taken a student loan out before? In that case, I'd obviously have to rethink my options.

I am going to look at the OU website and see what I can do, just hope I'm able to afford it! Thanks again for your help, Profanius and good luck with your application!

**Profanius** · 30-01-2012, 06:34 PM

Hey chicken

Alas tuition fee loan eligibility is based on graduate status, not on whether you have had prior funding. Basically if you have a UK degree then you are classed as having benefitted from higher education and thus not eligible for further funding. Bit of a stupid rule but there you are! My first degree was self funded but as a UK graduate I am stuck in the same boat.

However, I don't honestly know if this is the case for former international students as you would have paid full fees. Be very careful of advice from the student loans company. Their phone advice is appalling and invariably wrong. These boards are littered with tales of people who were promised funding only to have it withdrawn half way through their degree and left stranded. The best thing would be to contact the SLC and get this confirmed in writing - and even then take it with a pinch of salt.

Personally I would concentrate on GEP entry, only because it removes this ambiguity. With a 2:1 in biomedical science, 2 years to prepare and the capacity to obtain a postgraduate qualification you should be an excellent candidate.