Looking to go into paediatrics

**Elebump** · 05-05-2009, 05:10 PM

I'm looking to go into paediatrics eventually, but I know it's going to take a while to get there. I'm still 15, doing my GCSE's summer 2010. I know what A levels I'm doing, and I'm hoping to go on the Medsim course after I've done my GCSE's.

I was wondering whether there were any Uni's that would be best to try for to go into paed's, like are there any with an association thingy with a hospital with a paeds ward or even with a paed's hospital?

Also, how long will it take to specialise? It's a 5 year course at Uni right? 3 years pre-med and 2 years clinial (F1+F2) but where do I go from there?

Thanks for any help you can give

**keiran91** · 05-05-2009, 06:07 PM

Hey, you are quite keen aren't you? You've got quite a while before you can even apply to med school!

Good to be prepared though i guess.

Well you almost got the university stuff right if i read correctly. It's mostly a 5 year course(6 at some universities), then after graduation you apply to your foundation posts which you rightly mentioned is 2 years. After this you apply once again for specialty training which can be anything up to around 8 years I think. So say around 15 years until you are a fully fledged consultant after school assuming you get in to university first time and you actually get a training post!

In response to your question whether there are special universities which are better for paeds than others, no not at all! All universities will cover everything you need to know etc... and when you are applying for F1/2 you apply for a region rather than a hospital. This means that say if I was interested in paeds I know that in Aberdeen there is a new childrens hospital but even if I applied for the Grampian region there would be absolutely no guarantee I would end up in that hospital.

To be honest best thing to do for yourself just now is to wait until your 16 and try and get a full time job/regular charity work or volunteering in something medically related and make sure you get all the GSCE's you need (may be an idea to check out any universities you've heard of or are interested in to see what kind of GSCE levels they're looking for). After this your A-levels and get your A's and obviously as much experience/extra-curricular activities etc you can.

You've got a long wait on your hands until you actually get to the applying stage but it's really good that your looking in to it as wearly as possible well done!

**giella** · 06-05-2009, 12:44 AM

5 years medical school, 2 foundation years and then specialty training.
I think you may be a little mixed up with where foundation years come. They're after medical school, not a part of it.

**keiran91** · 06-05-2009, 01:30 AM

that's what i tried to say in quite a round about way i must admit!

**Elebump** · 06-05-2009, 08:33 PM

thanks

I'm thinking of St. Andrews or Nottingham at the moment, but I dont think I'll have a very good chance of St. Andrews, as I'm not living in scotland (I've heard they're harder to get into because everyone in Scotland is staying in Scotland for Uni)

**keiran91** · 06-05-2009, 08:37 PM

Ummm no difference tbh, an english student has just as much chance of getting in to st andrews as us scots do! only difference being that most scottish students will get unconditionals (providing they're not graduates) as we do our highers a year earlier than you lot do your A-levels

.

**petemg** · 26-07-2009, 06:07 AM

Hi all,

Im sorry if my questions have already being answered but would really like your advice. im 26, left school with decent GCSEs and started my As levels but after 8 months i decided i needed a break from education and took a year out and went over to ireland. i began working part time in a toy superstore and one thing led to another and i ended up staying for 7 years (working my way up from part time sales assistant all the wat to store manager), through out this time my wanting to do medicine was always there but i guess i got too comfortable. This summer however i decided its now or never for me and left my job and begain looking at my options to get into medicine. Kings would be my prefered choice and im in the process of applying to lambeth for access to medicine and also have applied for the UKCAT. So far i have my personal statement but not 100% happy with it and i have 1 days shift shaddowing at GOSH (at this mo i want to go into paeds) so need advice on getting more work ex/voluntary work, and any other advice for getting into kings or just advice on getting into medicine would be appreciated. Thanks all
Peter