New Media Medicine Forums - Medical News

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 02:53 AM PST

Hi everyone

I suppose what I'm doing here is trying to establish whether or not I'm completely insane..!

I'm currently an undergraduate in the penultimate year of my history degree, due to finish in 2015. I only have maths as a science A-level, and no relevant work experience in a healthcare setting. When I was choosing all of this I was under the impression that I would never want to be a doctor. Unfortunately, over the past few months I've been wrestling with a lot of regrets about where I am, and the sudden urge to study medicine. It seems pretty far-fetched and I can't imagine telling everyone I know that suddenly I want to be a doctor after having done a £27,000 history degree!

I've been reading and lurking on this site a while, and have examined the various possibilities for someone like me, but... I don't know if it just seems too absurd at this stage. It would presumably take me quite a while to get ready work experience-wise, and not to mention trying to study for the GAMSAT (I don't think I would take more A-levels, unless anyone thinks this would be a preferable idea?), so I would have to take one or more years out before I could even apply. I also read that places are being cut at St George's, which had been looking like my best bet, making all this seem even more unlikely.

Financially, it's possible my parents could support me if they felt I really wanted it and depending on where I went I could live at home, maybe. But I would inevitably have so much student debt afterwards, and would be well into my twenties before I'd started earning anything or got my own place, which seems horribly unfair of me to do. And of course, all that's assuming I got in in the first place.

So I guess I would like to know what others would do if they were in my place! Would you start now, trying to work on science in the holidays, and getting work experience? Should I just give this up as a pipe dream?

If anyone has any wise words for a confused arts student, please let me know!

Work Experience

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 11:54 AM PST

I have recently quit my job in order to find work experience that would be suitable for medical school. I have started as a HCA but it really hasn't been what I thought it would be. I am thinking about other options. So could ppl who have been successful in Medicine suggest other work exp instead of the usual HCA care homes etc etc