Getting into medicine without UCAT (1 Viewer)

[iStudent]

My main point is that if OP wants to get into medicine, they're gonna need to work hard for it and apply themselves to the process - in the same way your daughter put in the necessary effort to get into medicine. I don't think it's possible to put the necessary effort if half the effort is spent on becoming a lawyer and another half is spent trying to get into medicine and the heart is split in the middle. This is coming from my experience of the admission process and my observations of the type of people who get into medicine. I am happy to be proven wrong, but most of the cohort (except a small bunch who are very very talented) got in because they dedicated themselves to it with the view that they genuinely wanted to become doctors as their primary objective. This is especially the case for people who get in after high school as OP will be. If OP isn't prepared to at least have this dedication (perhaps because she sees herself becoming a criminal lawyer as she said above - which is fine) then I think it will be very very hard to get into medicine. Of course, there is nothing wrong with OP doing a diverse range of activities and in the process achieving personal growth/self development - however if she wants a realistic chance of getting a medicine offer, then she will need to be prepared to show that she actually wants it by committing to the preparation to get in. Have backups definitely and of course I'm not implying to literally 'tunnel vision'. Just adopt a mindset for what it is - a way of thinking so at least you can be motivated to do all that prep to get on - not to literally intrinsically believe medicine is the only thing life is about.

 

[Life'sHard]

In short. It takes a shit load of work to get into med. And an even bigger shit load to get into med and law.

 

[iStudent]

Yea and also to address the "preconceived judgement that people who wish to do medicine only have a passion for health or are "all in", but I think people can have multiple paths that they may be interested in".

I really don't think it's a preconceived judgement. This is reflected in the people who study medicine. They're not necessarily only passionate about health in the sense they don't have interests outside of medicine - everyone does, hobbies and the like or whatever. Some are interested in teaching - for example myself because I spend a decent amount of time during and after medicine doing teaching (whether it be medical students or high school students or both) and certainly if I didn't get into medicine teaching would be a huge consideration as an alternate career. However, almost certainly medical students are (mostly) very passionate about health, so much so that a typical medical student (non school leaver, which is what you will be next year) would have spent every year preparing for the UCAT + GAMSAT, every year doing extracurriculars relevant to medicine and every year honing their interview skills. Most of the people who study medicine are people who want to study medicine and are in it because it is what they really really want to do.

Edit: I note this has sort of been derailed from the initial question. My apologies. I'm not trying to criticise anyone, but I do want OP to have a realistic image of what it takes to get into medicine if that is what she wants to do. Studying law as a backup is fine because it will lead to a career at the end of it if all fails. However if you want a real shot at medicine, you will need to treat it seriously - you will need to see law as a backup for what it is worth and not your main objective because if you're split between both I really don't see how you will find it in yourself to do what it takes to get in. Not necessarily that this is what she actually intends to do, but it is easy to fall in that trap so it is just a word of caution. Hope it helps

 

[Schmeag]

I would like thoughts on this process? Would it be smarter to do a medical science degree for a year? Or take a gap year?

If you don’t care which university you study medicine this year, particularly which state, you could take a punt at all the programs that do not require UCAT.

If you foresee yourself as willing to continue try at medicine admission beyond two years, then consider the postgraduate pathways, including some special/guaranteed entry pathways/requirements, which differ by medical school. This may play into where you would like your study undergraduate degree, or what degree you choose to do. If not, then I can’t see anything limiting you from choosing whatever undergraduate degree, wherever you want.

Also if I don’t get into medicine would I be able to continue my law degree despite this?

Passing grades aside, it is hard to see why not.

However, almost certainly medical students are (mostly) very passionate about health, so much so that a typical medical student (non school leaver, which is what you will be next year) would have spent every year preparing for the UCAT + GAMSAT, every year doing extracurriculars relevant to medicine and every year honing their interview skills. Most of the people who study medicine are people who want to study medicine and are in it because it is what they really really want to do.

If applying the first year out, this would put OP in an undergraduate medical degree, would it not?

I wouldn’t class the majority of medical students as passionate (competitive, perhaps). The view that medicine is a calling or a passion seems to be in the minority.

 

[icycledough]

Honestly, being passionate about studying medicine is one which some students will inherently possess even before becoming a medical student. However, for other people, they may not find it passionate until much later on down the track. In medical school in university, you typically tend to experience hospital life in 3rd year (when you get to experience your first sense of clinical work). I'd know that that would be something which would be much more interesting to me than just reading through a textbook. So until then, it's just learning the theory and science, which many people may understandably be bored or not interested by.

 

[iStudent]

If applying the first year out, this would put OP in an undergraduate medical degree, would it not?

I wouldn’t class the majority of medical students as passionate (competitive, perhaps). The view that medicine is a calling or a passion seems to be in the minority.

Many medical schools are only open to school leavers (ie applying as a high school student). Once you start uni, you're mixed in with the non school leavers so it's more competitive if you want to gain entry into the undergrad route.

Perhaps you're right. In my experience with a small cohort of 60, in a uni where entry is 100% interview based and 75% of the cohort are non school leavers who have had many many goes before getting into medicine - the majority of my cohort I would classify as passionate. I can't speak for the entirety of all medical students but this is just in my experience. Not necessarily a 'calling', but definitely most people are passionate. Perhaps it's different in other uni's and certainly it seems to be the case in your experience so I'm happy to be corrected.