Where do I start? Medicine as a Second Degree

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1 Where do I start? Medicine as a Second Degree Introduction Studying medicine as a second degree is a big commitment of money and time, but it can be the start of an exciting and fulfilling career. The wide range of specialities for you to choose from during your training offers the chance to find a role which suits your aptitudes and personality. Finding out about: Information folders: Yellow folder Medicine as a second degree provides an introduction to medical training (including information on funding, courses and entry tests) and feedback from graduates currently studying medicine as a second degree. Green folder (C1) Medicine gives an insight into the profession and an overview of the specialities. Reference books (the letters in brackets show which office holds the book) Getting into Medical School (C&KB) Into Medicine: Positive experiences of disabled people Insiders Guide to Medical Schools Learning Medicine Medical School Interviews Medicine Uncovered So You Want to be a Brain Surgeon

2 Connect.ed The Connect.ed database is an informal and confidential opportunity for you to gather occupational knowledge from former University of Edinburgh students currently working in the area you are interested in. You can access Connect.ed from the Careers Tab in MyEd (3rd years upwards). Web The Careers Service website links to many useful medicine websites. Use the Health care & psychology section, at occupations The British Medical Association (BMA) ( is a useful starting point covering entry to medicine in the guide, Becoming a doctor. Getting experience Gaining experience is important for your application but it will also help you to decide whether medicine and the role of a doctor is right for you. Try to ensure a variety of experience working with a range of groups. This will enable you to demonstrate your ability to communicate with a variety of patient groups offering different challenges and show that you can connect with all sorts of people. Check MyCareerHub for both paid jobs and voluntary opportunities. Access is via the Career Service website Use the recruitment sections on the NHS website, & Contact recruitment agencies who specialise in finding staff for nursing homes and residential care homes. To find recruitment agencies use or, for Edinburgh agencies, consult the Careers Service s survey of recruitment agencies in our information centres or on our website ( in the Looking for work section under Vacancy sources. Consider working as an auxiliary nurse and using your local NHS trust s nursing bank for vacancies. This enables you to have both a paid job in a hospital setting and one that is flexible so it fits in with your academic commitments. Speak to the HR department of your local hospital. Some hospitals

3 or health boards have a work experience coordinator who could help arrange shadowing. Voluntary work is just as valuable as paid work and doesn t have to be in a clinical setting. For information on finding suitable voluntary work use the information in the Explore your options section on our website, Network with different people in the medical profession so that you get a clear picture of how it all works. Talk to your GP, various types of healthcare workers, medical students, family and friends who work in healthcare (or know someone who does). For tips on how to network see the information in the red Job seeking strategies folder, on our website in the Looking for work section under Finding unadvertised vacancies or speak to a Careers Consultant. Student societies and charities are great for gaining transferable skills such as team work, leadership and planning. To find out more about student societies visit The Careers Service surveys University of Edinburgh alumni who undertake medicine as a second degree and one part of the survey form deals with experience prior to applying. Have a look at the survey responses in the yellow Medicine as a second degree folder in the Careers Service to get an idea of where you could get experience. Courses The two main options for graduates are the four-year accelerated medical degree courses specifically for graduates (not offered by all medical schools), or the five-year standard undergraduate medical degree courses. The BMA ( provides an overview of courses but you should get in touch with individual medical schools to find out what their entry requirements are. When choosing your course think about: Style of teaching - some medical schools use the traditional methods of lecturing and clinical observation, others use problembased learning (PBL), or a combination. What style suits you best? Location and facilities - you will have to live there for 4/5 years or more so make sure you visit before you apply.

4 Competition - entry to medicine is competitive and some institutions are more popular than others. Remember there is a range of institutions offering medicine degrees so make sure you investigate them all. Funding Advice about funding is difficult to give because candidates have a personal set of circumstances, which may affect the funding available to them. It is important to thoroughly research your own situation so that you can be clear about what funding is available to you and what you are expected to pay for. Whether you are doing a four-year or five-year course and where you are domiciled are important factors in determining what funding is available to you. Scottish-domiciled students should check with SAAS ( English and Welsh students should check with their local authority. Northern Irish students need to consult their Education & Library Board. There is funding available through the NHS but this is dependent on individual circumstances. You can check details at, Charities and trusts can be a potential source of funding but don t expect them to cover all your costs. The Careers Service has directories of charitable trusts and useful information on funding for further study on our websute in Explore your options>further study. Other sources of charities and trusts can be found at : and Get in touch with medical schools to establish whether any funding is available through them or if they are aware of specific sources. The Careers Service surveys University of Edinburgh alumni who undertake medicine as a second degree and one part of the survey form deals with how they are funded. Have a look at the survey responses in the yellow Medicine as a second degree folder in the Careers Service to give you ideas of potential funding sources. You should be aware that a significant number of graduates have to self-fund. Tests Entrance tests are a requirement for entry to the majority of medical schools. It is crucial that you check with medical schools which

5 test they require and the dates of these tests, as some will only have one sitting per year. The following are the tests used by UK medical schools. Their websites contain more information about the tests, details about registration and dates and practice materials. UKCAT BMAT GAMSAT The Careers Service has reference books to help you prepare for these tests. Applications and interviews Applications are made through UCAS ( and you can apply to four medical schools. The closing date for applications is 15 October. Your personal statement is a significant part of your application and should demonstrate your commitment and motivation, relevant skills and experience. You are restricted for space so it s important to be concise and make every word count. Avoid using clichés and making sweeping statements. Before you send off your application a Careers Consultant can provide you with feedback on a draft of your personal statement. It s important to choose the right person to be your referee and to give them time to write your reference. It helps to discuss your plans with your referee in advance to enable them to write a tailored reference rather than a general, uninformed one. The format of interviews varies throughout medical schools. They can include group discussions, case studies, stations (mini interviews and discussions with different medical school staff) and written exercises. The interview itself can be with one interviewer or a panel and can last 15 minutes or an hour. To help you prepare for your interview you can book a practice interview with a Careers Consultant (use MyCareerHub to do this). Use the reference books (available in the Careers Service), Medical School Interviews, Getting into Medical School and Insiders Guide to Medical School. They cover applications and interviews. The Careers Service surveys University of Edinburgh alumni who

6 undertake medicine as a second degree and one part of the survey form deals with the interview process. Have a look at the survey responses in the yellow Medicine as a second degree folder in the Careers Service. Make sure you stay up to date with current issues in medicine and the NHS. Considerations Think about why you want to study medicine now and what your motivations are - admissions tutors will expect you to have thought about this. Remember, entry to medicine is very competitive. If you don t get in first time ask for feedback and if you decide to apply again use the extra year to deal with any weaknesses. Don t be discouraged if you don t get in first time. Most medical schools will allow you to reapply the following year and it is not unusual for medical students to have applied more than once before being successful. Do you have the necessary science background for entry to the MBChB? While you don t need a science degree you will be expected to have a certain level of science (ie. at A-level, Higher). Do you have that and if not, how will you address this? While you are busy studying, many of your friends from your first degree will be working and have time and money to spend on leisure activities. You won t have as much free time and potentially can t afford these activities. Will this bother you? Are you prepared to study for potentially another five years? You can discuss any issues you may have with a Careers Consultant. Use MyCareerHub to book your appointment. Oct 2014

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8 job adverts insider information on employers and interviews exclusive information resources booking for appointments and events features you can personalise access anywhere, any time You can access MyCareerHub via the Careers Service website and log in using your EASE/MyEd username and password.