Being a mature student Doctor
Discussion
I have been seriously considering a change of career in to medicine for some time (something I wish I had been pointed towards when I was younger!).
Has anyone taken the jump as a mature student?
I have no relevant qualifications and know how hard it is to get on a course. I know anything is possible but it looks like I would have to study an access course at college while applying to as many Medical Schools as possible and doing a foundation year (meaning 6 years instead of 5 + 2 years of practical on top then 2 years for a GP?).
Any information and experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Sam
Has anyone taken the jump as a mature student?
I have no relevant qualifications and know how hard it is to get on a course. I know anything is possible but it looks like I would have to study an access course at college while applying to as many Medical Schools as possible and doing a foundation year (meaning 6 years instead of 5 + 2 years of practical on top then 2 years for a GP?).
Any information and experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Sam
mate of mine attended crap school, no real qualifications after basic gcse's
ended up working in hospital lab testing blood and poo (nice) worked for a few years then went to college/uni at the age of 30 as a mature student. is now 37 and an A&E Doctor
I've no idea the specifics but I think its 5-7 year study?
ended up working in hospital lab testing blood and poo (nice) worked for a few years then went to college/uni at the age of 30 as a mature student. is now 37 and an A&E Doctor
I've no idea the specifics but I think its 5-7 year study?
My girlfriend took the plunge when she was 33 giving up a science career. 7 Years later she's almost finished as an FY2 and I'm hugely proud of her. What I would say is prepare yourself for some hard work and lots of expense. Including the lost wages it has cost my girlfriend in the region of £200k to retrain.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Greedydog said:
My girlfriend took the plunge when she was 33 giving up a science career. 7 Years later she's almost finished as an FY2 and I'm hugely proud of her. What I would say is prepare yourself for some hard work and lots of expense. Including the lost wages it has cost my girlfriend in the region of £200k to retrain.
Good luck!
congrats to her!Good luck!
eeeek 200k
I have no outgoings really and could live off student money lol
Just waiting to hear back from admissions see what I need to do to get on a course!
SirSamuelBuca said:
congrats to her!
eeeek 200k
I have no outgoings really and could live off student money lol
Just waiting to hear back from admissions see what I need to do to get on a course!
Just check how much student money you can get as I think you may be entitled to some from the NHS after you get past the first few years, also heard of people getting career development loans. eeeek 200k
I have no outgoings really and could live off student money lol
Just waiting to hear back from admissions see what I need to do to get on a course!
I am not sure if that was for entry with a PhD though, it was suggested to me as an option once I finish my PhD (Molecular Oncology) but the workload/life style and another 7 years training put me off, I am however looking at the clinical geneticist training.
I did something similar, but in IT apposed to medicine. I am now a year into the job after taking a big pay cut, I have so far lived in savings to subsidise my poor wage. Thankfully my money is going back up, however it still isn't fantastic.
So my one piece of advice - save, save, save your money now. It will make a big difference to your quality of life when studying.
If you do decide to do this OP then I wish you the very best of luck and no you're not too old at 28, not at all. The heart wants what the heart wants.
So my one piece of advice - save, save, save your money now. It will make a big difference to your quality of life when studying.
If you do decide to do this OP then I wish you the very best of luck and no you're not too old at 28, not at all. The heart wants what the heart wants.
I worked in a research environment at a local university. My advice is follow your dreams. I am 49 this year and never did get to complete my PHD. Something I will always regret.
Mother of five, two of who have autism. and advocate for special needs. director of a charity and a teaching assistant in an SEN school.
Mother of five, two of who have autism. and advocate for special needs. director of a charity and a teaching assistant in an SEN school.
I can give you the contact details of one or two people who went into medicine as a mature student if you like. Including one chap who, at 40ish, put aside his business to retrain as a doctor. He ended up being top of our year pretty much.
I'm not a mature student (starting F1 next week aged 24) so can't offer too much advice in that way.
Are you sure you want to be a GP already? It is certainly the shortest official training pathway, I think it's 3 years after your two foundation years until you finish your training. Obviously you never stop learning, which is one of the best things about the profession.
I'm not a mature student (starting F1 next week aged 24) so can't offer too much advice in that way.
Are you sure you want to be a GP already? It is certainly the shortest official training pathway, I think it's 3 years after your two foundation years until you finish your training. Obviously you never stop learning, which is one of the best things about the profession.
Greedydog said:
My girlfriend took the plunge when she was 33 giving up a science career. 7 Years later she's almost finished as an FY2 and I'm hugely proud of her. What I would say is prepare yourself for some hard work and lots of expense. Including the lost wages it has cost my girlfriend in the region of £200k to retrain.
Good luck!
Well done to her - awesome stuff Good luck!
.Wish her all the best from me.
And OP - hope you do awesome
My wife did it aged 32; it's a long hard process that is not to be underestimated and as you progress the competition gets unbelievably tough, depending on your speciality. My wife is a Specialist Registrar - General Surgery and when she applied for the position she now holds there were over 550 applicants for approx 140 jobs nationally.
Be prepared to move around the country as well.
She has now achieved her life long ambition though and that makes it all worthwhile.
Be prepared to move around the country as well.
She has now achieved her life long ambition though and that makes it all worthwhile.
Edited by GWC on Friday 2nd August 02:33
Good luck! I would love to pursue a career in medicine as I find it all fascinating and love to help people but learnt that I really cannot stand bodily fluids and other outputs. Best I can cope with is burns from radiotherapy, infections and wounds. *quivers slightly*
I'm sure it'll be a hard slog but if you have a passion for it, then you can succeed.
I'm sure it'll be a hard slog but if you have a passion for it, then you can succeed.
We had quite a few mature students in our medical school year. They typically did quite well as they weren't uni n00bs desperate to get wrecked every month.
Worth doing if that's what you want to do.
Iirc, depending on their original degree they had to do a foundation year to get the basic science up to scratch. After that the standard 5 years (2 preclinical, 3 clinical).
Once you qualify it's 2 years foundation medicine.
For GP training it's a further 3 years (though there is talk about extending this to 5 in the upcoming years).
Worth doing if that's what you want to do.
Iirc, depending on their original degree they had to do a foundation year to get the basic science up to scratch. After that the standard 5 years (2 preclinical, 3 clinical).
Once you qualify it's 2 years foundation medicine.
For GP training it's a further 3 years (though there is talk about extending this to 5 in the upcoming years).
GWC said:
My wife did it aged 32, it's a long hard process that is not to be underestimated and as you progress, the competition gets unbelievably tough, depending on your speciality.
Be prepared to move around the country as well.
This. It's a bugger to try and get your life sorted and settled. Be prepared to move around the country as well.
I did it, at the age of 28 funnily enough. Have just finished 2nd year and waiting to go into third.
I have rubbish A levels and a 2.2 in mechanical engineering (I was lazy). I e mailed virtually every med school in the country, offering to do a masters. The only ones who were vaguely positive were Glasgow and Newcastle. Whom said I could redo A levels or do an access course.
The access course was only a year so I did that part time at a local college while working. It was called Higher Education Foundation Certificate. I also did a weeks shadowing at a local hospital. You have to do the UKCAT test now as well, the score going forward to the med schools which you apply to, not all use it, those that do set a threshold below which your application gets binned.
Financially, you can get a fees loan, £4200 maintenance loan and £3300 maintenance grant.
It's hard work but I'm glad I made the change, there's quite a few my age on my course, one mid thirties and one mid forties, age isn't an issue
I have rubbish A levels and a 2.2 in mechanical engineering (I was lazy). I e mailed virtually every med school in the country, offering to do a masters. The only ones who were vaguely positive were Glasgow and Newcastle. Whom said I could redo A levels or do an access course.
The access course was only a year so I did that part time at a local college while working. It was called Higher Education Foundation Certificate. I also did a weeks shadowing at a local hospital. You have to do the UKCAT test now as well, the score going forward to the med schools which you apply to, not all use it, those that do set a threshold below which your application gets binned.
Financially, you can get a fees loan, £4200 maintenance loan and £3300 maintenance grant.
It's hard work but I'm glad I made the change, there's quite a few my age on my course, one mid thirties and one mid forties, age isn't an issue
This thread is interesting, I'm currently 16, just left school and looking to pursue a career in medicine 
Might be a long shot but it's worth a try, if there's any doctors etc. around the North West who could possibly be able to help with work experience placements I'd be really grateful, I've been searching for ages but cant seem to find any, had a 2 week placement in a Cardiology department last year and have a 5 day placement coming up in October, just trying to squeeze in as much as I can!
Might be a long shot but it's worth a try, if there's any doctors etc. around the North West who could possibly be able to help with work experience placements I'd be really grateful, I've been searching for ages but cant seem to find any, had a 2 week placement in a Cardiology department last year and have a 5 day placement coming up in October, just trying to squeeze in as much as I can!
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