funding for medicine as a second degree?

Swirlywurly

GlasweJen wrote: »

I'm already a member of that forum, there are several doctors in the family and i know exactly how the health system works thank you very much. I do feel much patronised by someone who must be about the same age as me, don't try talking down to me cos you made the wrong choice, I know what i want and now i've got an opportunity to go for it i'm going to. Only the best get jobs at the end and with the "in it for the cash" attitude you have perhaps that's a good thing?

Your post was aimed at my reply specifically, not at the person who suggested not doing it due to financial reasons, hence my response in turn.

It's easier to follow if you quote the person whom you are responding to, but most of what you wrote in the paragraph above is a direct response to what I wrote.

GlasweJen

sorry it was late at night, i was referring to savvy student for the end bit i'll edit my post for clarification.

SuziQ

Siwrlywurly I really admire your motivation and work ethic. What you are doing far exceeds what I expect from someone your age-and I am not patronising you when saying that. I have no doubt you will succeed with your attitude. I have worked with Dr's and nurses who have done similar work to you voluntairly.The only problem was some of them never ever found the same job satisfaction working back in our NHS and lots of them ended up going back out to those aeas to work.

Swirlywurly

SuziQ wrote: »

Siwrlywurly I really admire your motivation and work ethic. What you are doing far exceeds what I expect from someone your age-and I am not patronising you when saying that. I have no doubt you will succeed with your attitude. I have worked with Dr's and nurses who have done similar work to you voluntairly.The only problem was some of them never ever found the same job satisfaction working back in our NHS and lots of them ended up going back out to those aeas to work.

Thank you for that comment, it is appreciated and I haven't yet gotten to the point where I find praise patronising!

I won't pretend to be here for completely altruisitc reasons, my family are from Jamaica and I have never been here before. I thought I would combine it with some experience of the healthcare out here rather than just lazing around on a beach somewhere. Most medical students go somewhere abroad for a period, I don't want to make it seem as though I am doing something completely selfless, but most electives are provided free rather than you paying for them. That is the price for me choosing to come to Jamaica.

It is a third world country though, and unfortunately the healthcare reflects that. It is heartbreaking seeing children who in the UK would be operated on immediately. Their parents are told either that they must join a waiting list to go over to the US, or wait for a doctor to come to Jamaica. Neither happens very often and is dependant on good health insurance. It has been a massive eye opener, and although I make very little difference being here it has made me appreciate the NHS. I did consider whether I could live here, and i'm not sure I could. As my family are Jamaican I am familiar with the culture, but there are some things here which I'm just not sure I could adapt to, such as the very high crime rate and their views on homosexuality. But then, the way to change things is to get involved! I don't know...

I considered myself very knowledgable about medicine before I started, I've wanted to do this since I can remember, and I think I was the only 10 year old that knew what GCSE's they were going to take lol! I could never have predicted some of the things that have changed now, and I would still do medicine despite what I know now, I am much more cautious in my enthusiasm which is a shame.

It only takes one person to question my motives for me to turn into a ranting banshee though. I work my !!!! off, and I try to help where I can. I don't always get it right but I try! I'm glad GlasweJen knows "all about medicine", perhaps she can teach me because i'm still learning because things change so much. I'm about to go into my fifth year of medicine and we're still not sure what is going on with the job situation so if someone knows everything, can they please share?

With arrogance like that my good luck sentiments obviously weren't needed.

GlasweJen

I don't believe i was being arrogant, i was talking from the perspective that i have family within the health system and understand it better than most snotty nosed kids coming from 6th year at high school. Perhaps you're the one being arrogant by deliberately misreading my posts?

djhworld

Investment Banking is a difficult sector to get into, most "city jobs" demand a degree from the elite i.e. Oxbridge and the hours of work are horrible (probably in line with the amount of time doctors work!).

However you do get supplemented with a decent wage and five/six/seven figure bonus if you do well.

I'd prefer to be a doctor to be honest.

GlasweJen

too true djh it's not only doctors who work crazy hours.

On a different note I think this thread is best ended here, i came on to ask about funding not careers advice and my question has now been answered.

SavvyStudent_2

Hello again!

Sorry, I haven't logged into this thread in a while!

I see that everybody has gotten quite up in arms about medical school, let me just reassure you, none of this is worth the argument folks!

Contrary to popular opinion on this thread I'm not in medicine for the money at all - I would never have signed up if that was the case. I was just making sure (to be fair, a bit bluntly, sorry) that you had considered all the options before committing yourself to 6 years and £30,000 of debt like I have. I'm in the first centile too and doing very very well, but that doesn't change the fact that there just aren't enough jobs out there, and the vocational climate out there for new medical graduates is more than a bit stormy, which you have to admit is a bit off-putting!

Just because I think the job at the end isn't great doesn't mean I don't find things rewarding, they're just very different to what I was expecting when I was 18, fresh faced and 'heading off to medical school'.


If I left now I'd be throwing away 1/5 of my life so far, might as well finish and decide where to go from there.

Broke_Student

SavvyStudent wrote: »

Hello again!
before committing yourself to 6 years and £30,000 of debt like I have.

Is that all? You've got it cheap! Mine will be £50k+ for 5 years. Just hope my first quartile pays off aswell (not just in monetary terms, before i get attacked lol).

SavvyStudent_2

Broke_Student wrote: »

Is that all? You've got it cheap! Mine will be £50k+ for 5 years. Just hope my first quartile pays off aswell (not just in monetary terms, before i get attacked lol).

How on earth is yours £50K+? I've had the max available every year so far as my parents don't earn much! To be honest I don't think first centile (nevermind first quartile lol) will pay off much as this years MTAS is supposed to place the majority of points non-academic things.